The Veti Join the Battle in Tempest Rising
Real time strategy fans have a fresh reason to jump back into Tempest Rising. Developer Slipgate Ironworks has rolled out a major update that not only adds devastating superweapons, but also introduces a radically different third faction called the Veti, now playable in beta for a limited time.
Tempest Rising already wears its Command and Conquer inspiration proudly, but the Veti push the game into stranger and more experimental territory. This alien race, styled with an ancient Egyptian vibe, first appeared late in the single player campaigns. Now they are stepping into the multiplayer spotlight with a full roster and their own monstrous superweapon.
If you are into PC strategy games and want something that feels both familiar and fresh, this beta window is worth checking out.
Who Are the Veti and How Do They Play
The Veti are nothing like Tempest Rising’s two existing human factions, the high tech GDF and the gritty, inventive Tempest Dynasty. Rather than building their bases the traditional way, the Veti have a more mystical approach that fits their alien origins.
Instead of placing structures on the ground in the usual fashion, the Veti summon their buildings into existence. Their units and architecture lean hard into the theme, featuring floating laser pyramids and infantry that literally fire swarms of bees at their enemies. They look and feel like an invading force from an ancient star cult rather than a conventional army.
Under the hood, they are defined by three core mechanics that make them play very differently from the other factions.
- Using the dead as a resource: When enemy units are killed near the Veti, they can be converted into thralls known as the Enlightened. These reanimated drones form a kind of secondary resource. You can sacrifice them to unlock different benefits, turning the casualties of battle into fuel for your strategy.
- Territory control and upgrades through the Caretaker: The Veti expand their influence with a special flying unit called the Caretaker. Wherever the Caretaker hovers, it creates a build radius beneath it, letting you push your base forward in dynamic ways. The Caretaker can also create ascension anchors. At these anchor points, you can sacrifice Enlightened to upgrade your existing structures.
- Flexible sacrifices for power boosts: Enlightened are not just for base upgrades. You can also sacrifice them directly on the battlefield to provide combat buffs and other advantages. This forces you to constantly decide how to spend this gruesome currency. Do you invest in long term infrastructure or grab immediate power spikes to win a critical fight
On top of all that, the Veti have a more eco friendly relationship with Tempest, the game’s version of Command and Conquer’s tiberium. While other factions strip mine it, the Veti can cultivate Tempest fields sustainably, so those resources never fully run dry when harvested by them. That gives Veti players a different economy curve and encourages longer term planning around key resource zones.
The Veti arrive with a complete toolkit: nine buildings, seven vehicles, six infantry units, five air units, five defensive structures, and five specialist units. This is not a half finished test faction. It is a full army with its own identity and plenty of depth for multiplayer matches.
The Sanctifier Portal and Superweapon Chaos
The headline feature for all factions in this update is superweapons, and the Veti get one of the nastiest. Their superweapon is the Sanctifier Portal, a colossal energy altar that brings serious late game threat to the battlefield.
When the Sanctifier Portal spawns, it immediately vaporises any nearby units, turning its arrival into a brutal shock moment for anyone caught in the blast. After that, it continues to emit constant area of effect damage around it, acting like a persistent killing field that can lock down part of the map.
The Sanctifier Portal can also sustain itself by targeting enemy units and consuming them entirely. This reinforces the Veti’s theme of feeding on the dead and twisting the flow of battle to their advantage. For opponents, it means you cannot just brute force your way through. You need to respect its range, time your attacks, and possibly split your forces to avoid catastrophic losses.
Combined with the new superweapons added for the other factions, late game matches in Tempest Rising are now much more explosive. Players will need to balance teching up to these mega abilities with maintaining pressure across the map. Wait too long and your opponent might be the one to drop a game ending weapon first.
How to Try the Veti Beta and What Comes Next
The Veti are currently available through Tempest Rising’s public test branch, and this beta is only live for a limited time. You can jump in and command the new faction right now, but access is set to end on December 15. If you are curious about how they change the meta or just want to experiment with their bizarre mechanics, do not wait too long.
Slipgate Ironworks has not fully confirmed the Veti’s long term plans yet. There is no firm date for when they will be permanently added to the main version of the game, and it is still unclear whether they will appear only in multiplayer or will eventually get a dedicated campaign of their own.
For now, the test period is a chance for the studio to collect feedback, tune their balance, and polish their mechanics. For players, it is the perfect time to learn this new faction before they arrive in ranked play or future story content.
If you enjoy classic style RTS games on PC and want something that captures the feel of Command and Conquer while pushing into stranger sci fi territory, the Veti update makes Tempest Rising worth a fresh look.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/tempest-risings-playable-third-faction-has-invaded-its-beta-branch-as-its-developer-commences-testing-for-the-next-two-weeks/
