With Uprising, the successor to Dune: Imperium hit the shelves. How does the new connoisseur game perform, what are the differences to the first instalment and can it be played independently? We took a closer look for you.

First of all, just like its predecessor, Uprising is a worker placement board game. Worker placement is a game mechanic in which players have a limited number of actions per turn and carry them out using a limited number of pieces. Starting with the same basic conditions for all participants, players use various strategies to gain advantages over their opponents, increase their influence and gain resources, which then enable more complex moves. Certain actions earn you victory points, which ultimately lead to winning the game.

Another component of Uprising is the deck-building mechanic, in which you put together your own pack of cards from a display of cards. The aim is always to optimise your own cards over the course of the game.

The basic principle of Uprising is therefore not at all different from the first part. One special feature, however, is that it can be used both as a stand-alone board game and together with Dune: Imperium. The previous expansions can also be combined with it.

So what’s really new in Uprising?
Perhaps the most important change is the introduction of spies. If an opponent has already positioned one of their agents on a field that you are also interested in, you have the option of using a spy to infiltrate your opponent. If this is successful, you can also “spread out” on this field and utilise its advantages. This prevents you from being excluded from areas of the game that are important to you. In addition – as an important element of the Dune universe – the infamous sandworms finally play a major role. Although their use consumes resources, as triple-strength characters they can make all the difference on the battlefield compared to normal troops.

Basically, it can be said that the focus in Uprising is much more on combat. In our opinion, the rewards are better and the player has more opportunities to use clever combinations to turn the course of the game in their favour and gain important victory points. We recommend the game to fans of worker placement and strategy games. For those who already own Imperium and its expansions, Uprising should be an exciting addition and perhaps provide the elements that were missing in the base game.