Dune - The Best Game Adaptation? (Sega CD/PC) | Cannot be Tamed 

The studio version of this OST, Dune Spice Opera 2024 Remaster is now available for download in 96/24 Hi-res Audio Digital Album! BONUS GAME OST dual soundcards (AdlibGold-RolandMT32) included! Improvement of stereo field, expanded frequency spectrum and unprecedented dynamic response in comparison to the 1992 version are now allowed by modern tools!

I was mesmerized by this game. The atmosphere was spot on, just like the movie.

"In this game you will fight for control of a planet." "Eh, been there done that." "And you and your armies will be seemingly dressed by Jean Paul-Gaultier." "Mon dieu, sign me up!" I love this game dearly. Had both the Amiga non-speech version and the PC CD-Rom. In a way, it plays out like a future alternate history to the events in Dune, where there was no great betrayal planned by the Emperor and the Baron, and you could legitimately contest the planet. There are oddities, like poor old legendary warrior Duncan Idaho reduced to being space-accountant with a Centauri haircut, and yes the flying can get repetitive, but overall I loved how it gave me such a strong sense of Dune (big fan) but at the same time wove a different story so you never felt like you were simply checking boxes. I really got caught up in the atmosphere, the art design... and wow - THAT soundtrack. Great review, you got a subscriber! Always felt sorry for Paul being saddled with 'white privilege' accusations though. His coming of age test involves intense pain and probable death, his only friends are old men tring to teach him to kill or be a super-computer and somebody is trying to kill him almost every minute of his life. Add the death of most people he knows, terrifying visions, feelings of guilt over things he does in the FUTURE add up to a poor young git I wouldn't swap places with for a second. Also with Paul virtually adopted by the Fremen as a freakish super-human to lead them on a galactic jihad, the whole 'white saviour from a paternal empire' thing becomes something of a sardonic bleak joke too, which is part why I enjoy the book so much. And also because Guerney rocks. Thanks again - you're a pithy, fun, reviewer and I'm going to dig this game out again!

Nice video, hidden gem this one. Make a The Dig (from lucas arts) review when you have the time. Cheers from Brazil!!!

HOT DAMN! That pixel art is godly!

Smugglers sell weirding modules? Troops with lasguns? Spice that runs low (did the worms stop pooping)? This game takes some weird views. There is an urban legend that Fyed Ruatha prances around in tiny leather underpants in this game.

I loved dune 2, the battle for arakis. This was awesome but so difficult!

Interesting, my only experience with Dune is the second game. Which as I'm sure you know was one of the first RTS games. This game on the other hand looks completely different and really fascinating. Thanks for covering it!

"oh my God... ATOMICS!"

If you are into seedy cold war politics and don't mind graphic adventures where your actions could get you murdered then Cryo made another fantastic game around the same time called KGB. Play that game for 15 mins and you will be drawn straight into 1980's Moscow, the UI is identical to Dune but without the strategy bits, this is a pure graphic adventure but with adult puzzles like escaping a freezer full of corpses or finding a means to get someone to confess to something and recording it at the same time. All while knowing that an incorrect action could see you shot, stabbed, beaten to death, garrotted or thrown out a window.

Hi, just saw 2 reviews from you, and I definetely love your selection! Cryo was a small team of French programmers. They were big fans of Sci-fi books, comics and movies. They did Captain Blood in the 80’s and it was really something at this time. For Dune, they worked without the permission of Virgin games who was really pissed when they heard another company developped a game on Dune (westwood studios was supposed to make the game). But they did it finally and it’s really a piece of art! There is no other game with this strange and hypnotical atmosphere... like Frank herbert’s novels by the way.

Played this game to tears! The music makes you play on, and on, and on! I still play it once every few years.

I really appreciate your narrative voice. It's pleasant to the ear and you're well-spoken. Great content so far!

“Well... he is no Patrick Stewart!” Best line!

Great video ! Games looks very interesting, I never played it. I started with Dune 2 which made me fall in love with the RTS genre :)

Your review makes me want to read the book and the movie! Also, I think both look good but I think the dunes look prettier on the Sega CD then on PC

Daaammnn I used to have this game on pc in the 90s!!!! It was on a Tandy computer......I sucked at it but I was only about 10yrs old. I always died in the desert......that secret room tho!!!!

