When you review a game - or at least when I do - one essential technique is to jot down pages of notes while you're playing, so when it comes to writing the review, you can refer back to them. You'd do well to think the same, for if you do, I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. However, in Red Alert 2s case I wasn't hoping for much at all. But because we are all Star Wars fans, or at least we should be, there is the hope that the next one will be brilliant. Think about it - and be honest - what are your expectations for the next Star Wars game? I'd wager not too high after having wasted your money on Force Commander. Now before you all start sending me death threats for my cynical indifference, let me just say if I hadn't been so pessimistic before playing the game, I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did. Westwood has done the same thing before, with Dune 2000 - the botched up remake of real-time strategy's most influential game - so it wouldn't be beneath them to do the same again. Using an enhanced -unnoticeably so - version of the Tiberian Sun game engine and sporting many gameplay features and units from a four-year-old game, Red Alert 2 could be seen as a glorified remake of its predecessor. Tiberian Sun, we wouldn't have believed them if they had. To its credit, developer Westwood has neither proclaimed Red Alert 2 be ground-breaking nor Earth-shattering and, after the tragic anti-climax that was Its announcement in May took many by surprise (including us) and now it seems barely has the marketing machine had time to get into first gear than the game has been finished, packaged and readied for release.Ĭonsequently, thanks in no small part to the worldwide panning of Tiberian Sun, expectation for Westwood's new real-time strategy game has been only marginally higher than that we would reserve for a decent English summer. The AI in skirmishes puts up way more of a fight than you would think.Ĭonsidering all the delays, hype and disappointment that surrounded last year's release of Command & Conquer sequel TiberianSun, Red Alert 2 has, in comparison, had a rather quiet time of it. As well as the campaign, you can play skirmishes against the AI or a buddy. Each mission in the campaigns has its own set of objectives and some are more fun than others, but that is to be expected. I like to focus on building as many tanks as I can, but it is really up to you in how you go about the game. It never feels too overwhelming, even when you are getting a real beatdown, you never 100 percent feel all is lost, and with the right move, you can make it happen. However, I feel that there is the perfect blend of resource management, resource gathering, action, and micro-managing in this game.

I can see some people thinking that this kind of real time strategy action is a bit simplified and in comparison, to what some modern RTS games offer, it is. Making The Right MoviesĬommand and Conquer Red Alert 2 is still so popular to this day because of the gameplay. I like the sound design in general as explosions, tanks and everything else all have some real heft to their sound effects. If you ask me, we were entering an age where voice acting was becoming better and better and this game has some very impressive performances. The only thing I do not like is that some of the maps have water and the water does not move! It looks super awkward and when everything else has a realistic look to it, it stands out like a sore thumb. The buildings, tanks, planes and so on all have a nice look to them. The different maps are spread out all across the world ranging from Russia, France, and Hawaii. This Is What War Looks LikeĪt the time Command and Conquer Red Alert 2 was a fantastic looking game and in some ways, I do feel that it holds up fairly well to this day. The story has more than a few twists and turns along the way as well. However, here you get to use him and also go up against him and it is very well done. Yuri is a fantastic character, so much so he gets his very own expansion. A psychic that they have who has the ability to control others. This time the Soviets are more dangerous than ever thanks to Yuri. The story that is told here can be played from the Soviet and Allied point of view.

Command and conquer red alert