The Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is an ideal instance of a video game remaster achieved proper. Two traditional games, upscaled and beautified whereas sustaining quite a lot of respect for the unique titles. It additionally all got here in at an affordable, respectable value.
As famous in VG247’s Command & Conquer Remastered Collection review, the 2 games included – Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert – each present the creaks, groans and wrinkles of age in their very own means. They’re extra easy and have an entire lot much less nuance – however on the similar time characteristic completely traditional mechanics that helped to outline a complete style.
The Remastered Collection despatched me on a Command & Conquer kick, meandering via the sequence, enjoying skirmishes and multiplayer matches in long-dead games because of the fan-maintained servers of C&C Online. It induced a realisation: nearly all the sequence is nice.
The principal factor followers are already screaming for after the Remastered Collection is for a second spherical – a Remastered Collection 2 that pulls collectively C&C Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 – the latter of which is broadly thought of to be the most effective RTS titles of all time. And, to be honest, it’s – however the whole lot after that isn’t so dangerous, both.
Quite famously, within the wake of Red Alert 2 C&C developer Westwood was primarily killed by a wide range of circumstances, one other studio thrown onto the scrapheap by EA. C&C transferred to different groups, primarily one inside EA Los Angeles. And whereas this was met with anger and distaste by some followers, EA LA produced some all-time traditional C&C titles.
In reality, whereas Westwood’s C&C advanced alongside one path for these first 4 games and a number of growth packs, EA’s C&C cut up into three distinct instructions. Generals took the sequence in an all-new route with a barely extra grounded, real-world model setting. The Tiberian sequence continued by borrowing extra concepts from different RTS franchises, including a higher scale to battles with items made up of total squads of troopers. Red Alert’s third entry was essentially the most conventional, extra of a direct continuation of concepts from the primary 4 games.
All of those games are bloody nice in their very own means. Red Alert 3, particularly, is clearly a studio that has come to grips with the franchise that it has inherited having plenty of enjoyable.
The minor celebrity-laden full-motion video story screens have simply sufficient of a excessive manufacturing worth to be convincing at a excessive decision whereas remaining just crap-looking enough to evoke the wobbly-set nature of the unique games. The actors are having enjoyable with how camp and foolish it’s – it’s no surprise a part of Tim Curry’s efficiency has become a meme in recent times.
The factions are nice, too. The three type a traditional type of rock-paper-scissors relationship: the Allies have air superiority and pretty multi-utility items. The Soviets are superior on the bottom, with highly effective, specialised items. The new Empire faction is superior at sea, but in addition has items that may fill a number of roles inside your military on the press of a button, making it a micro-heavy, excessive danger but rewarding play.
The total game is micro-heavy, in reality, with a simplified economic system designed in some ways to allow you to concentrate on toggling unit particular skills and stances proper from the beginning of a match. Red Alert Three is truthfully wonderful; it’s up there with its beloved predecessor, in reality. In my journey again via the C&C sequence, it’s Red Alert Three that has caught with me the toughest. More than every other you might nonetheless re-release it right now as-is and discover it a powerful expertise.
That makes what occurred subsequent all of the extra baffling. It’s an ideal instance of the catastrophe that’s so typically EA dealing with these beloved franchises. Having dabbled in esports on earlier titles, C&C4 aimed squarely at that market, swapping out C&C staple components like correct base constructing in favour of RPG components and large roving mechs that just about helped to present the game a MOBA really feel. It was a bloody mess.
Like Mass Effect, one dangerous game was all it took to place Command & Conquer into the freezer. It doesn’t matter that the earlier two had been profitable on each PC and console – C&C4 wasn’t profitable sufficient to get a console model and even any type of growth, one thing each different C&C acquired. A couple of years later, EA Los Angeles was primarily dissolved. EA LA went from hit to shit in 4 years, taking Command & Conquer with it.
I’ve all the time thought of it a criminal offense we obtained a fourth entry within the Tiberian sequence however not a fourth within the vastly superior alt-universe of Red Alert. Then once more, maybe it’s a blessing Red Alert was by no means sullied by the calls for of EA on the time C&C4 was made. Regardless, it’s likewise all the time been a bummer we saw a Generals 2 announced however then shunted to free-to-play to chase one other development earlier than ultimately being cancelled – an ideal instance of the lurching from one mess to a different.
The sequence discovered its toes a bit of with half-decent free-to-play choices in browser and on cell, however it’s taken this lengthy for a case to be made for correct games within the sequence once more. Indeed, it took this remaster, partly created by some authentic Westwood builders, to make the case: folks need this type of game.
Maybe C&C wanted a while off. But I think that it didn’t actually. That Red Alert Three and Tiberian Wars felt like the beginning of one thing new and particular that was minimize quick too quickly. EA has seemingly come shut to creating the identical mistake with Mass Effect – however with rumors of a trilogy remaster swirling, it appears at the least the case research for the sequence’ potential to be common outdoors Andromeda will arrive extra swiftly than it did for Command & Conquer.
Remasters are curious issues. Video games firms all the time need to push in the direction of the recent new factor – to push the envelope and extra importantly, clearly, to seek out new income streams. Remasters are sometimes an excellent instance that generally you don’t must reinvent the wheel, nevertheless. Give the folks what they need – pretty typically, they need that consolation. More of the identical.
So, yeah. Give me that Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 remastered assortment. But additionally – let’s be having that Red Alert four ultimately, choosing up proper the place the third left off. It stays the strongest Command & Conquer sequence, and in Petroglyph Games the right crew to make it. You understand it is sensible.
