Still in a Dune mood? This new desert survival game has giant sandworms, too

Starsand desert survival game
(Image credit: Tunnel Vision Studio)

Still thinking about the Dune movie? Intrigued by thoughts of wandering desolate a world of sand, trying to survive in the harsh climates, and coming across the occasional giant sandworm?

Well, a Dune survival game is in the works over at Funcom, but you might be able to get your fix a bit sooner by checking out Starsand, an Early Access survival game that's set in a harsh desert environment and is home to giant sandworms. You don't have long to wait if you're interested: Starsand comes out on November 4.

In Starsand, you wind up stranded in a desert after being swallowed by a sandstorm while running a marathon. (Desert marathons, for when regular marathons just aren't enough of a challenge.) When the dust clears all you've got is a bottle of water and the knowledge that you can cobble together primitive tools by collecting rocks and sticks. I tried out the free demo and it's pretty tough—the sun beats down mercilessly which quickly starts damaging your character, and it looks for all the world like there's nothing around you but endless plains of sand and a mysterious pyramid in the distance.

But this isn't Egypt. When the sun sets you'll notice two moons in the sky, and neither look like the moon we know and love. Clearly that sandstorm whisked you off to some other planet, or dimension, or timeline, or... who knows what?

(Image credit: Tunnel Vision Studio)

This might not be Earth but there are familiar creatures in Starsand. After discovering an oasis with drinkable water and trees bearing fruit like dates and bananas, I killed a frog with my axe and roasted it over a fire. There were also some scorpions scuttling around, and when another sandstorm blew in and almost knocked over the tiny hut I'd been building, some frightened camels and gazelles appeared at my oasis. I fed one camel a banana. He is now my friend, and I'm glad, because just look at his sweet, goofy face.

(Image credit: Tunnel Vision Studio)

(Image credit: Tunnel Vision Studio)

I didn't see any sandworms in my time with the demo, but they're in there somewhere, along with other dangers like packs of hyenas, massive gators, and giant centipede-lookin' things. Of course, the biggest threat of all is the inhospitable desert itself. Starsand hits Early Access on November 4.

Christopher Livingston
Senior Editor

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s. Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.

Read more
Dune Awakening
Dune Awakening's latest trailer offers a glimpse of its massive coriolis storms, which reshape swathes of the map each week for 'infinite exploration'
A base on a sandy planet
Dune: Awakening's sandworms will be their own masters: 'You won't be able to summon them at will'
A CHOAM mercenary has his shield penetrated by a player wielding a slow blade.
After 7 hours, Dune: Awakening might be the mix of survival and RPG that finally wins me over to the genre
Paul Attreides
Dune: Awakening: Everything we know about Funcom's survival MMO
Sci-fi character from Dune
Survival MMO Dune: Awakening launches in May and I am way more excited about it than I thought I'd be
Dune Awakening
Gulp! Dune: Awakening beta testers are dying of thirst nearly as often as they're dying of sandworms, and some are even drinking mouse blood to stay alive
Latest in Survival & Crafting
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
An April Fool's Day Palworld game concept about dating Pals
From Palworld movies to Palworld TV shows: 'Everyone under the sun pitched us every idea you can imagine,' says Pocketpair's communications director
Pacific Drive Endless Expeditions spring 2025 update trailer still - a sexy, tricked-out 1980s station wagon being blasted with magic healing electricity
Pacific Drive developers change their mind: A year after refusing to give it mid-run saves, it's getting mid-run saves
minecraft diamond level sword
Minecraft's never going free-to-play because as it stands it's 'the best deal in the world'
New shaders in Minecraft following Minecraft Live 2025
In the year of our lord 2025, Mojang is finally adding shaders to Minecraft, making reflective lighting and water effects more accessible for all
A dried ghast, a ghastling, and a friendly ghast all smiling
The latest Minecraft Live uncovered the tragic truth of the Nether's most bothersome mob, which has unlocked new levels of guilt
Latest in News
A gigantic terracotta sentinel made of living armor
Total War: Warhammer 3's army of Cathay has broken containment and is making its way to tabletop Warhammer at last
Two brightly colored stormtroopers dressed like Run-DMC stand in front of PAX Australia's WELCOME HOME banner.
Tickets for PAX Australia 2025 are on sale now
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm