History Videogame / EmperorBattleForDune

* FireForgedFriends: Post- ''Dune 2000'', relations between the Atreides and Fremen are strained until an enemy assault on Caladan during a diplomatic meeting between the two helps them iron things out. Notable in that [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Duke Achillus himself]] fights on foot in the mission where this occurs, probably a big reason the Fremen decide the Atreides are worthy allies.

-->In the language of the Ordos, there are no words for the concepts of 'trust' or 'honor'. There are more than three hundred for the concept of 'profit'.

* LightningGun: Guild NIAB tanks and NIAP flyers use these.

* PragmaticVillainy: Gunseng is unusually respectful of the rules for a Harkonnen. On the other hand, when the "rules" are that of the Great Convention... One wonders how much the Harkonnens bribed The Guild to allow a firefight to break out on one of the highliners.

* {{Teleportation}}: Spacing Guild {{Hover Tank}}s can do this.

* NoHyperbole: Gunseg makes a speech before the final level ending with the chant "Failure is death!" His Mentat tells you that this is no exaggeration.

-->In the language of the Ordos, there are no words for the concepts of 'trust' or 'honour'. There are more than three hundred for the concept of 'profit'.

** The Atreides leader, Duke Achilus delivers one before the mission where you attack an Emperor Worm.

* ColourCodedArmies: The Atreides are blue, the Harkonnens are red and the Ordos are green. This more stereotypical color scheme is different to that seen in the book (and faithfully represented by the David Lynch film) in which the Atreides wear green with a red hawk symbol and the Harkonnens wear blue with a gryphon symbol. The game also substitutes that gryphon with a more stereo-typically 'evil' ram's head, since the designers used ''The Litertaure/DuneEncyclopedia''as a resource. (The Encyclopedia erroneously has the Harkonnen symbol a ram).

* EvilVersusEvil: In the Harkonnen storyline, the brothers Copec and Gunseng are constantly at each others' throats. When Copec poisons their father, they go to war over who leads the house. You have to choose which to support.
* {{Expy}}: Numerous characters are intentionally modeled after the Creator/DavidLynch movie. The Atreides mentat's appearance and mannerisms resemble Thufir Havat. Rakan Harkonnen is a less insane version of Vladimir Harkonnen. Gunseng is Feyd-Rautha while Copec is a ''more'' psychopathic Rabban from the movie.

* AllianceMeter: Of a sorts. You can undertake specific missions to earn the trust of any one of the five sub-factions, each one giving you access to EliteMooks with various capabilities. [[spoiler: Though the Spacing Guild always turn against you by the game's end.]] There are limitations, however. Certain factions will not ally with others in the campaign, but in multiplayer you can select any two before a match.
** Specifically, the Tleilaxu and Ix are outright hostile to each other, while the Sardaukar and Fremen often clash with the former as well. That's not to say you can't have Sardaukar/Fremen ''and'' Tleilaxu allies, but be careful which missions you pick; some will require you to attack your allies' faction, which breaks your alliance.

* BadAssArmy: The Sardaukar and the Fremen, both of which have to be convinced of your worthiness before they'll help you.

* DualModeUnit: House Ordos' heaviest tank, the Kobra, can do this.

* FactionCalculus: Harkonnen are Brute Force (individually powerful but very tactically straight-forward units), Atreides are Balanced (endurable and tactically flexible units whose veterans can be sent back to base to promote future units of the same kind) and Ordos are Subversive (weak individual units but with a lot of tactical options).

* GenreBlind: House Ordos, of all people. They trust the Tleilaxu ''much'' more than the other factions. Their technology is also unsuited to Dune warfare, as they rely heavily on shields for defense, whose vibrations attract sandworms.
** Although they do use a lot of hovering tanks, which ''don't'' attract worms.

* HumongousMecha: Many of the Atreides armored units are Mecha, as is the Harkonnen ''Devastator''. This may be a call back to ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun''.

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Allying with the Tleilaxu gives you access to Contaminators, which convert slain infantry into more of themselves. The [[NightmareFuel scary part]] as that they can also do this to ''vehicles'' with their Leech unit.

* PsychopathicManchild: Copec only has hints of this until the sacking of Caladan when he just ''loses'' it upon learning that [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled Duke Achillus died during the assault]].
** Gunseng... Really isn't much better at that point. At least he directs his violence ''at'' someone instead of just jumping around throwing a tantrum. That said, Gunseng directs his violence against his underlings, while Copec recognizes that he can have a [[ExpendableClone Ghola]] of his intended victims made instead.

* SpiderTank: Calling it a "tank" is exaggerating, but the Ordos Dust Scout qualifies as a "Spider Recon Drone".

