Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 Expansion: Yuri's Revenge Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Sometimes, the expansion pack is not all that it is cracked up to be, and many times, designers will put out an expansion pack laced with a few new units just to make you pay for their patch because they got so many things wrong with the original game.
However, this time, the expansion pack could stand on its own. Yuri's Revenge would be a stand-alone if the single player campaigns were longer. Only 7 missions per side, but this isn't all that bad, considering that the missions are much harder now with Yuri's side now being the advisary. Needless to say, expect to replay a few of these missions. Even the veterans will have a little trouble figuring out the best methods to defeat Yuri.
Some of the new additions are nice. The Allies finally have a heavy hitting Tank called the Battlefortress that can garrison 5 units. It can even crush other tanks and walls! Floating robot tanks also are new. The Soviets have a new building that will allow their production costs to decrease while their speed increases. The Spy Plane is also back.
But the main feature of the game is the addition of the new side, Yuri's forces. They are mostly mind-controlling units or such as the like. Be warned: If you get into a shooting match with the Allies or Soviets while playing Yuri, you will lose. The key with Yuri's units is to take full advantage of the mind-control technique. You will even have defensive structures that will mind control units that come close to your base. This makes for an extrememly fortified base, though be warned that not all units can be controled.
Overall, the new units in this game are very nice. The new movie sequences are much better than the original RA2 movies. The opening sequence is especially nicely done. The cheesy sequences are also fewer and far between now. Westwood sure did a nice job with this. Very good touch.
This is a great expansion pack, much like what the Brood War was to Star Craft and The Conquerors was to AOE II. If you have RA2, don't even bother playing this demo first. Go ahead and buy it because it will be the rage very soon in the online strategy gaming front.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 Expansion: Yuri's Revenge

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, Yuri's Revenge sets a new standard for expansion packs in both what it adds to the game and how it changes the way you play it. The world is once again on the brink of apocalypse. Yuri, the brilliant and powerful psychic warrior, has rebelled against his former Soviet masters and launched his own scheme to control the world. He's armed with cruel technologies, exotic weapons, and mind-controlling devices that have enslaved entire cities.
In single play, gamers can choose to command the Allies and crush this new threat to freedom, or choose to lead the Soviets and punish this would-be usurper of the Soviet global vision. In multiplayer mode, you'll command Yuri's devastating army using devious weapons based on forbidden technologies: psychic thought, genetics, and cloning. See your brutes flip over tanks with their bare hands, unleash your dominator and control scores of enemy troops, or use a virus to infect opposing forces foolish enough to resist you. With 10 new cooperative missions, gamers have more interesting options than just fighting head-to-head. An improved multiplayer and tournament interface will make it easier than ever to find opponents and allies.
Both the Allied and Soviet armies get new, powerful weapons. The Allies boast aRobot Control Center and Chrono Prison. Amongst the new Soviet weaponry is the Siege Chopper and Boris, a machine-gun-toting commando that can call down laser-guided bombing strikes. The high-quality in-game movies tell the story of Yuri and his insidious plot. The popular characters of Red Alert 2, such as Tanya and Romanov, are back to wage war in cities around the world, including London, Cairo, and San Francisco.

Click here for more information about Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 Expansion: Yuri's Revenge

Read More...

Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour Expansion Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Although Generals added a new standard of graphics and several new and interesting departures from the original C&C game design, it was something less than revolutionary. Zero Hour goes a long way toward addressing this issue, and really turns Generals into a completely new game.
The expansion adds a new campaign for each side, with about 5 missions each. The campaign is interesting, and adds a few new elements, but is actually not the best part of the expansion. There are full motion video cutscenes (reporters talking about what's going on) to add some depth to the story, which is pretty straightforward stuff that could happen sometime in the near future (though we hope not). The missions add unique buildings and locations, all well done, as well as objectives that are pretty fun to carry out. Some of them are quite difficult, and there are a few stealth commando missions that Generals sadly lacked. There's also some campaign-only powers, such as the ability to call in battleship artillery and carrier strikes in one of the USA missions.
The real meat of the expansion starts with the new units and upgrades. Each side has new things, some of which go a long way toward filling holes in the armies' capabilities. China, for example, gets some much-needed surveillance by way of the Internet Center, and a worthwhile stealth detector in the Listening Post. Frenzy, a new general power, increases the firepower and armor of units for a brief time. China also gets added airborne firepower with the Helix and the ability to carpet bomb. The GLA gets several low-tech solutions, most of which are still geared toward outmaneuvering rather than outgunning the opposition. The Battle Bus, however, can pack quite a punch in a frontline role. Fake structures, a sometimes-useful throwback from Red Alert, can also be purchased. More interestingly, they can be upgraded into real ones, which is a nice way to play with an opponent's mind. The USA gets a powerful base defense with the Fire Base, which is garrisonable, effective against infantry, and doesn't need power to shoot. They also get a mobile anti-air unit in the Avenger, making it unnecessary for you to bring weak Missile Defender-packed Humvees along in future battles. Three new tech structures are also added- the Repair Bay (repairs all your ground units), Artillery Platform (shoots at enemies with a howitzer), and Reinforcement Pad (produces a tank on a countdown).
The upgrades and units are standard expansion fare, but Zero Hour adds something else- new generals, each with their own combat styles, units and powers, and personalities. There are three for each side- Air Force, Lasers, and Superweapons for the USA; Toxins, Camouflage, and Demolitions for the GLA; and Nukes, Tanks, and Infantry for China. Each of these has a doctrine that you must adhere to if you wish to use them effectively, and have weaknesses that hold you to it. For example, the US Air Force general cannot make tanks, but has aircraft cost reduced, unique and better air units, and a point defense laser on all airplanes that along with the standard countermeasures upgrade makes them practically immune to missile fire. China's tank general can build the Emperor Overlord, which is the newest and baddest vehicle on the ground. The GLA camouflage general can make literally everything invisible to the unaided eye, and turns the GLA into a real guerilla army (his Scud Storms are especially scary). All of these generals can be used in skirmish or multiplay, and there is a special 'generals challenge' campaign in which you pick one and play against all others. Your opponent is always on territory that favors their doctrine, and it can get pretty tough. This is a great way to accustom yourself to the various generals and pick your favorite, and is also quite fun since your opponents continuously taunt you during the games.
It's worth mentioning that several nice tweaks have been added to the engine. For example, fighters on an airbase will automatically attack nearby enemies, and both superweapons and scouting powers (e.g. radar van scans) appear as a sidebar icon with a number indicating how many are ready, if it's more than one. This makes it no longer necessary to separately hotkey practically every unit you have. Multiplayer options have been added, such as how much cash to start with, and no superweapons. The already excellent graphics have been improved, with even more fantastic fireballs, flotsam and jetsam, and better water effects. The result is undoubtedly the most graphically appealing RTS out there, though you might need a new video card if you want to run at max detail.
In summary, Zero Hour is for all intents and purposes a completely new game. Some have argued that it is what Generals should have been from the start, but I'm glad EA took the time to do a good job on this rather than rushing it for release. I honestly have no complaints about the expansion- it's one of the best ones I've seen for any game. It's a definite must for any Generals fan, and even if you weren't overly impressed with Generals, Zero Hour might just change your opinion.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour Expansion Pack

