Stormgate review: "A little messy and a little too complicated"

Early VerdictStormgate has the makings of a great RTS, but it needs a stronger identity of its own in its full release.Pros+Nostalgic Blizzard vibes+Evocative factions+A solid RTS experienceCons-Maybe too referential-Slow pace of play-Likely to radically change Early Verdict Early Verdict Stormgate has the makings of a great RTS, but it needs a stronger identity of its own in its full release. Stormgate has the makings of a great RTS, but it needs a stronger identity of its own in its full release. Pros+Nostalgic Blizzard vibes+Evocative factions+A solid RTS experience Nostalgic Blizzard vibes Evocative factions A solid RTS experience Cons-Maybe too referential-Slow pace of play-Likely to radically change Maybe too referential Slow pace of play Likely to radically change Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Following its release into Early Access on July 30, I’ve had the opportunity to complete what exists of the single player campaign while also managing to put some time into the game’s online multiplayer. The short is that the game feels a little messy and a little too complicated, and it is attempting to please a lot of different demographics of players without making the game truly appealing to any of them. It’s the details of these appeals that matter, though. Familiar territory (Image credit: Frost Giant Studios) Fast FactsRelease date: August 13, 2024 (Early Access, with July 30, 2024 being the start for DLC purchasers)Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Frost Giant StudiosPublisher: Frost Giant Studios Fast Facts Release date: August 13, 2024 (Early Access, with July 30, 2024 being the start for DLC purchasers)Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Frost Giant StudiosPublisher: Frost Giant Studios Release date: August 13, 2024 (Early Access, with July 30, 2024 being the start for DLC purchasers)Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Frost Giant StudiosPublisher: Frost Giant Studios The Infernal Host are essentially demons, and their continual invasion has decimated humanity over the past two decades. In the campaign missions that I was able to play, Amara learns about and decides to pursue a powerful mystical artifact that can destroy her enemies…but at what cost? There is a tension in the campaign because it is fundamentally a story-driven set of missions meant to get us invested in this world. It is undeniable that it is well animated, that the voice acting is strong, and that the cinematics are directed and considered as much as any other top-tier gaming product today. At the same time, the story is so buried in the genre, and so clearly riffing on themes and ideas from StarCraft, Warcraft, and Diablo, that I began playing a subgame of “what game will the next plot beat come from”? Newly nostalgic (Image credit: Frost Giant Studios) Detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign and the setting of Stormgate is important because many of these same ideas bleed over into the online multiplayer. The game plays as a combination of StarCraft II’s unit and base management systems and Warcraft 3’s map management demands. In traditional RTS mode, you build little bases, make armies using the resources those bases create, and then try to take beneficial fights as you slowly overwhelm your opponent. The game maps themselves are covered in nodes that might be beneficial to control, like flags that heal you or resource gathering points, and so players have to compete for access and control of those as well. The demands of these systems are tricky and I do not envy the work that Frost Giant’s game designers have had to do for the past several years. They have had to create a game that is legible to newcomers and provides an on-ramp for learning the game, but they also have to create something with enough depth that long-time players of these other franchises might be lured into this new game. Much like the campaign and its setting, where it feels like the past has overwhelmed whatever novelty this game might be bringing to these themes, the online multiplayer is a remix of previous Blizzard-adjacent games. The basic operations of the RTS – building bases, armies, upgrading them, getting into combat – are pretty uncomplicated and easy to operate. However, their complexity level is very high, and the campaign currently only exists for the Vanguard faction, meaning that you can only get a narrative “tutorial” for one faction. (Image credit: Frost Giant Studios) A new RTS player might actually have an easier time than a veteran. A new RTS player might actually have an easier time than a veteran. It is a fool’s errand to try to run through what all three factions (Vanguard, Infernal Host, and Celestial Armada) do in detail. Very broadly, the Vanguard is a human faction that has effective direct damage units that can move around to control the map efficiently. The Infernal Host have either smaller swarm units or bigger, bulkier units, and all of them are powered up when they stay in their own territory – to win as the Host, you have to prioritize making that territory bigger. The Celestial Armada, my chosen faction, have a series of efficiencies and shortcuts that allow them to be mobile in taking new bases and quickly standing up defensive positions, but it comes at the cost of fast and efficient offense. Longtime players of StarCraft might recognize the broad strokes of the Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss here. To Stormgate’s benefit, these factions are not just the factions from this other game, but they do resemble them in many ways, and it takes a bit of gameplay to figure out the key differences in how you are supposed to use the factions and how you are supposed to defend against each of them. A new RTS player might actually have an easier time than a veteran, given that they would not be stuck with these resonances, but I am not sure – the evocation of the other games is so strong that it feels impossible to tell what being totally uncoupled would even look like. As an Early Access product, Stormgate is a relatively fun experience. I cannot say that the campaign sample I had access to would make me interested in learning more about this world or these characters, given that their stories are so familiar to me already, but others with a higher tolerance or less baggage might feel differently. I’m also willing to see what happens, especially with the expectation that other factions will enter into the campaign in more substantive ways. I do not think that the Early Access for Stormgate tells its future, especially given that RTS games undergo deep processes of rebalance on a regular basis. Right now, the game is fairly slowly paced and has a very high information bar to play. At the same time, it’s fun and genuinely interesting to learn, and it would take me many dozens of games, and probably a few months, to determine something so simple as whether or not it is good or bad. I think that with my limited experience, I can say that it’s a complex game, and it doesn’t always feel or seem rewarding for all the complexity it demands. Luckily, I think the Early Access period will be a place for development and feedback, and I am looking forward to dipping into the online competitive mode every few weeks to see where the game goes from here. 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twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”