Tempest Takes Strategy Back to the Golden Age

Tempest Rising: A Nostalgic RTS That Delivers

From the moment I launched the Tempest Rising demo, I was hooked. The opening cinematic, complete with cheesy dialogue from heavily armored soldiers and a nervous scientist, instantly brought a smile to my face. The music, UI, and units felt perfectly designed to transport me back to my high school days, pulling all-nighters playing Command & Conquer with friends, fueled by soda, chips, and sheer exhaustion. This masterful recreation of that classic RTS feeling in a modern game is a blast, and I'm eager to see what Slipgate Ironworks unveils at launch and beyond. Whether battling bots in Skirmish or facing off in Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt as natural as slipping on a well-worn glove.

This nostalgic experience is no accident. The developers explicitly aimed to create an RTS game reminiscent of 90s and 2000s classics, enhanced with modern quality-of-life features. Set in an alternate 1997, Tempest Rising depicts a world where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3, leaving behind strange, energy-rich vines that power a new era.

Tempest Rising Screenshots

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The preview build focused solely on multiplayer, so I'll have to wait for the story mode, which promises two replayable 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction. The Tempest Dynasty (TD), an alliance of Eastern European and Asian nations devastated by WW3, and the Global Defense Forces (GDF), a coalition of the US, Canada, and Western Europe. A third faction remains shrouded in mystery, unavailable in the preview or Steam RTS Fest demo.

I gravitated towards the Tempest Dynasty, partly due to their amusing "Tempest Sphere," a death-dealing vehicle that crushes infantry. The Dynasty also utilizes "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated through their Construction Yard. These plans, selectable with a short cooldown, offer strategic flexibility.

The Logistics Plan boosts building speed and resource gathering; the Martial Plan enhances unit attack speed and provides explosive resistance; and the Security Plan reduces unit and building costs, improves repair, and expands radar range. I found a satisfying rhythm cycling through these plans.

This adaptability extends to other aspects. Unlike the GDF's stationary refineries, the Dynasty employs mobile Tempest Rigs, which harvest resources and relocate, facilitating rapid expansion. Deploying these rigs to distant locations provided a secure, consistent income stream.

The Dynasty's Salvage Van is another highlight, capable of repairing or, in Salvage Mode, destroying enemy vehicles for resource gain. Ambushing unsuspecting opponents with this unit proved highly effective.

Power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, accelerating nearby construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage—a risk mitigated by the mode's automatic deactivation near critical health.

While I favored the Dynasty, the GDF offers its own strengths, focusing on buffing allies, debuffing enemies, and battlefield control. The Marking mechanic, where units mark enemies for debuffs and intel gain, is particularly effective.

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Both factions boast three tech trees and powerful cooldown abilities accessed through advanced buildings. The GDF's options include spy drones and battlefield control abilities, while the Dynasty's Lockdown prevents enemy takeovers. The Field Infirmary, a deployable healing zone, proved invaluable.

The launch version's Custom Lobbies will allow for cooperative play against challenging AI. Until then, I'll continue my solo campaign, happily crushing bots with my army of death spheres.