Against the Storm 1.8 makes new, free upgrades to the dark fantasy strategy game

The dark fantasy world of Against the Storm keeps calling me back. As if its upcoming Nightwatchers DLC wasn't enough to guarantee my return to the roguelike strategy game, developer Eremite Games is also delivering several free upgrades to the base experience, meaning you'll be well served whether or not you buy into its new Bat people. Against the Storm 1.8 adds another convenient way to meet villager needs, more long-term progression upgrades, and additional quality-of-life options.

It's been a year and a half since Against the Storm left early access, and what was already one of our best strategy games at launch has only continued to improve. Next on the cards is the Nightwatchers expansion; the new DLC includes the game's seventh playable villager species, the Bats, alongside two new biomes. The Rocky Ravine is mineral-rich, but lacking in the woodland that spreads across most of the world, while surviving in the Bamboo Flats requires you to befriend and care for a creature called the Giant Fluffbeak in order to harvest the fertilizer needed to make its soil usable.

Against the Storm 1.8 complements this new expansion in some pleasing ways, including changes to several existing buildings such as the Grill, Smelter, Smithy, Toolshop, Tinkerer, and Academy (formerly the Explorer's Lodge). These help give the Bats a more established place in the world, whether you opt in to buying the expansion pack or not. Even if you're not planning to pick up the DLC immediately, there's still plenty to look forward to.

The most immediately useful inclusion is The Commons, a shared space for your villagers that can be unlocked from your town's main Hearth. This must be unlocked via the 'Monastery of the Vigilant Flame level six' upgrade in the Smoldering City, requires eight planks, and appears as a separate tab once enabled. It can be used to fulfill a wider range of needs for your workers, although doing so here grants a smaller bonus to Resolve than when using dedicated buildings. It's ideal if you need to fill a gap, however.

If you're pushing through the prestige levels, you'll be able to purchase an additional blueprint slot when you reach tier 12, and a bonus cornerstone slot once you hit tier 13. The former requires Ancient Tablets, while the latter will need Wildfire Essence. Another handy addition is the ability to prioritize the order in which scouts will collect rewards from glade events and bring them back to your base, meaning you can ensure you get the most important materials into your coffers as quickly as possible.

Against the Storm 1.8, the Commons Update, launches for free Thursday July 31, alongside the new Nightwatchers DLC. It will also include additional fixes, such as a tweak to the new-look scaffolding seen in patch 1.7 that should keep the construction within the building's planned footprint.

Whether you're looking for more of the best fantasy games, or perhaps the best city builders, we've got your back with plenty of top picks for 2025.

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