The 4 Squares Dune: Imperium Review 

Thanks guys, something i noticed about Toms Blue Yeti is that he doesnt have the front of it turned towards him. For the cardioid mic setting (optimal setting for 1 person) , this is important for getting the best sound/voice. Zees microphone is just a bit too far from him and he sounds distant, the angle is correct though. Roy has the right distance to it but kinda talking into the top, should be angled a away from him, like Zees is :) I hope my input is useful for you guys :)

YESSSSS! You brought back the Miami Dice music!!! Thank You!

I love, love, love the original Dune game... so I am extra excited to try this one. So happy it got a great review! :-D The world needs more great Dune games! ;-)

I have zero complaints about the graphic design and art. The board is clean and really works well and is organized well. I like it. The tension and tightness of the game is fantastic, that last round tends to be very tension filled for us.

Sooooooooo glad you did a 4 square review for this, as Im very much anticipating this game and wanted to get all of your opinions on it

I love that these are now called the 4 Squares ... Review because it describes both the format and 3 out of 4 of the participants!

THE music is back! :) And the series title is great!

I agree with Tom here; this is the better Dune game by far in terms of pacing and ease of play. And worker placement plus deckbuilding? Yes please.

Long live The 4 Squares! The music was frosting on the cake. Love the layout, keep this review format going! The original "Dune" game is not really my style but this one is right up my alley. I knew very little about this game but having seen this I'm very tempted to head to the pre-order page. Thanks for the thoughts!

I love the Hollywood Squares motif! Great review, thanks. 🖖

been waiting all week for this review... and was not disappointed. I had already preordered based on yalls playthrough, but now i'm tempted to preorder the component upgrades as well.

Excellent review format 👍🏽

i love the The 4 Squares reviews, keep em' coming!

I am really happy that I have pre-ordered the game and deluxe upgrade. I totally agree with the opinion about the game board, would have liked them to upgrade that.

Cheers guys. First thing I thought was "man, that board's a bit bland". Three quarters of the way through I get carried by the guys obvious enthusiasm for the whole package. Truly, more than the sum of its parts. Ordered!

I hope when we don't need to socially distance, you guys just webcam it up in the same room to keep up the 4 squares lol

This is a great review and I’m glad they mentioned the difference of the deck building in this game compared to others. What Zee said about deck builders playing themselves is what turns me off about deck builders in general, they all feel the same. This one seems like it’s up my alley especially since I like the theme.

Best intro music is back

This review is more than the sum of its parts

Man i love when you guys(4) do a review for a game! Keep them coming !

I like the look of the base game. It's nice and clear without being too mimimal. I'm getting tired of over saturated graphic design boards. It also keeps the price down.

Was listening to an old podcast, the state of gaming 2012, and Mr. Vassel was asked what two mechanisms he didn’t want to see combined in the future. Seems it was deck building and worker placement (and ASL and Twister). Can’t wait for the later now.

I see what you mean about the board not being flashy. To me it's clean not distracting. Also I am with Tom the upgrade kit is looking good. I already sleeved the Deck cards. Have not played the game yet.

Love the throw back Miami Dice music.

Hope this one shows up in stores here around Christmas as it seems to hint at at the moment.

I ordered it as soon as I saw it was from the same company as Clank!

Great review! Love the format.

I've gotta say, I took a look at that board and was immediately not interested even though it's Dune, your review made me wanna buy the game, the combination of deck building and worker placement like that sounds very interesting

I like the editing and graphics in that video. Nice job as always. Thanks g gg or sharing your thoughts on this fame. It looks good

I love the game. My only complaint was how suddenly it ends. Its pretty easy to get 6-7 VP by the mid game which puts you in striking distance of a one turn win, where you get 3-4 VP and end the game. I feel like the end game should have been triggered at maybe 12 VP with the score tracker going to 15 or so. This would probably need one or two more conflict cards (probably an extra tier I at least)

Hey Guys!! Nice review again! Witch did you like more? Dune or Vindication??

I do think the board is very great practically but I agree on some parts like some worker placement locations don’t have any pictures but some do? And the combat spot is 2 swords that’s it, it could’ve Atleast been like a graphical picture of a dune battle and this wouldn’t of costed anymore

is there any localisation (translation) planned for this game i would love to get in in french even if there is not a lot of texts on the cards ?

Nice work guys.

I'll have to check it out.

Hall of Oratory icon looks like a DJ getting a crowd amped up. DJ Faded-Rautha is a good enough Dune DJ name I think.

I just got the game and I have to say I actually enjoy the board it looks clean organized and crisp and has a goodly amount of "stuff" on it without being cluttered it looks sophisticated to me but obviously others don't share this view

Does anyone know where to get those plastic token trays?

Pre-ordered before this video came out, and I’m stoked there’s a Dune game with a solo mode. Looking forward to Mike’s review!

