Customer Reviews

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(216)

 

 

It is always sad when a great historic game franchise comes to the end of its road. But it is depressingly sad to watch it do so in this condition.

KANE IN DISNEYLAND?
The graphics are laughable. True, EA has been steering the C&C franchise towards the ...cartoon direction ever since the RED ALERT 3 installment. But the RED ALERT series had always been more playful. Even so, what was barely palatable for a RED ALERT game is outright insulting for a TIBERIUM one.
If his tanks could still run-over infantry units, have no doubt, he would hunt down whoever did this to him.
Because, you cannot mock Kane and avoid having your lungs infused with Tiberium fumes!

MORE UNITS? PLEASE WAIT BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. FOREVER.
One of the most annoying features of the new C&C4 is the units cap. You cannot produce more units above a (very low) number. Upgrading your tech-tree with such a unit cap in place means you have to kill and replace most of your units - and make painful decisions as some units are more equal than others. It feels like having to deal with a (small) Diablo-like inventory: whatever does not fit within the grid must be left behind to rot.
And to add insult to injury, extra units are bestowed with a dropper. A tiny one.
This cap reeks of one thing: an attempt to turn this series into a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (fewer units means less lag). And no one seems to care that this took away one of the most fun tactics in a C&C game: tank rushing.

SORRY, ALL OF OUR TIBERIUM-HARVESTERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. WOULD YOU CARE FOR A SENSIBLE COMPACT?
A COMMAND & CONQUER game without harvesting? It could be an RTS game of any name (and there have been baseless RTS games before), why did it have to be a C&C game? Because, once again, EA proves to have no respect for this beautiful art-form. If it means exploiting a classic title in its swan song to sell a few more units, so be it.
Moreover, game publishers seem to have an ever declining expectation of their targeted customer IQ. Hence the ever simplified games released. So, yes, this feels like C&C-for-Dummies.

BATTLEFIELD CONTROLS OFFLINE? YOU'RE SCREWED COMMANDER!
Yes, this must be the most inconvenient DRM scheme ever.
If you hate STEAM for requiring endless updates, this is worse.
If you hate games that require online activation because they never actually become yours, yes, this is worse.
And if you hate games that come with Limited Activations and become worthless the moment you pop the box, well yes, this is worse.
This inconceivable scheme demands for the owner of this game to always be online to verify that the copy he payed for is legitimate. That's right, not just activation, ALWAYS ONLINE. Yes, even for a single player game.
Will it deter piracy? No, pirates will be playing the game without all those DRM hassles. Legitimate gamers are left complaining - and, once more, EA will turn a deaf ear.


All in all, C&C4 will not appeal neither to old friends of the series nor younger gamers. And (for as long as it will keep working), it will have you jumping through hoops for the privilege of having ...bought it. And I thought it was the other way around.

This Tiberium field has been depleted long ago.
Move along Commanders.

Requires a persistent internet connection at all times. I repeat, you must have a constant internet connection 100% of the time to play. If you get disconnected, the game stops working. You will be blocked from playing this game on a laptop whose wireless internet connectivity might fluctuate. You cannot play this game on a car trip, or at the airport, or on the plane, or anywhere else where there is no uninterrupted broadband internet connectivity 100% of the time.

The above restrictions apply to both single-player and multi-player modes. Additionally, the game is locked into a single account. This is customer abuse at its finest.

Here is what it says at the back of the box (in very, very small print):

"Persistent internet connection, EA account, registration with enclosed serial code, and acceptance of end user license agreement required to play."

You have been warned!

Well, I will start with the most relevant statement I can think of about this game, " If it aint Broke, Don't fix it!"

I was soooooo looking forward to the conclusion of this great game, So I hurried home to install it and jump back into the Tiberium Wars...BUT...... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!!!! EA messed up one of my favorite game formats and replaced it with some kind of monstrosity!!They put caps on units, no Tiberium harvesting and a confusing game console layout!Half the time I was trying to figure out what the Hell was going on and screaming at my computer screen!

If you were looking for a Great game....... KEEP LOOKING!!!! This was one of the biggest disappointments I have attempted to play in a long long time! EA should be ASHAMED of themselves!!

I have purchased hundreds of items from Amazon.com, and have always appreciated the user reviews in helping to form a better choice. I've rarely left feedback for a product, even if I've had a strong positive or negative reaction (shame on me), but this takes the cake.

I am a long-time player of the Command & Conquer franchise, and I absolutely *love* it. Until this game, that is.

This game feels like something that was designed solely for the console, and not the PC. It has none of the elements that made the franchise award-winning (if, albeit, a little tired). There is no resource gathering, no base building, you cannot develop large armies with which to crush your enemies.

Instead, it's on a limited map (running this in 2560x1600 doesn't actually increase the map size -- just the resolution detail), and you have a limited number of units at any given time.

