‘Stormgate’ Isn’t ‘StarCraft 3’, But It Definitely Scratches The Itch

There’s never been another game like StarCraft 2, and there likely never will be — but boy, Stormgate is the closest we’ve been. The real-time strategy game from Frost Giant Studios, made up of veterans who worked on StarCraft 2 and Warcraft 3, has finally left Early Access and had its full release. And while Stormgate clearly has a lot of StarCraft elements, it’s a game that clearly wants to do its own thing, and uses decades of RTS expertise to craft a fast-paced and intense tactical experience. There are still some rough edges, but Stormgate scratches a strategy itch I haven’t been able to satisfy in years.

After a successful Kickstarter, Stormgate entered Early Access in August 2024 and has been meticulously updated ever since. This release marks the 1.0 version of the game and the full “Ashes of Earth” campaign, focused on the human faction called Vanguard.

To get the obvious out of the way, yes there are some clear comparisons to StarCraft you can make, which makes sense considering the development team. There are three factions: the aforementioned Vanguards, a demonic warlike race called The Infernal Host (Zerg), and a high-tech cosmic race called The Celestial Armada (Protoss). Stormgate is an asymmetric RTS, meaning each faction has a wildly unique playstyle, unique buildings, units, etc.

For example, Vanguard flourishes under an offensive player who can keep the pressure up on opponents, as its units gain veterancy from fighting, which can increase stats. But that Veterancy can also be a weakness, as if an opponent knows to target your elite units, they can significantly weaken your army. Meanwhile, the Infernal Host, unlike the Zerg, is more adept at defense and army building. You want to be careful about attacking until you have the right army and focus on map control. You could think of them as a cross between the Zerg and Warcraft’s Undead.

If you play Stormgate for a match or two, you’ll obviously be inclined to compare it to StarCraft immediately, but as you dig more into the game, you start to see the differences and improvements that it’s made to the formula. In truth, it feels more like a fusion of StarCraft 2 and Warcraft 3, falling somewhere in the middle, with those asymmetric factions but a larger emphasis on heroes and abilities, mixed with some really smart quality of life features.

Stormgate is a fantastically easy-to-pick-up and play RTS, from automated control groups to the Buddy Bot feature that actively helps you build workers and buildings to keep up with the flow of the match. The core mechanics are simple to grasp, but each faction has a ton of depth and complexity to dig into, letting expert players formulate a variety of different strategies.

There’s a real sense of speed and momentum to each match, and part of what I love about Stormgate is the constant sense of needing to keep up with that momentum if you want to beat your opponent. This is highlighted by a lot of emergent elements on maps, like Healing Towers to control and storm gates that can be captured and award boosts or strong units.

The other half of Stormgate’s equation, though, is its campaign. After The Infernal Host emerges from the gates, humans are forced to flee Earth as the demons turn it into a wasteland. You play as a Vanguard named Amara, sent back to Earth to try and uncover the Infernal Host’s secret and take back humanity’s home.

Stormgate’s storytelling doesn’t do anything particularly new, but with the twelve missions currently available, it’s a fun little sci-fi romp that has a good amount of mission variety. Like StarCraft 2, each mission is completely distinct. In one, you have to escort a research vehicle around the map as enemies swarm you, while another has you digging in and defending a temple from three different directions.

The Ashes of Earth campaign doesn’t have the best mission variety I’ve seen in an RTS, but it’s genuinely good, and really complemented by the big addition of the 1.0 release — a ship you can walk around in between missions. After each mission, you’ll essentially go back to your home base, where you can use credits to upgrade units and conduct more research, but more importantly, talk to your allies. These little bits of flavor text do a ton to extend Stormgate’s world-building and narrative, and provide more emotional context for what you’re doing in each mission. It also helps that the voice acting, animation, and artwork feel drastically more solidified than they did during the Early Access period.

The Ashes of Earth campaign doesn’t feel like anything revolutionary, but it’s remarkably comforting in a strange way — it almost feels nostalgic. There’s also enough compelling storytelling happening to make me invested in seeing the next two campaigns, especially to see what the Celestial Armada’s role in everything is.

Stormgate has come an exceptionally long way over the past year. Many of the problems and rough visual edges have been smoothed out. The second half of the campaign really kicks up the mission design, and that focus on fast-paced strategy is still infectious. It’s clear there’s still room for improvement, of course, between some rough edges still on the campaign in terms of presentation, and some frustrations with how factions work.

But what’s most important to me about Stormgate is that it feels brimming with potential. What’s there now is some of the most fun I’ve had with an RTS since StarCraft 2, but there’s also a sense of how it could be built into something more. I’m hopeful that the future for an RTS like this is a vibrant community that can grow alongside the game and create a feedback loop. As the genre continues to struggle to find a footing, a responsive fan base feels like one of the more viable options. There are clear flaws, but Frost Giant is clearly passionate and committed to the idea of creating a modern RTS.

I’m a mostly casual RTS player, and occasionally dabble in competitive. But I imagine those heavily invested in competitive play may find more issues to point out than someone like me.

No matter what, I’m glad Stormgate has made it this far. And if, like me, you’ve found yourself pining for something that gives you that StarCraft feeling, this new game from former Blizzard developers is your best bet right now.

Stormgate is available on PC.