Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Even if you aren't a PC gamer you know the name Command & Conquer. This franchise got started over twelve years ago and since then many expansions and side quests have been released. The latest, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars may be the official "third" installment but it's really a sequel to the Tiberian line's last outing which was Tiberian Sun from the late 90's. The nice thing is whether you're new to the franchise or a veteran C&C 3 is a damn fine game for the Xbox 360 and the best console RTS to date.
As far as the game's setting is concerned the whole affair takes place in a future where the Earth is blanketed by a substance known as Tiberium. This green, crystallized mineral has many uses in the world but it also creates a rather inhospitable environment. A war has erupted over the Tiberium and humanity has been split down the middle. A group known as the Brotherhood of Nod sees the Tiberium as a resource to enhance humanity while the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) looks upon it as a dangerous, yet necessary tool. This marks the third time the two factions have gone to war over the substance but this time around things are a little different.
A third presence on the battlefield has immerged and it is an alien threat from a race known as the Scrin. As the campaign heats up both sides receive plenty of development and their desires for Tiberium are revealed. Of course the story is only a small part in the C&C 3 experience.
Every RTS game lives and dies by its gameplay. That's the reason most console versions are laughed out of discussions and what has kept the genre going for so long. Quality control and an addictive formula must come together to craft a meaningful experience. Fortunately C&C 3 succeeds in both accounts AND it's for a console!
I was very skeptical regarding the control schematic for the game on the 360. I heard about EA's earlier attempt with Battle for Middle Earth II but I have to admit that I never tried it out (waiting for a good bargain). At any rate I read about the steps that title made to improve the console experience but didn't realize how far their efforts had taken them. C&C 3 apparently learned from the mistakes of BFME II because for all intents and purposes the gameplay here is idyllic (though flawed in a few areas).
The controls in C&C 3 are mostly fluid. It's easy enough to select units, fashion new armadas, and send everyone off to kill whatever is in their path. This is accomplished with navigation through a set of menus and options with the shoulder buttons. Utilizing these controller features may take some getting used to but if you give the tutorial a quick run through you'll be garrisoning buildings and sending squadrons off to war in no time. I particularly appreciated the ability to build groups and mobilize your forces with the flick of a button.
While the control may be very user-friendly (an oddity with a console RTS) there are a few hiccups that prevent it from being perfect. Selecting individual units can be very time consuming and there is more of a need to head back to base than I'd like. This is really all part of the learning curve though and until you get completely comfortable with the controls you're going to be met with a lot of frustration.
Failure in a mission means that you get sent back to the main screen and there is no easy way to restart or simply try again. Sure it doesn't sound so bad but try and fail five times in a row on the same stage and you'll begin to grow tired of going through the lengthy loading screens and menus again. Add to this the variable difficulty in most missions and you have an uneven challenge awaiting you that really punishes you when you make a wrong move. I suppose I'm making the overall experience sound worse than it is because truly, this game is a lot of fun to play. It just tends to suck when you lose; that's all.
Progression through the single-player campaign sees a slight amount of upgrading as you go along. This is part of what will keep you going in C&C 3. You may start out small with rifle and missile units but as you get further into the game you'll receive grenadier units, snipers, tanks, and all types of weapons of mass destruction. This holds true for the GDI and Nod forces (with some Scrin thrown in for good measure).
Now I'd like to say that there is a lot of strategy involved with the game here but unfortunately that's not the case. Due to the speed at which the gameplay flows you have to be precise in your movements and commands. The CPU builds exponentially compared to yourself and your only hope of victory is typically beating them to the punch. Sure there are different objectives thrown at you during each mission but basically you just want to create as much stuff as possible and throw it at your opponent. A noble technique to be sure but some more strategy (or slower AI to give you time to formulate a strategy) would have been appreciated.
It's nice to know, however, that once you take the game onto Xbox Live you and your opponent are in the same boat. With no rushed AI on the other side of the fence you have some more breathing room and can deal with human incompetence (or lack thereof). A decent supply of modes awaits you once you step online and the gameplay is relatively lag free (from my experiences). There are typical game modes that you'll find in other titles such as Skirmish, Capture the Flag, Capture and Hold, and King of the Hill. Siege is a particularly fun mode where both sides have a set amount of time to build up their forces rather than constantly being rushed. Either way you look at it though C&C 3 is like most online games; it's only as good in quality as the person you are playing against.
Overall I have to say that C&C 3 for the 360 is a marvelous port of a fantastic PC game. The RTS genre may finally have found a worthwhile design and home on Microsoft's system. Whether you have played other Command & Conquer games or not this one is highly recommended. Fans of RTS rejoice; the gap has finally been bridged.
Ok let's get this out of the way. C&C 3 does not look as fine on the 360 as it does on a super-high-end PC. However, this version of the game still looks fantastic in HD and good enough in SD. With support of 720p, 1080i, and 1080p the level of detail that this game oozes can be very impressive.
The design is particularly interesting thanks to the visibly different styles between the GDI, Nod, and Scrin. Every time I fired up the game I couldn't help but marvel whenever I came across a new piece of equipment or weapon. Whether you're zooming into the battle for a close up or keeping the camera back to see the grand scheme of things you're going to be impressed. Some of the finer details do get lost with standard definition, so HD is preferred, but this is still a solid experience all around.
Equally as impressive as the graphics, the sound in C&C 3 will please your ears. The musical direction is dynamic with some very sweeping and epic tunes that blast through the speakers. Likewise the sound effects and voice acting is top notch as well. Granted the actors in the cut scenes tend to over do things (I'm looking at you Billy Dee Williams) and the quality of these FMV sequences are tacky beyond B standards but they serve a purpose and provide camp. You'll want to crank up the volume on your surround system for this one; every channel gets a workout.
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is an important PC port because it finally gets the RTS translation right. The interface is user-friendly, the controls are intuitive, and the presentation is very impressive. I suppose the biggest thing that C&C 3 has going for it though is the fact that it's a fantastic game in its own right. If you want a definitive and memorable experience this is a title that should not go overlooked. Highly Recommended