It reminds me of a poorly-implemented Halo Wars knock-off. When I got Halo Wars, I understood it would be different from the rest of the Halo games, and I accepted that. It was interesting to see an RTS of that kind implemented for the console. However, I found it lacking the richness and depth of the previous Command & Conquer games for which I had become accustomed. But C&C4 on the PC is even more scaled-down than Halo Wars on the console!

There are other reviews that get into the details of the game better than mine, so I encourage you to read through them.

I had more fun lighting myself on fire and installing SecuROM on my system to play Red Alert 3 than I have had with this highly-anticipated game.

I'm bitterly disappointed. I don't think this game will appeal to long-time fans of the franchise, and I don't really see newcomers appreciating it either.

C&C has been getting more and more cartoon-ish it seems with each iteration. It seems that you are much more limited to the units you can create (no zerging). And no LAN play? I could so remember big LAN parties to play games like this. Now, its pointless to get all in one place.. everyone connect to EAs server.. to connect to a computer in the same room. That aside, the DRM is a shackle that I just can't support.

Some sequels just shouldn't be released.

This game really is an utter disappointment.

The fact that it is mindless, one-dimensional, and poorly executed is secondary to the unfortunate truth that the game is just no fun to play. The expendable nature of the units, lack of ability to build anything tangible, simplistic yet strictly enforced counter-unit implementation, and low population cap all combine to create a constant stream of bland and worthless cannon fodder that swarms around the crawling mother vehicle like fleas reproducing on a mongrel dog. There is absolutely nothing satisfying about running around a map spewing trash while gaining, losing, and re-gaining the same resource hubs in a repetitive cycle akin to Sisyphus' pushing the boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back down to the bottom. Deleting and re-creating units in a constant reactive attempt to counter any enemies in an immediate radius (even losing and respawning the crawler vehicle)may be seen by EA as a move away from strategy toward tactics (supposedly in an attempt to placate the "casual gamer"), but it is really nothing more than a reductio ad absurdum of action-oriented gameplay that leaves only a nauseating sense of futility and nihilistic resignation.

Dante is surely busy creating a special level in gaming hell for the charlatans that created this sad excuse for entertainment, and concocting some especially vile methods of torture for the marketing execs who conned me into spending my hard earned money.

I have been a die-hard fan of the C&C franchise since the first game came out so many years ago. This 'final' game has taken the old system of base construction and great story/characters that drew me and my friends in and cast it aside for this new squad based strategy garbage. It is not only very far from what C&C was, its also just generally a bad game. The only way to beat many missions is by using the co-op system because you are otherwise vastly outnumbered and out maneuvered by the computer. Gone are the days of base building and resource management, two parts of the C&C franchise that made it what it was. The acting in the story development is laughable (with the one exception of Kane who brings roughly the same great performances from past games).

Overall, I'm really hoping the ghosts of Westwood can show up one more time in the future and find a way to end this series with dignity. I know the gripes about DRM and the internet connectivity thing (which you can read below), but as a true-blue C&C fan at heart, I can't imagine a worse way for this great series to die.

Wow... I can't believe EA would end the tiberium saga with such horrible gameplay. I remember playing the orginal C&C back in high school and have been hooked since. I counted down the days till this game came out. And now... well... wow, I am speechless.

Let me say the only reason I give this two stars instead of one is because it has the Tiberium/GDI/Kane story line and I want to see what happens.

With that said I don't care anything for the missions, they are something to be endured (or maybe suffered through is a more accurate description) so I can get can get to the next storyline video clip.

Internet connection? I can't believe I have to have one when I just want to play solo! For the most part it hasn't been a factor but I was disconnected once (I have had this game two days) that is one time too many in my book. I will never buy a game that requires internet to play solo.

What happened to great game play? I loved building my own base, deciding where the base defenses would go, spreading out my powerplants so that they couldn't get all taken out in one raid. Now there are no powerplants, no tiberium refinery, no armory, and no barracks. Now it is all contained in the new MCV called the crawler.

What happened to my vast army? One of the best features of C&C games was constructing your army to breach the defenses of your opponent and reek havoc on there structures and units. Not so now, now you are limited to the number of units you can have. Oh and if your units get destroyed, don't worry, cause it wont cost you anything to replace them, only the time it takes to construct the unit (seems 12 seconds is about the starndard time)

What happend to strategy? Attacking high value targets, economically devestating your opponent. No harverster to attack any more. No need to worry about how much that mamonth tank cost you to build, now you can use it as cannon fodder cause the next one will be free. No need to take out the armory when you attack preventing your opponent from receiving reinforcements, now the opposing crawler keeps pumping them out as fast as you kill them.

I don't know why anyone would think this is fun. no strategy. only a story line I want to see completed. EA I've never said this about a video game before but I will this time. Whoever designed this game, the lead developer, and anyone who could have changed the direction of this game but didn't should be fired.

If you are looking for a good gaming expiernce then stay away from this game.