I had to look up what House Thorvald was before discovering it was fleshed out (or perhaps created) in the later books by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. I share the concerns about the graphic design. I love the Dune series, and in spite of the guys clear enjoyment of the game, its drab look and strange player choices make it one I'll watch a bit longer until an opportunity arises to play it.

Don't worry about the graphics, they are toally fine. The game looks and plays very smoothly. You'll love it. Artwork on cards is great too.

Tom talks amidst 3 bobble heads! Love it lol

Needs more flavor text. 🙂 Preordered btw

Hurray for Miami Dice music 🎶

Very much looking forward to this. Have the same feelings about the look. Find the art to be meh. Big problem with the board. Reminds me of Tyrants of the Underdark board which seemed like a huge missed opportunity.

Yay series name!

Great series name!

Even though I have already pre-ordered the Dune: Imperium Bundle, this review reassured me that I won’t have buyers remorse! I am so looking forward to playing this game. I wonder if there will ever be a cosmetic upgrade to the board alongside future card expansions? One can only hope, because just by looking at the size of the miniatures compared to the board, it seems like it maybe a little cramped when substituting those pieces in for the pieces included in the standard issue of the game. Regardless, all is well; and I seriously can’t wait to play this game and see how this game develops over time based on other player’s strategies. 👍🏿🤙🏿✌🏿

I like the idea of offering a base game and an upgrade pack although i kinda think the base game is already on the more expensive side for what you get but i don't know what the price here in EU will be. The only thing which buggers me why they aren't upgrading the board and the resources. I don't mind the base agents and the cube warriors but the resources look so bland. I wish they had upgraded that with metal coins, spice crystals and nicer looking water droplets. Miniatures i'm not a big fan of. They make the box bigger for no reason and i'm forced to paint them, cause i can't stand unpainted miniatures (that's why i quit TT wargaming almost completely and still have a bunch of miniatures left for some systems).

Mike or anyone else @The Dice Tower ...Any chance you can comment further on how 2-player feels compared to the other player counts? I love Dune, but often it's just my wife and I playing. Thanks!

I'm curious to what other people's thoughts are on this. I'll compare this and Lost Ruins of Arnak for one idea. Do you feel like both of these games are dopamine generators for board gamers? I'm not saying that it's bad, but I look at the overall arc of both games and it seems like that there isn't one really. That the parts are full of little combos that give that small sense of accomplishment. We like "getting stuff" it it seems like both of these games really capitalize on that constant rush rather than an overall strategy/arc?. Does that feel that way to anyone else? Again, it's not a put down but just a thought

I love these 4way reviews. I prefer them on the same table in the same room, but we can’t always get what we want.

The Miami Dice theme! Literally makes me dance

I'm buying this physically but due to the pandemic, and Dire Wolf being digital-friendly, I hope it goes digital.

Seems to be a spicy game

Am I the only person who likes games that use cubes for pieces and sometimes prefers them to miniatures? If the option for getting this game with miniatures didn't cost anymore beyond the base game I would choose to just have the cubes.

Been hanging out for this review since last week! Edit: funny to think that after all the buzz about Arnak and Endless winter, this comes relatively out of no where and steals the crown for best deck builder worker placement

Roy’s voice and volume is great with that blue mic, but he either needs to turn his volume down, step back 3 inches, or add a pop filter. Or... the others step closer to their mics, lol.

Desert planet. Large and barren. Board is thematically sound!

Is 4 squares the name of the official dice tower gang

Unanimous Dice Tower Seal of Excellence!

My only problem with the game is with the Market, Turn order, and the Intrigue deck as a whole: randomness that negates all ur hard choices for combat, influence track or endgame just because someone plays a card. Every advantage should be earned as proven by ur foresight/choices not because of luck! Which is why I propose 3 changes: 1) Have the Market be 8 cards instead of 5 OR flip/refresh all unpurchased cards at the end of the round OR both! 2) Fix the Intrigue deck somehow, like drafting display 3 to choose from, so others know what u got, (if they remember), but don't know WHEN you'll play it! OR take out the Endgame VP cards & Plot pay for VP cards (there's only 4) 3) Have a mechanic that allows players to affect turn order! Such as: Have the CHOAM Secure Contract space also have a 1st Player icon meaning u get to give the 1st player coin to ANY player and they immediately become 1st player OR will be 1st player next round. OR each round Player lowest on the VP track goes first then 2nd lowest goes 2nd etc. ties broken per normal endgame rules

do you guys belive this game was developed with no ip inmind and then dune came and fit the mechanics so that they made it fit dune, i feel the mechanis working together her works so nice that its a bit short time from when they could get the dune info onto the game when you see how solid the gameplay is, was this game made with someother theme from the start maybe?

Awesome. I have this pre-ordered and cannot wait to get it in my hands. Based off the rules and such that I've seen it looked like a good time, but it is good to hear everyone's impressions on it.

