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, 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, Pringles, and sheer determination. 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 feels incredibly familiar and comfortable.

This nostalgic experience is no accident. The developers aimed to create an RTS game that evokes the spirit of 90s and 2000s classics, while incorporating modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in an alternate 1997, where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3, Tempest Rising unfolds in a world ravaged by nuclear war and overrun by strange, energy-rich vines.

Tempest Rising Screenshots

8 Images

My preview focused solely on multiplayer, so I eagerly await the story mode, which will feature two 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction. The Tempest Dynasty (TD), an alliance of Eastern European and Asian nations devastated by WW3, and the Global Defense Forces (GDF), an alliance of the US, Canada, and Western Europe. A third faction remains shrouded in mystery, unavailable in the demo or at launch.

I gravitated towards the Tempest Dynasty, largely due to their amusing Tempest Sphere – a rolling death machine that crushes infantry. The Dynasty also utilizes "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated through the Construction Yard. These Plans, cycling through a 30-second cooldown, offer strategic flexibility.

The Logistics Plan boosts construction and resource harvesting speeds; the Martial Plan enhances unit attack speed and provides explosive resistance; and the Security Plan reduces unit and building costs, improves repairs, and expands radar range. I found a satisfying rhythm by alternating between these Plans, optimizing resource gathering, construction, and offensive capabilities.

This adaptability extends to resource management. Unlike the GDF's reliance on Refineries, the Dynasty uses Tempest Rigs – mobile harvesters that move independently to resource fields, offering a highly flexible expansion strategy. Deploying Rigs to distant locations provided a secure, consistent income stream.

The Salvage Van, a versatile unit, can repair or, in Salvage Mode, destroy enemy vehicles for resource gain – a sneaky tactic I enjoyed employing. Power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, accelerating nearby construction and attack speeds 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 buffing allies, debuffing enemies, and battlefield control. The Marking mechanic, where units mark targets for debuffs and Intel gain (used for advanced units/structures), is particularly effective with specific Doctrine upgrades.

Tempest Rising3D RealmsApr 24, 2025 Wishlist

Each faction boasts three tech trees, allowing for diverse strategic approaches. Beyond the tech trees, constructing advanced buildings unlocks powerful cooldown abilities, adding another layer of strategic depth. The GDF, for example, can deploy spy drones, build beacons, and temporarily disable enemy vehicles.

The Dynasty's fewer, upgradeable buildings make structure loss impactful. However, the Lockdown ability prevents enemy takeovers (though temporarily disabling the building). The Field Infirmary, a mobile healing zone, complements the Dynasty's existing repair capabilities.

Tempest Rising offers a wealth of strategic options, and I'm particularly looking forward to the launch version's Custom Lobbies, allowing for cooperative play against challenging AI. Until then, I'll continue my solo campaign, crushing bots with my army of death balls.