Oh this Dune game! You have exquisite taste in rich depth filled games. This Spice Opera soundtrack is amazing! I had the OST but didn't know where it came from for years, thought it was z stand alone Dune project.

I remember playing it at like 7yo and not being smart enough to play it. Non-intuitive UI elements don't help and the joke of a manual doesn't either. Just beat it for the first time ever 5 minutes ago. Thank you for this great revew

This game was excellent! Perfect mix of graphic adventure and real time strategy. After failing miserably in my first attempts, and once I learnt how to play and what to do, I learnt that it was better to send the emperor more spice than he requested, so he incremented less his next demand and waited longer. Travelling on ornithopter and later riding a worm felt very good for a game of that era. Finishing the game was a great experience, and it was not easy, I needed many attempts. Very good review. Congratulations!

I only played the genesis version. Looks so different. Are they the same game?

That sneak attack at @2:54 and those lines from *Weapon of Choice* at the end of the video... are you a Bene Gesserit? DUNE is my favorite sci fi novel, I hope Denis Villeneuve's new film version is true to it. I thought he did a good job on *Bladerunner* 2049. Coincidentally, the original Ridley Scott *Bladerunner* is my favorite sci fi movie. Weirding.

One thing I never understood in this game: why are the Atreides based at Carthag and the Harkonnens at Arrakeen? That's the opposite of how it should be.

I still play this game every couple years, I wish someone made another one

This popped in my feed and I realize how old it is but… not dune related story wise but SABLE seemed to inspired by Dune and also Moebius, an artist who art seems to reflect that universe. Moebius’s style was applied to newest Dune film(2021?). Did you ever review Sable? It’s PC or Xbox. You should def check it out and I’d be curious what you think! Sorry if you did already, did a quick search and couldn’t find a vid of yours that does.

@Cannotbetamed1 Hello! I am Stéphane Picq, I did the music for this, thanks a lot for your review!

Of course the Dune RTSs are pretty bad ass too. I can see why the Dune franchise is not as popular as Star Wars and Star Trek but I can’t get enough of Dune.

You are so beautiful AND intelligent. Glad to find you! Saw you in AVGN video and came to see you! Subscribed!

"I am Duke Leto Atreides, your father." Seriously, I know that everything voiced is by someone in-context rather than a narrator but geez, does everything have to be stated out in such manner to a character who'd likely know that already?

In 1992 games were written more for how it would happen, not how it would make it easier for the player. Hence, in the gameworld you have no technology to see where all the Fremen are and what they're doing, so the game doesn't let you. In modern strategy games, even historical one's, you get a world view and can see everything, like you have a satellite in space! This is obviously ridiculous, but we have just got used to this idiocy in games. In 1990 - 1995, this just didn't happen as much! If you couldn't do it in the game world, you couldn't do it in the game!

So whats your opinion on the 2021 Dune movie

My favourite part about this game’s story is how it kills off Leto. Because the Atreides suffer no major losses in this version, Leto just ends up throwing a tantrum after a (nuisance) Harkonnen attack and charges their main base in an ornithopter on his own for no reason and dies off screen. It’s almost brilliant in it’s hilarity.

I see 'The Dig' by EA on your bookshelf. I was curious about that game. I did not have a PC back then. I wanted one so badly. Diablo 2 online was the grail game of all time.

Sometimes the "white" savior is actually true. So is the wise black man or the all knowing old Asian man. I think there are times when Tropes used in fiction or fantasy not unlike in comedy, have rings of truth in them.

Could this be the one? haha, that caught me off guard.. Nice vid

Hello from Russia and thank you for another great review. Dune is my favorite book of all time and i played all games based on it. People mostly talk about strategy games from Westwood Studios, and rarely mention this one. Finally somebody covered it. I like your style - short and simple but informative, covering the basics and leaving nuances and deep things to discover for those new who will be interested in the game. Keep up the good work, will be waiting your next video.

