Customer Reviews

Command & Conquer: Renegade

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I can still remember the final battle of the original Command and Conquer from back in the '90's. What I thought would take a few hours ended up taking an entire evening. Defeating those wicked NOD guys was the most mind-numbing experience ever - I could still feel my brain pounding long after the final cutscene played. Getting up for work the next day was almost as difficult!

So, of course when Westwood announced they were going to make a first-person shooter based on C&C, I had to get it. I can tell you C&C Renegade is a worthy first attempt yet it does fall short compared to the current crop of shooters out now.

PROS:
1. Graphics - I'm surprised at other reviewer's complaints. Not the best in terms of detail or graphic quality, but still very good for a game of this size and scope.
2. Action - Very engaging. It's not a one-man show - you're usually thrown into the heat of battle with explosions all around you. Plus you get to drive a lot of the vehicles too.
3. C&C Theme - all the goodies, GDI Cannons, Tiberium Harvesters, Obelisks, etc... The sound effects are very reminiscent of the early games, it even keeps track of the number of NOD soldiers you squish in your mammoth tank.
4. Cutscenes - very cool. Just when I think Westwood is slacking towards the later levels they throw in a nice epic movie to watch between levels.
5. Music - Awesome!! (as always) C&C games still have the best soundtracks.

NEUTRAL:
1. Level Design - Yeah, it's Westwood's first foray into level design and it shows. But quite frankly it shows just how accustomed gamers have gotten to having everything linear; we expect to follow a straight line to the goal and never have to backtrack once! At least in this game you can pretend this would be more like a real world assault. Besides, we're doing everything from beach assaults to desert sieges to sneak attacks in cities, submarines and snow covered mountain bases. What's wrong with that?
2. Voice Acting - Decent. Our hero Major Havoc sounds more like Duke Nukem. "You're going up against a whole squadron by yourself?" "Yeah, doesn't seem fair does it? Maybe I'll shoot left-handed." Am I the only one who gets a little creeped out by the way they move their lips?
3. Weapons - All nicely balanced with the exception of the grenade launcher. This worthless weapon makes huge explosions that seem to leave the enemy unfazed most of the time. Is this thing on?

CONS:
1. Load Times - Ugh. Over 2 min to load a level! If you're killed or even if you restart the same level it takes just as long! It's so annoying you'll end up playing the easier difficulty settings just to avoid dying. Minus one star for this annoyance.
2. Enemy AI - Atrocious! As much as I'd like to be biased I have to admit this is one of the worst ever. I can round a corner, see someone crouched behind a box, pump about ten rounds into him and while I stop to reload, he goes back to crouching behind the box... uhhh hello? I'll pick off someone with my sniper rifle and the guy next to him will just stand there and wait for his turn. I smirk when I'm warned of "elite" enemy forces approaching as these high-caliber opponents basically run into my line of fire and take maybe a few more hits to kill. Doom had better AI. Minus one star for this (and that's being nice!)
3. System Requirements - Considering a game like Wolfenstein runs on my system without a hitch, I'm disappointed I have to minimize all the detail settings using my (fairly new) Geforce 2 Pro and even then the frame rates choppy. You're gonna need a 1.4 gig system and a GF3 at the very least to run this game smoothly.

To sum it up - C&C fans (with sufficient hardware) will find enough to overlook the rather major annoyances in the game. Hardcore action fans, however, will find plenty to nitpick about but may realize that, in spite of it all, it's still a really fun game to play.

Hope my review helped!

C&C fans will recognize the weapons, structures, characters, and vehicles from the original C&C. FPS(First Person Shooter) fans will love the creative weapon designs and revel in the use of numerous vehicles. The Single player is complex, interesting, and fun. The missions can be approached in different ways and all missions and secondary missions to give you the feel that you are part of something bigger, like a world in the C&C RTS (Real Time Strategy) games. The multiplayer puts you on the ground of a C&C universe. The GDI vs. The Nod, you pick your character, your vehicle and your attack approach (sniping, blowing things up, stealthing), its all up to you. This game has a single player game and a multiplayer game that are worth your time and money. So don't waste your money on a crude, undeveloped game when you could be playing the most innovative game to date, Command and Conquer: Renegade.

