"Back to the Basics"

After playing the demo a lot, and being a hardcore C&C fan. Getting this was a no-brainer. Now into the Review.

Gameplay: 7/10

The core game of any Command & Conquer game has been, build your base, train the units, then send them into glorious battle. You have GDI, the powerhouse, Nod, the hit and run specialists, and the Scrin, which I have not tried yet. The campaign is well written from what I've played so far. Very little has changed since the first games. Which is not a bad thing for this series. There is also Skirmish and multiplayer which, Skirmish is really well done, plenty of maps and many ways, ala Red Alert, to make the games more interesting. The AI ranges from easy to brutal. While not 100% perfect, the AI does give you a challenge on harder settings.

The units have their counters, some units seem a little, overpowering. Both sides have their unique units, while even the basic grunt unit isn't even the same like they used to be back in the day. I have yet to also encounter any real game breaking bugs.

Replayability: 8/10

The campaign will have you come back maybe one or two more times, maybe a lot more. The replayability of the game comes from Skirmish and Multiplayer. With the many maps and settings, things will never be the same, or at least, not so much the same.

Audio/Visual: 8/10

While the explosions sound rather generic, selecting units has lost a lot of it's flair from Red Alert. The music, is well done, but to me is very forgettable. The cutscenes are some of the best I've seen in any game, and have come a long way from what they were in the previous games. The actors fit their roles very well, not to mention, Kane will always be Kane. The games graphics are a step above those used in Generals, since it is the same engine. Everything all around was well done.

Final Synopsis:
Gameplay: 7/10
Replayability: 8/10
Audio Visual: 8/10
Overall: 9/10 (Not an Average)

In closing, this installation to the series, while does not change any of the basic C&C formula, is solid, and continues the story from where it all began back in 1995. If you are fan of the series, you will love this game, if you feel you may not like it, try the demo and see for yourself. This game is not slower paced like Company of Heroes or Supreme Commander. This game is very quick paced. An instant action RTS.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/28/07