14 DAY TRIAL // Everyone that picked up the first or second Red Alert games must be eagerly awaiting new information regarding the third installment in the series, Red Alert 3. So it's always a good day when Chris Corry, who is executive producer of the game, decides to talk about the development process, what's new and how the game is shaping up.
Talking to IGN, Chris remarked that the new game will maintain much of the lightweight, matin?e feeling of Red Alert 2, while enhancing the experience in every way possible. Even if the story is pretty much a rehash of the story in the first Red Alert, where Einstein travels back in time to kill Hitler and, in doing it, he creates a very powerful Soviet Empire, the game is using the story to provide new gameplay possibilities for the players.
The addition of Japan, the Empire of the Rising Sun, to the game in Red Alert 3 gives developers a chance to flesh out a new faction that is more technologically inclined and technology worshiping than the Allies or the Soviets. The same addition also offers the chance to play with some pretty cool new weapons systems, including a rumored ninja-mecha (that would be sight to behold).
Chris also revealed that Tanya, the Allied dual pistol wielding C4 packing uber commando, is making a comeback in the third game. Even if she never attained the popularity level of Kane, the main character of the Tiberium universe of Command & Conquer, it would have been foolish of EA not to execute a bit of fan service and include Tanya in Red Alert 3. To Chris Corry, she is "probably the most beloved character from this series, you can trust we're staying true to the Tanya of old while giving her some new toys to play with." One of those new toys is a Time Belt that allows her to get out of hairy situations by going back in time to the health and map position she occupied a few seconds before.
The game is still a long way off, with Electronic Arts promising to have it ready for retail by the holiday season, but by the looks of it, Red Alert 3 will be one cool RTS.