Set after the Soviet Union’s collapse, Thunder Tier One is a top-down shooter about an elite special operations unit confronting SBR, a paramilitary group turned terrorist organization. Its campaign follows the search for SBR leader Marko Antonov across nine missions. The premise frames each operation as a coordinated effort, with teamwork and communication emphasized as part of completing objectives.
Mission preparation gives players control over weapons, attachments, ammunition, armor, grenades, and tools. Weapon handling, effective range, accuracy, and the effects of ammunition shape combat, including whether rounds penetrate cover. The campaign supports four-player co-op; solo players instead have three AI teammates, whom they can command individually or as a group. This blend of loadout planning and squad direction gives the tactical design more to consider than aiming and firing alone.
Other formats include two competitive team modes, Exfil and Advance and Secure, plus free-for-all Death Match and the cooperative PvE mode Domination. The different formats extend the game’s tactical focus beyond its story campaign.
