Stormgate Review: A New RTS Shakes Off Early Access—Mostly
Stormgate review time! Let’s pop the hatch on the latest real-time strategy title that’s had classic Blizzard fans salivating since, well, the first time someone muttered, “former Blizzard devs.” (Grit your teeth, StarCraft crowd, this one’s for you.)
Stormgate Review: What’s Actually New?
Stormgate steps onto the battlefield with the swagger of a game that knows exactly what made its ancestors tick—think Brood War’s pacing with just enough fresh DNA to justify its own place on your desktop clutter. From the moment the 1v1 countdown hits, you’ll feel those heart palpitations unique to RTS—the pure, nostalgic anxiety of knowing your next five minutes can be glory… or a blazing dumpster fire.
Out of Early Access but not quite Version 1.0 (don’t ask), Stormgate is in the awkward phase: not a kid, not quite a grownup, yet already inviting you to judge its report card. Campaigns, modes, and polish are “in progress.” Yes, it’s a vibe. No, it’s not a disaster.
Channeling the Classic—But Not a Clone
The “Blizzard feel” runs deep. If you ever ordered Vikings to harass mineral lines or mashed hotkeys like you were playing a piano in a burning saloon, you’ll feel right at home. Frost Giant Studios knows the rhythm—base, build, bash. The Human Vanguard faction is basically comfort food for ex-Terran mains, complete with an “easy to pick up, hard to master” twist.
- Quality of life? Control groups and production are more streamlined than my excuses for procrastinating this article.
- Automated quick commands? My fingers approve. My muscle memory needs therapy.
Honestly, going back to almost any other RTS after this feels like trading a microwave for an open campfire. Convenient, less smoky, and significantly less likely to make your date run away.
Highs, Lows, and Spicy Flaws (Because Nothing Is Sacred)
Not everything in this Stormgate review is sunny. Major reworks have carved up some factions; the Infernals, for example, had a unique “Animus bar” mechanic axed—temporarily, we’re told. If you were drawn to their occult flavor, well, the flavor’s now… vanilla. For now.
Then there are the much-debated “Stormgates” themselves—new map objectives that replaced old school creep camps. Their intention: create field skirmishes. Their result: sometimes you just get weird base-race jousts. It’s like being promised a rock concert and showing up to a kazoo solo—exciting (maybe), but hard to recommend as the main act.
The Campaign: Huge Upgrade, But Still Wearing Sweatpants
For those who drooled over the 12-mission campaign hoping for WarCraft 3 memories—good news! The aesthetics are sharper and the story less cringe. Terrible news: some cutscenes feel like they were thrown together on a Red Bull-fueled all-nighter. The new protagonist, Amara, occasionally delivers lines like she’s reading IKEA instructions for furniture she’s never seen before.
Still, you get your $25 worth (give or take). The pacing, upgrade choices, and clever mission design keep the campaign ticking—even if sometimes you have to fill in the blanks yourself. If you’re all about lore and polish, temper your expectations. If you’re in it for brainy combat with fun toys—full steam ahead.
Learn to Play? Sure. If You Like Clicking Outdated YouTube Links
RTS rookies, brace yourself: the in-game tutorial situation is like a parent handing you a wrench and saying, “You’ll figure it out.” There’s a “Learn to Play” link that takes you to some ancient videos—one of which may or may not have been filmed on a flip phone. New players might flail at first, but hey, that’s tradition in the genre.
Map Editor and Mods: Sigma Labs Is a Nerd’s Playground
If you’re the type to mod “Dungeons and Dragons” into your favorite game (see our Stranger Things D&D adventure article if you’re into that), Stormgate’s new map editor will make your day. It’s not as robust as classic SC2 yet—you can’t trigger all the wild stuff you might imagine—but it’s already buggy in the best possible way, with custom maps popping up every week. There’s “Sigma Labs” for experimental modes too, including a three-player co-op that’s fun when it works and entertaining when it doesn’t.
The Bottom Line: Should You Play Stormgate?
- If you’re hungry for a new RTS with classic bones and clever, modern edges, Stormgate delivers—mostly.
- If you’re a lore hound or demand flawless presentation, prepare for rough edges.
- If you thrive tinkering with modes and maps, the playground is wide open.
This Stormgate review finds a game wielding both ambition and nostalgia—sometimes wielding them like a sword, sometimes like a rubber chicken. But hey, in a world full of AI game-changers and endless sequels, do we really need another perfect clone? Probably not. But we could use a little chaos—and that, Stormgate’s got in spades.
For more on evolving genre trends, strategy news, or just to watch me complain about things, stick around SpawnCamped.