Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight Review

Command & Conquer is one of the most venerable franchises in video games, and many believe it's single-handedly responsible for thrusting the real-time strategy genre into the limelight. There had been other titles before, like Dune II, but the original Command & Conquer just had an air about it, and ever since that original title, which was released some 15 years ago, it's grown by epic proportions. All good things must come to an end though, and Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight is supposed to mark the resolution of Kane's story-arch.

The world is in dire straights, as the tiberium infestation has gone beyond critical levels. It's so bad that even Kane, who helped to exacerbate the problem in previous games, cannot ignore it and he comes to the GDI with a solution to the problem. Players take control, as has become common, of a random general who was injured in a previous conflict between GDI and NOD forces. To help save their life, they were they were given an optical implant, one of only a few in the world. They initially work for the GDI forces, providing a huge morale boost to forces, but after a few missions they are given a choice: side with Kane and join the Brotherhood, or continue serving Colonel James and the GDI.

Considering this is supposed to be the grand exit from the stage for Kane, the story is actually pretty limp. The acting and cutscenes are what fans will have come to expect, and Kane's presence throughout the story is definitely apparent. The ending though, really doesn't give Kane the exit he deserves, although it is perfectly in tune with the quality of the campaign that came before it. It's a much smaller campaign than many would probably expect and due to the many gameplay changes, it doesn't really pose much of a strategic dilemma either.

Many of Command & Conquer's most defining features have simply been removed. There is essentially no base building, no resource refining and strict limitations on unit numbers. Instead, players now have a mobile base, called a Crawler, and command point restrictions on unit/structure building. It means that everything has really been toned down in size - it's no longer possible to stockpile huge amounts of resources and amass a huge army to obliterate the opposition. It makes the game feel more like taking control of a commando strike force, than taking control of an army. Units just move from spot to spot, as objectives are completed, and if units are destroyed, a temporary base camp is setup so they can be replaced.

It's made slightly more interesting by the different types of Crawler available. Players can either choose to use offensive ground-based units, play as a defensive type, which enables to them make structures like turrets (in designated areas) or they can use the support type, which allows for the creation of aerial units while offering abilities, from both a healing and damage dealing perspective. As players progress, they will also unlock new units, upgrades and abilities, which will further enhance the pros and cons of each class type. It's really up to the player which type they want to use, and it's also possible to change Crawler type during missions.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with developers trying something new, and innovation is borne out of taking risks. However, the design changes here have really not had a positive impact on the series. It's made Command & Conquer 4 feel like a game that was made for a console, not a PC, and considering the magnitude of the title, it's really quite disappointing. What's also disappointing, and strange, is that a persistent internet connection is required to play the game at all times, even for the offline modes. It means that during a mission, if the internet drops out, no progress will be registered even if the mission is completed. It's extremely baffling - why penalise people who are specifically interested in playing the game offline?

As a positive though, the online modes present are actually quite nice, and make the new design choices a bit more bearable - specifically with regards to skirmish. Tactics and micromanagement of the resources available are much more important here, as allies are also present. It means that playing as different Crawlers can actually have an impact and working together as a team becomes more important. It's also a much more enjoyable way to level up and unlock more unit types. There are still limitations though and while things can still get quite busy, overall it just feels a bit small and diluted.

Audio has really been taken seriously with this installment and Nick Laviers, the audio director of Command & Conquer 4, really wanted to create a positive experience for players. There are three main composers (James Graves, Jim Hannigan and Tim Wynn), who all had their own responsibilities. The goal was to create a different feel for the GDI and NOD campaigns, while also maintaining a suitable balance with the interstitial content. It works really well, and the main theme is extremely powerful.

The skirmish mode makes the game have an extended replay value, which makes up for the two disappointingly short and limp campaigns. It is possible to play the campaign co-operatively, but it doesn't really add much and most of the time each of the players end up doing their own task, as opposed to actually working together. Achievements and player levels also help to add a sense of accomplishment, allowing for more units and abilities to be unlocked.