
Frank Herbert’s Dune is a hugely influential science fiction novel that has inspired many adaptations, including the video game Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty released in 1992. Though not the very first of its kind, Dune II essentially created the blueprint for almost every real-time strategy (RTS) game we play today. Without it, popular franchises like Command & Conquer, Warcraft, and Age of Empires likely wouldn’t exist. Dune II is a foundational RTS title, but it’s surprisingly been overlooked. Many modern gamers are probably unfamiliar with it, even though they experience the conventions it pioneered. Despite being an older game, it’s still a clever and faithful adaptation of Herbert’s complex Dune universe.