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Command & Conquer 3: The Tiberium Wars
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System:
PC
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Genre:
Real Time Strategy
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Publisher:
Electronic Arts
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Developer:
Electronic Arts
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Release:
TBA
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Online:
Yes
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ESRB:
Rating Pending (RP)
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One of the most prominent and influential real time strategy icons has got to be Command & Conquer. The first game was released in 1995 for the IBM / PC (it has also been ported to consoles and the Apple Macintosh) and has been one of the real time strategy (RTS for short) games that others are measured against. Command & Conquer also known as C&C or CNC, like other RTS games, revolves around the expedient building of a base of operations, harvesting local agriculture and resources, and building an army to defend your base while you plan to take over your neighbor’s base.
As we speak, Electronic Arts’ Los Angeles studio (previously Westwood Studios before it was bought by EA) is putting together the latest and greatest C&C installment titled: Command & Conquer 3: The Tiberium Wars. The name definitely doesn’t imply how many games that have been produced – far from it. C&C 3 is actually the 8th game of the highly enamored series, but there are only three primary story arcs: The Tiberian Series, The General Series, and The Red Alert series. To date these arcs remain independent of each other, although various theories have been shared by fans of the series that the first two arcs are connected based on supporting in-game references.
C&C 3 is likely to follow the arc of the Tiberian series, as referenced by the name. The “classic” Tiberian series has many add-ons reminiscent of Dune II, which Westwood studios released in 1992 as their first ever real time strategy game. What really pits the new game with its predecessor arc is the main ingredient: Tiberium.
Tiberium is a catalyst, simply put. Many followers of the franchise are very familiar with it’s traits; but they may or may not know what it actually is and what it’s doing to the Earth in the year 2047. From what we understand, Tiberium is a self-replicating substance that literally feeds off the natural resources of the earth. The “Zones” of the earth, designated by colors red, blue, and yellow, will allow the player to distinguish which area of the earth has a larger concentration of Tiberium. For example: the red zone is basically uninhabitable. The amount of Tiberium in this zone has created a total wasteland – but it’s rich with pure Tiberium. The substance has been depredating so long, that it is also used as an economical tool, which is basically money. Not only that, but a whole culture has been established by the substance…
The Brotherhood of Nod’s whole way of life is built upon Tiberium. Kane, the leader of the faction, preaches and leads his followers into the role of praising Tiberium as a gateway to the next existence – so he wants to spread the contaminant. On the other hand, the GDI (Global Defense Initiative) predominantly wants to exterminate both the threat of the substances spread, but also the faction that is helping it along. Both factions war against each other constantly in an effort to gain complete control of the situation. Although the GDI wants to extinguish Tiberium, they still need to harvest it for economic stability…it’s a double-edged knife and could be a very big focus for the plot in the upcoming game, especially since players (in single player mode) will be in charge of trying to stop Kane’s domination.
Gameplay will be very similar to what veterans are used to, although the speed of play will be enhanced somewhat. Players will still need to do the basics: develop a base, harvest Tiberium for the economic support, build an army, and wage war. Each zone that a player inhabits will have a balanced economy – but they’ll have unique strategies for battle when defending against an onslaught or putting one into motion. There will be different ways to do the same things in each zone. Players can still attack harvesters and steal from silos, but they’ll have to use certain tactics and choose the right personnel for the job. For example: the basic infantry will be directly vulnerable to Tiberium, while the advanced infantry, with their superior armor, will not be. Super weapons are also a key ingredient to the mix as they were before. We can also expect more explanation to the much needed answers that Tiberium and weapons have in common.
The largest piece of the pie will be the story. Yes, that’s right, a story driven, real time strategy, Command & Conquer game. Although this is new to the series, it should prove to make the game all that much more immersive. Fans need not worry, though, because the graphics engine and battle engine are more finely tuned than every before and will directly compliment the story line. With all the pieces together, the game will be fast, fluid, and fun – and high definition. New cut scenes will feature actors like Joe Kucan who plays “Kane”, in live-action cut scenes presented in superior cinematic form.
Fans and newbies alike have much to look forward to when the game releases sometime in 2007 for the PC. With its new enhancements on an already stellar platform, we can hopefully expect Command & Conquer 3: The Tiberium Wars to be an instant hit that fans will continue to praise – and new players to get totally into. Keep checking back to VGCore.com for the latest news and updates on C&C3 as they hit the gaming world.
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