I didn't know Cryo made that game and thought you were going to review the one from 2001. The 2001 game wasn't very good as I recall.

The "french touch". I wish Cryo produced more gems like this one, but the team (Ulrich, Picq...) left and Cryo ultimately went bankrupt. Back then I thought the game was huge, but we can finish it in a couple of hours. Images and voices from the movie was a new thing for me who used to play on Megadrive or Nes. I laughed at Kim Jong-Un, but I think political figures like Khadafi... may have inspire chara design, because Stuart, Sting... refuse. Nice review, it fuels my nostalgia.

This is one of those games I always wanted to play on Sega CD but just still haven't gotten around to. I always thought it looked pretty sweet.

I totally agree with you on the subject that the game isn't like the book. With writing, people should be fascinated and wanna learn more about the world, the characters, the relationships and strife. With games... Typically people don't wanna see that. I really love the beautiful flying over the dunes in the Sega CD version, it gives you a grand scale of the world. And I totally agree with the game is a nice blend that makes it stand out a bit better than the movie (Never read the book but damn, when my dad would turn that movie on I felt my soul leave my body). :) P. S. I saw the latest AVGN episode and cool to see you get some love in that. You're an awesome RU-vidr that takes the time to see what people say. That's not me brown-nosing, if I hated your content I'd probably say so or at the least not watch it (I'm honest and respectful to say things to peoples' faces that way lol). Anyways, cheers to you, Pam! :) -Mad Wolf

"I'm your mother, Jessica." 😂 That is pure gold.

Great review. The soundtrack for this is gorgeous.

Doesn't she usually wear red eyeshadow? Why is she wearing blue... oh!

New subscriber, I love your vids, looking forward to viewing old and new ones!

Looks like I need to keep my eyes open for a copy of this one. I’m a bit of an apologist for the film, with the caveat that I think the “Alan Smithee” recut is the superior version. Well thought out review, Pam.

More Christopher Walken please :) I never read the books, I enjoyed the movie once I was old enough to get the political intrigue, so I'm happy an accessible version of the game is available.

4:46 Well i mean you cant blame her, he is the messiah of her people and he is also a prince :D

Love this video. Having just completed the whole series (and re-read the original novel), I particularly enjoyed the game's subtle references to the literary works, such as Harrah mentioning that her husband Jamis had just been killed in a duel with "some boy," hah. Though I'll be honest, I never really noticed the lack of the Bene Gesserit in the game (which I've only played in spurts across the years, in my defense). Duncan Idaho looking like a Centauri from Babylon 5 shook me though, haha. (Also, THANK YOU for pronouncing Chani's name "Ch-AHN-ee." I've been listening to part of the series on audiobook, and they always pronounce her name as "Ch-AY-nee," like Dick Cheney; it drives me slightly mad every single time....) Ahem, anyway, well done, well done.

the first dune game is ok, if like that style of game, but the westwood rts games are my top favorite games of all time. i remember playing the first dune 2 and going through mice just due to playing so much. then 2000 i played of windows pc and ps1 till i beat the games with all 3 factions. just ashame the all support dropped for the dune series from westwood when sifi got the dune rights and made that crappy version of dune.

All the Dune games are actually very well made Dune on Megadrive and Dune 2000 on PC .

According to most of the footage you played Dune more on PC than on SegaCD? I guess the PC version is better in terms of gameplay? Quite interesting the mixture of adventure and strategy. I might give it a try some time. It's also nice to see you experimenting in your more recent videos. Right now I'm on a point and click adventure trip, just played the Special Edition of Monkey Island recently (which was a bit disappointing imho), then Still Life and now Still Life 2, which are solid but not great adventures but the story keeps me motivated. Dune might be a good game when the desire for adventures decreases a bit and I want to play something "different". So Pam, what's next for you? :)

Good (and very serious made) review on one of the best videogames ever made. Music is classic (Stéphane Picq). You forgot only one thing that makes the difference : it is a french videogame (which is part of his unique way of conceiving). Cryo members had a strong sci-fi french comics culture and a big taste for excentricity. I would recommend that you read that article (and also the comments) : www.filfre.net/2018/11/controlling-the-spice-part-2-cryos-dune/ Keep on the good work.

