Cleared Hot Jungle Storm brings a new campaign, level editor and modding tools

Cleared Hot is getting a sizeable free update on 15 October, and this one moves the helicopter action into much greener territory. Jungle Storm adds nine missions, two helicopters, fresh enemy types, extra equipment and a level editor, giving the Early Access release a substantial second campaign to work through. The setting changes first. Jungle Storm trades the earlier combat zone for thick jungle, with rain and lightning running through its missions. Weather isn’t only there for decoration. It gives the new campaign its own visual identity, separating it from the first chapter without changing the basic structure of Cleared Hot. You still fly helicopters from a top-down view, shoot up vehicles, move troops and mess around with physics-driven objects. Jungle Storm builds on those ideas rather than replacing them. And there’s quite a bit coming with it.

Jungle Storm brings nine new missions

The headline addition is a nine-mission campaign. Its running time is expected to sit close to the first campaign, so this isn’t a small pack of bonus stages tucked into an update menu. Enemy variety grows too.

Players will run into BTR armoured vehicles, Shilka anti-aircraft systems, gunboats, swift boats, drone swarms and new turret types. It gives missions a wider mix of targets across land, water and air, which should change how some encounters play compared with the opening campaign. A new boss fight is part of Jungle Storm as well. Details are being kept under wraps for now, leaving one part of the campaign unseen before release.

The new setting appears to be doing most of the visual heavy lifting. Rain, lightning and jungle terrain give Cleared Hot a different backdrop without pushing it away from its straightforward helicopter-combat setup.

Two more helicopters join the roster

Jungle Storm adds the Ka-52 and MH-53, bringing more aircraft into the playable selection. There’s a wider aircraft change arriving at the same time. Each of the game’s 11 helicopters gets its own ability, linked to its intended role. Picking a helicopter should carry more practical weight once these abilities arrive, rather than choice coming down mainly to weapons and handling.

Cleared Hot has always mixed shooting with slightly odd jobs for a helicopter. You can transport soldiers, carry vehicles and grab objects using ropes and magnets. Giving each aircraft another mechanical distinction fits neatly into this setup.

It could make switching helicopters between missions more interesting too. One aircraft might suit a particular task far better than another, giving players a reason to experiment rather than sticking with one favourite throughout the campaign.

Utility items give pilots more options

Every helicopter gets a Utility slot in the update. Items for this slot include flares, chaff, EMP equipment, airstrikes and smoke grenades. These can appear as pickups during missions, so your available tools can change once a fight has already started.

It’s a small addition on paper, but one with clear uses during combat. Flares and chaff deal with incoming threats. EMP equipment can interfere with hostile hardware. Airstrikes offer heavier support, and smoke grenades open another option when direct fire isn’t the best answer.

None of this turns Cleared Hot into a hardcore flight simulation. The game remains focused on accessible helicopter action, physics and quick decisions. Weapons receive a smaller change. Gun overheating has been reworked, complete with a new indicator for tracking heat during sustained fire. Illustrated artwork is getting an update too.

A level editor opens up mission creation

Jungle Storm isn’t only about the new campaign. A level editor arrives with the update, letting players create their own scenarios using the game’s existing systems. Early file-based modding support is coming with it.

The modding side is still at an early stage, so expectations are best kept focused on the tools available at launch rather than what might come later. The level editor is the more immediate addition, especially for anyone interested in building missions outside the official campaign. Helicopter skins join the game in the same update. Players can buy them with in-game currency, and they remain cosmetic rather than changing aircraft performance.

Cleared Hot continues its Early Access run

Cleared Hot entered Steam Early Access in November 2025. Developed by Not Knowing Corporation and published by MicroProse, it mixes top-down helicopter combat with physics-based interaction and light tactical elements. Its hook is easy to grasp. Fly a helicopter, shoot things, move soldiers and equipment, grab objects and deal with whatever a mission puts in front of you.

Jungle Storm doesn’t try to reinvent this formula. It gives it more room. Nine missions, two helicopters, new enemies, aircraft abilities, utility equipment, a level editor and early modding support make this a broad update for a game still developing through Early Access. Jungle Storm launches for Cleared Hot on PC on 15 October as a free update for existing owners.