Command & Conquer

• Release Date: 1995
• Genre: Strategy
• Style: 2D Real-Time Strategy
• Similar Games: Star Control 3 (Macintosh), Age of Empires (Macintosh), Knights and Merchants (Macintosh), Command & Conquer: Generals (Macintosh)

Game Description

In Command & Conquer, you get to play either of two sides engaged in a world-spanning conflict: GDI, or the Global Defense Initiative, and the terrorist group, the Brotherhood of NOD.

At the center of the conflict is a newly discovered mineral called Tiberium, which grows from the ground like a plant. Although this is denied by the man who discovered/invented it, Tiberium has adverse affects on any human beings coming into contact with it.

Your bosses will send you on missions against the opposing forces, and you will be able to see how the war is going after every mission by how the colors on the map of Africa change. NOD-held countries are red, while yellow or light-green denotes countries liberated by GDI. This game confines itself strictly to Africa if you play the Brotherhood of NOD, or Europe if you play the GDI. Other parts of the world are covered in the follow-up titles.

Lest you believe that the game is strictly good-guy/bad-guy, each side has its own reasons for fighting, and events during the missions may lead you to believe that perhaps not everything is as it seems.

Review: Overall

Command and Conquer from Westwood Studios is an amazing real-time strategy game in which you get to play either side, each having their own special disk. If you play the Brotherhood of NOD or the Global Defense Initiative of the United Nations. Each force gets their own missions, NOD in Africa, GDI in Europe.

Along the way, you get to harvest Tiberium and sell it for money to finance your missions. Each force has their own types of troops and appearances of buildings. For example, the Brotherhood of NOD barracks resemble a hand, holding a globe of the world.

Combat is fast and furious. You actually get to hear the nearly-realistic rattle of gunfire and the screams of dying men. The sound of a trooper being crushed by a harvester can either pump you up or give you nightmares. It's that realistic. The background music is superb, almost making you forget that the game simulates battle.

Your mission briefings are given by your superiors, and you get to see the NOD man, Seth, get killed. This is not a game for the sensitive types who are afraid of blood.

But there is a humorous element to the game as well. Troops who are ignored for some time will sit there and smoke or sit down, only to jump to attention when given orders.

Troops expire in a welter of blood when killed, and combat is amazingly realistic. A computer voice informs you when men under your command are killed or when your base is under attack.

Above it all, this is a game of strategy, make no mistake about it. If you have little ability for tactics, you will fail every time. Take no prisoners.

Review: Enjoyment

If you enjoy full-on combat and tactics, this is definitely the game for you. Otherwise, give it a miss.

Review: Graphics

The level of detail is amazing, and you could almost believe the troopers were alive. Vehicles even smoke when damaged.

Review: Sound

The sound is clear and realistic. Those screams of dying men sound almost too realistic.

Review: Replay Value

Play NOD, then play GDI. After that, all you can do is try to better your own score. But hopefully the expansion packs will be released for the Macintosh platform soon.

Review: Documentation

Extensive manual gives you the lowdown on troops, weaponry and buidings.

Production Credits

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