I think this is a brilliant strategy. Many people avoid RTS games because of the learning curve, but if the investment is zero, people will try it and face it, its not like EA was rolling in dough because of the $4.99 they were pulling in from the occasional classic CNC sale. It gives them a chance to generate some new RTS fans that could lead increased popularity of one of their core IP's. Why not? Its not often you get to say this, but good call EA!
I tried playing Zero Hour a few times, but somehow my game CDs didn't have the software to allow me to do multiplayer over the internet. What can I expect for $13 on eBay?
I never played the C&C games but I've always wanted to, I was always stuck in Age of the Empires, Starcraft, Settlers 2, Civ and the Caesar/Pharaoh/etc. city builder franchises back in the day of these games. I'm planning on downloading these and giving them a go.
I'd have to say C&C: Red Alert 2 was the best C&C game, which unfortunately is missing from the free download offerings, but C&C Generals was a pretty cool game at the time.
I loved the first ones back on PS1, ill be grabbing this when i get home.
Good to know I wasn't the only person who's first C&C experience was on the Playstation! My brother and I played the crap out of C&C and Red Alert on PS1. We even would use the link cable for a two player comp stomp on Red Alert. So many hours spent in that game, so of my favorite memories of gaming growing up.
I'll gladly dig into the games again to see how they've aged, it has been a very long time.
Thrax and Colgere, I have to disagree with you guys. Though I am anxious to see how the story finally finishes, I hate the gameplay mechanics changes that they have made with C&C4. They should have never messed with the resource management. C&C has been defined by collection based resource management, not the capture and hold method that every single other RTS these days seems to have employed. So much for throwing conformity to the curb.
UNF: I love Command and Conquer. First big time PC game I ever played, and the one that got me hooked on RTSes. I've always enjoyed the Red Alert arc more than the Kane arc but it's still good solid gaming. This would be great if I didn't already own the Decade pack. I'm probably the only person you'll find who actually liked CnC: Renegade too, I played that game through a dozen times, it was so fun.
ABSOLUTELY LOVE the games, but HATE and WILL NOT BUY 'activation required' software. Be warned EA, Command And Conquer 4 will be the second game in the series I WILL NOT BUY.
chrisWhite, remember start with the first one. I tend not to want to go back after trying the newer games in the series, ... until RA2 that is. +2
random edit thought #1:
Dang Generals was easy to beat, it was like watching a movie destroy the enemy for you, on "hardest"
random edit thought #2:
Ah... Command And Conquer turbo speed tiberium growth.
random edit thought #3:
Red Alert has terrible graphics, and was my least played, because I played RA2 first.
random edit thought #4:
EA a buggy mess up of ..yes.. my beloved franchise, too!
random edit thought #5:
Used scratched up CnC expansion for $1, best used game I ever purchased. ...Back when you could feel good about buying a used game. ..w/o serial numbers.
random edit thought #6:
Hey, I tried to like Renegade, I just had a slow computer at the time and couldn't stand the terrible frame rates. I should actually try to beat that one of these days...
random edit thought #7:
Hitler .. 2 seconds later .. "You are banned"
random edit thought #8:
The online RA2 loading screen is as important to win as the game itself.
random edit thought #9:
Custom maps are way better than Tour of Egypt!
random edit thought #10:
That time I took a nap, made a full dinner and ate, watched a tv show, went for a snowy drive, and still ended up winning that ridiculously long game, was just a slight showing of my talents.
People actually thought Generals was a good addition to the series? That game was absolutely terrible, IMO, and Zero Hour was the only saving grace to that particular release. It actually seemed to make Generals playable somehow.
I didn't mind Generals. It was a nice change of pace, but it wasn't really a C&C game in my mind. It was an RTS that EA forced out under the C&C name for instant brand recognition. At least in my mind that's what it was.
I thought the first ones: C&C and Red Alert were the best.
I absolutely hated Red Alert 2; the graphics were cartoony, the game seemed to run as if I was playing in "Fast Forward" mode and it was just plain silly. It ruined it all for me because it seemed so hopeful. Thankfully Tiberian Sun and Dawn were quite good and didn't follow the cartoon nature of the newer Red Alerts.
I found RA2 to be enjoyable overall... seems campy and cartoony was what they wer going for... my biggest qualm with it though was the fact that you could pretty much beat anything if you had enough GIs
I had a hard time completing Tiberian Sun - I considered it the most difficult C&C game (which was whenever it was released, which would put me back in elementary school). I've yet to replay it, but now that I've downloaded it...
I'm with you on that one NiGHTS. There was this one mission where you had to rescue some people from a prison camp that I could just never beat. I couldn't ever figure it out!
Tiberian Dawn (original c&c) is the most difficult. Probably has one of the most difficult single player campaigns in an RTS I have ever played. Tiberian Sun had some rough spots but Dawn was unforgiving in almost every sense of the word.
