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Tempest Rising demo released, release date announced

by Adam Cook on January 21, 2025

3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks, and Knights Peak have together announced a Steam PC demo for Tempest Rising, with a release date of April 24th also confirmed.

The teams say that the demo is “playable now until February 3 as part of Steam’s Real-Time Strategy Fest”, and adds that you can “experience high-stakes base-building, resource management, and all-out action between unique factions in this true spiritual successor to the RTS classics of the ‘90s and 2000s.”

Tempest Rising transports you to a battle-scarred 1997 in an alternate timeline where the Cuban Missile Crisis went nuclear. Experience two epic campaigns with unique factions and deeply rewarding gameplay that keeps the focus on strategy and skill. Take full command of the battlefield as you build up your base, lead your armies into combat, and execute bold strategies to emerge victorious.

Here’s the key features from the latest press release:

Classic RTS base-building with fast, fluid, hard-hitting combat and tons of customization
Command two asymmetrical factions, each featuring unique harvesting models, resource systems, and distinct rosters of units for drastically different playstyles
Two epic single-player campaigns with between-mission cutscenes to drive the story
Skirmish, custom games, and ranked multiplayer matchmaking with Glicko-2 rating

We had a hands-on preview with the game recently, and said: “While I didn’t get to try out the campaign or multiplayer, Skirmish gave me an opportunity to get to grips with the different factions and its addictive and straightforward gameplay. It’s refreshing to play an RTS that doesn’t drown you with information yet doesn’t exactly hold your hand either. Tempest Rising is also a great-looking game with a killer soundtrack, and I genuinely can’t wait to jump into the full release. Slipgate Ironworks has managed to craft an enjoyable RTS that reminds me of the good old days of the genre while offering something fresh as well.”