Dune: Imperium – Uprising = Spiciest Dune game?

Dune: Imperium – Uprising Review: Bigger, Bolder and Even Deadlier

Why the Game Works

First of, you do NOT need Dune: Imperium to play Uprising!

Uprising is a stand alone game in the same universe and not an expansion for the OG – Dune: Imperium that came out in 2020
Dune: Imperium – Uprising mixes deck-building, worker placement and conflict into one punchy package. You send agents to Arrakis, grow your deck and fight for control and a lot of cube pushing.

And it has Sandworms!!!!

A round has two parts. You´ll send agents to spots on the board to gain resources and cards.

Then you reveal cards from your hand for strength and persuasion, and troops into the conflict could get you reward bonuses. The player with the most strength at the end of the round gets the top reward AND the conflict card – which is important – but more on that later.

All other players gets a lesser reward.

The game only goes to 10 points! Sounds easy enough, right?

But points are hard to come by… at least in the earlier rounds. Later rounds points can really esculate.

This game is amazing. It is one my favorite games of all time and also my game groups favorite. Everytime we are 4 players and trying to decide on what game we want to play. Dune Imperium Uprising is always one we consider.

When  I say 4 players, it is because Dune Imperium Uprising needs 4 players to be the best it can be!

In one game, I went all in on combat. I lost the final conflict by one point to a player who had been quiet all night. I laughed so hard I forgot to be sad. Another game I went hard on faction influence and more or less ignored combat as it it did not cater to my Leaders strength (I was The Emperor – Shaddam Corrino IV). So faction manipulation was his thing.

One time a player who was in the dead last place with only 5 points while the other players had around 8 or 9 points each. 
That player had worked most of the game up to one great battle/conflict.

So in the conflict phase he send in a surprise Sandworm to the conflict and won the conflict and getting double the rewards from the conflict card. Which was 2 points just for winning.

Then he could buy 2 more points for spice. Then finaly the conflict card tag matched one he had from earlier on so that equals 1 point. Suddenly he had 10 points and finished the game with some strong intrigue cards that gave him an additional 2 points.

That is how quick a game of dune Imperium Uprising can turn on you. you think you are about to win. Then some one does something epic and the table erupts.

Some likes this and some really dont like it. Depends on who you are. I think it fits the theme extremely well. While others are all out in conflict after conflicts. You have the option to just wait in the shadows and make your strike at the precise moment and turn the tide completely.

Gameplay & Rules in a Nutshell

If you know the original, you already know most of it. If you do not, the structure is easy to pick up.

• Agent turn: Play a card from your hand. Put an agent on a space that matches one of 3 location icons or 4 faction icons. Then do the effect.
• Reveal turn: Reveal your remaining cards. Gain persuasion to buy new and better cards and swords for the conflict.
• Conflict: Troops you have deployed throughout the round fight for rewards. the one with most strength wins the conflict at gets a top reward. all others get another reward.
• Buy cards: Your deck gets stronger as you add new cards.
• Win: Score victory points by winning conflicts and alliances. Be first to hit the target and you win.

Uprising adds more players, new leaders, contracts, a bigger board, sandwoms and Spies!!!

It also adds a tougher fight for resources. It is a bit more complex than the original.

Oh and did I mention it has Sandworms?
Sandworms are awesome – some say it breaks the game. Sandworms counts as 3 strength/swords in a conflict. And in the resolution phase, when you see who won the conflict and whom gets what rewards from the conflict cards. If you have – even just a single – sandworm in the conflict you´ll get double the reward.

Also each conflict cards has a Tag (either a blade a dessert mouse or an Ornithopter) which can give you 1 point if you get 2 of the same icon – remember points are hard to come by and wins you the game. You only need 10 point to trigger the end game. So 1 point is huge!

Conflict cards always have 3 tiers of rewards. The Player who wins the conflict gets the top reward. The player who got second in the conflict, gets the second reward. Third player gets the third reward. Meaning No reward for the fourth player. Mostly the second reward is actually a bit better than the first reward.

Sounds wierd or broken? Well, let me explain. The winner gets the top reward from the conflict card AND they also gets to keep the conflict card. All conflict cards has a Tag on it as mentioned earlier. So getting the second bonus reward can in and of it selves be a strategy. You wont get the conflict card and a point. But you´ll set your self up nicely for the next round.

Also Spies. In the first version you had no chance of going to a location another player has taken before you. Spies changes that. As you can add a spy to a location, which lets you got to a place where another player has a worker by removing that spy. If there isn´t another players worker in that location you gets to draw a card – which could be huge.

Who Is This Game For?

• Players: 1–6
• Playing time: roughly 60–120 minutes
• Complexity: medium-heavy, around 3.2 out of 5 on BGG weight
• Age: 14+

A strong fit for groups who like tactical decisions. Fans of the first game will feel at home. Newer players can start here, but the core game is a little easier to teach. Core meaning the first edition just called Dune: Imperium. I didn´t like the first edition. Felt really flat. So I was hesitant to play this newer version.

But boy am I glad it did give it a go. It´s is so much better than its precessor. It fixes some issues I had with the old one and ads some new awesome mechanics. And did I mention it has Sandworms?

You can play it 6 people. But that is a Team version. Its good, but long. I prefer the 4 player game where its all out war between all players.

Think of getting this game? 
My recommendations is get it if you have a game group of 4 or at least make sure you are 4 to play this. It is not very good at 2 players. It can work. The 2 player version adds an AI/bot that does actions as well. But its very swingy and you dont know what they´ll do. As with human players you can anticpate their next move.

That is why I say Dune: Imperium Uprising is a 4 player game, period.

Why Is This Game Good?

Reviewers praise the smooth mix of mechanics and the strong theme. The six-player count is a big bonus (but only as a team variant).

Many say it improves on the original ( I agree) with more variety and more table talk. The art and production are widely admired.

It´s an epic game everytime. No one is never really out ot of it. You can be behind most of the game and then make a huge move at the final moment and at the right time.

Criticisms: some feel there is less long-term strategy than in a heavier game. Also, a lot of cards means some luck in what you draw.

Our Verdict

Dune: Imperium – Uprising is a bold, polished and fun game. It works for strategy fans of the story (films or books) who want a tight 90-minute experience. Highly, Highly recommended.

Buy at Amazon