The best way to hype up for Dune 3 arrives this September

Exciting desert wandering can start well before December. Dune: Part Three will be released in theaters just in time for holiday viewing, on Dec. 18. Expectations are high for the third (and possibly last) of Denis Villeneuve’s films based on the classic science fiction epic from Frank Herbert. With months to go before its arrival, the wait is unusually difficult. Fortunately, fans who also play games can do more to fill their hours than just read the books or watch the first two films on repeat. There’s an open-world adventure game based on the property, due to arrive on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on Sept. 22. Developed by Funcom with assistance by Nukklear, Dune: Awakening is an open-world RPG that’s also a gorgeous take on the Dune universe, built using Unreal Engine 5. Despite featuring lots of sand, it’s pretty enough that there’s even a coffee table book featuring its art. Gameplay centers on the sort of activities you’d expect: resource gathering, equipment crafting, and trials located all over the desert of Arrakis. Given the sprawling environment and the sweltering heat, hydration and shelter are key to survival. There also are giant sandworms to avoid while participa