The digital version of Dune Imperium is a good adaptation of the physical board game. It has an intuitive interface and a good tutorial. It features solo, local, or online play and some interesting solitaire challenges.

Dune Imperium Digital Board Game Rules Description:

Dune Imperium’s main mechanics are worker placement and decking building. You have direct conflict with your opponents, as you play as one of the house leaders vying to control Dune. Each house leader has a unique ability and one unique ability associated with a card in their starting deck.

Cards may be used in a few different ways. The icons on the left side tell you where they allow you to place your agents on the board. When used to place an agent they usually give you another benefit. For example, some cards let you trash other cards, draw cards, or gain resources. After placing your two agents you must reveal the rest of your hand. Cards have a section at the bottom summarizing what they give you when revealed. This is usually additional combat strength or Persuasion. Persuasion is spent after you reveal to add cards to your deck. You can even buy a card that scores you one VP.

After all players have revealed their hands, you resolve the conflict. Each round a conflict is revealed and winning the conflict at the end of the round rewards players for having the most combat strength. These rewards are resources, Intrigue cards or victory points.

Board spaces may only contain one agent and might cost resources to place an agent on. They let you get resources, draw from your deck, or gain Intrigue cards. There is a space that permanently gains you two Persuasion every round, one that gets you a third agent, and one that lets you hire a temporary agent for the round. Some spaces allow you to add troops from your supply to your garrison. Or from your garrison to the conflict.

The last types of spaces are faction spaces. Going on them grants you a bonus and favor with that faction. Each faction has a track and scores you a VP at a certain level. Going even higher up a faction track grants you an alliance with that faction. This scores you another VP but if someone passes you on that faction track, they take your VP. Securing the top spot on a faction track ensures it can’t be stolen.

The game lasts ten rounds or until someone scores ten VPs. No matter what, you always finish the current round and then tally the score. Players might have end game Intrigue cards that score them VPs. The player with the highest score wins and ties are broken by most resource, starting with spice, then solari, and then water.

Quick Review of Dune Imperium Digital Board Game:

Dune Imperium does a great job mixing deck building and worker placement. There are lots of ways to score points and multiple paths to victory. This digital adaptation is a great representation of the physical game. It has an easy to use interface, good tutorial, and challenging AI opponents.

The rules overview above is exactly that, an overview. The tutorial will help new players understand how to play the game. And if you have any questions you can always watch this video tutorial.

You can compete against a competitive AI or take on unique challenges in the digital version of Dune Imperium. These challenges change some rules or win conditions. For example, one challenge gives you unlimited agents but forces you to pay a solari for each one deployed after the first. Another adds the win condition of placing an agent on all non-Lannsraad (green) space. Plus once you complete the challenge on the normal level you can try an even harder variant at heroic level.

In skirmish mode you take on the AI to score points and compete against other players. The rules and scoring modifiers change every three days. Do well and you can score achievement badges. Other modes include online multiplayer or local pass and play. There is also an events section under online play that is labeled coming soon.

This is an excellent board game and the digital adaptation lets you play it a few different ways with some different wrinkles. You will get hours of enjoyment with this purchase. If you like the physical board game, pick this up. If you enjoy worker placement/deck building games, pick this up. If you are a Dune fan that enjoys board games, pick this up. This is a great game but I am not sure how much the theme resonates as I have never read the books.

Dune Imperium Digital is available on Steam