I saw you have The Dig on your shelf..always loved that game though I was never good at it.these old games akin to monkey island,simon the sorcerer,hugo and the temple of doom,were all great and all hard(atleast in my young boy mind.hehe)...I was a huge fan of the RTS Dune game,even though it wasnt lore heavy it was crazy fun to play for hours....im also on that "the dig"review..especially if you've beaten it!...I know id like to hear about the end.LOL!....sorry that was a weirdly worded request.

i was a freaking fan of dune 2 the strategy game that give birth to command and conquer and all warcraft starcraft genre, for a long time I ask friends do anyone know what is Dune 1? no one knew, that game never get here, then decades passed and I discover Dune, this game, I never played since thought the old graphics wont hold up and I live eye candy, thanks of your review I will probably look for it and play it. subscribed! yes you are very pretty but I subscribe because like smart girls. Also playing vtmb again since forever, never tried the unofficial patch now I am discovering that wonderful game. First run I had to use console codes to pass the leopold society bug. love your review too.

I had all of the Dune PC games back in the day. Unfortunately I lost my copies of this and II when I moved before highschool and my copies of 2000 and Emperor Battle for Dune got so scratched up over the years that they were eventually beyond cleaning. I hope these all get re-released someday but I doubt it.

Was watching a Linus Tech Tips video on Dosbox, which got me thinking about this game and how much I loved playing it as a kid. I beat the CD version last year and I felt engaged and immersed the entire time. Classic games will do that to you!

My mother also introduces herself to me on a regular basis.

I'm not sure about the game, but the movie was awesome.. one of my favorites.

If you like this game, you'd also enjoy Lost Eden for PC/3DO...

I absolutely love the soundtrack to this game :-)

oh gosh, another fantastic review. thank you for doing this game. as others have mentioned, i see you have the dig on your shelf there, if you haven't already, i absolutely recommend playing it and doing a review of it. it's a game that touches on subjects that /very/ few games will ever try and talk about. it's absolutely the sort of thing where, as a younger player, you're roped in by the visuals and then, as a much older player, you see the depth and nuance in it's storytelling and are floored. i cannot recommend it enough [and i think you'd appreciate it's ideas and themes.]

I hope this channel gets some traction. The reviews are good, the language is clean, the humour is just right and you're a legit gamer girl. Best of luck.

For such an old game it has aged quite gracefully. Was this the basis for the RTS game or were they seperate franchises I wonder. Well, I guess I could look it up. Oh well... :-P

I clicked because I was thinking Dune 2. Cool vid and learned enough I don't regret missing this title. Nice themed makeup/outfit for this vid too.

I somehow totally missed this review, maybe it was from a touch before I was following yet. In any case, wonderful review of a game I had no idea existed. It's wild this got made to begin with.

You are gorgeous, brilliant and we'll spoken. Spot on.

I loved this game, but i had to restart several timea because i ran out of time.

Great review! This game looks impressively ambitious. Love the Fremen-blue eyeshadow you rocked, very appropriate!

Paul atreides in the game looks like Kyle maclachlan I love this game

Have you ever read the books? Between this game and Dune: The Battle for Arrakis got me reading them. There are my favorite book series!!

Cool review Pam. I've never played this but the minute I saw the character portraits it reminded me of Cryo's KGB game.

Discovering your chan thanks to this video, this game is such part of my life. I have so many memories exploring it on my Amiga 500 during my preparatory school back in spring 1993 - French way to say you will suffer for a couple of years until the meritocracy will choose you-. I simply remember going into the desert alongside Chani for the very first time or riding a sandworm or seeding just below the Harkonnen, it was amazing. An it was a couple of years before I finally discovered how incredible the Dune universe was when I read all the books and finished my Master of Engineering at that time. Yeah it was 1997-98. What a couple of years in term of gaming but still Dune was/is Dune, its music will always be by my side, like FF7 or Starcraft's one. Love your takes on the matter and the way you underline its limitation. Cheers

Fantastic review as per usual Pam. I can't express how much I love your content. You always cover games that need the attention. I'd love to hear you talk about the Journeyman Project Turbo some time. I love point and click games like this, surprisingly I've never played this one, despite my love of the novels and RTS games. I'll have to give it a shot soon! Thanks, and keep up the great work!

