14 DAY TRIAL // Red Alert 3 was one of the most anticipated titles of last year, being the latest installment in the critically acclaimed Red Alert segment of the historical Command & Conquer franchise. It brought with it a star-studded cast, the classic live action cutscenes and a completely new story to tell players.
Sadly, it didn't really live up to EA’s expectations, as a lot of units were revamped in a not so fortunate way, but the fact that you could play co-op with your friends online in the story mode made it a favorite for quite a lot of strategy fans.
Now, the first standalone expansion to the game has appeared on the PC, available only as a digital download. The game, Red Alert 3: Uprising, picks up where the original left off, with the Soviet Union licking its wounds, the Allies trying to keep its forces together and the Empire of The Rising Sun trying to piece itself back up to the glory before the war.
But is this new title really up to the solid experience that Red Alert 3 offered? Are the new units and story worthy of your precious 19.99 dollars? Read on to see my one hour spent with Red Alert 3: Uprising.
15:00 I start up the game, waiting to see where the story of the game will lead and what new units will be introduced for each of the factions.
15:10 To my surprise, at the start of the story mode you can only choose to play as the Soviets or the special Yuriko-centric campaign. I then read that you must complete the first mission as the USSR and then the other factions, the Allies and the Empire, are unlocked.
15:20 It seems that the FutureTech corporation will play a pretty big part in this expansion, as the Soviets have found out that three of their top scientists were kidnapped by the corporation and forced to work on some new weapons, with which they will greet your forces, which you must lead in order to save the researchers.
15:30 This pseudo-dungeon crawler type mission places a small force of Soviet troops, consisting of Conscripts and Flak Troopers, under your control, as you must lead them through a tight and twisted Transylvanian setting in order to breach the test facilities of the Future Teach corporation. Fortunately, as you progress through the mission, reinforcements will arrive in order to gain the upper hand on the forces of the company.
15:35 It's very nice to see one of my favorite units from Red Alert 2, the Desolators, make an appearance here. Their toxic gun made fast work of the infantry and the area attack in which they made it radioactive was ideal for large battles. Now, they have received a graphics upgrade, but their area attack has been replaced with an anti-armor mode, where they spray corroding goo on enemy vehicles.
15:45 Finally I am able to start freeing up some of the imprisoned scientists but micromanagement is key, as the toxic guns of the Desolators can easily kill off your own troops. Organizing them in groups is a smart move and will allow for a much better negotiation with the enemies.
15:55 As I free up the last scientist, a cutscene starts, where the FutureTech company decides to punish my boldness and release their new weapon against me. With a pretty big army, consisting of Conscripts, Flak Troopers and Desolators, I thought they wouldn't be able to touch me. Sadly, they proved me wrong, as I found that targets were placed on the location of my men, and artillery shells quickly rained upon them.
16:00 After quick thinking and a big amount of luck, as you will have to dodge fire from three or four of these new weapons, besides the peacekeepers, which are working for FutureTech, I manage to get one of the scientists out of there. Mission successful and new campaigns ready for play.
All in all, a pretty adrenaline-filled mission that, although it may seem aggravating, gives you a nice sense of accomplishment. Look forward to the following days as I reveal my personal thoughts about each of the four campaigns from the game, concluding with a review in the weeks to come.