Whilst Command and Conquer certainly wasn’t the first ever RTS game, it was most definitely the title brought the genre to mass popularity on the PC. It has launched a thousand imitations and a host of highly successful sequels for its author – Westwood Studios. Now in the hands of EA, Command and Conquer: The First Decade is a compilation of all six major C&C releases, fully updated and compatible with Windows XP. The game also features all additional mission packs (apart from the appalling sole survivor), making it exceptional value for money if you are new to the franchise.
The basic premise for those who have been living under a rock for the past 10 years is this. You are the commander of an army whose aim is to take over the world and bring peace and unity to all. You will be charged with building up bases, collecting resources and using them to create vast armies with a view to defeat your enemy’s equally imposing firepower. The campaigns are split into distinct missions with varied goals from the traditional build base - make army - crush enemy to covert strikes featuring just one or two units where you have to sneak in and steal a crucial piece of technology.
Nostalgia will grip all but the most cynical PC gamers when they first load up the original C&C and immediately you will realise that this game, though dated visually, still stands head and shoulders over the vast majority of more contemporary titles both in its quality of execution, presentation and most importantly atmosphere. Cinematics in the original release are as fresh and well-acted as they were back in 1996, and the missions are still varied, challenging and fun. Visuals have been left untouched from the Windows 95 “gold edition” which may disappoint some, but I would rather have the original release than a hashed together update.
Moving on to the other titles, you have Red Alert with its add on packs, Tiberian Sun, Red Alert 2, both Generals releases and Renegade – the critically acclaimed first person shooter set in the universe of the original game. All of these titles have stood the tests of time well, with the exception of Tiberian Sun which still feels rather soulless, despite the big-budget inclusions of James Earl Jones as the GDI commander and Kane reprising his role as the Brotherhood of Nod head man. Renegade also looks a bit rough around the edges, once again proving that the First Person Shooter is by far the most rapidly evolving genre on the PC.
Arguably Red Alert 2 is the best game in the series, with a perfect balance of power, fabulously interesting units and excellent video briefings. Whilst Generals may look much better, it just doesn’t feel “C&C” enough, and certainly shows its EA heritage, being significantly different to all the previous games in atmostphere. Nevertheless, both the original release and Zero Hour are great examples of the genre and are very welcome additions. Unfortunately the pack isn’t perfect, with no sign of online or network play for the two oldest releases, and a few bugs arising from the port to DVD (Soviet FMV videos need hacking around with to play properly). These are, however, minor niggles on what is a fitting testament to arguably the most popular PC game franchise of all time. Roll on C&C 3…
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