From the moment I launched the Tempest Rising demo, I had a great feeling. The opening cinematic, complete with cheesy dialogue from heavily armored soldiers and a nervous scientist, instantly charmed me. The music, UI, and unit designs perfectly captured the spirit of my high school days, spent late nights playing Command & Conquer with friends, fueled by Mountain Dew, Pringles, and sleep deprivation. This game expertly recreates that feeling, and I'm thrilled to see what Slipgate Ironworks has planned for launch and beyond. Whether battling AI in Skirmish or facing off in Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt instantly familiar and comfortable.
This nostalgic feel is intentional. The developers aimed to create a real-time strategy (RTS) game reminiscent of 90s and 2000s classics, while incorporating modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in 1997, Tempest Rising unfolds in an alternate history where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3. The aftermath saw the emergence of strange, energy-rich vines, ushering in a new power era for those brave enough to harvest them.
Tempest Rising Screenshots
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As the preview build focused solely on multiplayer, I'll need to wait for the story mode reveal. It will feature two replayable 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction: the Tempest Dynasty (TD) and the Global Defense Forces (GDF). A third faction remains shrouded in mystery, unavailable in the preview or Steam RTS Fest demo.
The Tempest Dynasty immediately captivated me, largely due to the hilariously destructive Tempest Sphere—a rolling death machine that crushes infantry. But the Dynasty also offers "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated from the Construction Yard (your starting building). Each Plan—Logistics, Martial, and Security—provides unique benefits, requiring only sufficient power generation and a 30-second cooldown for switching.
The Logistics Plan accelerated building and resource harvesting; the Martial Plan boosted unit attack speed and provided explosive resistance, while enhancing Machinist attack speed; and the Security Plan reduced unit and building costs, improved repairs, and expanded radar vision. I found a satisfying rhythm cycling through these Plans, boosting economy, construction, and then launching offensives.This flexibility extends to other aspects. Unlike the GDF, which requires Refineries, the Dynasty uses Tempest Rigs—mobile harvesters that move to resource fields, harvest until depletion, and relocate. This streamlined my "fast expand" strategy, allowing me to send Rigs to distant locations for undisturbed resource gathering.
The Dynasty's Salvage Van is another standout unit. It repairs allies but can switch to Salvage Mode, destroying nearby vehicles (regardless of ownership) and returning resources to the player. I enjoyed ambushing unsuspecting opponents, destroying their vehicles, and claiming their resources.Power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, boosting nearby building construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage. However, it safely deactivates at critical health, preventing accidental self-destruction.
While I favored the Tempest Dynasty, the GDF offers a compelling alternative, focusing on buffing allies, debuffing enemies, and battlefield control. The Marking mechanic, where units mark targeted enemies for debuffs and Intel upon defeat, is particularly effective with specific Doctrine upgrades.
Tempest Rising3D Realms Wishlist
Each faction boasts three tech trees, allowing for strategic specialization. Beyond the tech trees, constructing advanced buildings unlocks powerful cooldown abilities, adding strategic depth and flavor. The GDF, for example, can deploy spy drones, create building beacons, and temporarily disable enemy vehicles.
The Dynasty's Lockdown ability prevents enemy takeovers but temporarily disables the building. The Field Infirmary, a mobile healing zone, complements the Dynasty's repair capabilities.There's much more to explore, especially the custom lobbies for teaming up against the challenging AI. Until then, I'll happily continue crushing bots with my army of death balls.
