Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Stormrise offers a fresh take on real-time strategy by removing traditional base-building in favor of a dynamic, squad-based system. Instead of harvesting resources and erecting structures, you capture strategic control points scattered across the map. These points automatically generate energy, the game’s currency used to deploy reinforcements, upgrade existing units, or fortify positions with turrets and shields. This streamlined resource model keeps battles fast-paced and forces you to continually contest territory rather than turtle behind walls.

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Central to Stormrise’s control scheme is the “Whip Select” mechanic. By holding down a dedicated button, players bring up a targeting beam that lets them quickly switch cameras between squads or units. Once selected, you can issue orders via a 3D targeting cursor, directing your soldiers to move, attack, or use special abilities. This method feels intuitive once you get the hang of it, though newcomers might face a short learning curve as they adjust to managing multiple squads through a moving camera.

Unit customization adds another layer of strategy. Both Echelon and Sai forces boast nine core unit types, each capable of equipping alternate weapons—flamethrowers, heavier armor, or long-range missile systems—once they’ve accumulated enough energy or reached certain upgrade levels. You can tweak load-outs on the fly using a radial menu, allowing you to adapt to enemy tactics or sudden battlefield developments. In multiplayer, the ability to construct a second warp gate at captured points further intensifies the fight, as you can reinforce frontline troops almost instantly.

Graphics

Stormrise’s visuals excel at conveying a world torn apart by relentless storms. The environments range from shattered megacities to windswept canyons brimming with debris, all bathed in a gloomy palette that underscores the planet’s environmental collapse. Dynamic weather effects—rolling thunderclouds, swirling dust storms, acid rain—aren’t just window dressing; they help define each mission’s atmosphere, making the threat of “The Happening” palpable with every gust of wind.

Unit models are impressively detailed for an RTS, with both Echelon soldiers and Sai warriors sporting unique armor designs and weapon silhouettes. The Sai’s organic aesthetics, inspired by their symbiosis with the environment, contrast sharply with the Echelon’s high-tech exoskeletons and precision rifles. Animations feel fluid whether your troops are marching through ruined boulevards or defending cryogenic caverns from above. Particle effects—explosions, smoke trails, energy beams—pop crisply against the war-torn backdrop.

On the technical side, Stormrise generally runs smoothly, though large-scale engagements can occasionally dip in frame rate, especially if you pile on multiple environmental effects. The user interface remains clear throughout, with concise HUD elements and a minimally invasive command menu. Cinematic camera transitions during mission briefings and after-action sequences help tie the visual experience together, preventing you from feeling lost amid the chaos of battle.

Story

At its core, Stormrise weaves a cautionary tale about humanity’s hubris in taming nature. Decades ago, the world’s brightest scientists erected a planetary force field to halt global warming and stabilize the atmosphere. For 22 years, it stood as a triumph of human ingenuity—only to reveal a fatal flaw: nature adapts. When stronger-than-ever storms, dubbed “The Happening,” began ravaging the planet, the shield became humanity’s tomb.

With no refuge on the surface, a select few fled to underground cryogenic caverns, leaving the rest to face starvation, madness, or violence. Over centuries, those left behind evolved into the Sai—humans attuned to the very storms that destroyed their predecessors. Meanwhile, the subterranean dwellers, known as the Echelon, finally awaken under the leadership of Commander Geary, intent on reclaiming their lost world. This clash between two visions of survival—technological dominance versus symbiotic adaptation—drives the narrative tension throughout the campaign.

Story missions introduce you to key characters and moral dilemmas, from rescuing trapped civilians beneath acid rains to negotiating uneasy truces with Sai emissaries. Briefings are rich with lore, and in-game dialogue often highlights the frailty of mankind’s achievements in the face of a relentless planet. While some plot points feel familiar to post-apocalyptic fans, the force-field premise and the evolving nature of the Sai lend Stormrise a memorable twist.

Overall Experience

Stormrise stands out as an innovative RTS that challenges genre conventions without overcomplicating its mechanics. Its focus on mobile squads, energy-based reinforcements, and rapid control-point skirmishes keeps engagements brisk and tactically varied. If you’ve ever felt bogged down by endless base micromanagement, Stormrise’s approach will feel like a breath of fresh—albeit storm-lashed—air.

However, the game isn’t without quirks. The Whip Select system, while clever, can occasionally falter in the heat of battle, leading to misclicks or errant camera jumps. Pathfinding issues sometimes see units hugging walls or taking the long way around obstacles. Still, these annoyances pale against the game’s immersive setting and strategic depth. The competing philosophies of the Echelon and Sai, along with the ever-present threat of The Happening, keep you invested from the first mission to the last.

For fans seeking a streamlined RTS with a thought-provoking narrative and atmospheric visuals, Stormrise delivers in spades. The unique war between technology and nature, coupled with solid unit customization and brisk, territory-driven combat, makes it a worthy addition to any strategy enthusiast’s library. If you’re ready to rethink how real-time war games unfold, Stormrise offers a storm you won’t soon forget.

Retro Replay Score

5/10