"Everything a RTS game should be"

I have played every Command and Conquer I could get my hands on. This series, introduced me to Real Time Strategy games, and I love the ride so far. This latest bundle set with Generals and Zero Hour is a very enjoyable game for all the reasons Command and Conquer have been great games so far. (Actually I didn't enjoy the Tiberian Sun series that much, but the rest are great.)

Graphics: 9/10 The graphics are great. The 3-D units and structures look great. The units are easy to identify, fun to watch and their attacks are rendered nicely. The levels are well detailed and look sweet, although you may not get much time to enjoy the sights while playing this game, as gameplay is fast and well done.

Sound:9/10 The music and sound effects are well done, with each General having its own music themes. The explosions, gunfire, vehicle movements and everything are well done. The only bad thing I found was selecting units may cause that units audio cue to repeat and become annoying, but it's a mild distraction at best.

Storyline:8/10 A well thought out storyline is presented for the game, giving you a reason to do each level and accomplish the pre-set goals. Not that storyline really matters in a good RTS game, but there is a good plot that isn't hard to follow and does let the game progress logically.

Controls: 10/10 Easy to command your units, easy to build structures, easy to move around the map, especially with bookmarks. The game is fun to command with the mouse and a few strokes on the keyboard.

Replay: 10/10 The levels are well designed and actually fun to complete. The many Skirmish maps have goals to encourage replay. When I finished the Campaigns, I still wanted to play more.

Overall: 10/10 Everything you could hope for in a RTS game. If you don't like RTS games, this game will probably not change your mind, but if you do enjoy RTS, this game has everything you could hope for. 3 different factions with different strengths and weaknesses to discover. Each General plays in their own way. All sides are balanced. Units are fun and pretty much useful for their own strengths. I find myself using most of my factions unit types when I play. The only bad part IMO was the GLA's 5* General Powers are not very useful. If you like RTS games, then this is a great game, at a great price. Currently the best game in the RTS area.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/12/04