"Persistent Player Progression – The more enemy units you destroy, the more experience points you earn to progress your player profile! Level up to unlock new units, powers, and upgrades to make your army more powerful"
"Choose Your Class – Choose from three unique classes from both GDI and Nod, each with its own specialized units and powers, for more strategic and combative options that match your play style of choice! Offense, Defense, or Support classes—which will you pick?"
I'm with you on that one NiGHTS. There was this one mission where you had to rescue some people from a prison camp that I could just never beat. I couldn't ever figure it out!
I'm almost certain I gave up on that same exact level. You were outgunned by some mechs or something.
Agreed with Basil, original was my favorite and had one or two missions that were absolutely ludicrously difficult, but IMO overall easier to complete. One particular Tanya mission was more of a race through a fenced base to some box before getting killed than anything else.
Its weird hearing you guys say you played these on N64 and PS1, I played the original on the family PowerPC and honestly had no idea they even existed for console.
chrisWhite
Littleton, CO
Comments
I think it's atonement for the sin they are about to release.
^THIS
I never played the C&C games but I've always wanted to, I was always stuck in Age of the Empires, Starcraft, Settlers 2, Civ and the Caesar/Pharaoh/etc. city builder franchises back in the day of these games. I'm planning on downloading these and giving them a go.
Good to know I wasn't the only person who's first C&C experience was on the Playstation! My brother and I played the crap out of C&C and Red Alert on PS1. We even would use the link cable for a two player comp stomp on Red Alert. So many hours spent in that game, so of my favorite memories of gaming growing up.
I'll gladly dig into the games again to see how they've aged, it has been a very long time.
Thrax and Colgere, I have to disagree with you guys. Though I am anxious to see how the story finally finishes, I hate the gameplay mechanics changes that they have made with C&C4. They should have never messed with the resource management. C&C has been defined by collection based resource management, not the capture and hold method that every single other RTS these days seems to have employed. So much for throwing conformity to the curb.
Still need to get my hands on CnC3 though...
chrisWhite, remember start with the first one. I tend not to want to go back after trying the newer games in the series, ... until RA2 that is. +2
random edit thought #1:
Dang Generals was easy to beat, it was like watching a movie destroy the enemy for you, on "hardest"
random edit thought #2:
Ah... Command And Conquer turbo speed tiberium growth.
random edit thought #3:
Red Alert has terrible graphics, and was my least played, because I played RA2 first.
random edit thought #4:
EA a buggy mess up of ..yes.. my beloved franchise, too!
random edit thought #5:
Used scratched up CnC expansion for $1, best used game I ever purchased. ...Back when you could feel good about buying a used game. ..w/o serial numbers.
random edit thought #6:
Hey, I tried to like Renegade, I just had a slow computer at the time and couldn't stand the terrible frame rates. I should actually try to beat that one of these days...
random edit thought #7:
Hitler .. 2 seconds later .. "You are banned"
random edit thought #8:
The online RA2 loading screen is as important to win as the game itself.
random edit thought #9:
Custom maps are way better than Tour of Egypt!
random edit thought #10:
That time I took a nap, made a full dinner and ate, watched a tv show, went for a snowy drive, and still ended up winning that ridiculously long game, was just a slight showing of my talents.
+1
Not a bad game, but not C&C in anyway.
I absolutely hated Red Alert 2; the graphics were cartoony, the game seemed to run as if I was playing in "Fast Forward" mode and it was just plain silly. It ruined it all for me because it seemed so hopeful. Thankfully Tiberian Sun and Dawn were quite good and didn't follow the cartoon nature of the newer Red Alerts.
Anyone remember the NOD mission were you had to infiltrate a GDI base to rescue your MCV before you can even build anything?
Oh, and your entire army consisted of one stealth tank?
That said, it's still my favourite game ever and this takes pride of place on the wall of my man cave:
"Persistent Player Progression – The more enemy units you destroy, the more experience points you earn to progress your player profile! Level up to unlock new units, powers, and upgrades to make your army more powerful"
"Choose Your Class – Choose from three unique classes from both GDI and Nod, each with its own specialized units and powers, for more strategic and combative options that match your play style of choice! Offense, Defense, or Support classes—which will you pick?"
I'm almost certain I gave up on that same exact level. You were outgunned by some mechs or something.
Agreed with Basil, original was my favorite and had one or two missions that were absolutely ludicrously difficult, but IMO overall easier to complete. One particular Tanya mission was more of a race through a fenced base to some box before getting killed than anything else.
Its weird hearing you guys say you played these on N64 and PS1, I played the original on the family PowerPC and honestly had no idea they even existed for console.
I think you mean the commando there NiGHTS