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After a long wait for the latest offshoot of the Dune universe, Funcom is back with Dune Awakening. After Spice Wars, expectations were high as to whether an MMO could succeed after a real-time strategy game. In the spirit of the developer's predecessor, many of the game's mechanics are reminiscent of Conan Exiles, although much has been revised and improved.
The journey is the destinationl
As usual for Funcom, you are introduced to a story right from the start, which is both a tutorial and a game guide and gives the player enough opportunities to develop themselves. While a survival story is told at the beginning and the player is guided through all the instructions necessary to survive in the game, the guide turns into an exciting story that is immersively dependent on the player's decisions and respects the rules of the original book to the greatest extent.
Story or Survival
One of the biggest criticisms of the game here is the story. Contrary to current opinions, according to which the game only follows the main story and doesn't tell much else, you have to explicitly search for story fragments. Side quests, explorations and looting passages provide a lot of additional information that explains the world, the mechanics and life and history in Dune. So you have to actively search for background information if you are not familiar with the world of the original book. However, these story fragments are well woven into the environment of the individual missions.
Packets and Paces
Getting into the game is self-explanatory and easy - the farm and lot system is difficult enough not to be boring, but simple enough to keep players happy. I can speak from experience myself, as my base was wiped by a sandstorm and I had already lost everything to the sandworm. Even in these scenarios, the situation is not hopeless and you can work your way back to your last level in just a few hours. To summarize, Dune Awakening is really worth the money - and not just for Dune fans. It's fun, very intuitive and the pace of the game is also very good. A clear recommendation for MMO fans.
Hand-drawn 2.5-D platformers are now a dime a dozen. However, it is more difficult to find real gems among those that remind you a little of Paper Mario. Ruffy and the Riverside is different. And very different. Very different. The game revolves around Ruffy - we don't know what exactly Ruffy is, but he is referred to as a bear several times in the game - who has completed his training as a painter. Or more precisely: He flips. He flips pictures. This means that Ruffy takes the contents of a picture with a magical movement and flips them onto the target. And enchants the target into exactly what he has captured.
Riddles, Puzzles, Action
And this also explains the game concept of Ruffy and the Riverside. Transferring one object from one material or content to another opens up completely new possibilities for creating puzzles and riddles, and these are great fun in Ruffy and the Riverside. A full, vibrant world, somewhat reminiscent of the Nintendo 64's Banjo and Kazooie, invites you to start a new experience at every turn.
Is that not too much?
With a huge, colorful map with lots of events, sub-levels and puzzles, you could almost think it was all a bit too much. Personally, I always complain about empty, loveless worlds in which not even the grass is varied. This is definitely different in Ruffy and the Riverside. Despite my initial overload and the feeling of being overwhelmed, you find your way around the game extremely quickly and intuitively. Although the map is full, it is still clearly laid out and a few quest overviews and collection screens make it easy to keep track of everything.
Just give it a try
Although the game is an indie title, it's easy to forget that this is a small team when you look at this completely crazy mix of genres, and luckily the game has a demo so that you can get an idea of this very image-heavy game for yourself. Steam dies have a demo available now.
End of Ember is an indie twin-stick roguelite that skillfully blends cute, cartoon-style visuals with over-the-top gore, wrapped in deep upgrade systems and a wicked sense of humor. Created by Eliah Smith, Chad Habel, and Daniel McGuiness of Bad Plan Studios, the game offers a refreshing—if blood-soaked—take on the genre. While it's still in alpha, we got an exclusive early look during the Horror Game Awards Show.
Feels Familiar?
When you first see the game, you might be hit with a wave of déjà vu. The art style immediately drew comparisons to Rick and Morty from my community, and the gameplay vibe felt reminiscent of titles like The Binding of Isaac or Vampire Survivor*. If you’ve played games in this genre before, the core concept will feel familiar: pick your weapons, clear out waves of enemies, and solve challenges or puzzles in frantic, bullet-hell fashion.
Why Should You Wishlist It?
What truly sets End of Ember apart is its dark, twisted humor. I was intrigued when the developers invited me to try it out—and pleasantly surprised by just how funny and chaotic it was. Think the absurdity and plot twists of Rick and Morty or the oddball energy of classic Nickelodeon shows, but dropped into a hellish arcade shooter with straightforward mechanics and a story that doesn't need hand-holding. Yes, there are plenty of references and easter eggs (for example Alice Madness Returns, Rugrats), but the game never loses its own identity. It manages to be both familiar and refreshingly original.
When Can You Play It?
There’s no official release date just yet, but you can add End of Ember to your Steam wishlist here to stay in the loop on all updates and announcements. Don’t miss it—this one’s worth keeping an eye on.
