Modern Wolf has announced that Afterschool Studio’s tactical space game, Cantata, is leaving Early Access and getting its full release on August 15.
Cantata is about a future war between the dickish humans and the oppressed robot masses. It takes place on the planet of Shoal, where the wildlife isn’t too happy that their habitat is being fought over. The game was pitched to me as Advance Wars meets Dune, and I can see it. But beyond the turn-based skirmishes, there’s also some base-building and exploration to be had.
I haven’t had the chance to try Cantata, but it looks pretty incredible. The bizarre neon art design is a great foundational aesthetic, but the gameplay looks expansive and tight. It’s somewhat hard to find a game that manages to capture mechanical depth and aesthetic splendor. Since I haven’t wrapped my filthy mitts around it, I can’t say for sure it’s successful, but all this evidence is pointing to yes.
It’s an unholy marriage of tactical skirmishes and grand strategy. Also, there’s a map editor and multiplayer for people who like to confound their friends.
Cantata is currently available on Steam Early Access. On August 15, it gets its full 1.0 release.