Being a large C&C fan, it was great seeing the buildings, the vehicles, and the NOD forces from this perspective. All in all, the game was fun to play and have faster paced action tha MOHAA. But this game misses on a few things:

1. The AI is the worst of any recent FPS game I have played.
2. The on-line game play is very laggy and with everyone just building vehicles, it was boring
3. The cut scenes, though pretty well done, looked like they were painted on
4. The end bosses (there were only 3 or 4 thank god) were terrible. You can't out run or out manuever them. All you can do is stand there in front of them and keep shooting till they die.

Here is what was good other than what I have already mentioned:
1. The graphics were better than some of the reviews were saying (If your graphics aren't very good, its time for a better video card)
2. The music is awesome
3. Nick Havoc is a very cool character
4. The weapons were pretty cool. Got to use every weapon more than once. Some games like RTCW & MOHAA, you were able to get through the game only using about half of the weapons available.
5. Driving many vehicles. You get to use many different vehicles and fight other vehicles

Overall, I liked this game alot, but compared to RTCW & MOHAA, something was missing.
A little hint while playing the game. If you find some of your other weapons running low on ammo (and you will because on different levels, enemies only use certain weapons), use your little pistol and aim for the head. You would be surprised at how quickly some enemies will die with one pistol shot to the head.
I would recommend this game unless you are looking for good on-line game, then I would tell you to look elsewhere. Happy hunting.

Greetings General - It looks like this time, we're going to need to get our hands dirty. That's right, this time there's no advantage in numbers, we need you to go in solo. Command and Conquer Renegade places you into the first shooter in the C&C universe. Playing the role of Nick "Havoc" Parker in your quest to stop Nod's most evil plot to date.

Gameplay:
As far as first-person shooters go, this sits on the arcade side of the market. Everything from hit detection, weapon physics and enemy AI lacks what could be considered realistic direction. Yet, as far as arcade shooters go, this one has its merits. The enemy density is quite challenging at times, especially on the hardest settings, and their accuracy will give even a seasoned FPS gamer a run for their money. The downside is that the enemy AI reacts with more of a bot mentality than an 'intelligent' one. For those of you unfamiliar with bots, this means that regardless of the enemies using any cover or environmental awareness, they just come straight at you. Often in straight lines if you take the time to string them out. Their lack of intelligence is compensated by their inhuman accuracy.
Any of lack of polish exhibited in the game is more than covered by it's definite C&C feel. As a GDI commando, you have access to weapons and vehicles made popular in the original C&C world. Whether you're driving a flame tank, or placing beacons for your ion cannon, it definitely feels like you're playing a small, albeit important, role to take down the Brotherhood of Nod.

Graphics:
The game looks dated, even for only being from 2002, it is really blocky. The character and vehicle models have extremely low polygon counts. The FMV's between each level also use a modified version of the game engine and the eyes and mouths look completely off. However, I'm never one to downplay a game because of it's graphics unless that is all it has going for it. Just being able to walk around and inside a Hand of Nod, or being able to get inside a mammoth tank and crush the opposition is enough to satisfy anyone's visual needs.

Sound:
Renegade uses a ton of sounds familiar to any C&C vets. Even the music is highly reminiscent of the original. All this adds to the feeling of being inside the C&C universe. The only downside is that because the sounds are old, at times it feels like your weapons really lack some oomph. You can unload 100 rounds from your assault rifle into an unwitting rocket soldier and the sound can make it feel like your shooting spitballs at an over-ripe watermelon.

Overall:
This definitely has to be the best cross-genre attempt made by any gaming franchise. I was highly worried about buying this after having gone through X-COM's attempt at FPS, but I was pleasantly surprised. For the going price, this is definitely a must buy for any fan of the C&C series and barring a few bugs, the only downside to this game is the bot-style AI. Just make sure to update it ASAP and if you're looking to stretch your gaming dollar even further, be sure to try it multiplayer where you take part in a Tribes / Savage mix.

First of all, let me say I have played all the C&C games (minus expansion packs) except Sole Survivor, and am a great C&C fan. Now, I know all the reviews seem to give Renegade bad ratings... why? For Westwood's first try at an FPS, I think it's a good try. Of course not everything could be right.

BAD POINTS

1. Story - Renegade's story is a little weak. It's basically the same kind of story we've seen in all those other FPS. Renegade, hotshot commando, old flame that's part of the enemy, secret operations, the whole lot. But as this IS and FPS, the story doesn't account for much.

2. Graphics - Graphics could have been improved. A little bit blocky, but they are ok. Nothing nice here, but nothing horrible either if you've played the C&C games.

