Tempest Rising - The RTS That Is More Than Just A Command & Conquer Clone
Dec. 3, 2024Tempest Rising – The RTS That Is More Than Just A Command & Conquer Clone
If you’ve been searching for an RTS game to look forward to, you’re in luck because, in this article, we’ll be talking about Tempest Rising. Now, Tempest Rising is an upcoming real-time strategy (RTS) game developed by Slipgate Ironworks and 2B Games that aims to refresh the genre with a modern twist while paying homage to the classics likeCommand & Conquer. And when you see the gameplay footage of the game, it really does remind you of C&C.
Tempest Rising is set in a post-World War III dystopia and the story unfolds around the mysterious Tempest resource, which is this vibrant, organic material which is a big part of the title’s lore and gameplay. I guess it’s their equivalent of C&C’s Tiberium. Players can choose between two distinct factions: the Global Defense Force (GDF), a disciplined military coalition, and the Tempest Dynasty (DYN), a resourceful rebel force harnessing the chaotic properties of Tempest. There are only two factions at the moment but a third enigmatic faction, rumored to have ties to Tempest’s origins, is supposedly set to be introduced after the game releases.
Tempest Rising throws players into an alternate history where the world’s been pretty much wrecked by mysterious Tempest vines. These vines are crazy organic growths that are somehow super valuable. And coincidentally the game is also set during a modern-day World War III, after the Cuban Missile Crisis left some parts of the earth irradiated. There are two main factions who are fighting over these vines. They are the Global Defense Forces (GDF), a high-tech peacekeeping coalition of nations, and the Tempest Dynasty, a group of desperate survivors who see these vines as their ticket to survival and power. Both sides are locked in an intense fight to control the Tempest fields and figure out what they’re really all about. It kind of reminds me of the power struggle between the GDI and the Brotherhood of NOD from the C&C games.
The story explores the themes of survival, ambition, and what happens when power goes unchecked. As you work through the campaigns, you’ll start to uncover where these Tempest vines came from, with hints of a bigger mystery underneath. It all sounds really vague, I know, but it’s all we have at the moment without getting too much into spoilers. There’s even talk of a third faction called the Veti who are supposedly super shady and tied to the Tempest in ways no one really gets yet. Are the vines alien? Something from Earth? Or something else entirely? Either way, the game has decided that controlling the Tempest could literally decide humanity’s future.
From what we’ve seen ofTempest Risingin gameplay footage, players start off by picking a doctrine and armory loadout, which seem to play a big role in shaping how missions are tackled. Doctrines appear to grant bonuses like faster resource gathering or stealth enhancements, while the armory lets you bring specific upgrades or units into play. Since you only have a limited number of slots, it looks like there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to finding the right balance between power and versatility. This could make experimenting with different setups a fun way to keep each mission fresh.
After setting up your loadout, you jump into the action, and from what I’ve seen, the gameplay feels like it’s trying to capture that old-school vibe of Red Alert or Command & Conquer, but with some modern tweaks. Something that caught my eye was the technicians. They’re versatile units you can create to handle stuff like repairing vehicles, disarming mines, and capturing buildings. On top of that, they also have additional faction-specific purposes. It feels like they’re going to be more important than your standard infantry. The early missions, at least from the gameplay footage, seem to ease you into the game with objectives like retaking a construction yard, and whatnot to give you a chance to get familiar with the mechanics and these units were featured.
The Tempest resource looks like one of the more unique mechanics in the game. It’s this organic material that ties into both your economy and combat. From what I’ve seen, you can either grab unripe pods for a quick boost or wait for them to mature for a bigger payoff. And the Tempests do more than just act like some sort of energy source, their fields also affect your gameplay. There’s this mechanic where mechanical units passing through Tempest fields build up a charge that slows them down, but some units seem to actually get stronger from it, which is pretty cool. It really does look like Tempests are this game’s take on Tiberium since even the fields where you harvest them affect your units in some kind of way like in C&C. It also feels like it adds an extra layer of strategy where you’ll have to think about when and where to harvest or engage in fights, and that could make for some interesting decisions during gameplay.
