It’s been nearly five years since it first hit PCs (which few people could have missed, given that a marathon Sci-Fi Channel airing of David Lynch’s Dune was sponsored by Electronic Arts in support of the release), and despite all the good stuff we’ve gotten from both game developer Westwood Studios and their in-house music guru Frank Klepacki, Dune 2000 is still my favorite PC strategy game – and still my favorite computer game soundtrack.
Klepacki does invoke Toto’s groundbreaking rock-orchestral score in places, mainly in the use of specific instruments such as percussion and electric guitar. But the vast majority of the music from Dune 2000 isn’t trying to be an extension of the film (which is sometimes more than we can say for the game’s cinematic cut scenes), it’s a sweeping, atmospheric and stunningly original movie-quality soundtrack. Some of the music’s 
electronics almost steer it into the abstract, sounding in a few places like some of the better tracks from Evan Chen’s soundtrack from Crusade. It’s sinister, mysterious, and utterly appropriate to the game’s action. Even separated from the game itself, Klepacki’s music makes for a compelling listen. I highly recommend both the game and the music – they’re still among Westwood’s all-time best.
- Menu Theme (0:52)
- The Ambush (4:14)
- Attack On Arrakis (4:03)
- The Atriedes Gain (4:16)
- Enter The Ordos (5:13)
- Fight For Power (5:51)
- The Fremen (4:31)
- Harkonnen Battle (4:16)
- Land Of Sand (5:03)
- Plotting (4:32)
- Robotix (4:10)
- Rise Of Harkonnen (3:37)
- The Soldiers Approach (4:01)
- Spice Scouting (5:10)
- Under Construction (4:32)
- The Waiting Game (4:13)
- Score (2:05)
Released by: Westwood Studios / Electronic Arts
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 70:39
