Command & Conquer Generals

After a three-year break, the world of Command & Conquer has returned?in luscious 3D. General, command your mouse to click here!

Command & Conquer?s 2D world has been reshaped into a glorious 3D environment capable of imbuing a dangerous passion for world domination into all who witness its majesty. Yes, Generals has arrived, and it may just be the best C&C game since the 1995 original.

The General Idea
For one reason or another, China, the USA, and a terrorist group known as the GLA are fighting?and you can lead any of them into battle. Commanding China requires a slow-moving, strength-in-numbers approach, while victory with the GLA depends on a tunnel network capable of unloading an entire army into an unsuspecting enemy?s backyard. Leading the USA gives players a strong aerial combat game with plenty of spy plane reconnaissance. Together, the three teams offer unique combat strategies while staying remarkably balanced.

In addition to varied armies, players may pick their own upgrade path using a unique promotion system. During combat, your surviving units gain experience?and so do you. These promotion points can be traded in for new unit types or special abilities?such as being able to cover an area with land mines. While the promotion system isn?t exactly groundbreaking, it keeps the matches varied and encourages small tactical combat rather than simply building one large army and then letting it loose on an unsuspecting opponent.

Command & Coming of Age
Command & Conquer has grown up in the past few years, and Generals shows the series? evolution nicely. Instead of cheesy, B-movie cut-scenes, in-game cinematics accompanied by an orchestral soundtrack bring Generals? story to life. The game?s battle units are based on pre-existing tanks and technologies, giving Generals a plausible feel. Customizable units, garrisoning buildings, and stronger infantry have balanced out one of C&Cs oldest problems: useless foot soldiers. There?s even a detailed level-making tool. Overall, Generals is a mature and sophisticated RTS game?and it couldn?t be sexier.

Polished Medals
The graphics, though, will simply blow you away. Tanks leave tread marks as they power over muddy mountains; cloud shadows drift over the landscape; and the explosions may bring you to tears. However, you?ll need a fully loaded computer to run Generals smoothly, and scaling the detail down does little to improve the situation. The gameplay interface is simple and effective, but many players may wish for a more removed view. Another quibble is that the gameplay is noticeably slower than that of previous C&C titles. But when the artillery starts flying, the minor deficiencies are blown away. The bottom line: Generals has a rock-solid single-player game and the most addictive multiplayer skirmishes of the year.

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