Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Kane Edition

Command and Conquer 3 is the latest in the long running C&C series. With a reputation for producing games with more polish than a Victorian bedstead, can Electronic Art’s latest offering also deliver that all important device, fun?

It’s immediately apparent when playing the game that a lot of care and attention has gone into C&C 3. The low budget days of former C&C games are gone and instead we’re treated to high quality acting from science fiction stalwarts such as Billy Dee Williams and newcomers like Lost’s Josh Holloway. While their performances are a little tongue-in-cheek, they still make you believe that the fate of the free world is indeed at stake. The in-game presentation doesn’t disappoint either, with flames scorching buildings, and alien lasers making just the right zap noises.

However, it seems that EA spent more time making the game look good than they did making it fun. The single player campaign has wild difficulty spikes; one mission will be child’s play while the next requires Machiavellian cunning. Instead of working on the AI, EA have chosen to make missions more difficult by the quite frankly outdated mechanic of giving the enemies a huge financial or tactical bonus at the beginning of each mission. It’s a tired device and one which has been dropped from most similar games.

Both original factions, the NOD and the GDI, make a return, and are joined by a new group, the SCRIN. I had feared that a third team had been shoehorned in as an attempt to tick one more box on the features list, but they add nicely to the rock-paper-scissors style of gameplay. The well developed sides make multiplayer games more engaging, while innovative features such as the ability to commentate other players' matches and to view and record match replays allow an unprecedented level of post match analysis. If you fancy yourself a potential John Motson or Sue Barker then this is your chance to break into the world of video games commentating.

C&C 3 gets top marks for presentation. The gameplay is solid, but not revolutionary. The main strength is in the story and how it’s presented. Series fans should definitely consider buying this game for the bonus content as well, which includes exclusive unit skins, a "making of" dvd and various strategy videos. However, non science fiction fans and hardcore strategy players may wish to look elsewhere for their fix.