Command & Conquer Remastered Review: A Classic Gets An Update.
Having played the original Command & Conquer games, I was surprisingly excited to play the remaster. This was an unusual feeling for me to have, I thought. A game released 25 years ago that was a staple of my childhood game playing days, surely wouldn’t live up to my huge expectations and feelings of nostalgia. Many games over the last few years have had that remaster hype but have they really lived up to expectation? Did they really match that feeling we had playing them when we were younger? Could any game do that?
Yes, yes they could. Well, this one could.
No, it has.
Building In Progress
The Command & Conquer Remastered Collection contains two games: Command & Conquer Tiberium Dawn and Command and Conquer Red Alert. Also included are their respective expansions giving you access to over 100 mission. Previously these were only available on the console version of the games. These were the original games in the series coming out in 1995 and 1996 respectively. Quickly becoming pillars of the RTS (Real Time Strategy) genre, the games proved challenging and engaging with inventive unit choices and a wacky but compelling story. None of this has changed with the remaster and to see it all skillfully up-scaled to a higher resolution with remastered audio and up-scaled cinematics, is a real joy.
Reinforcements Have Arrived
Originally announced in 2018, Command & Conquer Remastered has been a long time coming. Some of the original team from the now defunct Westwood Studios jumped back on board and you can really see, and feel, the love that they have put into the remaster. Every unit, structure and animation has been completely rebuilt using the original source code. This includes the option to switch between the original ‘legacy’ graphics and the new modern graphics on the fly by pressing the space bar. Or in my case, gleefully mashing it for the first 5 minutes like a giddy child watching the graphics bounce between the two.
But wait, there’s more. To begin with, an updated User Interface (UI) reduces scrolling and means that new players joining the series for the first time will find it more in line with modern RTS games. Updated mouse control and camera movement make everything a bit more user friendly alongside the welcome addition of hot-key customisation. As previously mentioned, the sound is fantastic and you can choose between listening to the original music or the remaster as a part of the jukebox option to play any song to your heart’s content.
Find me a better song to storm an enemy base to than Hell March.
I dare you.
Moving Out
Then there’s the multiplayer. Access to at least 250 maps allowing you to setup games as you wish with customisable game rules for quick skirmishes or more lengthy ground out wars. Developers have also promised dedicated servers to help with reliable connections and to keep a close eye on cheating. Play against bots on a range of difficulties or go head to head with people online. So far we have found this experience to be a fast and furious one but definitely fun. If there’s one word to describe this remaster, it’s definitely fun.
Welcome Back Commander
Loading up the games for the first time recreates the original installation videos bringing with it an update in graphics, recreated in 4k. At this point, I was completely sure that the £17.99 I paid was going to be completely worth it. And then the music started. The music in the original games was a huge part of the playing experience. But hearing the remastered audio kick in brought back all my memories of the games and ramped my nostalgia meter up to 11.
It is clear that the heart of the original games had been kept intact. This was immediately evident as soon as I booted up the game for the first time. This is a remaster done right. Taking everything that made these games great and adding in a sprinkling of key features for a more modern Command & Conquer experience. A game that is true to the originals but adds enough to keep players, old and new, returning for more.
Mission Accomplished
This remaster really is a love letter to veterans of the series. This is especially highlighted by the inclusion of so many extras. Exclusive content such as behind the scenes clips and comparisons as well as releasing the source code to the modding community. This means that mods and alterations will allow fans to create whole new versions of their favourite game.
Ultimately, Command & Conquer: The Remastered Collection is a gift to the fans but also an excellent way for new players to experience one of the greatest game series of all time. Buy it, you won’t regret it.
Oh, and did I mention that this was an EA game?
