Dune: Awakening is a survival-focused action RPG set on Arrakis, where thirst, heat, exploration, crafting and base-building shape the journey. Push Square’s PS5 Pro review praises its satisfying progression and dense but approachable crafting, while flagging repetitive enemies, uneven visuals and some tedious quests. The September 2026 PS5 release also includes a full single-player mode—but the PlayStation Store still says online play is required.
What is Dune: Awakening?
Dune: Awakening is Funcom’s open-world survival game set on Arrakis, blending adventure and role-playing elements. Its premise explores an alternate version of the Dune universe in which Paul Atreides was never born. The PlayStation Store description centers play on surviving the planet, extracting liquid to refine into water, learning abilities from the Imperium’s schools, building a base, and crafting equipment and vehicles. PlayStation Store
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Dune: Awakening - PlayStation 5 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Dune: Awakening Day One Edition (PlayStation 5) | $65.52 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening - PlayStation 5 | $27.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Dune Awakening (Day 1 Edition) | $60.47 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Assetto Corsa Competizione - PlayStation 5 | $28.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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The appeal is in the way those systems feed one another: gather and explore to expand what you can make, then use new equipment and abilities to reach places and take on challenges that were previously out of reach. In Push Square’s review, Aaron Bayne found the crafting loop dense but approachable, with progression that keeps opening up after the first base. He also liked the Dune details and the straightforward feel of base-building on console. These are the reviewer’s impressions, not claims from independent performance or gameplay testing.
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How do survival, crafting and progression work?
The review describes an early routine of managing thirst and heat, collecting resources, and returning to a base that grows as the player advances. Exploration, combat and quests contribute to progression alongside research points, craftable schematics and skill unlocks. The result, in Bayne’s assessment, is more than a repeated gathering loop: new tools and traversal equipment change the kinds of expeditions you can attempt.
#1 Best Overall
- Step into the world of Dune and explore an immersive, open world Arrakis, from sandworm-infested deserts to the sprawling city of Arrakeen
- Experience a unique, cinematic Dune story that gives clear meaning and purpose to your otherwise freeform survival crafting journey
- From the slow blade to epic firepower, train and progress as a Swordmaster, Bene Gesserit, Trooper, and Mentat to unlock their signature weapons and abilities
- Rise from survival to greatness as you grow your own piece of Arrakis from a modest crafting base into a sprawling fortress, or secure your fortune by chasing spice blows and running your own spice-refining operation
- Play single-player and customize every aspect of your experience, or go online to team up with friends on private or public multiplayer servers
Crafting and base-building
Crafting is a central progression system rather than a side activity. Schematics and research expand the equipment available, while base-building gives gathered materials a practical destination. Bayne particularly enjoyed building on console and found the progression systems engaging beyond the initial base.
Exploration and quests
Quests and exploration help direct advancement, but the review identifies a pacing drawback in some sequential Fremen trials. Bayne found these quests tedious when a trial encountered during exploration could not be started because it was not yet next in the sequence. That restriction can make exploration feel less free than the open-world setting suggests. Push Square’s PS5 review
Rank #2
- Explore a vast, open world Dune - Discover a dynamic and immersive Arrakis, from the rolling sand dunes of the Deep Desert to hidden Fremen caves and the bustling city streets of Ardkeen. Climb towering mountains with the Shigawire hook and fly across sandworm-infested deserts in an ornithopter you built yourself. Escape the destructive might of the massive sandstorms towering above you as they sweep across the landscape, then take a quiet moment to witness the beauty of Arrakis when the sun is low.
- Unravel an epic, cinematic Dune story - In Dune: Awakening, you get to step into the books and movies and experience one of science fiction’s most incredible worlds up close. Join the Atreides or the Harkonnen and rise through their ranks as you explore their unique stories. Meet familiar characters such as Duke Leto and Feyd-Rautha, investigate the mysterious disappearance of the Fremen, and discover the truth about your own past. Unravel an epic, cinematic Dune story that asks the mind-bending question: what if Paul Atreides was never born?
- Become a master of combat and survival - Arrakis is a test that few survive. Those who do, awaken. Learn to survive the unique climate of Arrakis, chasing shade and extracting liquid from the bodies of your enemies to refine it into water. Study the teachings of the Schools of the Imperium to unlock a powerful repertoire of abilities, weapons, and tools. Wield the Trooper’s unparalleled firepower, use the Bene Gesserit voice to control your enemies, deploy the Mentat’s deceptive traps, or master the Swordmaster’s unique dance of death.
- Build your stronghold, craft your ornithopter - Carve out your own piece of Arrakis and build your personal base of operations. From small outposts to elaborate and towering strongholds, build everything piece-by-piece in the Atreides or Harkonnen style, or any of the other available architectural styles, and decorate it to reflect your personality. Equip it with powerful crafting machines and spice refineries and watch your power and fortune grow. Craft anything from useful desert-survival gadgets to entire vehicles such as ground cars and ornithopters.
- Single-player, multiplayer, and scalable difficulty - Play alone in full single-player, multiplayer with friends on a shared server, or with hundreds of other players on a public server. The full game, with all its features, content and story, is available regardless of which mode you choose. Both single-player and private multiplayer servers offer extensive customization options, allowing you to scale difficulty and tune gameplay options however you like.
