Command & Conquer

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1995
• Genre: Strategy
• Style: 2D Real-Time Strategy
• Similar Games: WarCraft II: Tides of Darkness (Hybrid Windows/Mac), WarCraft: Orcs & Humans (IBM PC Compatible), Command & Conquer: Red Alert (PlayStation), Command & Conquer: Red Alert (IBM PC Compatible), StarCraft (IBM PC Compatible), StarCraft (Macintosh)

Game Description

Command & Conquer is the realtime war strategy game that made all others popular. You have two sides to choose from at the beginning of the game. GDI, which is the United Nations' Global Defense Initiative. Or the Brotherhood of NOD, which are considered the bad guys. Each side has their positives and negatives in the type of structures and units you can build. Once you have picked a side, you will be faced with missions in which you will have to send out your harvesters to collect ore called Tiberium. Tiberium is used as money to build structures and units. Some examples of structures include, power plants, barracks, guard towers, etc. Units include, grenade and rocket infantry, humm-vees, stealth tanks, etc. Multiplayer support is added for games via modem or networks. Westwood also added tons of realistic sound effects and origional music tracks that add to the excitement! Plus, video mission briefings and animation! So pick a side, build fast, and destroy quick, because Command & Conquer is a very fast paced realtime war strategy game!

Roots & Influences

The engine used for action in Command & Conquer is the exact engine the designers used in the original Dune. This use of real-time strategy in a war game is one of the first instances of this mode in computer war games.

Review: Overall

Command & Conquer is the game that made real-time strategy war games popular. This is such a fast paced game and there is so much action at any given time on the screen that keeping up could give you a slight case of carpal tunnel syndrome! The sound effects of explosions and troops getting killed adds to the realism of the game. The sound of one of your infantry getting his bones crushed from a harvester will make you cringe and the music score is awesome!

The video mission briefings that use live actors (no one famous, though) get you involved in the storyline and prepare you for your mission. A wide assortment of structures to build and units to put together and train gives you a nice-sized army to control. But, don't get carried away as this is a strategy game and time counts. Diversify your troops and position them accordingly or pay for your mistakes. The graphics could be a bit clearer but the isometric view is perfect for keeping tabs on your troops.



Overall, this is an extremely fun game to play as evidenced by its worldwide popularity. The replay value is good unless you don't have a lot of friends. Once you're done with the missions on both CD-ROMs, you probably won't enjoy going through them again. But there are plenty of missions and you can add more missions with the add-on pack Command & Conquer: Covert Operations. The best part of the game, however, is whipping up on your friends via modem or LAN (local area network).

Command & Conquer is one of the pioneers in real-time strategy gaming and a must for any serious war game fan.

Review: Enjoyment

The game that starts it all is usually the best.

Review: Graphics

The top down angle helps, could use a little more detail.

Review: Sound

Are troops really getting killed? The music tracks get you pumped.

Review: Replay Value

Once you are done with the missions, just destroy your friends.

Review: Documentation

The building hierarchy reference cards are a great tool for beginners!

Production Credits

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