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How Tempest Rising Baji Is Shaping Up To Be Essential For Command & Conquer Fans

Posted on July 18, 2025 by baji.com

18
Jul

Though it can be said that the PC is hardly a platform that’s left wanting for RTS efforts, it’s also perhaps equally true that fewer of those recent efforts have attempted to recapture the magic of Westwood’s legendary Command & Conquer series. Looking to address this most egregious of situations is Tempest Rising, an all-new RTS offering from veteran developer Slipgate Ironworks, which by all accounts is an essential pick-up for Command & Conquer fans. Here’s why.

Command & Conquer As An Influence Baji

More of a mission statement than anything else, developer Slipgate Ironworks directly cites the Command & Conquer RTS titles of old as a direct inspiration for Tempest Rising. Indeed, in an interview posted on Steam, it is revealed that Game Director Fred Schreiber has had a ‘lifelong dream’ to bring back the core gameplay of EA’s Command & Conquer franchise alongside updated production values that take optimal advantage of current technologies. With a team of passionate creatives that clearly have such a unified love for the Command & Conquer games, it’s pretty safe to say that fans of that legendary series have a lot to look forward to in Tempest Rising.

A Familiar Modern-Day Alternative Timeline Scenario Baji

One of the obvious ways in which Tempest Rising seeks to pay homage to the Command & Conquer games is in its setting. Presenting players with an alternate history setting which unfurls in 1997 after World War III has kicked off with a whole heap of nuclear devastation to boot, Tempest Rising shows us a world where the remaining factions fight over a precious resource known as Tempest in order to assert their dominance over a planet steeped in ruin. Sound familiar? Indeed, it does, and I’m absolutely here for it.

Separate Story-Driven Campaigns Baji

From day one, Tempest Rising boasts a cinematic story campaign that can be played from the point of view of two very different factions, with a third, the Veti, due to arrive at some point after release, though a campaign for that faction has yet to be confirmed. The two factions that you will be able to play at launch are the Global Defense Force (which aren’t at all like the GDI faction seen in the Command & Conquer games) and the dark-clad Tempest Dynasty (which absolutely isn’t inspired by the nefarious Brotherhood of Nod) with each having their own eleven mission long story campaign.

Much like the beloved Command & Conquer games which have come before it, Tempest Rising focuses its single-player campaign stories through these factions with each not only having a wealth of missions that push along a narratively threaded campaign, but which also boast a bunch of interconnected, in-engine cutscenes that evoke the spirit of the Command & Conquer franchise. Both of the story campaigns are deemed canon, too, as they not only occur side by side to create a narrative whole but also paint each faction in hues of moral grey, leaving it up to the player to make key choices throughout to shift their respective moral compasses.

Finally, Tempest Rising also embeds smaller stories into each of these campaigns thanks to the specialists that can be found in each faction. Essentially hero characters, these uniquely named specialists not only give each side a devastating single unit to be used against the opposition, but also provide players with a unique story arc to follow in each case as well.

Traditional Command & Conquer Style Gameplay – Refreshed

Tempest Rising takes the classic Command & Conquer formula and refines it with careful design. Despite having two (eventually three) factions, the game offers asymmetrical gameplay, requiring players to master each faction’s unique strengths and weaknesses. Focused on base-building, resource collection, and real-time strategy warfare, Tempest Rising keeps base construction simple, allowing players to upgrade structures as they gather credits and units.

Like Command & Conquer, Tempest Rising follows classic rules for base building and construction. Buildings require power to function, and if Power Plants are destroyed, they become inactive. Engineer units can also capture enemy buildings, potentially gaining access to their construction tree if they capture a Construction Yard. For resource collection, players use harvesters to gather Tempest, which is then refined into credits to fund new units and structures.

Tempest Rising keeps classic combat mechanics alive, allowing both factions to build structures that can house and fire infantry units. Units gain veterancy by dealing damage, unlocking durability and buffs as they level up. The game also follows a rock-paper-scissors dynamic, where certain units counter others—heavy vehicles crush infantry, while air units can destroy ground forces unless countered by anti-air units.

Tempest Rising is a modern RTS that honors the golden age of real-time strategy while adding fresh ideas. With asymmetrical factions, complex campaigns, and refined base-building and combat, it strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and innovation. Whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer, this is a battlefield worth joining.

If you’re ready to experience the adrenaline rush of old-school RTS warfare with a slick modern twist, don’t miss out – Tempest Rising is available now on the Green Man Gaming store. So why not lock in your copy today and command your faction to victory!