Kainga: Seeds of Civilization is a game that’s done Early Access right.
From its initial launch way back in November 2021 to the release in December 2022, it has built on its solid foundations to deliver on the promise of a rogue-lite village builder dripping in beautiful visuals and immense amounts of charm.
In Kainga you take direct control over a Thinker, leader and heart of a budding tribe of villagers. You’ll shepherd them, plan your village, think up new technologies, harvest resources, and defend yourself against other tribes, adverse weather conditions, and gigantic fauna. It’s a game where you’ll try, try, and try again with new tactics, different maps, and Thinkers that each have unique ways to play.
Solo developer Erik Rempen has spent the year refining his vision for Kainga, taking on fan feedback and building something new that plays in entirely unique ways. With the game launching into its full release we thought it was the perfect time to look back at some of the many updates Erik has developed over the last year and look at the colossal journey that Kainga has been on.
Kainga Enters Early Access
Kainga launched into Early Access on November the 11th, 2021, already brimming with content. Beautiful levels like The Pebbles archipelago or the windswept Flatlands were already available, giving players stunning areas to build their first villages in.
The game’s huge fauna also saw inclusion with many wild and wonderful beasts walking Kainga’s fertile grounds. Already, even at this early stage, it was possible to see the shape of Kainga forming and play many happy hours of village building fun. But there was more to come – much more.
Trade and Travel Update
The first big post-Early Access update was titled ‘Trade and Travel’ – this massive slice of content dropped in February of 2022. Key amongst this update’s many new features was the inclusion of a brand new savannah map titled ‘The Edges’, a new Thinker named Ajowan, and an entirely new trading mechanic.
The Trade and Travel update helped deepen Kainga’s systems, allowing greater interplay between your village and the AI controlled villages. Trade, more frequent skirmishes, and more was suddenly made possible, helping round out the Kainga experience.
Inventions Update
The Inventions update brought with it a ton of new stuff for Kainga. A new map, as is tradition, saw players take to the heights of The Towers. The Firebird creature emerged to take to the skies, new festivals provided much-needed boosts to productivity and more, and loads of quality of life improvements made Kainga feel better to play.
The main focus of this update, however, was new technologies. From house types to balloons, tech got a big upgrade in April 2022. A brand new Synergy System even saw technology evolve into unique and never-before seen things, helping your Thinker and your villagers get their hands on more, more, more!
Clothing and Stone Update
Even though it was July, the Clothing and Stone update introduced a touch of frost to the beautiful world of Kainga. The Ice Ridge map didn’t just take us to a frostier climate, it gave the game a brand new snow system too.
How do you deal with the cold? Clothing of course. New clothing, looks, hats, and even weapons made Kainga’s villagers sturdier and more dangerous, helping them survive in even the most hostile of climates. A twinned Thinker also appeared, providing a brand new way to experience the game, and stone as a resource arrived in the lands of Kainga.
Skyloft Update
Kainga isn’t just about striving against adversity, sometimes you need a moment of downtime too. Enter the Skyloft, an area where Thinkers can discuss their challenges and take a moment in-between maps to plan what’s next.
In addition to the Skyloft, this update brought a raft of new features to the game. A new night event, even more technologies, a new challenge, and even the undead began to rise in November of 2022. By this point, Kainga was circling its full launch with the release date being announced just as this update hit – so we’re getting very close to seeing the final shape of the game.
Full Release Update
Version 1.0 of Kainga launched on December 6, 2022 and with that came a colossal collection of updates. Most updates saw the game get one map but with the full release two massive new maps, Greenleaf and Darkwood, became playable for the first time.
That’s not all, two new Thinkers – Galanga and Serrano – join the game, with the former specialising in beasts and the latter being able to use powerful resurrection skills. And even that’s not all as there’s new combat units, AI improvements, more languages for localisation, and over 40 new technologies added to the game.
All this means that Kainga: Seeds of Civilization is a game that’ll provide nearly endless ways to approach its multiple maps, testing your village-building skills and ensuring you never play the same game twice.
Shop for Kainga: Seeds of Civilization here
Now you’ve seen how far Kainga has come it’s time to make the leap and grab it. Head over to our Green Man Gaming store and check out Kainga: Seeds of Civilization for less. Explore the beautiful worlds of Kainga with your Thinker and their followers, it’s a journey into the unknown that you won’t regret.