What did the PS5 review like—and dislike?
Push Square awarded the PS5 version 8/10. Its review is based on the PS5 Pro European version, so the score and impressions should be read as one outlet’s assessment, not a universal verdict or a claim that every version performs identically.
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| What works | What may frustrate |
|---|---|
| Satisfying progression, with tools and traversal gear that expand what expeditions are possible | Enemy encounters can feel repetitive, according to the reviewer |
| A dense but approachable crafting loop and enjoyable base-building on console | Visuals are inconsistent in the reviewer’s assessment |
| Dune setting details and a full single-player option | Some sequential Fremen trials can be tedious and restrict when a discovered trial is available |
Bayne also reported fairly stable frame rates on PS5 and PS5 Pro and some DualSense haptic support. The review provides no numerical frame-rate benchmark, so this is a qualitative observation rather than a measured performance result. The PlayStation Store separately lists DualSense vibration and trigger support and marks the game PS5 Pro Enhanced. PlayStation Store
Rank #3
- Visit a multitude of exotic planets across levels filled with traps testing your skills to the limit. With Cobra’s superhuman abilities, you will need to relentlessly run, jump and climb, and make sure you use all the means at your disposal to take out your enemies.
- Master Cobra’s iconic weapons, such as the awesome psychogun and the Colt Python 77, to destroy the opponents on your heels, as well as his famous gadgets like the cigar and the grappling hook. You will need all of your arsenal to defeat the powerful bosses standing in your way.
- Explore story mode by choosing from the 3 difficulty levels, allowing veterans of the genre to take on a real test worthy of their skills, while those looking for less of a challenge to enjoy the story. You can also try to escape your enemies in a 2-player co-op mode.
- Immerse yourself in this amazing space opera world as you embark on your adventure as a fearsome, charismatic hero. Over the course of this epic journey, you will cross paths with colorful characters like the Royal Sisters and the terrifying Crystal Bowie – Cobra’s nemesis.
- Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is the first video-game adaptation of Cobra on modern platforms. it covers the first 12 episodes of the famous anime series, remaining true to its spirit with the moments of bravery and humor that made it so special.
How does single-player work, and is it offline?
Funcom introduced a full single-player mode in its September 2026 console update, alongside gameplay customization, the conclusion to Book One, and gameplay and combat balance changes. The PlayStation Blog says the mode lets players proceed at their own pace. Funcom console release patch notes PlayStation Blog announcement
Do not assume that “single-player” means offline. The PlayStation Store listing says online play is required, and lists PS Plus as required for online play. Its three play options are full single-player, private multiplayer with friends on a shared server, and public-server play. The listing does not establish that single-player can be launched without an internet connection.
Rank #4
- Dune: Awakening is an open world single player and multiplayer survival title featuring immersive adventures and RPG gameplay. Explore, build and craft in a cinematic Dune story where you will gain true greatness as a survivor on the most legendary planet in the universe.
- Explore a huge open-world dune
- Experience an epic, cinematic Dune story
- Become a master of battle and survival
- Build your fortress and build an ornithopter
| Play option | What it offers | Online and PS Plus details |
|---|---|---|
| Single-player | Progress alone and at your own pace | Store says online play is required; PS Plus requirements apply to online play |
| Private multiplayer | Play with friends on a shared server | Online play; PS Plus required for online play |
| Public-server play | Join play on a public server; the Store lists support for up to 60 online players | Online play; PS Plus required for online play |
The “up to 60” figure is the Store’s stated capability, not a measured concurrent-player count. Subscription requirements and online features should be checked on the current listing for your region.
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The PlayStation Store lists September 22, 2026 as the PS5 release date. At the time reflected in the cited listing, the US digital Standard Edition was shown at $49.99; prices and availability can vary by region and change over time. The Store also lists PS5 Pro enhancement and DualSense vibration and trigger support. PlayStation Store
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A PS5 disc edition was announced for September 22, 2026. Funcom named Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe as distributor for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, and Solutions 2 GO for North and South America. Its announcement said Japan would receive a retail release, with the publisher to be announced at that time. A later Funcom community update described the worldwide disc edition and pointed to Amazon and Bandai Namco preorder options. Regional stock and current listings can differ. Funcom physical-edition announcement Funcom community update
The original physical-edition announcement named two limited-time extras: an exclusive Terrarium of Muad’Dib for placement in a base and a global color swatch. Check the current regional product listing to confirm whether those extras are included with the edition available to you. The available announcements do not establish an ongoing gameplay-content difference between disc and digital versions.
Should you play Dune: Awakening on PS5?
If the draw is building a foothold on Arrakis and steadily expanding what your character can craft and explore, Push Square’s review suggests the game has a strong, rewarding loop. Its full single-player mode gives players a way to follow that progression at their own pace, while private and public servers provide shared play options. The same review’s cautions matter: combat may feel repetitive, visual quality varies, and some quest sequencing can interrupt the urge to roam.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For prospective buyers, the key distinction is not simply solo versus multiplayer: the Store says an internet connection is required even though a full single-player mode is available. Confirm the current PS Plus terms, regional price and disc-edition contents on the relevant local listing before buying.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
