Stormgate Early Access Review – The Return of the RTS

by

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of gaming under my belt, I have seen the ebb and flow of genres like the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. Back in the day, games like StarCraft were the pinnacle of what RTS could be, and I still remember the countless hours spent strategizing, building, and conquering galaxies far, far away.

Some gamers believe that the real-time strategy genre has become obsolete. In contrast to the past when popular series such as StarCraft, Command & Conquer, and Warcraft were prevalent, today, Warcraft functions more as a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) than it does as a strategy game franchise. Despite this change, various developers have attempted to revive the genre in its heyday, ranging from big-name studios to smaller-scale ones.

Stormgate aspires to expand upon the framework of the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genre, which essentially laid the groundwork for eSports, notably StarCraft. At first glance, the resemblances are quite apparent. Similar to StarCraft, Stormgate offers a focus on asymmetric gameplay due to its three playable factions, each utilizing distinct strategies. The Vanguard mirrors the Terrans, the Infernal Hosts echo the Zerg, and the Celestial Armada resembles the Protoss from their respective counterparts in StarCraft. However, a closer examination of the game’s mechanics reveals that Stormgate offers enough unique elements to make it more engaging than just mimicking StarCraft.

Before we dive into the core gameplay experience, let’s address an issue that’s apparent: the design of Stormgate. Some players might find its art style appealing due to its practicality in gameplay, as it allows easy comprehension even when multiple units are clashing and using abilities simultaneously on-screen. However, others might perceive it as overly simplistic or cartoony, possibly considering it outdated for a modern 2024 release. Personally, I have mixed feelings about it, appreciating the visuals for the most part but acknowledging certain limitations.

Although the gameplay generally appears sleek and straightforward, it’s during the campaign that the art style’s imperfections become noticeable. This is because the campaign includes distinct characters with names and backstories, each requiring unique models to represent them and their adversaries throughout the narrative. Unfortunately, these models appear somewhat rough, suggesting that further refinement is necessary to prevent key game characters from resembling worn-out action figures made of melted plastic. Conversely, the art style aligns well with the game, and once you’ve familiarized yourself with the playable factions and their units, you rarely need to scrutinize a battle twice to comprehend its dynamics.

“Stormgate has an art style that can, at best, be described as divisive.”

As a dedicated gamer diving into the world of Stormgate, I’ve found that this game provides a rich array of playstyles: the narrative-driven campaign, the cooperative mode for teaming up with friends, and the heart-pounding skirmish mode. The campaign, though initially limited, offers a prologue and an opening act to set the stage for the broader story. However, it’s the skirmish mode that truly shines as the core gameplay experience.

It’s important to note that Stormgate isn’t necessarily an easy game. In fact, it comes with a steep learning curve, particularly for players who aren’t familiar with games similar to StarCraft. The gameplay tends to be quite rapid, and you’ll frequently need to multitask, juggling various tasks such as using the resources you’re gathering to expand your army, constructing new bases for a faster resource flow, and managing minor battles to maintain an advantage over your opponent.

As a seasoned multiplayer RTS player with years of gaming under my belt, I have to admit that the concept of a “Buddy AI” in games like Stormgate intrigues me. However, after trying it out myself, I must say that my personal experience with this feature has been less than satisfactory.

In most games, the speed is usually quite brisk, requiring you to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously.

The game’s story mode serves a dual purpose: it functions as a guide while you learn the mechanics and characters, starting gently in the prologue and gradually letting you explore more elements over time. The initial chapter isn’t a tutorial per se, but it does maintain certain guidelines to help players understand the Vanguard faction. Unfortunately, the Infernal Legion and Celestial Armada factions don’t have standalone campaigns, so those wanting to master these factions will need to dive into skirmishes against AI or other players, learning as they go along.

Although still in early access, Stormgate seems promising with an intriguing beginning. Despite having a highly debatable art style that some might dislike due to its colorful and cartoony feel, it effectively enhances the clarity of even the most intense battles. Each of the three playable factions provides rich depth, boasting unique mechanics, units, and technologies to explore. What’s more exciting is that newcomers to the genre can still have fun in online matches due to the Buddy AI. While there are still areas needing improvement, particularly some character models in the campaign, further development is expected to polish its rough edges.

Although it’s not fully arrived just yet, Stormgate stands as one of the most captivating strategy games for enthusiasts who adore genre mainstays like StarCraft. It offers an emphasis on rapid tactical gameplay that is scarcely rivaled by other current titles, and this unique aspect makes it a void that Stormgate, with some updates here and there, could easily fill.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Read More

2024-08-05 15:13