Tempest Rising: A Nostalgic RTS Masterpiece in the Making
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 perfectly captured the essence of my high school years spent playing Command & Conquer with friends – fueled by Mountain Dew, Pringles, and a healthy dose of sleep deprivation. This modern take on a classic RTS is a blast from the past, and I'm eager to see what Slipgate Ironworks delivers at launch. Whether battling bots in Skirmish or facing off in Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt incredibly familiar and comfortable.
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 improvements. Set in an alternate 1997, following a devastating World War 3 ignited by the Cuban Missile Crisis, Tempest Rising introduces strange, energy-rich vines that fuel a new era of power.
Tempest Rising Screenshots
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The demo focused solely on multiplayer, leaving the story mode – featuring two 11-mission campaigns (one per faction) – for later exploration. The Tempest Dynasty (TD), an alliance of Eastern European and Asian nations, and the Global Defense Forces (GDF), a coalition of the US, Canada, and Western Europe, are the playable factions. A third, currently unannounced faction, will be revealed later.
I gravitated towards the Tempest Dynasty, largely due to the hilariously destructive Tempest Sphere, a rolling death machine that obliterates infantry. The Dynasty also utilizes "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated at the Construction Yard. These plans, accessible with sufficient power, offer strategic flexibility:
- Logistics Plan: Boosts construction speed, resource harvesting, and harvester movement.
- Martial Plan: Increases unit attack speed, adds explosive resistance, and grants Machinists a health-draining attack speed boost.
- Security Plan: Reduces unit and building costs, improves repair functionality, and expands radar range.
I found a satisfying rhythm by cycling through these plans, optimizing resource gathering, construction, and combat effectiveness.
The Dynasty's mobile Tempest Rigs, which harvest resources independently and relocate as needed, further enhanced my preferred "fast expand" strategy. Deploying these units to distant locations provided a secure, consistent resource stream.
The Dynasty's Salvage Van, a dual-purpose unit capable of both repair and enemy vehicle destruction for resource gain, added a fun element of tactical sabotage. Ambushing unsuspecting opponents and reclaiming their resources proved incredibly satisfying.
Dynasty power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, boosting nearby building construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage – a risk mitigated by the mode's automatic shutdown near critical health.
While I favored the Tempest Dynasty, the GDF offers a compelling alternative, focusing on allied buffs, enemy debuffs, and battlefield control. The GDF's Marking mechanic, which allows units to mark enemies for debuffs and Intel gain (used for advanced units/structures), is particularly noteworthy.
Tempest Rising3D Realms Wishlist
Both factions boast three tech trees, offering diverse strategic options. Beyond the tech trees, constructing advanced buildings unlocks powerful, cooldown-based abilities that can dramatically alter the battle's course.
The Dynasty's Lockdown ability, preventing enemy takeovers but temporarily disabling the building, counteracts the vulnerability of its smaller building count. The Field Infirmary, a mobile healing zone, proved invaluable.
The upcoming launch will introduce Custom Lobbies, allowing for cooperative play against challenging AI opponents. Until then, I'll continue my solo campaign, happily crushing bots with my legions of death balls.
