Review for Command & Conquer: Remastered. PC game, the video game came out on 05/06/2020
It has been 25 years since Westwood Studios put its name in the history of video games thanks to titles such as Dune II and Command & Conquer, also making the genre of RTS (acronym for real-time strategy - ndr) science fiction and dystopian among the most popular on PC. Electronic Arts has entrusted Petroglyph and Lemon Sky Studios with the work on Command & Conquer Remastered Collection, a dutiful and eagerly awaited tribute to the two titles that started this successful franchise: Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert. Certainly, we are not faced with a rewriting from scratch of these two cornerstones of the RTS genre, but in front of a work of restyling and modernization as immediately underlined by the two introductory films, created by approaching the style of the cutscenes of the nineties, in to which the work done to "pump up" the games is revealed, thanks to the use of textures and cinematics with resolution up to 4K, and to guarantee High Definition audio much more in keeping with the current technological level of PC gaming systems of 2020.
Where everything started
The plot behind the two titles present in Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is quite simple but hides several goodies thanks to a series of charismatic and recognizable protagonists, played by real actors in the various cinematics, able to enter the collective imagination of the players in a short time and soon becoming cult characters. As for Tiberian Dawn, the story unfolds between the XNUMXs and the XNUMXs, in a dystopian scenario in which two factions, the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and the Brotherhood of Nod (NOD), vie for control of the mysterious energy source called Tiberium from the name of the nearby river Tiber (Tiber in English, ed) in which a meteorite crashed, releasing this alien and radioactive element of great energy value.
As we know, whoever controls the energy resources controls the world and, starting from this simple axiom, the whole narrative of the title develops, with two factions fighting for dominance. In all this it is easy to glimpse various elements that can be compared to the reality of the era in which the titles were released, we think above all of the Gulf Wars and the struggle for control of Kuwait's oil resources. But without wandering too much into the world history of the 90s, we will discover in the Westwood title many elements of modernity, however, seasoned with a dose of grotesque irony and black humor, typical trait of many titles in the franchise.
To follow, Command & Conquer Remastered Collection gives us Red Alert, originally released in 1996, where we will interact in a dystopian scenario that draws on the important historical period of the Second World War and the Cold War. Red Alert begins with a young Albert Einstein who, thanks to a time machine, returns in 1924 to eliminate Adolf Hitler and thus avoid the massacre of the world conflict. However, as there are no Nazis to act as a common enemy between the Soviet Union and the West, Stalin and his red army go to expand in Central Europe. Here it comes into play an alliance between the United States, Great Britain and other countries, ready to stop the advance of Stalin and his vast army. Once you have chosen your faction, and moving forward in the plot, it will become clear, however, that what looks like a simple spin-off of the series contains many elements that intersect with the mother series and its Tiberium. The various Red Alerts have won a huge fan base and are among the most popular titles in the franchise especially thanks to the second chapter.
Ready for Hell March?
In terms of visual impact, in 25 years of gaming has changed a lot, considering the very low resolutions for which the games of the time from which the two titles analyzed here come from were optimized. About that in this Command & Conquer Remastered Collection you can see the clear separation between past and present thanks to the excellent work of Petroglyph to redefine units, buildings and scenarios now excessively dated for both titles. To better appreciate the nostalgia operation aimed at the present, it will therefore be possible to switch at any time, thanks to the pressure of the space bar, from the updated graphics to the retro one and vice versa: a very welcome feature and that enhances even more the effort spent on do justice to the two Westwood Studios masterpieces. At the same time it is evident, albeit with all the limitations of the case, the cleaning work of the cut scenes of the time to which extra contents are integrated thanks to the Bonus Gallery - unlockable by progressing in the various game campaigns - and including behind the scenes. wrong scenes and takes.
And the gameplay of this Command & Conquer Remastered Collection? We wanted to keep it last because on paper it is the element that has been modified in a more marginal way. Given that we will find a modernization of the player interface and controls, thanks to the possibility of choosing between classic or modern control layouts, for the rest all the pros and cons of a game system with 25 years on its shoulders remain. Positive, it is immediately evident that both titles are enjoyable and easily playable even today, with a rapid learning curve and a propensity for difficulty and challenge even by facing the various campaigns on a "normal" level. Consequently, we will easily master the now tested formula, started in the nineties with the construction and management of the base, increase of one's army and exploration to then reach the resolution of the mission (destruction of enemies, escort of a character, mission under coverage and so on).
However, there are some factors that may initially turn younger players upside down. First of all the AI of the two titles, with enemies who are not very proactive and who mostly perform scripted movements. They are joined by inactive allies, who will not always automatically attack hostile units in the vicinity, for example, if not thanks to our command. Secondly, but perhaps here we are going to nitpick, there is no option to select a spawn point for vehicles and units exiting workshops and barracks. These are certainly trifles, though It is undeniable that a certain degree of development has been achieved in the gameplay of the RTS genre and some players may notice the lack of certain features in Command & Conquer Remastered Collection. Beyond that both Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert have aged quite well and are proving to be long-lived, varied and fun titles.
To increase the already good duration of the title, with the various campaigns available, there are additional contents such as bonus missions released over the years and exclusively on consoles, a simple but effective map editor and the eagerly awaited multiplayer mode that will split into classic skirmishes and ladders in which to search or host games with friends or other players from all over the world. Need to add more? We believe that the dish offered by Electronic Arts with Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is definitely rich and satisfying, also in consideration of a really fair price (€ 19,99) for an offer that offers two full games and a whole host of extra content.
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection represents what we should always expect when we talk about remaster of historical titles. Cleaning and modernization of texture and resolution, increase in audio quality and cinematics of the time, as well as endless bonuses. Certainly a few more new cutscenes would not have hurt, as we would have appreciated a tweak to the AI and certain game controls.However, thanks to incredible gameplay, epic characters, guaranteed longevity and a very honest price, we can not help but do an applause to EA, Petroglyph and Lemon Sky Studios for the work done. Surely other publishers should take inspiration from this operation and take advantage of its example, when they go to adapt one of their historical titles with a remaster.
► Command & Conquer: Remastered is an RTS-type game developed by Petroglyph and published by Electronic Arts for PC, the video game was released on 05/06/2020
