Tempest Rising is a dream RTS for Command & Conquer vets, and you can try it now

EA has spent years squandering certainly one of its most legendary properties: Command & Conquer. 4 years in the past, it lastly did one thing with it, giving us the wonderful Remastered Assortment, however since then? Oof. EA has merely wheeled out the corpse of the collection, shoving “iconic items” into one other cell sport, Command & Conquer: Legions, to fill its coffers with microtransactions. No surprise, then, that I am so enthusiastic about Tempest Rising. 

This brisk RTS is “impressed by RTS greats of the ’90s and 2000s”, but it surely’s much more particular than that. That is, at its coronary heart, a contemporary C&C. Or no less than it is aiming to be. It was meant to be in our arms in 2023, but it surely’s hit some pace bumps and we have probably not heard a lot from the workforce for some time. No new launch date has been introduced, but it surely ain’t lifeless, no less than. Certainly, you possibly can take it for a spin proper now. 

I did precisely this, as a result of I’ve an intense longing for firefights over fields of bizarre sci-fi assets, explosive base rushes and shouty items. It’s, I’m completely satisfied to report, an excellent time. Sadly, it is also merely the briefest of tastes—somewhat nibble of the marketing campaign, with no skirmishes or multiplayer. And it should be over in a number of days. Nonetheless, it is sufficient to get your blood pumping, and your coronary heart beating to the rhythm of the aggressive industrial soundtrack. And sure, C&C alumnus and rocktronic maestro Frank Klepacki is without doubt one of the composers. 

OK, the setup: World Struggle 3 kicked off after the Cuban Missile disaster, the Chilly Struggle turned scorching and all the pieces went to hell. Humanity survived the nuclear warfare, but it surely set the scene for a brand new battle. It is now 1997, and within the radioactive fallout a brand new plant has been showing: tempest. Principally, it is tiberium. Preventing for management over tempest are the World Protection Pressure and the Tempest Dynasty, who aren’t similar to however are definitely analogues of C&C’s GDI and Brotherhood of Nod. A 3rd faction can also be ready within the wings, however has but to be revealed. 

I kicked issues off with the GDF mission, which has a basic premise. A GDF base is underneath assault, so I must rush in, reserve it, after which safe the tempest fields for enjoyable and revenue. Plenty of items and options are unavailable—it appears to be a really early mission, naturally—however there’s nonetheless loads to familiarize yourself with. 

Data is firepower

The GDF is all about communication and intel. The Sentinel scout car, as an example, can swap to good marking rounds, which gathers intel on infantry it is firing on, at the price of some deadly energy. When the enemy unit is killed, the intel is saved, enabling gamers to spend it on countermeasures—sadly not current within the demo mission. This additionally synergises with different items’ talents, just like the Hunter tank, which incorporates a networked gun that performs higher in opposition to marked targets.

After rescuing the bottom, I shortly began increase a veritable military and increasing, creating smaller outposts close to tempest fields—utilizing the assist beacon assist energy, certainly one of a number of every faction can deploy—the place my harvesters may gather the valuable plant and convey it again to refineries, all whereas the Tempest Dynasty harassed me from their base to the south. With gatling and grenade turrets, in addition to guard towers erected by my engineers, I turtled up, readying myself for the massive push to the underside of the map.

One factor I appreciated throughout my many demo firefights was the TTK (time to kill). Even my primary scout infantry may take an honest beating, whereas enemies with rocket launchers may stand up to a concentrated assault for lengthy sufficient to get off a rocket or two, making even small numbers of them really feel like reputable threats. My Hunter tanks, in the meantime, acquired into loads of drawn out slugfests. With coordination, nonetheless, all the pieces can go down in seconds, and all the pieces has a tough counter.

I wasn’t having to continually replenish my military, however on the identical time I did really feel weak, and errors had been punished—like once I recklessly despatched my total power to my foe’s entrance door, the place they had been greeted by a wall of rocket launchers and flamethrowers. Too heat a welcome for me. I misplaced half of my infantry and most of my autos had been in tough form, forcing me to do a recruitment drive earlier than coming at it from a unique angle. 

They may not be as flashy as drone operators, who use their drones to take out armour and aerial targets, in addition to making greater terrain seen, or as punchy because the explosive grenadiers, who can take out teams of infantry and constructing with their lethal payloads, however for me the MVP was the common-or-garden engineer. 