3. AI - This is where the loss of a star comes in. The AI in this game is the worst I have ever seen... except perhaps in Tiberian Dawn. The AI will never pay attention to you unless they actually see you. You can walk right up to some of them, shoot a guy right next to them, and they will still stand with your back to you. Come on. When they do see you, all they do is charge right at you, in the line of fire. Kind of fun for a while, but gets annoying later.

GOOD POINTS

4. Multiplayer - Multiplayer C&C mode ROCKS! It feels a lot like you really are a soldier on the battlefield of a C&C skirmish/online game. Only con is you can't build buildings.

5. C&C Feel - This has got to be Renegade's biggest pro. The game feels like it was meant to feel, as if you have been put in the shoes of the six pixel high commando unit from the original C&C.

6. Buildings - The seamless transition from indoor to outdoor is awesome. You can just walk up to a building, watch the door open, and shoot at an AI in the building, then walk into the building and explore it. In singleplayer they are absolutely huge. My fav is the Hand of Nod, because it's so big and has such cool rooms. Only question is - do they normally have flamethrowers in the kitchen supplies?

NEUTRAL POINTS

7. Load Times - Well, load times are very slow. However, if you've ever seen a mission as large as the ones in Renegade with the interior of huge buildings also having to load at the same time, I think it's going to be about just as slow. Just look at it this way - as long as you don't die, you only have to wait for the load inbetween missions.

I have loved the Command & Conquer since the beginning and I've loved everyone of them, and this is no exception. I fell in love with the AWSOME graphics, the multiplayer mode, and the campaign which is challenging and requires intelligent tactics, unlike so many other FPS games. If you get it, you'll love it to, gaurenteed.

I will be surprised if they dont make an expansion pack, cause thats what a game of this quality deserves.

O.K first things first

Single player
The weak part of the game don't bother
A.I is stupid missions are either too easy or too hard there is no middle ground. Also I could find no way to skip the cutscenes which annoyed me to no end.

Multiplayer-The great part!!!
Nonstop action, you ever wanted to drive a tank? how bout a Nod Buggy? Its not just killing things that makes it fn it is also the time and effort EA took in designing the building. Weather you are playing as a vehicle buster or a medic there is always something for you to do. Take me for instance even though I always get my butt kicked I still have a good time.

My favorite thing to do is fly the hellicopter

Overall-Great for fans of halflife, rainbow6, Solider of Fortune and Delta Force. Come one come all, there is much fun to be had.

Fans of the C&C series, fans of the shooting genre (first and third person), and fans of multiplayer mayhem, rejoice.
I have yet to see any game come close to the sheer fun of Renegade. Imagine a 60 player team match, with beautiful graphics and hardly any lag at all. Snipers lining the hills taking out the troopers who are storming across the battle field littered with mammoth tanks. This has been brought to reality, this is Renegade.

Simply playing the multiplayer demo is enough to convince me this is the most enjoyable online shooter ever...
However, if you are thinking of buying Renegade for the single player game, let me direct you to Medal Of Honor instead.

I haven't spent much time on the single player campaign here, but multiplayer this game rocks!

It's best with at least 12 guys on a side, and better still with 20, but it's fun anyway you play it. Grab a flame tank with three friends and make a flame rush, try an invisible soldier and jump into an enemy vehicle when the driver gets out to reapir it, then run him over!

I was playing last night, a damaged Humvee was coming right at me, my Raveshaw got off one shot and destroyed the vehicle, and my second shot killed the driver.

Or play as GDI, grab a Havoc and snipe to your heart's content. Sniping allows you incredible zoom power, and as Havoc one shot and any infantry target is dead (some require headshots). Or hop into an MRLS and pound enemy buildings, or save up for a Mammoth tank and slug it out with the enemy.

The game rewards teamwork, and even players with poor First Person Shooter skills can contribute, I'm only decent, myself. Tons of fun, I have played a few hundred games. Well worth the money. Good solid servers, easy access to patches and servers.

Highly recommended.

This is my favorite C&C game. It has awesome graphics, great multiplayer mode, and a variety of of units to pick from. The campaign is ok, it isn't much of a challenge but is good overall. The only downside is that it lacks the skirmish mode. It has Multiplayer practice but the AI only gets soldiers that attack the harvester most of the time. Multiplayer online is the best mode of them all. You can play up to as many players as your computer can handle. The biggest server i have seen was 127 players. Anyway BUY THIS GAME!