Dominating the online world, one 3-D cyberbattle at a time

Game maniacs around the globe have been waiting for the latest in the Command & Conquer series.
Their patience has been rewarded by EA, which bought the original publisher West Wood Studios. EA has done a great job upgrading a game that deserves to be hailed as one of the best real-time strategy sessions around.
What sets Command & Conquer apart from its competition is the way it looks. Gone are the shabby 2-D graphics. Instead gamers find themselves surrounded by excellent 3-D images that are brought to life by equally impressive sound effects.
Much of the game is standard fare for the Command & Conquer series. Players choose from three factions ― the United States, the People’s Republic of China and the GLA (Global Liberation Army). Each faction has unique units with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Aspects of the game seem clipped from today’s headlines: The Americans enjoy air supremacy, while the Chinese have solid anti-aircraft capabilities.
The GLA, meanwhile, uses terrorist strategies, including suicide bombers, car bombs and biological weapons. What they lack in firepower they make up with their use of tunnels. And the GLA’s buildings can be rebuilt if they’re hit in an air raid.
The Verdict: The game has very different units to keep everyone happy, and all three factions are balanced in terms of power. Playing the game online is a blast if you team up with friends to dominate the world.
One downside, however, is the game’s relatively short single-player campaign, which experts can finish in a day or two. This somewhat diminishes the replay value of the game. Otherwise, it’s a solid game and another successful edition of a series that will stick around for a long time.

by Brian Lee