Sands of Aura coming to Steam Early Access in October

In Sands of Aura, you're tasked with breathing new life into a dying world with a sword in your hand. At the Future Games Show Powered by AMD, developer Chashu Entertainment and publisher Freedom Games announced it will bring the action-adventure to Steam Early Access on October 21, 2021. 

Sands of Aura is set in a world wrought with corruption and you'll need sharp reaction times to cleanse it. With seven distinct fighting styles to assist you in your adventure, you'll need to find the one that feels right for you as you battle it out against doomsday cultists, fallen kings, and everything in between – many will even drop weapon components that you can take back with you to your settlement so that, Chashu Entertainment promises, you'll be able to forge thousands of unique weapons.

Speaking of your settlement, that'll be your homebase in the world of Talamhel – an open world that you can explore freely, carving across the sprawling sandsea from your grainwake looking for new areas to explore and opportunities to take advantage of. Given how punishing the combat looks, taking a beat to breathe at your settlement will be key to survival, a chance to upgrade your weapons and armor, forge new items, and customize your character. 

You'll be able to experience all of this and more when the Sands of Aura Early Access period begins on October 21, 2021. You can add Sands of Aura to your Steam Wishlist in advance, which is undoubtedly the best way to prepare for this mixture of unforgiving souls-like combat, deep Diablo-style action-RPG systems, and a haunting story set in a shattered world. 

Sands of Aura doesn't have a release date just yet, although the team has promised that, after more than three years of development, it is on the near horizon. The Early Access release, which will cover the first three acts of the adventure, is the next milestone on the road to a 2022 release. 

Josh West
UK Managing Editor, GamesRadar+

Josh West is the UK Managing Editor of GamesRadar+. He has over 10 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+'s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you've definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.