Dune: Imperium - Rise of Ix

Rise of Ix is hands down a must-have expansion for Dune Imperium, which is arguably one of the best games to come out in the last decade. The new leaders are interesting and add fresh strategic angles without feeling overpowered or gimmicky. The mechanics are balanced and seamlessly integrate with the base game, providing more decision points and tactical depth. I particularly love how this expansion gives you additional ways to spend spice – no longer does it just pile up uselessly like your unredeemed credit card rewards. Solari also becomes harder to acquire but more impactful, especially with the ability to purchase battleships, adding another layer of tension to resource management. The discard and trash mechanics for triggering effects are clever and help streamline your deck for more focused strategies. Art quality is on par with the base game, maintaining the immersive aesthetic, and the overall component quality is excellent as expected. Playability is top-notch, making every session feel different and keeping the gameplay loop fresh. As a gift, it’s perfect for any board gamer who already owns Dune Imperium. Overall, if you’re looking to expand your collection and deepen your Dune Imperium experience, Rise of Ix is worth every solari.

Dune Imperium base game has been my favorite board game since I discovered it last year. I have played approximately 20 games with the base game and still greatly enjoy it so I was concerned that this expansion might somehow lessen my game experience. I am happy to say it hasn't done that at all. I only play the game solo utilizing the excellent solo provisions that come with the game. I don't know if I would say the Rise of Ix expansion necessarily makes the game better but it definitely gives you more options, more things to think about, more ways to win, and more things to explore. It also adds some more interesting cards (Imperium and Intrigue). It does all of this without increasing complexity much at all. Bottom line, if you enjoy Dune Imperium, I really think you will also enjoy the Rise of Ix expansion.

The leaders, cards and board spaces offered by this expansion are excellent and the "Control the Spice" starter card is excellent. Dreadnoughts are awesome if purchased early. The shipping track is an excellent feel-good space. The shipping track and technologies noticeably increase complexity, but if you wanted a simple game, don't play Dune Imperium. I have used this expansion with both base game & uprising: works great. But, I have not played with Immortality. House rules: I don't cover the greens and yellows with the shipping board, I just set it up next to the main board, so we play with 2 extra yellow and green spaces. Also, we always use control the spice even without the other "Epic game" rules the expansion outlines. Those rules work well whether Uprising or Base.

I love the expansion, great addition to game mechanics and strategies. However, it is not Rise of Nine. It is actually Ix like sticks without the st.

Fun to play

My family is crazy for this board game. We love how strategic and fun it is. All the cards, components, and boards of DUNE are well designed. We can play this game for hours, and we never get bored of it. This is the best game that we always want to play! We also got all the expansions for DUNE. This game is definitely my favorite! I highly recommend it!

BE AWARE: Once you play this expansion, you can never go back to the original. This is a straight up upgrade to the previous Dune game, and you really can't go back once you try this. Immortality expansion is optional (it changes the game, but you may not like it), but this one is mandatory. Try out the original few times, and if you like the base game, get this one for sure.

If you like Dune Imperium, just get this expansion. It‘s so good and adds an excellent additional level of complexity to a great game. Get the sleeves too.