Preview: Atomic gives C&C4's skirmish a go, but does it stack up?
Command & Conquer is a game that for many defined RTS gaming on the PC (and is now available as freeware) - when it launched well over a decade ago, it changed the pace of the scene and added some serious storyline to go with some great strategy. We've seen three full games, plenty of expansions, and plenty of custom-designed maps, so when Command & Conquer 4: Tiberium Twilight came around, we thought we knew what to expect.
However, C&C4 was different to the rest. No longer were you given a Mobile Construction Vehicle that would expand into a command hub, granting you access to building structures to train units, and unlock research. Instead, C&C4 has completely rewritten its own playing style - for better or worse.
While access to the public beta has been out there for quite some time now, we grabbed access to a final build of the game. Knowing this, we've been playing the game over the past few weeks, and we'll share what we've found in multiplayer with you here today - though our full opinions on the entire game will have to wait for the magazine.
The first screen that presents itself to you, once installation has completed, is a login screen. An EA account is required not only to install the game, but also to play it - and there's no way to circumvent this, either. Or rather, yet. From here you can create a new profile, called "Persona", and enter into the game proper.
From this relatively painless login we headed into the game proper, sitting through a short EA cutscene and being presented with a menu screen. Very similar to the Starcraft 2 beta's screen, C&C4's menu has a chatbox integrated through all screens, showing you which chatgroup you're in as well as letting you talk with others online in that group.
Read on for hardware settings, and the frustrating limitations of the game.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012