14 DAY TRIAL // These days, PlayStation 3 gamers are really shortchanged when it comes to multiplatform releases. They got Grand Theft Auto IV, but Microsoft paid Rockstar a hefty sum (speculations go up to 50 million dollars) to make sure that the downloadable content for the open world game was exclusive to the Xbox 360. They got to play Fallout 3, but they won't get access to the three pieces of DLC that Bethesda has started releasing for the title. It's hard to see all this when you're a Sony fan.
Well, one piece of good news is that the PlayStation 3 version of Red Alert 3 is pretty much done and is looking better than the version of the game that those who own an Xbox 360 got to play.
Initially, Electronic Arts, which is console agnostic (meaning that it aims to release its titles on all major platforms), said that the PS3 version of the real strategy title was in “suspended development,” fact that more often than not being translated as “suspended” and “never to be talked about again.” Yet, EA has returned to the title and has demoed the version, showing off the graphic enhancements that are a direct result of the delay. Effects have been polished off and the big Japanese mecha is reported to be truly spectacular.
The controls have also been refined by Electronic Arts. The radial menu, assigned to R2, is still used and a good player can order units around almost as quickly as using a mouse and keyboard setup. Red Alert 3 Ultimate Edition uses the L2 to make the mini map bigger, allowing the player to move quickly on the battlefield.
Those who get the Ultimate Edition are also set to receive content included in the Premier Edition of the initial release. There are blooper reels and behind the scenes videos but there's also a clearly useful addition, a set of videos detailing the profile of each unit, which is pretty handy to quickly get a feel for the game. Oh and there's an extra never before seen skirmish map.