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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 unit designs perfectly captured the essence of my high school days spent playing Command & Conquer with friends – fueled by energy drinks, snacks, and sheer lack of sleep. This modern take on a classic RTS is a blast from the past, and I'm eagerly anticipating the full release from Slipgate Ironworks. Whether battling bots in Skirmish or engaging in Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt incredibly familiar and intuitive.
This nostalgic experience is no accident. The developers explicitly aimed to create an RTS reminiscent of 90s and 2000s classics, enhanced with modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in an alternate 1997, where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3, the game unfolds in a post-nuclear landscape overrun by energy-rich, strange vines.
Tempest Rising Screenshots
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The demo focused solely on multiplayer, leaving the story mode a mystery for now. However, it's promised to feature two replayable 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction: the Tempest Dynasty (TD) and the Global Defense Forces (GDF). A third, currently unannounced faction, will be revealed later.
The Tempest Dynasty immediately captivated me, largely due to the hilariously destructive Tempest Sphere – a rolling death machine that obliterates enemy infantry. The Dynasty also utilizes "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated through the Construction Yard. These Plans, such as Logistics (faster building and resource harvesting), Martial (increased unit attack speed and explosive resistance), and Security (reduced unit and building costs, improved repair), offer strategic flexibility. I found a satisfying rhythm cycling through these Plans to optimize resource gathering, construction, and offensive capabilities.
Unlike the GDF's stationary refineries, the Dynasty employs mobile Tempest Rigs to harvest resources, allowing for flexible base expansion regardless of distance. This made rapid expansion incredibly easy and effective, particularly when deploying Rigs to remote locations for undisturbed resource gathering.
The Dynasty's Salvage Van, a dual-purpose unit capable of repairing or destroying enemy vehicles for resource gain, proved incredibly useful for ambushing unsuspecting opponents. Power plants can also switch to Distribution Mode, boosting nearby building construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage – a risk mitigated by the automatic deactivation at critical health.
While I favored the Dynasty, the GDF's focus on allied buffs, enemy debuffs, and battlefield control is equally compelling. The Marking mechanic, where units tag enemies for increased Intel upon defeat and various debuffs with Doctrine upgrades, creates powerful synergies.
Tempest Rising3D Realms Wishlist
Both factions feature three diverse tech trees and powerful cooldown abilities accessed through advanced buildings, adding strategic depth and unique playstyles. The Dynasty's Lockdown ability, preventing enemy takeovers at the cost of temporary building inactivity, proved crucial in countering structure losses. The Field Infirmary, a mobile healing zone, complemented the Dynasty's already strong repair capabilities.
The upcoming launch promises custom lobbies for cooperative play against challenging AI opponents, further enhancing the replayability. Until then, I'll be content crushing bots with my unstoppable army of death balls.
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