Tempest Rising Review Summary

The best RTS since Command & Conquer, with excellent graphics, sound, and old-school charm, but only two factions, a third as DLC, and frequent crashes.

Best RTS since Command & Conquer: Many reviewers consider this the best real-time strategy game since the Command & Conquer series. It is frequently compared to StarCraft 2 and other classics.

Excellent graphics and sound: Graphics, effects, and sounds are praised as excellent, beautiful, and cool. The game looks great graphically without being excessive.

Similar to Command & Conquer: Players note strong similarities to Command & Conquer, including a modern version of C&C and playstyle reminiscent of C&C Generals and Tiberium Sun.

Old-school RTS charm: The game brings back old-school RTS charm with just enough new elements to keep it fresh. It is seen as an excellent old-school RTS with incredible potential.

Polished and fun gameplay: Gameplay is excellent, polished, and top-notch. Units and mechanics are solid, making it dynamic and engaging.

Third Faction Sold As DLC: The promised third faction, Veti, was cut and later released as paid DLC. Multiple clusters describe this as a broken promise and a key disappointment.

Only Two Factions: The game ships with only two playable factions instead of the advertised three. Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 both highlight this missing third faction as a major issue.

Frequent Game Crashes: Players report frequent crashes, including random crashes and crashes during long missions. Cluster 5, Cluster 10, and Cluster 34 all mention this instability.

Little Content Overall: Many reviews state there is not enough content, with a short campaign and few maps. Cluster 6, Cluster 30, and Cluster 31 support this complaint.

Dumb Campaign AI: The AI is widely criticized as braindead, stupid, and not very smart. Cluster 3 and Cluster 57 provide specific examples of poor decision-making.

Classic RTS genre: Players describe the game as a traditional real-time strategy title, frequently comparing it to Command & Conquer and Red Alert. It is intended as a spiritual successor to classic C&C games with old-school charm.

Multiple distinct factions: The game features two primary playable factions with unique units, playstyles, strengths, and weaknesses. Named factions include GDF, Dynasty, and Veti, with a third faction anticipated after launch.

Varied campaign missions: Campaign missions are diverse, featuring multiple steps, secondary objectives, and dynamic designs that cycle between kill-all, escort, and base defense tasks. Two campaigns with 11 missions each are available.

Base building and resource gathering: The game includes classic base building mechanics such as concrete walls, gates, and turrets, along with resource gathering and unit production. This traditional RTS feature is central to gameplay.

Skirmish against AI: A skirmish mode allows players to battle AI opponents, with options for free-for-all and customizable battles. It is often paired with campaign and multiplayer modes.

Optimized and smooth performance: Many users report the game runs smoothly with high framerates and minimal lag, even on high settings. It is described as well-optimized and stable across various hardware configurations.

Frequent crashes and instability: A significant number of players experience frequent crashes, freezes, and instability, both in single-player and multiplayer. These issues often occur randomly or during specific actions like launching the campaign.

Multiplayer connection and freeze issues: Players face disconnections, authentication errors, and game freezes during multiplayer sessions. These problems can occur even with different network connections and may prevent reconnection.

Runs well on Mac via CrossOver: The game performs smoothly on MacBook Air and Mac Mini using CrossOver, with good performance reported. This setup allows demanding Windows games to run well.

Occasional crashes resolved automatically: Some users experience a few game crashes that seem to resolve themselves without further intervention. These crashes are not persistent but still noted.

Ideal for C&C fans: Many reviewers recommend this game specifically for fans of Command & Conquer and classic RTS titles. It is described as the best RTS since the Command & Conquer franchise.

Nostalgic spiritual successor: Players who grew up with Command & Conquer see this as a spiritual successor that captures the feel of classic C&C games. It appeals to those wanting a nostalgia trip.

Red Alert nostalgia: Fans of Red Alert 2 and Tiberian Sun find this game highly recommended. It evokes classic Red Alert vibes and suits players nostalgic for those titles.

Better on sale: Several reviewers suggest waiting for a discount before buying. They recommend purchasing on sale, especially for the campaign.

Solid classic-style RTS: The game is praised as a solid RTS that faithfully follows the classic formula inspired by C&C. It is recommended for those seeking a genuinely decent old-school RTS.

Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00.

Game completion: 60.0h.

Story completion: 20.0h.

Session length: 5.0h.

Tempest Rising is immediately fun for players familiar with classic Command & Conquer-style RTS design, especially in campaign and skirmish. Its main friction is multiplayer and long-term variety, where dead matchmaking, steep learning curves, and repetitive maps cause later drop-off.

