Tempest Rising is an action RTS base-building game set in an alternate 1997 after the Cuban Missile Crisis went awry. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn’t do well, and if it’s worth buying.

Tempest Rising Review Overview

What is Tempest Rising?

Tempest Rising is an action real-time strategy game built to channel the spirit of early 2000s classics like Command & Conquer and StarCraft. Set in an alternate future where global powers clash over a volatile new energy source called Tempest, you step into the boots of a battlefield commander, leading your forces through fast-paced, strategic combat that demands sharp tactics, smart unit deployment, and real-time decision-making.

Tempest Rising features:
　⚫︎　Two separate campaign stories for the game’s two factions
　⚫︎　Fully voice-acted units, debriefing scenes, and cinematics
　⚫︎　Modern sci-fi military graphics reminiscent of Command & Conquer
　⚫︎　1-2 Player Skirmish Mode
　⚫︎　Point-based Armory and Doctrines progression system
　⚫︎　1-4 player ranked online multiplayer mode

Steam
Price	$39.99

Tempest Rising Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Classic RTS Fun on a Modern Game Engine Basic Story Told Amazingly Accessible For New RTS Fans, Enjoyable for Veterans	Multiplayer Got Shoved Aside in Favor of the Campaign 2 Factions on Release Isn’t the Best Not the Most Optimized and Crashes Often

Tempest Rising Overall Score - 86/100

Tempest Rising is many things—or rather, it’s two very specific things: the brilliant design of old-school RTS classics fused with the production value and muscle of modern tech. Built in Unreal Engine 5 and crafted to be seen through your nostalgia goggles, it doesn’t just impress visually—it delivers on gameplay, variety, and sound in equal measure. If you can overlook a multiplayer mode that’s still finding its footing (with more content on the way), you’re in for a ride that might just outshine the very games it set out to honor.

Tempest Rising Story - 8/10

What Tempest Rising’s story lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with flawless execution of that timeless RTS narrative trope: global superpowers locked in a high-stakes tug-of-war over territory and resources. The world-building is just different enough to stand on its own, and each faction brings a compelling identity and purpose to the table, making the story feel familiar and fresh all at once.

Tempest Rising Gameplay - 8/10

Tempest Rising’s gameplay feels like a love letter to old-school RTS titles, but it doesn’t stop there—it builds on the classic formula with a welcome dose of accessibility, modern progression mechanics, and all the visual muscle (and occasional insability) of Unreal Engine 5. The multiplayer may still be playing catch-up, but in just about every other way, it leaves the classics in the dust.

Tempest Rising Visuals - 10/10

Tempest Rising’s visuals strike a perfect balance between classic RTS military cheesiness and modern polish, especially in the character designs for both launch factions—it’s endearing to the point of obsession. The UI is distinct for each side and stands as a textbook example of effective RTS interface design: clear, stylish, and functional. Even the animations carry that slightly off-kilter charm you remember, dialing up the nostalgia while flexing the power of a modern engine. Full marks across the board.

Tempest Rising Audio - 9/10

The music in Tempest Rising is, in a word, mesmerizing, which is no small feat for a soundtrack built almost entirely on shredding rock chords and aggressive riffs. It turns every moment of troop-building into a full-blown spectacle, and the effect is only amplified by the XCOM-style voiceovers from your units and debriefings. It’s bombastic, over-the-top, and absolutely perfect for the ride.

Tempest Rising Value for Money - 8/10

At a AA price point of $39.99, Tempest Rising is practically a steal—RTS games are known for their long-tail value, and this one’s no different. You’ll likely make your money back in sheer hours played alone. But the game doesn’t need to rely on that genre perk to keep you hooked. Barring its undercooked multiplayer, there’s a great time to be had here, whether you’re brand-new to RTS or neck-deep in the genre already.

Tempest Rising Review: Why Be Like the Classics When You Can Be Better?

What I'm about to say might be the RTS equivalent of kicking the hornet's nest—or should I say a spawning pool? I'm going to do the unthinkable and dare tp compare a fresh-faced RTS title to the revered titans of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Like every RTS fan who cut their teeth on newer titles, I establish the bold claim that this newcomer isn’t just good—it’s better. Yes, better than the classics we’ve held sacred for decades. Call it blasphemy if you want, but I stand by every word.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: how can something so unabashedly derivative—so clearly wearing its Command & Conquer inspiration on its sleeve—be lighting up the RTS world right now? How can a rookie challenger take a swing at the legends and land a hit?

