Red alert 3 review

Overall-6/10
One word: FUGLY


Gameplay-7/10
Good
-improved naval combat
-good old hot air balloon assaulting statue of liberty
-new fraction called japan
-all 3 classes played out differently
Fugly
-gameplay still rather unbalance
-camera distance remains too close
-no upgrades for units or structures
-omfg mummy wheres my nuke?!
-FMV getting boring and repeatitive

Visuals-6/10
Good
-Great water shaders
-improved particles effect
Fugly
-art design leaned on the "cute" side -.-
-selected units have a ugly outline
-pathetic infantry models
-performance is not optimised

Before the arrival of World in conflict, red alert universe is one of the best games about alternate history of the cold war.Filled with time machines, tesla troopers and war dolphins,it lies more to the sci fic side compared to the more realistic world in conflict.Another time travel from the soviet which screwed up the world, once again, and caused the rise of the rising sun to be the next superpower.There isnt nuke or weather control machine anymore since they killed einstein in their little field trip, which really sux.
The gameplay is still generally unchanged from the command&conquer but with enhanced naval combat system, which is sorely lacking in other games too.Lots of land units have amphibious capabilities and you have the choice to bulit your bases entirely on water. But it feels as if the developers spent too much time improving naval combat that they forgot about land and sea afterall.The new fraction japan, have tranformable mecha units which proved versatile and deadly, giving a totally different play style compared to the other fractions.The camera angle remain as close as the previous C&C games which is depressing and cause the air units to look as if they are flying just above the buildings only.The removal of upgrades for units and bulidings also caused the game to become a earn money and spam units affair.
Visually, it seems the developers have neglected the land too.However the water shader have been totally upgraded with better reflection, refraction and ripples.Red alert 3 looks kidish and have a ugly solid color glow when you selct your units or buildings.Not to mention the bad infantry models and generally improportionate.In fact, other than the sea, the engine actually took a step back, rather than an improvement from tiberian war.Team fortress 2 seems to have a success in making a cute looking game from the aging source engine but red alert 3 failed in mimicking it.
Although it contains some innovation which i hope stay with all other upcoming command&conquer series, but i feel this game is rushed to meet the hectic deadline from EA games.It simply look as if EA is desperate to make some profit and turn to the red alert universe for some milking.After several years of waiting as a red alert fan, this is just plain disappointing...

Sink you fishes!


Naval combat


Dont you miss tesla coils?