Command & Conquer Generals: Zero Hour challenges you to face off against other military leaders using the most advanced arsenal in history!

Click here for more information about Command and Conquer Generals: Zero Hour Expansion Pack

Read More...

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I generally do not like expansions. They used to be additions only very successful games got to have. Nowadays they are mostly the...other half of the game the publisher withheld when selling us half the original for $50! C&C:KANE's WRATH is a rare exception that brings new dimensions to an already great game!
Story-wise, although an expansion, this is somewhat of a prequel to C&C3-TIBERIUM WARS, as it is set on the history of NOD, starting off just after the 2nd Tiberium War and continuing well past the 3rd.
There is a big campaign comprising of 13 single player missions, new units and upgrades and a new (a la RISE OF NATIONS) Global Conquest mode, that can turn C&C3 into a Turn-Based game! What make this REALLY interesting are the six subfactions, each with its special units, strengths and weaknesses. Not to worry, all GDI, NOD and Scrin get their own off-shooting factions.
On the opposite ends of the spectrum, there is Reaper-17 (a Scrin sub-faction): with hard-hitting and powerful offensive options; and then there is Traveler-59 (also a Scrin offshoot): a much more devious faction that relies on mind control of humans (remember how much fun Yuri's Revenge? was). In between, GDI's (retro) Steel Talons and (futuristic) ZoCom and NOD's (mind-benders) Black Hand and (cyborgs galore) Mark of Kane.
Production of the new epic-units can tip the battlefield scales dramatically. Most are not only devastating but are pretty hard to take down too. GDI gets the MARV [Mammoth Armed Reclamation Vehicle], a souped-up triple-barreled tank; NOD gets the Redeemer, an augmented killer avatar; whereas, Scrin get the Eradicator Hexapod, a impressive six-legged mech.
Revamped units, such as the Shard Walker or the Reaper Tripod, or back-to-the-drawing-board units, such as the Prodigy or the Ravager all add to a renewed experience. Moreover, as a long-time C&C fan, I particularly enjoyed the reappearance of good-ol' units such as Titans and Wolverines on the side of GDI!
The graphics are beautiful, the physics detailed and the explosions and beam-weapons spectacular! Don't forget to turn on the volume on those speakers, because this is a total immersion experience.
As with the original: it misses the 5th star for fun because one cannot hold a battle formation while moving. As most units move at different paces (and although the AI has improved they keep bumping on each other), this results in the more agile, yet vulnerable, units having to face the enemy first - a short-lived sight... May be the next C&C (say, RED ALERT 3) could have some TOTAL WAR infused into it, with battle formations options.
If you are boycotting SecuROM you should know that it is the copy-protection used (nevertheless, it is the usual version used in the original C&C3-TW as well, coming nowhere near the BIOSHOCK RootKit madness!). I usually withhold at least one rating star because of such security inconveniences. However, I enjoyed the game so much that I was willing to overlook it. On the other hand, since it is important for a great number of Amazon customers, I have to mention it for the sake of a well informed decision.
Finally, be advised that this is an expansion and, yes, you do need the original C&C3: TIBERIUM WARS to play it. If you do not have it, take note that there is a pack available, including both original game and expansion (the prices fluctuate so make sure to get the best deal).
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath

In the name of Kane! The Command & Conquer™ series continues to thrive with Command & Conquer™ 3: Kane's Wrath. As the expansion pack to the critically-acclaimed and fan favorite, Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars™, this Real-time Strategy (RTS) game returns to the Tiberium Universe with Kane at the center of an epic new single player campaign spanning 20 years – from the rebirth of the Brotherhood of Nod after the Second Tiberium War through the dramatic events of the Third Tiberium War and beyond. This story will be told through a new set of high-definition, live action video sequences starring a celebrity cast including Joe Kucan, playing the megalomaniac leader of the Brotherhood of Nod, alongside new talent Natasha Henstridge and Carl Lumbly. With your help, Commander, the Dark Messiah may rise again!

Get 44% OFF

Click here for more information about Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath

Read More...