OMG Pam Thank you for making this video Dune is my favorite series and i love everything about it, i recetly bought the game and wow never thought i would see your reveiw of it TTHHXXX :D

What I wouldn't give to see a modern day Dune game. The potential for a fantastic RPG is just sitting and waiting to be noticed.

Pam-you must have played Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within at some point, would you consider doing a long play series like the one you did for Snatcher? Thanks for the great channel and prep you do for the analysis.

Do Dune 2! Do Dune 2! They are making a Dune movie next year!

it came out around 1990 and and the game floppy version size was 1.6mega bytes. if dune1 makers hadnt considered the console version like sega, and dune1 pc version could have had much better and more user controls and richer game stories, i never like console version games, they dont even let you save games.

Hi, Pam. Seems like a game I could enjoy. Very nice review. You're amazing. Thanks from Lord JS.

if i admitted i often find a perverse pleasure in the inanity of the people oft found in your comment section would that be weird?

My favorite is the IBM PC CD version, with AdLib Gold music

I never played Dune, but as a kid I played Dune 2: Battle for Arrakis a lot. Gonna try Dune.

complete with gulf war style NVG war footage

Never got around to picking this up when I had the MegaCD, did it have a European Release? Love how Sting’s character in the movie was Random Hajile’s inspiration in Snatcher ❤️ Did you ever play Space Adventure Cobra? Great review as always. Respect from Glasgow! Shadow

How is it that only one youtuber has closely looked at this game? This is the best game of that era. Edit: sega version

I lost Guerney today, left him in a sietch, impossible to find him anymore... ^

Ah, those Sega CD travel transition scenes are so... 90s! Reminds me of the Thomas Dolby "Mind's Eye" 3D films that were released way back then. Ah, those designs... Great video and critique on that colonialism the film kinda glances over. Cheers!

Love this game. It rarely gets talked about, and any Dune video is a good video. :)

What an awesome looking game, I'm so sorry I never picked this up as a kid. I remember my local Blockbuster having it for Sega CD but for whatever reason it didn't appeal to me at the time.

i played this on DOS back in the early to mid 90's and i absolutely loved it. i remember drawing out and labeling the world map on paper (that's how into it i was). anyways, was really engrossing at the time. i tried playing it again much much later on and the combat strategy aspect seemed more difficult than i had recalled.

This was my first RTS experience and played a lot of the MS-DOS version when I was in my teens on my 486 sx25. There were some IRQ settings for my soundblaster when setup just right, you would get a voiced intro. Great memories! Not so great on the Genesis as you could only select one unit at a time if I'm not mistaken. I hope the new DUNE movie is good, I wasn't crazy about the movie that was made in the early 80's.

ok we countinue red hair dune princess with techno ...

Love video games that ask something of you... "You good enough?" Great review

I always liked the strategy game better.

@Cannot be Tamed You're a Telepath now?

Love this game! I used to re-play it once a year, if the new movie arrives I'm going to do it again. There is a Demo pre-release version with Paul looking very different and Feyd Rautha looking a lot more like Sting. Check it out! it's funny :D

"The Spice extended life. The Spice expands consciousness. The Spice is vital to space travel. Travel, without moving."

Thanks for showing this one off Pam! I only became aware of this game a couple years ago but I added it to my collection as soon as I could. There is so little on RU-vid about it. Seeing this game in action reminds me a bit of Sinbad and the Throne of the Falcon. It really makes me wonder why Cinemaware didn't jump some of their Amiga games over to the SegaCD like several other companies did (Dune, Flink, Chuck Rock, etc). What is it with SegaCD games and time constraints anyways? Lol. The editing on this video was awesome btw, and you were totally rocking a Fremen look in the thumbnail!

The music was awesome. You csn get the soundtrsck separately.

Thats great! And very underated. One good reason to have a Sega CD. I remember being amazed by the review in the magazines at the time. Thanks for the nostalgia.