Friction: Online multiplayer matchmaking is effectively dead; players report being unable to find matches.; Multiplayer has a long learning curve and intense micromanagement.; AI on normal or easy can feel like esports-level opposition, reducing relaxed play.; Skirmish and multiplayer maps feel stale or repetitive after a certain amount of playtime.; Some missions are tedious or poorly hinted.; No co-op PvE mode and only two launch factions limit long-term variety..

Unlock drivers: Tech tree progression permanently upgrades units and abilities over the campaign.; Solo pause lets players manage intense micro and learn at their own pace.; Side objectives keep missions interesting and push players out of their comfort zone.; Adding the Veti faction makes the game click together and feel much better.; Post-launch updates add more maps, ranked 2v2, expanded unit caps, and balance overhauls.; Playing with friends against bots provides reliable fun..

Old-School C&C Veteran: Single-player campaigns and classic base-building skirmish, often de-emphasizing modern multiplayer. Motivation: To relive and support classic Command & Conquer-style RTS design and nostalgia. Stance: buy.

Campaign-First PvE Strategist: Campaign completion, skirmish against AI, and co-op vs bots; avoids ranked PvP. Motivation: To get a polished single-player campaign and cooperative/PvE modes rather than competitive PvP. Stance: buy.

Competitive Multiplayer RTS Player: Ranked 2v2/PvP, meta-focused builds, early aggression, and balance scrutiny. Motivation: To compete in ranked multiplayer and test skill in balanced RTS battles. Stance: no buy.

Most hardware cohorts report smooth, high-FPS performance with few serious issues, though a small number of players note late-campaign drops, multiplayer disconnects, or isolated crashes. Linux/Proton evidence is limited but functional.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. Mostly smooth, high-FPS performance with no crashes in many reports, though a few players note late-campaign frame drops and multiplayer disconnects.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Reports good optimization and high frame rates, including 60 FPS at 4K and 250+ FPS with many units, alongside one negative 1080p complaint.

Windows <8GB VRAM / <16GB RAM: positive. Performance is frequently described as smooth, responsive, and high-FPS even on this hardware, but one player reports crashes, distorted audio, and poor performance.

Steam Deck: User feedback is mixed. Positive reports describe flawless Linux and Steam Deck play, high frame rates, and no tweaking. However, multiple reviews confirm frequent crashes, unreadable menus and small text, initial shader compilation stutter, Proton Experimental tinkering, and control/camera friction. Under the rubric, the presence of frequent crashes and unreadable UI places the Steam Deck experience in the Broken band.

Linux and Proton: The provided reviews are overwhelmingly positive about Linux/Proton compatibility. Users report the game runs flawlessly and smoothly on Linux with no tweaking, and one user simply notes using Proton Experimental. The only effort mentioned is for a modded version, not the base game. There is no evidence of Linux-specific blockers, crashes, or anti-cheat issues.

Monetization: The audit shows a concentrated monetization complaint: the third faction's story campaign is sold as a paid DLC, which many reviewers describe as content that should have been in the base game and was allegedly promised as a future update. There is no evidence of gacha, loot boxes, pay-to-win power sales, or confusing in-game currencies. The monetization issue is therefore best classified as aggressive cut-content DLC and misleading communication, not a casino-style system.

External guides: The audit finds that the primary external-data friction is instructional: players expect clearer in-game walkthroughs for campaign mechanics and mission strategy, leading to guide searches. Other feedback includes multiplayer connectivity troubleshooting and AI difficulty complaints. The strict priority scan triggers Tier 3 on 'mechanics' and 'walkthrough' evidence, so the final score is 50.

Compared to Command & Conquer: The most frequent and prominent feedback is the strong comparison to Command & Conquer. Many reviewers describe it as a spiritual successor, a modern substitute, or a clone of the classic series, particularly Tiberian and Red Alert entries.

Compared to StarCraft: A significant number of comparisons are made to StarCraft, especially StarCraft II. Reviewers highlight similarities in faction balance, mission focus, and overall RTS feel.

Third faction is paid DLC: Reviewers frequently criticize that the third faction's campaign is locked behind a paid DLC. This is seen as anti-consumer and a major point of contention.

Third faction promised but missing: Many players note that a third faction was promised but was not included in the initial release. There is anticipation and some frustration regarding its future addition.

Red Alert vibes: Several reviewers specifically mention a classic Red Alert feel, comparing the game to Red Alert 2 and its expansions. This reinforces the C&C lineage.