The answer lies in the details: presentation, polish, and a smart grasp of RTS fundamentals. And while Command & Conquer undoubtedly had all of that, Tempest Rising is the innovation to C&C’s pioneering. So let’s dive in and see how the underdog outplayed the old guard…in some ways.

Fighting for Tempest in the Wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis

We open on a world teetering on the edge of nuclear annihilation—an alternate history where the Cuban Missile Crisis didn’t end in diplomacy, but in disaster. In this version, both superpowers launched their warheads, plunging the world into a sweeping, apocalyptic fallout. But instead of the usual retrofuturist wasteland of mutants, vaults, and raiders, something unexpected emerged from the ashes: a new, radiant lifeform born from devastation—Tempest Vines.

These eerie, tendril-like growths sprang from the scorched earth like nature’s defiant answer to mankind’s hubris. From their glowing clusters—aptly named Tempest Clusters—came a new form of energy, one so potent and invaluable that it brought the world’s warring factions to a halt. A ceasefire was declared, not out of peace, but out of mutual need to study and harvest this newfound power.

Years have passed, and from the rubble, two new global powers have risen to claim dominion over Tempest. On one side stands the Global Defense Force—a NATO-adjacent peacekeeping alliance determined to regulate Tempest for the supposed good of humanity. On the other, the Tempest Dynasty—an expansionist faction born from the ashes of the USSR, convinced that Tempest is their divine inheritance. The war may have paused, but the battle for the future has only just begun.

Now, I’ve taken the time to walk through the game’s narrative premise in full because, frankly, it deserves that attention. At first glance, it’s nearly a carbon copy of Command & Conquer: Red Alert—complete with its clean-cut ideological split between factions that might as well be the Allies and the USSR in disguise.

There’s no real attempt to hide it, and that’s very much by design. The devs made it clear during development that this wasn’t about reinventing the wheel—it was about refining it. And that’s the first clue as to why Tempest Rising doesn’t just measure up to the classics—it outdoes them. But let’s table that claim for now and look at the narrative on its own.

As a story, it’s undeniably generic. You’d be hard-pressed to argue that two opposing powers fighting over a powerful resource isn’t just a sci-fi remix of the post-WWII arms race. It’s a theme we’ve seen again and again—not just in fiction broadly, but especially in strategy games. Command & Conquer, DEFCON, Balance of Power—they’ve all played with this geopolitical tug-of-war. Tempest Rising leans into that same conflict, albeit with a more modern-to-futuristic spin, and hey, it earns a few points for that.

But where the game stumbles in originality, it absolutely nails presentation. Tempest Rising doesn’t just lean into its inspirations—it fully commits to the aesthetic, the tone, and the storytelling. And that commitment pays off. What could have been a tired retread ends up feeling polished, even compelling.

The two-sided, 22-mission campaign—split between the Global Defense Force and the Tempest Dynasty—is tightly paced and well-balanced. Each faction gets equal time in the spotlight, with distinct characters, visual identity, and thematic focus. The story unfolds with just enough detail to sell its world, without dragging things out or losing momentum.

Unlike Command & Conquer, which eventually spiraled into absurdity with its dinosaurs and mechs, or StarCraft, which was sci-fi from the jump, Tempest Rising maintains a grounded, militaristic realism that meshes beautifully with its aesthetic and story. Of course, there’s the sci-fi aspect of the Tempest itself, but that’s part of the aesthetic and is in no way too absurd for the game’s themes. It knows what it’s going for, and more importantly, it knows how to deliver.

Classic RTS Gameplay on a Modern Engine

When it comes to Tempest Rising’s gameplay, there’s honestly not a whole lot I need to explain if you’ve played Command & Conquer or any other RTS from that golden era. It’s basically that—classic base-building, unit-churning, grid-based strategy—but running on a modern engine, with a few new tricks up its sleeve. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Tempest Rising doesn’t just look great (more on that later), it plays smoother, sharper, and more responsively than the old-school titles it’s inspired by.

For the uninitiated—or for anyone needing a refresher—Tempest Rising is a traditional RTS through and through. You choose a faction, build your base, manage resources, and fight your way through various game modes. Depending on the scenario, your objective could be anything from surviving an onslaught to completing specific story-driven goals, or just straight-up wiping your enemies off the map.

