In a market saturated with time-consuming city builders, Eremite Games’ Against the Storm arrives as a surprisingly refreshing and engaging alternative. By cleverly blending city-building mechanics with roguelike elements, it offers a unique experience that’s both strategic and perfectly digestible in shorter play sessions. This isn’t about building empires spanning centuries; it’s about surviving the relentless Blight, one storm at a time.
A Glimmer of Hope in the Dark Wildwood
The world of Against the Storm is steeped in a melancholic beauty. The Blight, a cataclysmic force, has ravaged the land, plunging humanity into a desperate struggle for survival. As the Viceroy, an extension of the Scorched Queen’s will, you are tasked with venturing into the treacherous Wildwood to establish Citadels, beacons of civilization against the encroaching darkness. The story itself isn’t delivered through lengthy cutscenes or extensive dialogue trees, but rather woven into the fabric of the gameplay, the races you encounter, and the descriptions of buildings and technologies. Each successful settlement contributes to the prosperity of the Citadel, the last bastion of hope, further pushing back the storm and revealing more about the world’s rich, albeit somber, history. Would I have enjoyed a more clear story path with cutscenes and opening up the game more over time, yes. Do I dislike this method of getting you into the game, not at all.
A Symphony of Risk and Reward
The brilliance of Against the Storm lies in its seamless fusion of city-building and roguelike mechanics. Each playthrough involves selecting a new map, each with its own unique challenges, resources, and modifiers. Instead of endless expansion, you are focused on completing specific objectives within a limited timeframe before the impending storm arrives. This temporal constraint is a masterstroke, forcing strategic decision-making and prioritizing efficient resource management.
The core gameplay revolves around satisfying the needs of your diverse population – humans, beavers, lizards, and harpies – each with their own distinct desires and production specialties. Keeping them content with housing, food, and luxury items directly impacts their productivity and willingness to work. Balancing these needs while navigating the procedurally generated maps, discovering new blueprints, and mitigating the dangers of the forest, like dangerous creatures or depleting resources, creates a compelling loop of risk and reward.
The roguelike elements come into play through the meta-progression system and the randomized nature of each run. Between settlements, you earn reputation that unlocks permanent upgrades, new building blueprints, and even starting bonuses for future expeditions. Furthermore, the randomized world map and the limited selection of blueprints you receive each game ensure that no two playthroughs are ever quite the same. This combination incentivizes experimentation, adaptation, and mastery of different building strategies. The fact that each map can be conquered in a manageable 1-2 hour timeframe is a huge advantage, avoiding the burnout often associated with other city builders that require countless hours invested in a single city. It’s perfect for players who struggle with the time commitment of traditional games in the genre, offering a complete and satisfying experience in a shorter session.
A Whimsical Apocalyptic Landscape
The visuals of Against the Storm are immediately striking, evoking a nostalgic charm reminiscent of Warcraft 3. The art style is stylized and vibrant, with detailed building models and character designs that bring the inhabitants of the wilderness to life. The environments are equally captivating, ranging from lush forests to desolate ruins, each reflecting the impact of the Blight. Likewise, the sound design is excellent, with a haunting soundtrack that perfectly captures the game’s atmosphere of desperation and resilience. The sound effects of bustling settlements, approaching storms, and the rustling of leaves in the forest create an immersive and engaging auditory experience.
Conclusion
Against the Storm was a pleasant surprise. It defies the expectations of the city-builder genre by offering a unique and engaging blend of strategic depth and roguelike replayability. The manageable playtime of each map, the need to constantly adapt, and the charming visuals make this a game that I will definitely be coming back to again and again. If you are looking for something a bit different in the city building sphere, this is a must play.
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