Command And Conquer: Red Alert

Command and Conquer: Red Alert [App Store]

Electronic Arts’ very successful Command and Conquer RTS franchise has finally arrived on the iPhone. Completely overhauled to incorporate the platform’s touchscreen, it has opened the gates for new gamers to the genre, while staying true to its roots – something the hardcore fan base is rejoycing. Let’s delve deeper inside the Soviet and Allied stronghold.

For your AU$13, you only get two play modes – Campaign and Skirmish. The campaign mode spans across 5 chapters, each with objectives that move the story along nicely. These chapters are both rewarding and frustrating to say the least. Enemy AI is intense and can put you in a tight spot on a lot of the maps. The cutscenes set the atmosphere and the epic soundtrack brings out the tyrant in you. I did think that Skirmish mode was a bit lackluster with only two cheesy maps – Siberian Assault and Melting Pot. There is a 6 map paid download available, if you’re so inclined on paying even MORE! The biggest letdown with C&C is its lack of multiplayer. Last time I checked, the fun and re-playability of C&C came from its multiplayer mode. Hopefully they will address this in future updates and include local Bluetooth play as well. Fingers crossed.

Graphically this is one of the most impressive RTS games yet on the iPhone. The 3D engine easily handles multiple structures, vehicles, artillery units and infantry without breaking a sweat. Shadows and pretty textures give it an oomph of perspective. I did notice some minor clipping in parts (where different game objects move through each other) but I’m sure this can be easily fixed by the dev team. Using multitouch gestures, you can pinch, swipe and tap to your hearts’ desire. If you’re on a beatdown, it’s really worthwhile to zoom in and watch your troops get massively pwned rather than exit the game, just to witness how nice this game looks.

The standard iPhone drag and drop gestures for unit placements never get in the way of action and camera angles are never an issue. Building structures is highly intuitive. Just tap, drag and move. Same goes for moving larger infantry teams. The development team took a lot of pride in getting the controls right from the get go – something they should be proud of!

Overall this game is a great addition to iPhone’s library. A slight graphical polish and the inclusion of a few additional (FREE!) skirmish maps would be nice to see – especially for the premium it demands. Unfortunately, until the multiplayer debacle is addressed, it’s hard to justify the purchase. Having said that, those with nobody to play with will find the superior AI more than a challenge.

Multipl..who? 3.5 stars.