Back in 1981 games developer and genius Dave Theurer released upon the world – via Atari – Tempest, a frantic 3D wireframe shooter that required all your gaming skills to be wired to perfection. Now near forty-years later Jeff Minter – fellow gaming genius – of Llamasoft whose catalogue reaches back decades, though more recently current-gen gamers may recognise his name from Polybius, is set to release to Tempest 4000 on the PS4 and Xbox One.
As in the original game, players are in control of the Claw, a powerful spacecraft equipped to destroy deadly creatures and other obstructions with rapid-fire shots on vibrant geometric prisms. With three game modes to choose from and 100 levels to conquer, players must eliminate all enemies as quickly as possible to survive, aiming for the coveted spot at the top of the leaderboards
Additional Key Features Include:
- Arcade Style Shooter: Hordes of enemies will test players’ reflexes in this fast-paced arcade style shoot ‘em up;
- Visually Stunning Graphics: Revamping the look of the original arcade game, Tempest 4000 features vibrant graphics in sharp 4K resolution;
- Multiple Game Modes: Three different game modes will push players’ skills to the limit, including Classic, Pure and Survival:
- Classic: Equipped with three lives, players battle through enemies until all lives run out. Players can begin their next playthrough from the last completed stage with their previous high score.
- Pure: The classic arcade mode, Pure gives players three lives to start from the beginning and progress as far as possible.
- Survival: A brutal challenge, Survival gives players eight lives to survive as long as possible.
- Level Up: With 100 unique geometric levels to progress through, players must equip themselves with various weapons and power-ups, earning upgrades through bonus rounds;
- Global Leaderboards: Players can duke it out for the top spots on leaderboards for all three game modes in the quest to be recognized as number one;
- Retro Techno Soundtrack: In true retro space shooter style, the game features a thumping soundtrack inspired by early 1990s techno;
- Old School Gameplay: Nostalgia is here to stay with the traditional gameplay of the original Tempest with enhanced graphics on current generation consoles.
“Much of Atari’s legacy is tied to console games, and we want to continue this tradition with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch of Tempest 4000,” said Todd Shallbetter, Chief Operating Officer of Atari. “The original Tempest is one of our most beloved titles, so it was only a matter of time before we brought this iconic arcade classic to modern consoles with today’s technology.”
“Modern home consoles are the descendants of arcade gaming,” said Jeff Minter, Executive Producer of Tempest 4000 and founder of Llamasoft. “We wanted to bring the classic arcade experience into players’ homes, so both franchise legacy fans and new gamers can test their mettle.”
Developed by Llamasoft and distributed by Nighthawk Interactive at North American retail, Tempest 4000 will be available on PS4 and Xbox One on 17th July 2018 for $29.99 or your regional equivalent. The game is rated E for Everyone, with warnings for Mild Fantasy Violence. For more information, visit www.Tempest4000.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMHgSzk2luE
Originally published June 29, 2018. Updated June 28, 2018.