* ColourCodedArmies: The Atreides are blue, the Harkonnens are red and the Ordos are green. This more stereotypical colour scheme is different to that seen in the book (and faithfully represented by the David Lynch film) in which the Atreides wear green with a red hawk symbol and the Harkonnens wear blue with a gryphon symbol. The game also substitutes that gryphon with a more stereotypically 'evil' ram's head, since the designers used ''The Litertaure/DuneEncyclopedia''as a resource. (The Encyclopedia erroneously has the Harkonnen symbol a ram).

* TheEngineer: Used to capture and repair structures. The Harkonnen version carries a [[CherryTapping pistol]] for self-defence.

%%* FragileSpeedster: Ordos units, with the exception of their "Kobra" artillery tank.

* GenreBlind: House Ordos, of all people. They trust the Tleilaxu ''much'' more than the other factions. Their technology is also unsuited to Dune warfare, as they rely heavily on shields for defence, whose vibrations attract sandworms.

* KillItWithFire: A favourite tactic of House Harkonnen; they have both flamethrower infantry and flame tanks, both of which are capable of instantly killing infantry. The latter is also very effective against buildings and massed Tleilaxu units. For whatever reason, Inkvine fluid also sets infantry on fire.

** Gunseng... Really isn't much better at that point. At least he directs his violence ''at'' someone instead of just jumping around throwing a tantrum. That said, Gunseng directs his violence against his underlings, while Copec recognises that he can have a [[ExpendableClone Ghola]] of his intended victims made instead.

* GenreSavvy: House Ordos again. They have no other choice, considering that their military might doesn't even compare to that of the Atreides or the Harkonnen. Also, for all their trust towards the Tleilaxu, they are the only ones prepared when the Tleilaxu make their move.

* FactionCalculus: Harkonnen are Brute Force (individually powerful but very tactically straight-forward units), Atreides are Elite (endurable units whose veterans can be sent back to base to promote future units of the same kind) and Ordos are Subversive (weak individual units but with a lot of tactical options).

* FactionCalculus

* {{Expy}}: Numerous characters are intentionally modeled after the DavidLynch movie. The Atreides mentat's appearance and mannerisms resemble Thufir Havat. Rakan Harkonnen is a less insane version of Vladimir Harkonnen. Gunseng is Feyd-Rautha while Copec is a ''more'' psychopathic Rabban from the movie.

* ExperiencePoints: Your units earn them. Atreides infantry that reach maximum level can be sent back into their barracks; the unit is LostForever but all subsequently produced units of that type start with an extra level. Do this multiple times to be able to produce elite units on command.

** Gunseng... Really isn't much better at that point. At least he directs his violence ''at'' someone instead of just jumping around throwing a tantrum. That said, Gunseng directs his violence against his underlings, while Copec recognises that he can have a [[ExpendableClone Gola]] of his intended victims made instead.

** Gunseng... Really isn't much better at that point. At least he directs his violence ''at'' someone instead of just jumping around throwing a tantrum.

** The Atreides leader, Duke Achilus delivers one before the mission where you attack an e

* HumongousMecha: Many of the Atreides armored units are Mecha, as is the Harkonnen ''Devastator''. This may be a call back to [[CommandAndConquerTiberium Tiberian Sun]].

* ColourCodedArmies: The Atreides are blue, the Harkonnens are red and the Ordos are green. This more stereotypical colour scheme is different to that seen in the book (and faithfully represented by the David Lynch film) in which the Atreides wear green with a red hawk symbol and the Harkonnens wear blue with a gryphon symbol. The game also substitutes that gryphon with a more stereotypically 'evil' ram's head.

--> ''The reign of House Corrino is ended. Another House must take its place. (...) Under the terms of the Great Convention, a limited form of warfare, known as the War of Assassins, has been declared by three factions: House Atreides, House Harkonnen and House Ordos. (...) The war will be limited to the planet Arrakis. Use of atomics is forbidden. So long as these rules are followed, the Guild will not interfere. But understand this: during this conflict, and following it, no matter what the outcome...'''the spice must flow'''.''
--> - '''Shafla of the Spacing Guild, opening narration'''

Released by Westwood Studios in 2001, ''Emperor: Battle for Dune'' is a sequel to ''VideoGame/DuneII'' and ''VideoGame/{{Dune2000}}'' covering the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast War of Assassins]] as the three fractions House Atreides, House Ordos, and House Harkonen fight for control of Arrakis and various subfractions, the Fremen, the Ix, the Tleilaxu, the Sardaukar, and the Spacing Guild add a level of customization and move the plot along.

* AbnormalAmmo: While their equivalents in other houses simply use automatic rifles, the basic Ordos trooper in employs a chemical projector. Also, the Inkvine Catapult, which heaves sticky, toxic, and flammable gunk.

