Publisher: Westwood Studios
Game Site: Westwood's Emperor: Battle for Dune Site
Availability: Now

It's impossible to think of real time strategy games and not think of Westwood. The Electronic Arts development studio has well over a decade of RTS experience spread over 13 games/expansion sets and ported across five platforms. Not only is Westwood the current frontrunner in RTS development, but some would say that it helped created the computer genre back in 1992 with the sleeper hit known as Dune 2: The Battle for Arrakis. Nine years later, Westwood revisits the game that first established the RTS market with Emperor: Battle for Dune.

Now, truth be told, this isn't the first time Westwood has revived the Dune title. Many of us (painfully) remember three years ago when Dune 2000 was released: a sad, uninspired game that now haunts the $9.99 bargain bin at the local Electronics Boutique. Emperor, however, represents a complete re-working of the Dune title, including much needed gameplay enhancements, catchy new tunes and a brand new three-dimensional graphics engine. Although these advancements should be standard in any game sequel, after Dune 2000, I try not to take anything for granted.

Although it's not specified, the story seems to takes place sometime after Paul Atreides and the whole Frank Herbert saga. Arrakis, home of the space bending spice Melange, is once again up for grabs, and "the noble Atreides, the evil Harkonnen and the insidious Ordos" are fighting for complete control. Yes, in the world of Dune, it's all or nothing. Despite their technological advances with spaceships, sonic weapons and carryalls, no one has bothered to research the simple concept of sharing.