Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 [PC]

Will the good games never stop? Even in the midst of one of the strongest months EA has had on the PC in a while, they've managed to add even more happiness to our lives with the delivery of the Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 beta. We, along with loads of Fileplanet subscribers, have been having a blast with this all week and have finally been given the go ahead to post our initial impressions of the game. And after you're done reading, head over to GameSpy for even more information.

The experience of playing is quite fun, even when you consider all the extremely tough opponents who think it's hilarious to start games called "Noob Training" or "Beginners Welcome." There hasn't been any shortage of games or opponents during the hours that we've been playing, and with a handy match search and password function, it's remarkably easy to set up games for your friends.

The basic mechanics and style of the C&C world have been maintained here but there are also plenty of surprises that make it feel fresh and new. As with previous games in the C&C universe, you can get a substantial head start on your opposition by aggressively setting up lots of resource collectors and garrisoning key buildings along your enemy's likely avenue of approach. With a steady stream of cash coming in and some fortified positions that can slow your enemy's advance, you'll have enough room to build up to the more powerful units at the higher end of the game's tech tree.

The tongue-in-cheek humor of the series is preserved here in the form of scout dolphins, psychokinetic Japanese schoolgirls, and the oft-referenced parachuting bears. But you'll also find plenty to snigger at in the game's finer points. We particularly like the Wave Force Artillery's quick reload function, Premature Discharge.

If you're playing the current crop of RTS games you'll be right at home with Red Alert's control scheme and you can even set left-click as the main order button for an old school kind of feel. To make gameplay a lot easier, the designers have included tabs under the minimap so you can instantly access the build options for any of your structures without having to go back to your base. You can set rally points, garrison buildings and group units just like you could in the previous game. You can even select portraits of your selected units along the right edge of the screen to gain access to their special abilities. This is a definite help when you're leading a big force in battle and want to trigger specific moves without having to reselect the entire group when you're done.

There are two maps available in the beta: Cabana Republic and Roundhouse Redux. Cabana Republic is a small rectangular island with both players set up at opposite corners along the southern edge. In between the two starting areas is a strip of land bordered by cliffs on the north and the sea on the south. In this corridor you'll find a large city with loads of buildings you can fortify and a hospital you can capture. If you can get and hold this city (and toss a few anti-air units in the green square inside the city), you can hold back all but the most fervent enemy attacks. A few small cabanas by the water give you a chance to take some pot shots at any potential naval invasion as well.

On the other side of the cliffs to the north you'll find a secondary route that's a bit more wide open. Though the city and its hospital are the key strategic attractions here, you don't want to neglect this northern side of the island because there are resources and oil outposts ripe for the plucking. To help maintain your awareness of this area, there are also a number of observation posts you can capture. These are particularly helpful if your enemy decides to get sneaky and send his naval forces up around the island to come down on your from the north.

Whatever tactics you choose, there are tons of resources all over the island so a player who can take an early economic lead and hold it won't ever have to worry about running out of cash.

The other map, Roundhouse Redux, is a four-player affair with each player starting in the four sides of a large diamond shaped island. The middle of the island has a large plateau that can be reached via ramps located between each of the players' starting locations. There are loads of islands all around that offer up oil derricks, dry docks and other resource locations. There's not a lot of great stuff on the plateau, so players may be tempted to head out to see to grab all the goodies they can find. But since the central plateau has a number of observation towers and buildings, it makes a tempting strongpoint for players who want to take the fight directly to the enemy.

Not counting Yuri and his cronies, this is the first time a Red Alert game has featured three full factions and the Asian themed newcomers are a great addition to the series. The Rising Sun has a really interesting design, both in terms of the visual style and abilities. To begin, their structures begin as vehicles that can be placed anywhere they can drive. They can build their Dojo right off the bat, giving them early access to their basic infantry units, including the Tank Buster who has the amazing Spider Burrow ability that lets them dig into the ground to avoid being crushed by enemy vehicles. The Dojo also grants immediate access to the Engineer unit, which lets the Rising Sun seize neutral structures, right from the start. After a single structure upgrade, the Dojo can also produce amphibious anti-infantry ninjas who use smoke bombs to hide from their enemies.