Let’s boot up Red Alert, the second game in the Command & Conquer series and the progenitor of many, many things to come after. If you’ve watched my review on Tiberian Dawn, then a lot of what I’m about to say might sound familiar, which makes a lot of sense because Red Alert is in itself very similar to that original game. No doubt attributed at least somewhat to the fact that it was released only 14 months after its predecessor in November of 1996. So admittedly, I did have a few preconceptions of the game before I got into it. If you remember my conclusion on Tiberian Dawn, I described it as being old, hard to get running, and ultimately not worth your time unless you had some very extenuating circumstances for doing so.
So, I was somewhat expecting to find the same thing here, but let’s not spoil it just yet, where’s the fun in that?
How it started
Red Alert is sort of positioned as a prequel to Tiberian Dawn, which we’ll talk more about soon, and as such, it takes place quite far back in the past, starting in 1946 and continuing into the 1950s. It’s really quite a simple narrative to grasp. It’s 1946, and Albert Einstein has a real smart idea – let’s travel back in time, kill Hitler, and prevent all of World War 2.
Seems easy enough, right? So, Einstein goes back to 1924, creates a time paradox and returns to the present day, only to find that due to the lack of a powerful enemy, there’s no superpower rivalry and thus, no cold war.
In Germany, the USSR has grown enormous, which leads to war between them and the unified Allied nations of Europe. Like the previous game, Red Alert features two playable campaigns, one for the Soviets and one for the Allies, each leading to a different ending of the game’s story.
But here, it’s not quite as simple as which ending is canonical and which one is not. As I said earlier, Red Alert was positioned as a prequel to the entire Tiberium saga, but it ended up actually being the genesis of two series, with the second obviously being the Future Alert games. So while it has been debated, I think this is the generally accepted idea: Red Alert can end with either the Soviets or the Allies winning.
And an Allied victory is generally agreed upon as canon. From there, it splits into two timelines: the one in Tiberian Dawn and the one in Red Alert. There is also a theory that the Tiberium saga is actually a continuation of a Soviet victory in Red Alert, but I’ll leave that for you to read up on yourself. Either way, it’s a cool way to tie the series together and also leaves a lot of potential for future games to revisit different conclusions, like a real Red Alert game being set after a Soviet victory over the Allies. That story, in particular, would be very exciting as the final cutscene in the Soviet campaign reveals that the USSR is not done expanding its empire.
It seems that someone is acting like a puppet for the Brotherhood of Nod. They have come secretly to take control, and this could change the way we view Tiberium dawn. Instead of being a massive, threatening superpower, we may be seen as a relatively small guerrilla force. However, let’s focus on the topic at hand.
full motion video cutscenes
Red Alert has the classic full motion video cutscenes that we know and love. When playing it after Tiberian dawn, there is a clear distinction in the quality of the cutscenes. They are more intricate, have more detail, and are overall more varied. Some people find it hilarious how nearly every element has been digitally added.
Apart from the actors and actresses, even the floor could have looked better if they had used practical elements. Nevertheless, it’s clear that the second game takes itself a lot less seriously than the first. The story and acting feel more like the later entries in the series, with their cheesy nature. Some scenes are so bad that they’re actually good, which adds to the overall level of quality.
Old but good
Despite the outdated graphics, the game manages to maintain a sense of familiarity. Compared to Tiberian Dawn, there’s something about it that’s hard to pinpoint. Although it’s obvious that the graphics are not as good, there is still a certain charm to them that keeps the game enjoyable.
When compared to a modern title, the graphics in this game might seem lacking. However, they are still a significant upgrade from what we had before. The user interface is less obnoxious, with more detail, and everything feels more alive. It’s hard to explain, but maybe it’s because the units have more moving elements or the effects are more varied. Whatever the reason, the graphics are a lot less of an issue than they were for me in Tiberian Dawn.
Soundtrack is amazing
Speaking of timeless elements, the soundtrack in this game is excellent. In my opinion, it’s one of the best in the series so far. I feel like I’m going to keep repeating myself, but it’s worth mentioning that the early CNC games had great soundtracks. This game is where Hell March made its debut, and there’s not much more I need to say about it than that.
