Real-time strategy games have been inching their way towards a renaissance of sorts and, while higher-profile titles might aim to faithfully recapture the genre’s glory days, games like Rogue Command take to Steam Early Access with the intention of adding a modern touch to beloved classic elements.
Akin to many genre classics, publisher and developer Feneq’s debut title has us building up bases, harvesting resources, and recruiting different units while exploring maps to find the best defensive positions and avenues of attack. But rather than relying on learning static builds, an infusion of roguelike elements challenges us to constantly piece together new ones.
Rogue Command Steam Early Access
This happens thanks to various blueprint cards earned after each fight, which allow us to pick from a selection of buildings, determining what and when we construct.
Unit factories are used to build up our armies, defensive turrets, healing spires, and super weapons to choose from as we conquer Rogue Command’s procedurally-generated maps. Additionally, a variety of upgrades then “broaden [the buildings’] abilities and enable powerful and surprising combos.”
Aside from orbital drops that “can shift the tide of battle,” the environment is also able to grant savvy commanders the upper hand.
Drawing enemies into areas covered in fog slows them down while blowing up static bushes stuns them. Time your attacks with the arrival of a sandstorm and they might not even see you coming.
Adaptation seems to be the keyword in Rogue Command, given how chests with various power-ups are also strewn across its maps.
From there, unlocks such as “new Engineers, economic Buildings and powerful Specialists” offer new options for the foundation of new runs, hinting that some degree of meta-progression is also present.
The trailer embedded below showcases how hectic battles can get and, if things become overwhelming, we can slow down time to a crawl as we assess what our best options are right in the midst of battle.
Rogue Command is headed to Steam Early Access on November 18, 2024. The exact length of its stay will depend on player feedback, but the developer expects it to last until mid-2025 at a minimum.
For the latest gaming news, follow GameWatcher on BlueSky, check out our videos on YouTube, or give us a like on Facebook. We sometimes include affiliate links in our posts, which grants us a small commission, thank you.
