Dune-inspired sci-fi strategy game Cantata is out of early access after a year

After more than a year since the base-building strategy game Cantata was released, the sci-fi title is finally coming out of early access with patch 1.0. 

Cantata follows the story of a crash-landed survivor on a journey to expand their empire, bringing peace, or war to a newly discovered planet. The aim is to grow your army, manage resources, and explore the new planet of Shoal and the people that live in it. 

It’s a strategy game that “plays out a little bit like Advance Wars meets Dune“, a PR executive said. “You fight epic battles on a mysterious planet steeped in cool lore and original psychedelic art”. 

Since May 2022, Cantata has been in early access to give the devs enough time to refine the fundamentals and make it the best it can be. Come August 15, Cantata will release in full, signaling that the efforts of developers Afterschool Studio have finally come to fruition. 

The full version of the game will likely differ from what players have seen in early access so far. Now you will be able to play all nine campaign chapters, access new quality-of-life changes, and expanded modding support.

Cantata, in its early access, is currently $25.85/ £19.99 on Steam. However, once patch 1.0 is released, players can expect modest a price rise. There will be a “substantial leap forward in terms of content and quality, to reflect that, and to reward players who support us in early access, you can expect the price to increase slightly”, according to the official Steam page.  With only a few weeks to go until Cantata releases in full, it may be a good idea to purchase it in early access if you’re looking for a cheaper option. 

If RPGs are your thing, then check out our best RPG games list for even more games that you can fill your library with.