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

From the moment I launched the Tempest Rising demo, I had a great feeling. The opening cinematic, with its cheesy dialogue from heavily armored soldiers and a nervous scientist, instantly charmed me. The music, UI, and units felt like a perfect time capsule back to my high school days, fueled by Mountain Dew, Pringles, and late-night Command & Conquer sessions with friends. This nostalgic RTS experience is a blast, and I’m eager to see what Slipgate Ironworks delivers at launch and beyond. Whether battling AI in Skirmish or diving into Ranked Multiplayer, Tempest Rising felt instantly comfortable and familiar.

This wasn't accidental. The developers aimed to create a nostalgic RTS reminiscent of 90s and 2000s classics, enhanced with modern quality-of-life improvements. Set in 1997, Tempest Rising unfolds in an alternate history where the Cuban Missile Crisis escalated into World War 3. Nuclear devastation birthed strange, energy-rich vines, sparking a new era of power for those daring enough to harvest them.

Tempest Rising Screenshots

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Since the preview focused solely on multiplayer, I'll need to wait for the story mode, featuring two replayable 11-mission campaigns, one for each main faction. The Tempest Dynasty (TD) unites Eastern European and Asian nations devastated by WW3, while the Global Defense Forces (GDF) represent an alliance between the US, Canada, and Western Europe. A third, currently unannounced faction, will be revealed later.

The Tempest Dynasty immediately captivated me, partly due to the hilariously named Tempest Sphere—a death ball that crushes infantry. The Dynasty also utilizes "Plans," faction-wide bonuses activated through the Construction Yard (one at a time, with a 30-second cooldown). These require extra power generation.

The Logistics Plan accelerates building and resource harvesting; the Martial Plan boosts unit attack speed and adds explosive resistance, while the Security Plan reduces unit and building costs and enhances repair and radar. I found a satisfying rhythm cycling through these plans: economy boosting (Logistics), construction (Security), and offense (Martial).

This flexibility extends to other aspects. Unlike the GDF's stationary refineries, the Dynasty uses mobile Tempest Rigs to harvest resources, then relocate. This made my favorite "fast expand" strategy incredibly effective, as the Rigs could harvest remotely and safely.

The Dynasty's Salvage Van is another highlight, repairing allies or, in Salvage Mode, destroying enemy vehicles for resources. I enjoyed ambushing opponents, destroying their vehicles, and claiming their resources.

Power plants can switch to Distribution Mode, accelerating nearby building construction and attack speed at the cost of taking damage (upgraded Dynasty buildings have cannons!). Thankfully, it stops at critical health, preventing self-destruction.

While I favored the Tempest Dynasty, the GDF offers its own appeal, focusing on buffs, debuffs, and battlefield control. The Marking mechanic is particularly effective, allowing units to mark enemies for Intel (used for advanced units/structures) and various debuffs with Doctrine upgrades.

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Each faction boasts three tech trees, offering strategic choices. Beyond the trees, advanced buildings unlock powerful cooldown abilities, adding another layer of strategic depth. While both factions have area-of-effect damage and troop spawning abilities, the GDF also features spy drones, remote building beacons, and a vehicle-immobilizing ability.

The Dynasty's fewer, upgradable buildings make structure loss impactful. Lockdown prevents enemy takeovers but halts building activity. The Field Infirmary, a mobile healing zone, complements the Dynasty's repair units and special infantry.

There's much more to explore, especially the Custom Lobbies for cooperative play against the surprisingly clever AI. Until then, I'll be content crushing bots with my army of death balls.