The factions seem to have their own unique approaches, which is pretty interesting. The GDF feels more traditional with straightforward, powerful units and classic military tactics. The Tempest Dynasty, on the other hand, seems all about adaptability, with mobile refineries and units that can use Tempest Charge for boosts. The third faction, the Veti, is still mostly a mystery, but since they’re tied to the Tempest resource, it sounds like they’ll have some cool, unique mechanics too. There’s also a progression system with requisition points and doctrines that might let you customize your forces as you go, which could add some nice variety.
Resource management also seems to be different depending on the faction. The GDF apparently collects Intel through combat and spends it on upgrades, which could push you to stay aggressive. The Dynasty’s power plants, though, seem to have this mode-switching thing where they are either producing resources or boosting nearby structures. It kind of does make each faction feel pretty distinct and opens up different strategies to try out.
Another interesting mechanic is the overcharge ability. It apparently lets you speed up production at the cost of damaging your base. It’s risky, but it might be worth it in tight situations where you need units fast. The way units interact also looks pretty dynamic, with counterplay options like GDF Hunter Tanks being effective against Tempest Dynasty Flame Tanks. From what’s been shown, it seems like there’s a lot of thought that can go into managing your army composition and tackling side objectives, which might reward you with extra abilities or upgrades.
Base-building feels like it’s taking a different spin compared to standard RTS games. For example, the GDF builds its structures in stages, leaving them vulnerable during construction. That seems to add an interesting layer to expanding your base, especially with how crucial power management looks. If your power runs low, production slows down, and things like turrets reportedly stop working. You can turn off certain buildings to save power, but that sounds like a risky move that could make things even more challenging.
The game’s depth seems to come from a bunch of small but impactful mechanics like the terrain affecting combat, units with special stances, and even the option to capture enemy blueprints to unlock new units. Planning defenses like turrets and walls will probably need some extra thought though since they’re fragile while under construction. On top of that, unique units like the GDF’s Riot Van and the Dynasty’s Porcupine MLRS adds some sort of variety since they’re mostly only used for really specific situations
As for multiplayer, it looks like ranked matches and custom games are on the horizon, which could really boost replayability. The third faction, the Veti, is still under wraps, but there’s definitely some intrigue about how they’ll work and what role the Tempest resource plays in the bigger picture. While we haven’t gotten hands-on with it yet,Tempest Risingseems like it could hit the sweet spot for RTS fans, mixing classic elements with some fresh twists.
A significant focus has been placed on refining the campaign, optimizing level design, and improving enemy AI to create missions that are engaging, visually stunning, and true to the spirit of an RTS. While no release date has been confirmed, the developers hinted that it’s approaching and plan to announce it soon. Meanwhile, they’re preparing to remove the outdated demo from Steam, as it no longer reflects the game’s current quality. Fans can expect beta tests, gameplay showcases, and deep dives into mechanics like Combat Loadout and Doctrines in the coming months.
Though the single-player campaign is their primary focus, the team also has big plans for multiplayer. They aim to expand the specialist system, allowing players to recruit unique characters in both modes, deepening the narrative and strategic options. Post-launch, they’ll continue to refine multiplayer with updates, balance changes, and new features, ensuring a competitive and engaging experience.
To me,Tempest Risinglooks really good. From all the footage I’ve seen, it does feel like it captures the essence of games like theRed Alertseries, but with better graphics. And there are a lot of aspects about the game that just screams Command & Conquer when you look at it. At the same time, it does enough to carve out its own identity, so it doesn’t come across as just anotherCommand & Conquerclone while still nailing that familiar vibe. I’m also interested in learning more about the faction-exclusive special units and curious to see what the third faction, the Veti, brings to the table.
Castielle
Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.
