New gameplay footage for Stormgate has been revealed at Gamescom Opening Night Live, showing off the game's second playable faction in action. A real-time strategy game inspired by classic Blizzard RTS titles, Stormgate blends sci-fi with fantasy as it pits the technologically advanced armies of the Human Vanguard against the demonic hordes of the Infernal Host.

　　What the Infernal Host lacks in high-tech weapons it makes up for with magical might, zone control that buffs units, and a kamikaze approach to battle that floods the battlefield with cannon-fodder troops. The armies of the Infernal Host can take advantage of Shroud, a field of magical energy produced by key Infernal structures, allowing for powerful Rituals to be cast and providing significant advantages to any Infernal units within its range of influence.

　　Three of the units that can be sent into battle include the worker Imp, the Fiend, and the Brute. Imps are primarily tasked with gathering resources, but they can also set themselves ablaze to trigger a powerful Imp-losion. Brutes are two-headed ogres that can absorb a significant amount of damage, and when the time is right, sacrifice themselves by unleashing a pair of fast-striking Fiends.

　　Developer Frost Giant also revealed a brief glimpse at some of the musical talent contributing to the sound of Stormgate, as the soundtrack is being developed in collaboration with the EDM duo The Chainsmokers. Tracy W. Bush (StarCraft, Warcraft III) and Frank Klepacki (Dune 2, Command and Conquer) are several of the composers who'll produce tracks for the game.

　　There's a nasty surprise hiding in the stomach of this jolly fellow.Gallery

　　Led by former Blizzard developers Tim Morten and Tim Campbell, Stormgate is a free-to-play strategy game that is being positioned as a spiritual successor to StarCraft and Warcraft with its mix of base-building, asymmetric factions, and an evolving campaign that'll be playable in both solo and cooperative mode. Interestingly, the game will also make use of rollback netcode for PvP, something that Frost Giant says is a first for the genre.

　　A custom games editor that can be used to create maps, mods, and more content will be included in the full game after launch, which is aiming to arrive in 2024 for PC.

　　Be sure to read our Gamescom Opening Night Live roundup for even more games and announcements from the show.

　　Darryn Bonthuys on Google+