Slipgate Ironworks has expanded the game, but it is still unclear when the alien race known as the Veti will be available to all players.
Slipgate Ironworks has officially introduced superweapons to the action-packed real-time strategy (RTS) game, providing each faction with powerful, destructive tools. Additionally, the third faction, created in honor of Command & Conquer, is now playable in the real-time strategy game, but only in beta for about another week.
The Veti are an ancient Egyptian–style alien race that first appear in the final third of the single-player mode’s parallel campaigns. They differ radically from the other two human factions (the technologically advanced GDF and the industrious, resourceful Tempest Dynasty) in that they summon buildings instead of constructing them and attack opponents with laser-equipped floating pyramids and ground troops that shoot bees. The Veti can recruit slain enemies and resurrect fallen units as slaves called Enlightened. These undead drones can then sacrifice themselves to help the faction in various ways. In other words, the Veti can use dead enemies as resources.
The Veti can expand their territory on the battlefield with the help of the Caretaker. This flying unit creates a construction beam underneath it. Additionally, the Caretaker can build ascension anchors, which can be used to sacrifice Enlightened units to upgrade existing structures. These units can also be sacrificed on the battlefield to gain combat bonuses. Thus, you must decide where to best use your mindless minions. The Veti take a unique approach to harvesting Tempest, the game’s equivalent of Tiberium in Command & Conquer. They don’t simply tear Tempest out of the ground; they grow it sustainably. Therefore, the Tempest field will never be depleted if the Veti cultivate it.
The Veti have nine buildings, seven vehicles, six infantry units, five air units, five defensive structures, and five special units. They even have their own superweapon: the Sanctifier Portal. This massive energy altar vaporizes nearby units upon deployment and continuously deals AoE (area of effect) damage to its surroundings. It can sustain itself by targeting and destroying enemy units. Players can try out the Veti in the public test version of Tempest Rising until December 15.
It is not yet known when the Veti will be added to the game, if they will be limited to multiplayer mode, or if they will have their own campaign.
