

During a match you'll need to always be moving. Watch the Video Review Command & Conquer has always been about swift-moving gameplay, and the fourth Tiberian franchise entry follows suit. It can move, so it's easily relocated, and can also pump out units at an extremely high speed, making hitting the low unit cap a simple, quick procedure. The crawler is your all-in-one building, serving as your sole production structure and research center. Mechanics on the battlefield are built around the idea of a mobile base, called a crawler, which differs depending on which of the three classes you choose. If you decide to take a chance on Command & Conquer 4, be prepared for a learning curve. When playing by yourself, picking a class can feel limiting, but in team games where everyone can take on different roles, it's easier to fill in the gaps. The Offensive class gets all ground units and a number of upgrades, the Defense class can build turrets and garrisonable structures along with a unique array of units, and the Support class can construct flying units and is the only class capable of unleashing powers on the battlefield. The game caters to players who prefer to constantly be on the move, and divides Nod and GDI units, structures, and powers available into three classes.


It's going to be tough for some fans of C&C, but once you accept the fact that it's a different kind of game, you'll find the play mechanics to be entertaining. Instead of getting the ultimate refinement of the franchise's familiar gather, build, and rush formula, you get a high-speed prototype gameplay model based on capture points, mobile bases, and superfast unit production. Its gameplay is solidly built and electric quick, but it's an at times awkward, inconsistent finale for a series that's been running for 15 years. Instead, you'll take part in the capture point gameplay you may be familiar with in games like Relic's Dawn of War. No longer will you have to set up power stations to sustain bases or memorize build orders. Building harvesters to collect Tiberium has been cut. Base building has for the most part been eliminated. While you'll see signature units and structures like GDI Mammoth Tanks and Nod Obelisks, you won't find the familiar C&C game mechanics. Billed as the finale to the long running real-time strategy franchise featuring Nod and GDI forces, EA Los Angeles' Command & Conquer 4 is going to be a surprise to any fan of the Tiberian series.