I think we can not say that this game is better than the first dune game because they are differents kind of game. So it depends on what kind of game you like. If you like better area control / negociation, you will probably like the first game better. Personnaly, I like both kind of these games. I did not play this one yet, but from what I see, it is more abstract then the first game. I hope that the mechanics will makes me feel in.

I like this format for reviews! The board is very unilateral favoring the single person it faces. What's a Mentat?

Super excited to try this game. But I don't think miniatures will help a lot with the look. IMO the graphic design of the board is just atrocious. I agree with Tom that it looks like a prototype.

Sold

I suppose with the board, they could have gone with a TM-esque approach. Make places you can go to actual locations on a planet...Dune, rather than just these squares on the board.

Would have really liked to hear a comparison to Lost Ruins of Arnak

Oh Fancy

Interested in playing it if the opportunity should arise but that gameboard is absolutely not enough to inspire a "buy before you try" approach.

Is there any indication that maybe the production of this game was rushed? I’m thinking “desire to get the game out to market around the time of film release” meets “global pandemic.”

Theme comes from mechanics. Not components. Theme is about how closely the mechanics relate to what the game is representing. What the game is simulating. A very strong theme would come across even with very abstract looking components.

is this based on the 70s version? or the other dune game thats out?

I’m liking this just for the return of the Miami Dice theme. 🙌🏼

The restrained board art is beautiful, I think. I also love the wooden resources, and prefer cardboard tokens to miniatures (I never have and likely never will buy a game with miniatures, they are garish to me). I'm actually quite annoyed because the game is beautiful and I like the mechanisms and by chance I am reading Dune now (haven't read it since a teenager, so I forgot just about everything that happens). I was going to get Arnak, now I need to either decide or get both because I'm weak and let's face it the most exciting thing I have during the pandemic is pre-ordering a game. Someone talk me down.

Great review, guys! But could you please remove that screensaver border? It's making me queasy. Also, I agree that the board looks so ugly and bland. Plus, to me the images om the cards look too bluish for a game taking place on a desert planet. They also have that odd digital look that leans into the uncanny valley and is too clean for the gritty world of Dune.

I bought it ugh

It looks interesting but I'm worried it won't be as good with only 2 players.

Wow. This theme is slapped on so hard that it's giving me welts.

Too good points

I like the title, I would have loved some innovation in the format introduced with the new title as well. I saw many many reviews from you guys and would welcome some change in the way you entertain, just to refresh the way you present content. However if instead it's only about informing then the current way is good.

I don't mind the wooden cubes and needles... The board however is quite ugly...

It looks fantastic! But... the fact that it's only to ten points is scary. Sounds too tight. 🤔

I think it looks fine. It will probably share the fate of Terraforming Mars. Everyone will pile on and critique it. (Not saying either is a masterpiece :))

Yeah, triangle, circle. Definitely looks like a prototype iconography..

Funny how we're getting 3 (+1 on KS to ship out next year) deck building/worker placement games within few months from each other! Is this the start of a new fad? Roll n write craze all over again? :D

А можно русские субтитры?

Cubes rule, no need to have minis.

Why are the four squares four rectangles?

I find this game is lacking choices. Sure, you have several options, but the game itself just restricts what you can do. Every turn I just felt like my hands were tied with most options just out of reach. I even had a turn where I didn't play any of my agents for lack of anything useful to do, and I even won that game.

The upgrade pack is actually more expensive than the game.

Looks interesting, but I really tend to get frustrated with shuffle-and-draw deck builders for exactly the reason Zee mentions. You can do pretty much everything well and then draw a crap hand at a crucial moment.

Wish you had kept the Miami Dice 80s vibe going, but the 4 Squares is an equally bad (and by that I mean good) pun.

9:25 those are not points but spice

Played twice last night at 3 players and it fell flat for all 3 of us. Flet like there was no middle game. If you have a bad round early very little you can do to catch up. Rated a 6 for me

Too bad...it really looks like it would have deserved some more love visually...looks like Spartacus goddamnit

There's nothing pretentious about the Dice Tower, Tom specifically. This is why their reviews are much more honest. They are not falsifying their opinions to say something 'cool' or 'controversial'. If they love a very popular, new game, they'll straight out come and say it. They don't pretend to dislike it because it's 'too' popular, unlike other, lesser reviewers. Dice Tower is King.

Better than the original Dune (or now by GF9)... er, No. I used to respect Tom ;) The depth and layers in that game feel neverending! In my top 3 of all time (and I only got into it in the last 2 years) But that is best at 5-6, can take long and is mentally taxing (in a great way). The designer diaries for this game specifically wanted lower player count, so that's good. Plus interesting deckbuilding built into a greater game. So I think theres space on my shelf for both. Pre-ordered :)