Dear Electronic Arts (Los Angeles division),

Suck on it! Suck it long and suck it hard!

Sincerely,

Me.

P.S. If you actually care about my opinion as to why I'm so mad at your company that I will never by another game you produce, read on.


Dear C&C fans (and loyal followers of Kane),

If you have not bought this game yet, do not. You will regret it. Read all of these well deserved one-star reviews. If you still think that you can tolerate this game just to enjoy the story (like I thought I would), you are mistaken. To date I've read every one of these reviews and I can say that they are written by genuine fans of this series that are disgusted with what EA just did to it.

I find the requirement of an always on connection to the internet required to play this game to be ludicrous. No warning was given at all to the loyal followers of this series when we pre-ordered. However, this pales in comparison to the undeniable fact that this game SUCKS! If this game was good I'd forgive their over zealous attempts to stop piracy.

I've not finished the game. I've barely completed a few solo missions so far. Even on easy, this method of game play is stupid hard. They've redefined RTS from Real Time Strategy to Really Tiring Skirmishes. One reviewer likened the game to the Obama administrations policies with social justice and too big to fail. So right. There's no economy in this. Everyone is equal. I'm blowing up enemies and they just keep pouring out of no where. You take ground and can't hold it because now you need to take your handful of units (all you get) and go take more ground while the computer takes back what you just took. I'm getting pissed off again just thinking about the frustrating experience so I can write about it. I'm thinking that EA expects you to play co-op with others in order to beat the missions. Screw that, I want to play solo just like I've always done. If I want to sit back and build a base, that's fun to me.

I started playing Command & Conquer the first year it was out and bought every game since. I can still vividly remember the first time seeing the handgun appear at the side of Seth's head and moments later those immortal words "I am Kane." Anyone remember the awesome music intro to Red Alert where you heard the Chronosphere going off at the start of the "Hell March" song, and the words "Westwood Studios Proudly Presents" flashing on your screen? I got goose bumps. Still get giddy thinking about how kick-butt that was. I got news for you all. This is not a "EA Studios Proudly Presents" game. No one could be proud of this blasphemy. They can't even make a good soundtrack. This soundtrack sucks. I've pre-ordered every C&C game (except Generals) and buy the special editions when I can. I even own multiple licenses for most of the games. Probably have re-bought them all in one compilation or another 3 times over, the last being "The First Decade" DVD set.

I started writing a long and nostalgic dissertation about my history with the C&C universe, but decided not to. I'm going to say this though. I'm a big fan and I'm privileged to be a friend of Dragon Dronet, who worked on the games making props, costumes and sets since C&C3. (EA LA screwed him too, btw.) Through my friendship with Dragon I met Joe Kucan and had him as a guest at a convention I help run. It was truly an honor. (BTW, if you do own this P.O.S game, watch the intro video where Kane pulls out the Tacitus and notice the ring that he is wearing. There were 2 or 3 of those made. One was gifted to me by it's maker.) So yeah, I feel every bit as connected to the C&C universe as many of the die-hard fans... and then some.

So, I pre-ordered this game because it was C&C, it was a continuation of a cool story, and because it gave my friends work. It's cool to watch the game and see stuff that people I know made, or to say "I know that guy." Right now I feel so sorry for Joe Kucan. I hope he got paid well (I'm sure he's doing fine) because this was a slap in his face. I know, he's just an actor and doing his lines with no creative input over the game. Oh, how I long for the days of Westwood. This was supposed to be the final game, but couldn't they have done it better? I think one review said (in summary) to just take the previous game engine, add some new content, units, powers, and put it out. The loyal fans would have been fine with that. I would have been fine with it. Right now I'd just like to find a way to watch the videos so I can see the story and not even bother with the missions which I think are unplayable. I'm sure I'm going to be furious at the rest of the story, but I payed money (that I won't get back) and I'd like to see it.

EA, we are done. Unless you make appropriate amends some how, I'm not buying your crap anymore. It's a good thing I bought Battlefield: Bad Company 2 before this. (BTW, that game is amazing. But DICE made it, not EA. EA is just their pimp.)

My Brothers, Kane is dead. EA has killed him through their blasphemy of the technology of peace.

Peace. Unity. Brotherhood.
Kane lives in death.

This is the perfect example of why I no longer pre-order games (haven't in over 5 years). The DRM delivered and installed with this product is either in the fine print on the box you don't get to see until it arrives, or it is not in any print at all (SecuROM) and they install it without your consent. If anything, this would make more people want to pirate the game, because someone somewhere in the world will come up with a crack to avoid the DRM. I don't advocate piracy, so I will just be one of those people that don't purchase or play this fail of a game.

I was willing to give the game a chance since it didn't have base-building or resource-gathering. Now I think I will buy a different game.

Boycott this game. There is nothing desirable about it. By giving EA your money, you are only allowing them pull this stunt again. Hopefully a game company like Westwood Studios will come along again and give us a great game that people would actually want to buy.