Command & Conquer 3 Tiberum Wars

Logan Booker wants to have Grace Park’s babies.

Given one word to describe Command & Conquer 3, our list of potentials would not include ‘Amazing’, ‘Revolutionary’ or even ‘Carrots’. Perhaps if we were to become slightly drunk, or swig a pint of nutmeg suspended in water, the chances of these words being added to our list would improve dramatically. Unfortunately for EA, with neither ethanol nor pseudo-opiates entering our bloodstreams during the review process, the only word we ended up with was ‘Decent’.

Yes, C&C 3: Tiberium Wars is a decent game. Not wanting to rock the boat or even give the gunwales a slight push, EA Los Angeles has stuck with the venerable formula that has unearthed success time and again. Admittedly the game does feature a new, third side – the Scrin – but even it is uncomfortably derivative.

The singleplayer campaign is set in 2047, the planet almost entirely covered with a highly radioactive extraterrestrial substance known as Tiberium. Tiberium has continuously evolved since arriving on Earth over half a century ago, and its ability to transform anything it touches into more of itself has decimated both natural and man-made environments. While the Global Defense Initiative attempts to protect the few habitable areas left and develop a solution to the Tiberium threat, safe in uncontaminated ‘Blue’ zones, the terrorist organisation known as the Brotherhood of Nod recruits disillusioned citizens in the Tiberium-crippled ‘yellow’ and ‘red’ zones, spreading its special blend of propaganda against the GDI and hailing Tiberium as a revolution. While humanity struggles to survive, somewhere in deep space an alien race called the Scrin awaits the completion of the final stages of its plan to colonise Earth – a plan it has patiently watched unfold for six decades.

Despite this Zerg-like scene, end-game Scrin tactics rely on a few tough units rather than masses of cheap, weaker troops.

This plot is further unveiled in the game’s two available campaigns for GDI and Nod (a third shorter one for the Scrin is available as an unlockable), through the use of voiceovers in-game and live-action full motion video (FMV) between missions.

The poor quality of FMV from previous games in the series, in terms of both scripts and acting, has developed such notoriety that players now revel in its cheesiness like kittens in catnip. Long time fans will find themselves pleasantly shocked to discover the EA has pulled out all the stops and filled the game with professional actors including Lost’s Josh Holloway; Grace Park and Tricia Helfer from Battlestar Galactica; Michael Ironside; and Billy Dee Williams of Lando Calrissian fame. While the script still leaves something to be desire, the actors manage to transform what would normally be cringe-worthy dialogue into natural, and even inspirational, speech. To its credit, the plot does manage to cough up a number of nice twists, but holding your breath for these will result in asphyxiation before they do suspense.

As with previous C&C games, each mission is played out in a city or country on Earth. Once a mission is successfully completed you’ll be awarded accolades depending on how well you did. The various theatres of war the missions take place in are never locked down, so you’re free to go back and improve your performance.

Multiplayer gameplay sees each side modelled somewhat off those found in EA’s C&C Generals – the GDI playing much like the USA, while Nod feels like a combination of China and the GDA. The Scrin however blends the Zerg and the Protoss from Blizzard’s RTS Starcraft, employing lots of cheap, weak troops early game and powerful battlecruisers and three-legged death machines late game.

Not that you’ll make it to late game that often as despite all the work EA has put into the units, tank rushing is still the best strategy. In fact, its encouraged – while the game sports a basic ‘tech tree’, most of the upgrades do not affect each side’s main tank unit or anti-aircraft infantry, so these units are just as powerful at the start of the game as they are an hour in.

Command & Conquer 3 is by far the best C&C game yet and has made some massive strides in its storytelling – the singleplayer is definitely worth the price of admission. If you enjoy the basic RTS gameplay of the series, then C&C 3 won’t disappoint, but those after a more refined experience will find themselves staring longingly at Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War or Supreme Commander after being on the business end of their 100th tank rush.

The Scrin have no need for silos and as such, have the strongest economy.

For: Runs well and looks good; new, additional side; GDI, Nod and Scrin campaigns; old school C&C gameplay.

Against: Tank rush still the best strategy; average script; feels a bit simple.