Against the Storm (video game)

Against the Storm is a city-building game from 2023, created by Eremite Games and published by Hooded Horse. It breaks from the usual city-builder mold by mixing in roguelike mechanics and keeping play sessions short, with clear objectives to complete.

The game takes place in a fantasy world where a perpetual storm called the Blightstorm ravages everything. The only safe place is the Smoldering City, ruled by the Scorched Queen. When the storm briefly calms, she sends out viceroys to build settlements and gather supplies before the Blightstorm returns and destroys all their work.

During these calm periods, players construct villages near the Smoldering City. The goal is to push back a corrupting forest, harvesting resources to craft food, fuel, and building materials. Maps, resources, available villagers, and buildings are all generated randomly each time. Villagers come from seven species—Humans, Beavers, Harpies, Lizards, Foxes, and two DLC-exclusive groups, Frogs and Bats—each with unique needs and skills. Every village starts with three of these species.

Each settlement has tasks to complete, which can be tricky if required resources are scarce. Unhappy villagers might leave, or they could die from hunger, shrinking the workforce. New workers arrive through cleared events or yearly caravans. Keeping villagers happy and finishing tasks earns reputation. Players must fill the reputation gauge before the Queen’s Impatience gauge fills up, which would end the run. Gaining reputation also pushes back the impatience meter, buying more time. As in modern roguelite games, players keep unlocked upgrades that make future villages easier to manage.

When the calm ends, the storm destroys all settlements and generates a new map. Players can also collect seal fragments to enter a special map and reforge a seal, earning extra rewards. The first reforged seal weakens the storm, extending the calm period.

The game launched in early access in October 2021 and was fully released for Windows on December 8, 2023. An expansion called *Keepers of the Stone* arrived on September 26, 2024, adding new biomes and a species. Console versions for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S came out on June 26, 2025.

Critics widely praised the game. Metacritic rated it “universal acclaim,” and OpenCritic found it “mighty,” with 95% of critics recommending it. It won Best Design at the Taipei Game Show 2024 and was nominated for Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. By May 2024, it had sold over a million copies on Steam.

Eurogamer gave it a perfect score, calling it a “rare gem” and “one of the most novel and well-crafted city builders.” PC Gamer described it as “one of the most clever, engaging, and endearing strategy games,” praising how it upends city-building conventions. PCGamesN highlighted its “brilliant mix of roguelike, strategy, and small-scale city building.” Rock Paper Shotgun loved the combination of city-building and roguelite elements, noting that the short, goal-focused sessions—about an hour each—set it apart from traditional games, and named it a “Bestest Best.” Ars Technica called it a “rogue-ultralite” for its cozy feel, while praising its depth and replayability. Sports Illustrated enjoyed the “unique blend of genres,” saying it condenses the best parts of city-builders into a short, addictive experience.