Tempest Rising Preview: An RTS That Takes Me Back to the ‘90s

Tempest Rising: A Nostalgic RTS Masterpiece

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 late nights playing Command & Conquer with friends fueled by sugary drinks and sleep deprivation. This modern take on a classic RTS is a blast from the past, and I'm eager to see what Slipgate Ironworks has planned for the full release. Whether battling AI in Skirmish or facing off against human opponents in Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt incredibly familiar and comfortable.

This nostalgic experience is no accident. The developers aimed to create an RTS game reminiscent of 90s and 2000s classics, enhanced with modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in an alternate 1997, Tempest Rising unfolds in a world where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3. The resulting nuclear devastation gave rise to strange, energy-rich vines, ushering in a new era of power for those daring enough to harvest them.

Tempest Rising Screenshots

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As the demo focused solely on multiplayer, I'll need to wait for the full release to experience the story mode, which will feature two 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction. The Tempest Dynasty (TD) is an alliance of Eastern European and Asian nations devastated by WW3, while the Global Defense Forces (GDF) comprises the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. A third, currently unannounced faction, will be revealed later.

I gravitated towards the Tempest Dynasty, partly due to their amusing Tempest Sphere – a death-dealing vehicle that crushes 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 combat.

Unlike the GDF's stationary refineries, the Dynasty employs Tempest Rigs – mobile harvesters that move freely between resource fields. This makes rapid expansion incredibly efficient, allowing for safe resource gathering in remote locations.

The Dynasty's Salvage Van is another highlight, capable of repairing or destroying enemy vehicles for resource gain. This allows for sneaky attacks, weakening opponents while bolstering your own resources. Finally, Dynasty power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, boosting nearby building construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage – a risk worth taking for a significant combat advantage.

While I favored the Dynasty, the GDF offers its own compelling strengths, focusing on allied buffs, enemy debuffs, and battlefield control. The Marking mechanic, where units tag enemies for increased Intel gain and various debuffs, is particularly effective.

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Both factions boast three tech trees and powerful cooldown abilities accessed through advanced buildings, adding depth and strategic variety. The Dynasty's Lockdown ability, preventing enemy takeovers, and the Field Infirmary, providing mobile healing, are particularly useful.

With the full game's custom lobbies, I look forward to teaming up with friends to conquer the challenging AI. Until then, I'll be content crushing bots with my army of death balls.