A perfect successor for a classic title…
Much like the first classic title, the campaign once again revolves around a time machine especially built to take out an important figure in the past. The first title's time machine was built by Albert Einstein to take out Adolph Hitler, thus merging Germany's forces with the allies. In this game however, it is used by the Soviets to actually go back in time and take out Albert Einstein so that they (the Soviets) may reign superior in the future. Little did the Russians know that by doing this, not only did they un-harm the Allied forces in the world, but they also contributed in the creation of a new faction: The Empire of the Rising Sun. Without Einstein to create the infamous Atomic Bomb, Japan would have never been nuked, and it would later rise to become one of the world's most fearsome superpowers.
Unlike the old games, were you could once build a massive army of only one type of unit to overwhelm your opponent's base and annihilate it with one blow, this game focuses on your ability to control different units at one time to effectively defeat your enemy. No longer can you waste precious ore on a single unit, but you must evenly distribute it among the different units you wish to use. Ore is the primary resource in Red Alert 3. You will no longer find fields of gems to harvest, but ore mines for the harvesters to extract. Each station holds 60,000 units of it, so spend them wisely.
Building techniques have also changed, and each faction has a special way for expanding their bases. The Soviets build their structures in real time. Much like real life, were workers gather around to build a structure, the Soviets use this method of production but without the workers (of course). This however, only puts the structure in jeopardy, as it may be attacked by the opponents units while in production. The Allies' technique of building is of standard mechanic (classic), as a building can not be placed until fully completed in the build queue. The Empire however, adopts a new method of construction: You control movable structures called pods and unfurl them in a particular area to create your desired structure. This method requires a tad more micromanagement, but it is a much faster method when you need your defenses up and ready quickly.
What really makes this title stand out from its predecessors is the special ability mode. Each unit now has the ability to make further use of itself on the battlefield by using secondary methods of engagement or defense. This option clearly separates the men from the boys, as you must figure out how and when to effectively use them, which can turn the tide of the battle in seconds to your favor. The Empire's Mecha Tengus are a perfect example, due to the fact that they can switch from ground-to-ground to air-to-air methods of engagement.
One thing that really impressed me was the co-commander addition. You have the option to either play the campaign with a friend, or an A.I. Playing with your friend will no doubt add more spice to the over-all experience, but your friend won't always be there. The A.I is just there to engage randomly and buy you the time to build your base and forces while he wastes your resources. Yes, the ore is equally divided among both players. You can however, issue commands for the A.I to follow, and he will act accordingly. It is a first for the genre, and I'm sure other strategy games will adopt this method in the future.
Red Alert's visuals are sometimes bad for the eyes. But that's just me, as I prefer darker lights and easier brightness. None-the-less, it's this kind of graphics that have been used throughout every Red Alert game, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. The game however is not glitch-free. There have been a couple of times when units couldn't figure out how to steer away from obstacles, which made them stick to it. And ordering others to descend from higher to lower grounds sometimes confused them. The music is also worth a mention. You will be pleased to hear the classic soundtrack along with new ones.
Minor problems aside, Red Alert 3 is a game you can easily recommend to any person who loves the RTS genre. It's the kind of game that provides many hours of explosive game play at the expense of your time. You'll be entertained with the story and the main characters' cheesiness, and glued to the screen for hours on end.