System: X360, PC
Dev: EA LA
Pub: EA Games
Release: May 10, 2007
Players: 1 (online multiplayer)
ESRB Rating: Teen
Preview by CJ Irelan

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

Preemptive Strike by CJ Irelan

The Real-time Strategy genre has not fared well on the home systems since Starcraft 64 was expunged from the minds of the collective gaming community. The limitations of a controller on a home system suited it more for games requiring reflex and more forgiving accuracy, where the RTS required micro-management and a steady mouse hand. Without turning the console itself into a very limited computer with a mouse and keyboard peripheral, the RTS seemed set to remain a PC-only selection.

Electronic Arts took a chance with its Battle for Middle-Earth II when they ported it to the 360. Learning from Blizzard's mistakes with their redesigned and streamlined control scheme, their port was a breakout hit. EA, always willing to go with the tried-and-true, finally hauled Command and Conquer out of the digital quagmire that was its rocky development history, and as such, has provided starving CoC fans with something to wrap their processors around.

While the world of PC gaming will always get bigger and better at breakneck speed, those who slammed down their hard-earned cash for the single chipset console may feel ill at ease picking up a game that requires a monster of a system to play on the PC. From what has been seen, the fears can be laid to rest. The game runs on the 360 just as well, with almost no slowdown, even when the massive battletanks roll into enemy territory and start blasting away.

The game takes place about 17 years after the last game, Firestorm, giving the developers a chance to overhaul just about everything. The GDI infantry has started to follow the trend of bulky shoulderpads and oversized weaponry like Gears of War or the Space Marines of Warhammer 40,000 long before it. The Nod infantry troopers wear fully enclosed armor, which, while lighter, gives them the edge over the heavy infantry of the GDI. In addition to their run-and-gun tactics, they also use Tiberium weaponry, the poisonous material they worship fanatically, at every possible occasion. The ecosystem has been ravaged by the Tiberium and now great deadzones are appearing all over the planet where Tiberium infestation has grown beyond all hope of regeneration. The Nod had, up until the beginning of the game, been building support in the yellow zones, raising a vast army, and becoming a superpower to finally wage war with the GDI and the blue zones. The GDI, scattered and segregated by vast distances, are forced to rely on the savvy of their individual leaders to repulse the Nod shock troopers, and so begins the Third Tiberium War. The GDI quickly restructured to become able to operate independently of their home bases, and the escalating scales of war balance once more.

While the Nod and the GDI pound away at each other, a new force enters the fray. The Scrin, a force from beyond the stars drawn by Tiberium to our world, have arrived, finally striking from the edge of the galaxy. The GDI and Nod forces are suddenly confronted with something heretofore unseen by human eyes as a viable force, though they stopped by in Tiberian Sun. According to development logs, the Scrin will be the ultimate rapid-reaction force, quick to gather and build, though sacrificing defense for speed. The influence of War of the Worlds can be seen in the "Annihilator Tripod" and "Stormrider" light fighter, and the aliens once more are bio-mechanical as well as insect-like. The similarities between the Scrin, the Zerg, and the Tyranids become less glaring as the game progresses, but to the casual RTS fan, it may seem like little more than a rehash. Yet another addition is the Mutant Mercenary faction, who can be bought for both the Nod and the GDI, much like the Ogres and Goblin units in Warcraft III. The mutants will have greater combat abilities than the standard units and, due to their Tiberium-based mutations, may have some other special abilities.

The SAGE engine will be heavily modified for C&C3 and most of the features available to that engine will likely be available in both versions; so expectations are that it should look at least on par with Battle for Middle Earth II. The game itself will return to the conventions of the previous games, interface and collection included. The units will be able to perform more complex tactical maneuvers such as flanking, due to a system of modifiable aggression. The distinction between cinema and gaming blurs yet again as famous actors get into costume and play integral parts in the story. The cast so far includes Josh Halloway of Lost, Michael Ironside of Starship Troopers and Splinter Cell, as well as Billy Dee Williams, and a number of cast members from Battlestar Galactica. Real news anchors reporting on events in the Third Tiberium War serve to maximize the reality of the war-torn near-future. Kane will be played once again by Joseph Kucan, and Richard Taylor will direct the cinematics.

The 360 version boasts less typical RTS action in its multiplayer modes, featuring modes like Capture-the-Flag and King of the Hill, and will take full advantage of the Xbox Live capability. The war begins anew March 28th and if Middle-Earth is any indicator, longtime C&C fans and RTS gamers who spent their money on a 360 instead of a new video card and processor should not be disappointed.

By CJ Irelan
CCC Freelance Writer