COMMAND & CONQUER™ RED ALERT™ Review

By Andrew Nesvadba, on November 3, 2009

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Strategy
Released: 2 Nov, 2009
Size: 66.0 MB
Price: $0.99

PROS

Amazing performance in game.
Tight and accurate controls.

CONS

Long load times.
No Udo Kier.

VERDICT

There's not a lot to choose from in the RTS vein for the iPhone, so it's comforting to have such a heavy hitter like the Command & Conquer series hanging around. This is no-frills RTS fun and hopefully the encouragement other developers need to add to the genre.

Full Review
App Store Info

It's hard to believe that over thirteen years ago a new spin-off of Westwood Studio's popular Command & Conquer series was launched and is now available to play on iPhones. Red Alert is a time traveling RTS set before the events of the C&C games and this latest installment from Electronic Arts is set as a prequel to last year's release of Red Alert 3.

After a handy tutorial level you'll be swinging your units around the map with ease. Interface buttons allow you to trigger special effects or switch from single to multi-selection while tapping on the map will trigger attack or movement commands for your units. Building your base is also literally a snap as you drop your constructions onto an easy to use grid map.

All the classic music tracks are back and those who had the pleasure of playing Red Alert over a decade ago will instantly recognize the playlist. The units themselves are an eclectic mix from all three Red Alert games and it's great to see them rendered so well despite the 3D limitations of the iPhone and it's amazing to see how well the game handles, only suffering a small amount of slow down when heavy battles occur. The voice acting is limited, but still impressive and amusing to listen to.

The title may be slightly misleading as this isn't just a remake of Red Alert for the iPhone. No, this is a new Red Alert series complete with multiplayer capability and a sequel expected next year. RTS lovers rejoice and enjoy the fuzzy nostalgia of C&C on your iPhone.

Screenshots