Regardless of being non-combatants, engineers are very important. Throughout my massive push south, I used one to seize a Tempest Dynasty cell harvesting rig (extra on them later), after which shield the haul by erecting a guard tower, the place my infantry may huddle inside through the inevitable retaliation. These diligent tech-heads additionally made certain my turrets remained wholesome, in addition to retaining my autos in tip prime form. And whereas they weren’t used on this mission, talents like mine removing and stealth detection are possible going to be invaluable. 

Killer cookout

Switching sides to the Tempest Dynasty, issues heated up significantly—primarily because of the faction’s penchant for barbecuing. Proper off the bat, I used to be given a bunch of Ignitors, whose flamethrowers made brief work of enemy infantry. These mad lads additionally carry thermobaric grenades—solely obtainable later, sadly—and are notably helpful when assaulting bases with garrisoned items, since their flamethrowers ignore the defences these constructions usually present. As soon as I captured what would turn out to be our most important base, I plonked down some flamethrower turrets to maintain the cookout going. 

The Tempest Dynasty is cell and adaptable, emphasised by items just like the salvage van, which repairs autos in its radius, however which may also be become a salvage heart, a constructing that may swap from repairing autos to salvaging them—each allies and enemies—netting you money in return. The Tempest rig, in the meantime, is an enormous cell harvesting refinery, transferring round on removable harvester treads that may additionally convey tempest to the rig to be refined. 

Some neat constructing quirks add to the faction’s flexibility, just like the distinctive capacity hooked up to its energy crops, which overclocks close by buildings, augmenting their manufacturing capabilities on the threat of some injury. Buildings may also be upgraded, not solely enhancing their capacity to churn out troops and autos, but in addition lending them new tips, together with defensive capabilities.   

Whereas I missed the GDF’s networked tanks, the abundance of explosive firepower made the Tempest Dynasty a blast to muck round with. A bunch of missile troopers can obliterate any beefy car of their path, and I am satisfied that there is nothing extra satisfying in an RTS than spewing out flesh-cooking flames, so the Ignitors shortly turned a favourite. The technician, the Tempest Dynasty’s engineer, additionally has the power to put mines, not simply take away them, which got here in very helpful when dealing with fixed pokes from the GDF—definitely extra so than the engineer’s (nonetheless useful) guard tower capacity.

Of the 2, the Tempest Dynasty felt a contact extra highly effective, however extra importantly its distinctive hooks had been only a bit extra enjoyable to mess around with—I had extra attention-grabbing selections to make and extra partaking mechanics to familiarize yourself with. However these missions are near the beginning of the marketing campaign, earlier than you get entry to specialist items, faction-augmenting doctrines, or the power to make use of issues like GDF intel or Tempest Dynasty fight plans (which improve a particular side of battle, like harvesting, repairing or simply being tremendous aggro), so we’re removed from getting the total image of every faction’s capabilities.

The demo was a particularly convincing showcase, regardless, and Tempest Rising is shaping as much as be a dream RTS for these of us who nonetheless really feel wistful in regards to the halcyon days of Blizzard and Westwood’s golden age titans. Throughout this RTS resurgence that we have been experiencing for the previous couple of years, a number of builders have been attempting to push the style ahead and discover new concepts, and whereas that innovation is totally worthwhile, to date the outcomes have been pretty middling. Tempest Rising’s technique is safer, however I believe there’s a greater likelihood of it paying off.

It is value noting, too, that whereas the sensibilities are old skool, Tempest Rising would not really look previous. The aesthetic harkens again to basic C&C, however the lighting and results are enjoyably flashy, whereas zooming in allows you to see how a lot care has been taken with the advantageous particulars bestowed upon the buildings and items. It is a rattling advantageous trying sport. Importantly, the aesthetics do not get in the best way of extra sensible considerations—each unit appears distinct, and even when all the pieces is kicking off there’s nonetheless an abundance of readability. 

My wishlist of tweaks is surprisingly brief. I would love an assault and transfer command as a result of I hate to see my well-trained troopers instantly overlook the way to shoot at any time when they break right into a jog; the AI may do a greater job of selecting targets, so a bunch of engineers do not all attempt to disarm the identical mine, or my Ignitors do not ignore the flammable people and deal with the large tank; and I want the music was louder. That final one is a bit nitpicky, however the music is a lot quieter in comparison with the din of battle, and it deserves to be heard. On the plus facet, there is a jukebox choice that lets you choose any of the eight tracks within the demo. It is a wide variety, however do your self a favour: put Klepacki’s Main the Assault on repeat. It is an absolute banger. 

The Tempest Rising demo will self-destruct on July 22, however no less than that offers you the entire weekend to get pleasure from it.