Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

[Jenox]

First of which, allow me to state my opinion then get down to some facts...


Opinion:
Personally, I don't like the game all that much, game-play wise that is. The game, really, is the same for all three factions. Scrin, GDI and NOD are universally the SAME units, just with different skins and sounds. I first thought that NOD and GDI forces were vastly different, but after playing the Scrin, I noticed that it's really the same units over and over again. Though they get differences in some HP and Damage, overall they're basically the same thing.

For me, this is a problem. I do not feel that a GDI rifleman should dish out near the same about of damage as a buzzer. Alien forces should be vastly more powerful and do considerably more damage. But, it's almost the same damage while having the same amount of HP. I found that a lot of the times the battles between tanks and infantry was not the stealth from NOD or buzzer enhancement on Scrin vehicles, but rather, "who shoots first." To me, this is really pointless. It got to the point where it was almost the 17th century all over again. Stand in a line, fire, wait, die, reload, fire, proceed until all of one army is dead.

Now, how boring is the game? Well, it depends. The graphics are awesome, no doubt. However, I find that despite the time it takes in order for you to set up ONE good battle mixed with infantry, tanks, and airpower, that you're more distracted by the graphics and end up having all your shit blown up anyways!

Fact:
The gamepay in C&C3 Tiberium Wars is almost the same as traditional C&C games. Taking the player back to the original Tiberium Universe, it is easy to just pick up a copy, install the game, load up a skirmish match, and play. A lot of the old style of game-play is there. GDI and NOD duking it out and mining it out on the battlefield is something that reoccurs in this new title.

While maintaining tradition, EA also sticks to the sci-fi theme, and then some. The addition of the Scrin makes GDI and NOD battles interesting. Picture the Scrin as War of the Worlds units on steroids. Shields, futuristic technology, such as worm holes and war zones, are a new addition. I felt that when playing as the Scrin and using the tri-pods I felt a sudden urge to zap humans into dust and flip a ferry at the same time.

Graphics are top notch. Really an eye pleasing game to say the least. Huge battles are really something to behold in this game. I felt that due to the graphics it kind of inspired me to save up a ton of tiberium and build a HUGE army, just to watch the fireworks unfold on unsuspecting troops, both GDI and NOD alike!

Over-All Grade:

Game-Play ***
Graphics: *****
Installation: *****
Fun-Factor ***

[ownage]

nice review...but how is the zoom out on that game? I heard it wasn't as good as supcom and some people wished that you could zoom out more? And I think that C&C3 was to bring back the classic gameplay with a twist that C&C Generals ruined for everybody

[Jenox]

Originally Posted by ownage

nice review...but how is the zoom out on that game? I heard it wasn't as good as supcom and some people wished that you could zoom out more? And I think that C&C3 was to bring back the classic gameplay with a twist that C&C Generals ruined for everybody

You're right on the money with C&C3 bringing back the game-play that C&C Generals killed. I took feel that it doesn't zoom out far enough. SupCom zooms out a TON, which for an RTS junky like myself I find really nice, it's easy to select all of your units in one, big, solid motion, rather then: select, move units, zoom over to other spot, select, move units, etc etc.

I also hate the fact that selecting a wide area will select EVERY unit. I hate that. Warhammer 40,000 and SupCom are GENIOUS for making the first selection only army units, then a second selection will be miners/workers etc. I find this quite cumbersome with the fact that you have to get all of your units in one, big clump to select all of them. Which, consequently is doom for your army. If another player was to spot this, a simple Artillery Strike or Super Weapon could destroy hours worth of work, tens of thousands of tiberium spent, and almost a guaranteed death. No units pretty much assures a death in C&C.

[ownage]

good to know, thanks. I'll toy with the demo when i have time.

[Rudster816]

i love the Generals game but i also have never played the other games but how did Generals "kill" the game play of the series

[Jenox]

Originally Posted by rudster816

i love the Generals game but i also have never played the other games but how did Generals "kill" the game play of the series

The C&C series have been known to be more "sci-fi", and generals was using more realistic armies. That and you couldn't really do some of the cool things you could in the other C&C games. Also, instead of a static army, you could only get certain things by spending points in the generals tab. Which, really sucked because sometimes you NEEDED certain things but couldn't get the other things you needed.

That and the sheer quality of the maps kind of sucked in my opinion on Generals. in C&C3 the maps are really nice, which kind of ties into the graphics I was mentioning.

[ownage]

Originally Posted by Jenox

The C&C series have been known to be more "sci-fi", and generals was using more realistic armies. That and you couldn't really do some of the cool things you could in the other C&C games. Also, instead of a static army, you could only get certain things by spending points in the generals tab. Which, really sucked because sometimes you NEEDED certain things but couldn't get the other things you needed.

That and the sheer quality of the maps kind of sucked in my opinion on Generals. in C&C3 the maps are really nice, which kind of ties into the graphics I was mentioning.

he hit the nail on the head. It was just the points needed took away the classic C&C feel of having your superweapons recharge with a timer instead of earning them with points. And that you could capture buildings for paratroopers instead of buying them with points.

[Jenox]

Yeah I found that oil derricks as well as special capture points, such as firebases and repair stations, in C&C Gens were NOTHING liek the ones previously on C&C RA2.

C&C3 is nice in the fact that it brings it back but adds the coolness factor that C&C Gens tried to do. C&C3 is nice and all, I just didn't like some of the things. The ability to toggle what kind of opponent you wanted in a skirmish was REALLY a nice feature.

[alvino]

Well the zoom in Supreme Commander is designed to make it so that you zoomout into a map of the whole battlefield. That's how far it goes. Preference really, but I personally don't mind having a minimap on the HUD.

[UK31337]

I tried the C&C3 demo and got bored really quickly. PC gaming just doesn't float my boat anymore, which is why I'm very likely going to replace my deceased laptop with a Macbook or something.