A wide range of systems make Dune: Spice Wars an enjoyable 4X, but the depth of Frank Herbert's world-building is largely lost in translation.
There is something cathartic, or perhaps simply pleasantly escapist, in the idea that I can resolve the mess in my head with the sweep of a hand. Even if Psychonauts 2 looks like a psychedelic fever dream, after 18 months of being intermittently locked indoors, festering in bad thoughts, accumulating emotional baggage, and losing track of any nuggets of wisdom I might have had, it is also a power fantasy that feels especially relevant.
Ultimately, Wasteland 3 succeeds on its narrative, choice system, strong characters, and compelling factions. It stumbles in its lifeless world, inconsistent presentation, familiar gameplay, and technical side – it often feels like a snow-themed reskin of Wasteland 2, with many of that title’s limitations and janky systems. Nonetheless, designer Brian Fargo has here made the best post-apocalyptic RPG since Fallout: New Vegas. It’s just not as good as the one he made 23 years ago with Fallout.