* AlternateContinuity: ''Emperor'' is treated as sequel to Dune 2000 but there are some differences between the two continuities. Emperor Corrino's death is depicted as it takes place in the Ordos ending of VideoGame/{{Dune2000}} but it is mentioned to have taken place in Kaitain. The House leaderships are also {{Retcon}}ned to their ''Emperor'' incarnation, which isn't too hard to achieve since we never saw them in Dune 2000.
** Of course, the whole series is an alternate continuity to Book-Dune and the 1984 Movie
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Harkonnen. Due to them being a [[PlanetOfHats Planet Of]] [[JerkAss Jerkasses,]] the Fremen cannot be made to ally with them in ''Emperor''s campaign. [[spoiler: [[EnemyMine Until]] [[LesserOfTwoEvils the final mission]].]]

* AttackDrone: The Atredies' Anti-Air defense drones.
* AwesomePersonnelCarrier: The Atredies and Ordos can use APCS, but they're only slightly awesome. The Atredies one is armed with a standard gun turret and can use an InvisibilityCloak while not moving, and the Ordos one is a very nimble HoverTank armed with rockets.

* DuelingDubs: Occured during the "silver age of piracy" in Russia and nearby countries. One was made up by Dyadushka Research (of ''[[VideoGame/TheNeverhood The Neverhood]]'' GagDub fame) and published by City, while the other one is only known to be published by Fargus (of the fame of everything else). The first one, while being less widespread, is generally considered to be superior. [[labelnote:*]]And not just translation-wise, actually, with such details as putting the whole thing from 4 [=CDs=] to just 2 without losing much of the cutscenes' original quality, and making the new license agreement [[BreakingTheFourthWall acknowledge that it is indeed a pirated copy of the game]], along with the "All Rights Ignored" label nearby.[[/labelnote]]

** SuspiciouslySimilarSong: ...and then there's also ''Battle of the Atreides'', which includes an orchestral riff taken from ''Flight of the Bumblebee'', with several modifications.

** The Ordos intend to put Shaddam IV back on this throne... as a Ghola, a resurrected, conditioned duplicate of a formerly living individual. In addition, they use Gholas during the campaign as to replenish their forces. Also, in order to trick lesser factions into gaining their trust. It works pretty well, allowing such unnatural alliance as Ordos/Fremen.

Released by Westwood Studios in 2001, ''Emperor: Battle for Dune'' is a sequel to ''VideoGame/DuneII'' and ''Dune 2000'' covering the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast War of Assassins]] as the three fractions House Atreides, House Ordos, and House Harkonen fight for control of Arrakis and various subfractions, the Fremen, the Ix, the Tleilaxu, the Sardaukar, and the Spacing Guild add a level of customization and move the plot along.

* AlternateContinuity: ''Emperor'' is treated as sequel to Dune 2000 but there are some differences between the two continuities. Emperor Corrino's death is depicted as it takes place in the Ordos ending of VideoGame/Dune2000 but it is mentioned to have taken place in Kaitain. The House leaderships are also {{Retcon}}ned to their ''Emperor'' incarnation, which isn't too hard to achieve since we never saw them in Dune 2000.

* AlternateContinuity: ''Emperor'' is treated as sequel to Dune 2000 but there are some differences between the two continuities. Emperor Corrino's death is depicted as it takes place in the Ordos ending of Dune2000 but it is mentioned to have taken place in Kaitain. The House leaderships are also {{Retcon}}ned to their ''Emperor'' incarnation, which isn't too hard to achieve since we never saw them in Dune 2000.

A RealTimeStrategy game set in the ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' universe.

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: The Harkonnen. Due to them being a [[PlanetOfHats Planet Of]] [[JerkAss Jerkasses,]] the Fremen cannot be made to ally with them in ''Emperor''s campaign.

* PsychopathicManchild: Copec only has hints of this until the sacking of Caladan when he just ''loses'' it upon learning that Duke Achillus died during the assault.

* DopplegangerAttack: The Ixian Projector can create seemingly harmless duplicates of any unit, in order to fool an enemy. In truth, while they rapidly lose health and disappear upon taking damage or colliding with an enemy unit, their weapons are fully functional. Projectors thus become GameBreakers once you have access to Harkonnen [[MacrossMissileMassacre missile tanks]].

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Baron Rakan Harkonnen pretends to listen to Copec's version of the war. In truth, he has spies in Arrakis giving him an exact rundown of victories and losses.

* KillItWithFire: A favourite tactic of House Harkonnen; they have both flamethrower infantry and flame tanks, both of which are capable of instantly killing infantry. The latter is also very effective against buildings. For whatever reason, Inkvine fluid also sets infantry on fire.