Rising Storm

Lore & Background

Rising Storm is a realistic first-person shooter that retains core gameplay mechanics from Red Orchestra 2, such as the cover system and bullet drop. It introduces a new arsenal of American and Japanese weapons used in the Pacific Theater, including the M1 Garand and the Type 38 rifle. Tripwire described the gameplay as asymmetrical, as the Japanese have inferior weaponry to the Americans for historical accuracy. To balance the teams, the Japanese are given the Knee Mortar, the ability to plant grenades as booby traps, and the ability to launch Banzai charges that suppress Americans while reducing suppression on the Japanese themselves.

The game features four playable factions: the United States Marine Corps, the U.S. Army, the Imperial Japanese Army, and the Special Naval Landing Forces. Maps vary from the Battle of Peleliu (a desert-island environment) to the Battle of Saipan at Charan Kanoa (an urban environment) and the Battle of Iwo Jima. Rising Storm also includes all multiplayer content from Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad. On September 26, 2013, the Island Assault content pack added a multiplayer campaign previously seen in Red Orchestra 2. In November 2014, a free content update added a new map, Demyansk, and changes to other maps. In September 2014, the Armored Assault free content update added two new maps (Kobura and Tula outskirts), two new tanks (Soviet T-70 Light tank and German Panzer III Medium tank), and the MG-42 German machine gun, along with an update to the map Arad 2.

Reader's Guide

Rising Storm earned a positive reception from fans and media. PC Gamer gave it a rating of 86/100, describing it as 'a gritty, brutal WWII shooter that uses its scale, setting, and fidelity to great effect.' On Metacritic, the game holds a critic score of 82 and a user score of 84. The title was first announced on May 18, 2010, and developed between Tripwire Interactive and the modding community. A sequel, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, was announced on June 17, 2015, and released on May 30, 2017, focusing on the Vietnam War and developed by Tripwire Interactive and Antimatter Games. Rising Storm stands as a notable entry in the 2010s first-person shooter landscape for its realistic, asymmetrical gameplay and its focus on the Pacific Theater of World War II, building on the foundation of Red Orchestra 2 while introducing new mechanics and content through community collaboration.

Did You Know?

• The game features asymmetrical gameplay where Japanese forces have inferior weapons but gain Banzai charges and booby traps.
• The Armored Assault free update added the Soviet T-70 Light tank and German Panzer III Medium tank.
• A sequel, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, was released in 2017.