"Tempest Rising: A Nostalgic '90s RTS Experience"

As soon as I launched the Tempest Rising demo, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The opening cinematic, complete with its delightfully cheesy dialogue between bulky armored soldiers and a reedy scientist, had me grinning from ear to ear. The music, UI design, and units were crafted to transport me back to my high school days, where late nights were fueled by Mountain Dew, taco-flavored Pringles, and endless sessions of Command & Conquer with friends. Experiencing that same rush of excitement through a new game in today's world is exhilarating, and I'm eager to see what Slipgate Ironworks has planned for the game's launch and beyond. Whether I was diving into Skirmish mode to battle clever AI bots or engaging in Ranked Multiplayer, playing Tempest Rising feels as familiar as slipping on my trusty old baseball glove.

This nostalgic feeling isn't by chance. The developers at Slipgate Ironworks set out to create a real-time strategy (RTS) game that captures the essence of 90s and 2000s classics, while incorporating modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in an alternate 1997, Tempest Rising unfolds in a world where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalates into World War 3. In the aftermath of nuclear devastation, mysterious flowering vines emerge, brimming with electrical energy and heralding a new era of power for those brave enough to harvest them amidst the fallout.

Tempest Rising Screenshots

8 ImagesWhile the demo I played focused solely on multiplayer, I'm eagerly anticipating the story mode, which will feature two replayable 11-mission campaigns, one for each of the main factions showcased in the preview. The Tempest Dynasty (TD), an alliance of Eastern European and Asian countries hit hardest by WW3, and the Global Defense Forces (GDF), a coalition of the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, are the factions available. A third faction remains a mystery for now, as it's not playable in the preview build, the Steam RTS Fest demo, or at launch.

The Tempest Dynasty immediately caught my attention, not only for their quirky 'death ball' vehicle, the Tempest Sphere, which amusingly rolls over enemy infantry, but also for their unique 'plans' system. These plans allow for faction-wide bonuses in three distinct categories, activated from the Construction Yard, the starting building for all players. With a bit of extra power and a 30-second cooldown for switching, these plans offer strategic depth. The Logistics Plan speeds up structure construction and resource harvesting, including faster-moving resource harvesters. The Martial Plan enhances unit attack speed, provides resistance to explosives, and allows Machinist units to sacrifice health for a 50% attack speed boost. Lastly, the Security Plan reduces the cost of units and buildings, improves repair functions, and extends Radar vision. I found a satisfying rhythm by cycling through these plans, boosting my economy with Logistics, accelerating building with Security, and then launching offensives with the enhanced combat capabilities of Martial.

This flexibility is a hallmark of the Dynasty's design. Instead of building a Refinery to harvest nearby tempest fields like the GDF, the Tempest Dynasty uses Tempest Rigs, mobile units that can harvest resources until depletion and then relocate. This mechanic makes my favorite 'fast expand' strategy in RTS games more accessible than ever, as the distance from my base doesn't matter. Sending Tempest Rigs to distant locations allowed them to harvest undisturbed, providing a steady income without alerting my opponents.

The Dynasty also boasts a versatile unit called the Salvage Van, which can repair nearby vehicles or switch to Salvage Mode to destroy any nearby vehicle, returning resources to the salvaging player. I relished the thrill of sneaking up on inattentive opponents, parking a salvage truck next to their vehicles, and watching them crumble, simultaneously weakening their forces and bolstering my resources.

Additionally, the Dynasty's power plants can switch to 'Distribution Mode,' boosting the construction and attack speed of nearby buildings (some of which are equipped with cannons) at the cost of taking damage. Fortunately, the mode automatically deactivates at critical health levels, preventing self-destruction.

While I'm drawn to the Tempest Dynasty, the GDF has its own charm, focusing on buffing allies, debuffing enemies, and controlling the battlefield. My favorite GDF synergy involves the Marking mechanic, where certain units can mark enemies, causing them to drop Intel upon defeat, which is used for advanced units and structures. With specific Doctrine upgrades (Tempest Rising's tech trees), marked enemies suffer various debuffs, such as reduced damage output, increased damage taken, and extended attack ranges for certain units.

Tempest Rising3D RealmsApr 24, 2025 WishlistEach faction offers three tech trees to explore, allowing players to tailor their strategy. For instance, the GDF's 'Marking & Intel' tree enhances the marking mechanic, while the Dynasty's tree boosts the effectiveness of their 'Plans.' Beyond tech trees, advanced buildings unlock cooldown abilities that can turn the tide of battle, such as area damage, troop spawning, spy drones, remote building beacons, and even temporarily disabling enemy vehicles.

The Dynasty's fewer, upgradable buildings make losing one to an enemy Engineer particularly painful. To mitigate this, the Dynasty has a Lockdown ability that prevents enemy takeovers, albeit at the cost of the building's functionality. The Field Infirmary ability, which I used extensively, allows for the deployment of a stationary troop-healing area anywhere on the map, complementing the Dynasty's mix of infantry and repair vehicles.

There's much more to explore, and I'm excited to delve deeper, especially with the launch version's Custom Lobbies, where I can team up with friends against the clever AI bots that employed hit-and-run and harrying tactics during my Skirmishes. Until then, I'll continue to enjoy solo battles, crushing my bot opponents with swarms of death balls.