You start with a headquarters—the heart of your operation—and expand outward by constructing additional buildings. Each new structure unlocks more capabilities: defensive turrets, barracks, factories, and so on. The whole system runs on one main currency: “Credits,” which you earn by harvesting Tempest, the glowing, battlefield-bound resource you’ll be constantly scrapping over with the enemy.

Building units is essential—not just to push offensively, but also to defend your turf. Static defenses won’t cut it for long. And this is where the “S” in RTS really comes into play. Success hinges on knowing your units, understanding their battlefield roles, and executing well-timed maneuvers. Strategy isn’t just about overwhelming force—it’s about smart matchups, positioning, and timing.

To that end, Tempest Rising brings a solid roster of units to the table—from standard infantry to specialized vehicles and high-impact specialist units like the stealthy Sniper. No, it doesn’t have the sheer breadth or asymmetry of StarCraft's iconic lineup, but the variety here holds its own. Better yet, unit synergy isn’t just thematic—it’s mechanical. For example, some vehicles mark enemies, while others deal bonus damage to marked targets. It’s this kind of interplay that elevates the combat and gives it depth.

Progression-wise, it sticks close to classic RTS roots. No tech trees or heavy research mechanics—just build the right structures, and your options expand accordingly. It keeps matches predictable in the best way, making macro planning intuitive without sacrificing complexity.

But the real modern twist comes with Tempest Rising’s out-of-match progression systems: Doctrines and Armory Upgrades. Doctrines are passive buffs you can equip before missions, each affecting certain unit types or mechanics. You earn Requisition Points during missions to buy them, but there’s a catch—you can only bring a limited number, and each Doctrine takes up a set amount of space. So, part of the strategy is figuring out which combos to bring into battle and when.

Armory upgrades, on the other hand, are a more linear progression. You unlock them using points earned from completing missions. You don’t get full freedom here, however, as you move down the tree one upgrade at a time, but you can reset your selections. Just keep in mind that resets are limited, so use them wisely.

And finally, you’ve got your battlefield stratagems—timed abilities that can turn the tide mid-match. From simple tools like remote beacons for off-site building to devastating airstrikes that level enemy encampments, these abilities add another layer of reactive strategy that rewards clever use of timing and map awareness.

Taken together, these mechanics form yet another pillar of what sets Tempest Rising apart—and, yes, above—the classics it draws from. But let’s not jump ahead just yet. Before I make that case in full, we’ve still got a few more pieces to examine. Next up: how Tempest Rising manages to welcome newcomers without losing the depth that longtime RTS veterans crave.

Great for Newbies and RTS Veterans Everywhere

RTS has always been a tough genre to break into—no secrets there. It’s the kind of space that chews up and spits out anyone who can’t stomach its roughest moments, saving its best for those who stick it out through the trial by fire. That difficulty is part of the genre’s DNA—and, honestly, part of the appeal. But Tempest Rising makes a concerted effort to soften that brutal entry point for those who want to love RTS, even if the genre doesn’t always love them back.

First off, it’s got difficulty settings. Seems like a small thing, sure, but when you’re emulating an era where RTS games were meant to be beaten as is, difficulty sliders make a big difference. If “as is” means brutally punishing, then that barrier’s going to shut a lot of players out. Now, Command & Conquer had difficulty settings too, so this isn’t exactly new—but it’s still a welcome inclusion that lets a modern audience experience an old-school style game on their own terms.

More importantly, Tempest Rising strikes a smart balance between complexity and clarity. Its systems are easy to understand but tough to master, giving newcomers room to learn while still offering the kind of depth that veterans crave. Resource gathering is streamlined—just collect Tempest and protect your supply lines—and the real challenge lies in how you produce units and maneuver them on the field. You’re not bogged down by layers of micromanagement; instead, the focus is on tactical choices in the moment.

This elegant simplicity carries over to unit synergies, too. From the jump, players can tap into effective strategies like the Marked Targets combo, where one unit tags enemies and another deals extra damage. It’s intuitive, it works, and it makes players feel clever without needing a masterclass in battlefield economics or deep, multi-layered macro. Add in the straightforward nature of Doctrines and Armory Upgrades, and Tempest Rising gives new players the tools to succeed while still rewarding those who dig deeper.

