If you’ve yet to play the excellent Against the Storm, there’s perhaps never been a better time than now. The dark fantasy city-building game has been making waves ever since it crashed onto Steam Early Access in November last year, blending roguelite elements and compelling strategic decision-making with a sublime UI. Now, a Steam sale sees Against the Storm at its lowest price yet, just as its fan-voted playable Fox species joins the roster.
The Sentinels of the Forest update for Against the Storm introduces the fifth playable species, the Fox people – who were chosen to be next to join the game as part of a community vote held in February. These fantastic Foxes come with their own set of new buildings, perks, abilities, and much more.
They’re expert scouts, as you might expect, but they’re also adept at working with technologies that utilise rainwater. That’s an incredibly useful boon given the rain-soaked lands of Against the Storm, where your attempts at progress are routinely impeded by the arrival of colossal deluges.
The different species are core to your settlement management in Against the Storm. Each has its own set of likes and dislikes, and specialises in performing certain tasks. That means striking a good balance among your population, and assigning them in the places they’ll be most effective while keeping them satisfied, is key to success.
The Foxes’ natural affinity with the forest means they’re the perfect choice to explore new glades, which is the main way you explore the map, gather new resources, and expand your base in Against the Storm. Their calming influence on nature will reduce the hostility you face when exploring a new area, making it a much less scary process to undertake.
Also included in the Sentinels of the Forest update are passive abilities, which have been assigned across all the species. The Foxes will reveal nearby geysers, for example, while Beavers extend the available trade offers you get from each neighbouring town. There are five new buildings, too – the Fox House, Tea House, Distillery, Beanery, and Tea Doctor (sign me right up for that last one).
Against the Storm’s Sentinels of the Forest update goes live on April 13 at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm BST / 6pm CEST. In even better news, publisher Hooded Horse, which is also behind other great indie strategy games such as Manor Lords, Falling Frontier, and Terra Invicta, announces that Against the Storm is on sale on Steam from April 13-27. With 25% off, this is the cheapest price it’s been since launch, making it a great time to pick the game up if you’ve been considering it.
If you need more convincing, check out our Against the Storm preview to read why it captured our attention with its approachable interface, rich strategy, and gorgeous art direction. Alternatively, take a look at more of the best RTS games on PC if you’re a big fan of that sort of thing.