The feature to choose your current track also returns, so you’re free to play any track you like. This means that you can just leave your favorite track on repeat, like I’m sure everyone has done at some point (don’t try to deny it). They have really aligned themselves, as we’ve covered.
Presentation
In terms of presentation, Red Alert is a solid improvement on its predecessor. Although the core is quite familiar, you would be right in assuming that the gameplay is in the same boat as its predecessor.
There are two factions available to play: the previously mentioned Allies and Soviets. While they aren’t hugely varied in terms of gameplay styles, they do have unique traits, strengths, and weaknesses that make them stand out. However, at the base level, it is quite similar to Tiberian Dawn. There is a singular resource, which is harvested exactly the same way as Tiberium in that game. You also generate electricity through power stations, which is required.
Units and buildings
The in-game mini-map and base building functions are similar between factions, but their variety comes from the units they field and the tactics they employ. While the construction buildings and infantry troops are mostly unchanged, aside from a few special units like the Allied medic and Soviet attack dog, the vehicle loadouts are almost completely unique. They feature a huge variety of different kinds of tanks, aircraft, and ships, and each side follows a general theme. The Soviets have more powerful units overall, especially in the tank department, while the Allies are faster, more adaptable, and have a far superior naval force. No matter which side you choose, you’ll be able to use a ton of really cool units, like the Allied Longbow Helicopter or the first iteration of the familiar Mammoth Tank on the Soviet side. However, as this is set in a semi-sort of historical 1950s, there is a theme to each faction’s units.
While Red Alert features some crazy elements like the Tesla coil and flame tower, it doesn’t go completely off the deep end like later games in the series. You won’t see hover tanks or sonar-firing attack dolphins in this game.
However, like Tiberian Dawn, the combat in Red Alert lacks depth. The main strategy is to throw units at your opponent and counter their forces with your own. The only nuanced mechanics come from aircraft, which require rearming at air bases to replenish their ammunition. But there are no special abilities or upgrades available for your units, like in the early CNC games.
It’s difficult to determine which building unlocks specific units or how to navigate the tree to reach them. I can already hear someone typing in the comments, “The game came with a menual upon release.” Yes, I understand that, but that was during the initial release. If you were to download the game today, you wouldn’t have the same experience. This is worth mentioning, and it’s surprising that it’s taken me so long to bring it up.
Skirmish is present
On the bright side, unlike A Barren Dawn, red alert has a skirmish mode that was previously lacking. This feature alone greatly enhances the game’s modern feel, despite the limited options available when creating a game.
Play on mordern systems
Red alert is much more enjoyable to play than its predecessor, and the primary reason for this is likely its simplicity when it comes to setup. As you may recall from my Tiberian Dawn review, this makes me incredibly happy. The game trailer was released by EA as freeware software in 2008, meaning you can download and play it at no cost, and the process is very straightforward. Here’s what I suggest: go to this thread, download the installer from C&C Knit, and then start playing. It’s really that simple. The installer includes all the necessary patches and fixes, so you won’t encounter any issues.
For me, using a modern system made it difficult to get this game running. However, I found that using VRC and SEEN made multiplayer setup easy. Even if you’re only interested in playing the campaign or skirmish modes, it’s still the best approach as you can access these parts of the game separately, as intended by the developers. It’s wonderful to be able to play this game so easily, without any hassle. The numerous improvements from the previous game make it much more enjoyable and straightforward to play it now.
Conclussion
I’m thrilled to report that I was pleasantly surprised by my experience playing Red Alert. Going in, I had preconceptions based on my previous experiences with Tiberian Dawn and Tobira, both of which I forgot about surprisingly quickly. I found myself having fun and getting lost in the game, even forgetting that I was recording. It’s difficult to explain why, but the game looks and plays similarly to Tiberian Dawn, yet with enough advancements and new features to make it much easier to play.
From the detailed environments to the entertaining FMV cutscenes and the addition of the skirmish mode, these may seem like small details on their own, but together they make for a game that, despite being almost as old as I am, is still really enjoyable to play. The icing on the cake is its modern compatibility, thanks to the guys at C&C SEEN IT who have done a great job making it easy to install and play. If you’ve never played the original Red Alert, or even if you have and want to revisit it, there’s a link in the description for where to download it. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially those who can’t handle the outdated graphics, I think most people will find it a good time.
Leave a Reply