Multiplayer is as Good as the Game’s Optimization (Not Very)

Before we zero in on why Tempest Rising truly earns its place above the classics, we need to acknowledge the caveats, because yes, that flame-war-starting claim only holds water if we ignore a few notable stumbles. And to be fair in this review, we absolutely can’t.

The biggest misstep so far is in the game’s multiplayer. As it stands, Tempest Rising’s multiplayer offering—specifically its Skirmish and Ranked modes—feels unfinished when compared to the polish and punch of the single-player campaign. The problem comes down to two main issues: variety and execution.

For starters, there just aren’t enough unique maps to keep things fresh. Combine that with the fact that there are only two playable factions at launch, and the result is a painfully narrow set of permutations. Without narrative context to spice things up like in the campaign, these modes start to feel stale far too quickly. A third faction is on the way, which could shake things up, but even that alone might not be enough. We’re likely looking at a need for a few new maps, expanded mechanics, and maybe even alternate game modes before the multiplayer can really live up to the bar the campaign has set.

Then there’s the elephant in the room: optimization. While Tempest Rising looks fantastic, it runs on Unreal Engine 5, which isn’t exactly known for playing nice with mid-to-low-end hardware. And this isn’t a lightweight game. Between cinematic cutscenes, animated environments, and busy battlefields full of effects and units, the engine has its work cut out for it. Unfortunately, some rigs just won’t be able to keep up, and that’s a real blow to the game’s accessibility.

Tempest Rising Had Most of What the Classics Had…Plus A Bit More

And now, we’ve reached the end. The soldiers are at the gates, the silos have gone up in smoke, and it’s time to call in the final verdict. Why do I think Tempest Rising outshines the RTS greats—especially Command & Conquer? Simple: everything C&C had, Tempest Rising has—and then some.

A basic but charmingly over-the-top story about a world-splitting war between NATO-adjacent and USSR-inspired factions? Check. Bold faction identities with distinct unit rosters that actually feel different to play? Check. A memorable campaign with two perspectives that both shine? Absolutely. Accessibility for new players, both through difficulty settings and streamlined mechanics? That’s a Tempest Rising win. Metagame progression with customizable Doctrines and Armory Upgrades that keep you experimenting between missions? Another feather in its cap.

Now, sure, multiplayer isn’t quite there yet. Fewer maps, fewer factions, and less variety mean C&C can still claim that crown—for now. But when the rest of the game hits this hard, it’s not enough to drag it down.

In the end, Tempest Rising isn’t trying to be just like the classics. It’s taken their best ideas, refined them, and added layers that only modern tech and design can bring. So no, this isn’t a case of nostalgia goggles—it’s a case of evolution. And when the dust settles, it’s clear: Tempest Rising isn’t just worthy of standing beside the legends—it’s better.

Is Tempest Rising Worth It?

Yes, Whether for Nostalgia or Sheer Quality

The short answer? Yes—Tempest Rising is absolutely worth your $40. RTS games have always offered incredible value just by the sheer number of hours you can sink into them, and this one’s no different. Not that it needs to lean on that. What’s here already is quality through and through—aside from a few multiplayer hiccups—and there’s even more content on the horizon.

Whether you’re a seasoned RTS vet chasing that classic feel or a newcomer just dipping your toes into the genre, Tempest Rising delivers. Its smart design and accessible gameplay make it a game for everyone—no nostalgia goggles required.

Steam
Price	$39.99

Tempest Rising FAQ

Will There Be A Third Faction in Tempest Rising?

Yes. According to the game’s developers, a third faction will be coming to Tempest Rising soon, although it won’t be playable until after the game’s initial launch.

Does Tempest Rising Have Custom Map and Mod Support?

No. At the moment, Tempest Rising does not have Custom Map functionality or official mode support, but the game’s developers have confirmed that both are in the pipeline for future updates.

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Tempest Rising Product Information

Title	TEMPEST RISING
Release Date	April 17, 2025
Developer	Slipgate Ironworks™
Publisher	3D Realms, Knights Peak
Supported Platforms	PC (Steam)
Genre	Strategy
Number of Players	1-4 (Online Competitive Multiplayer)
ESRB Rating	RP
Official Website	Tempest Rising Website

Aaron Bruce Albert..

A massive fan of roguelikes, turn-based RPGs, and open world adventure games. His gold standard games include The Binding of Isaac, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and Dragon Quest Monsters Joker.