Generals 2 and its analogues today - generals are played mainly by the older generation, who remember the times of 2003-2005, the peak of popularity of military strategy at that time with good graphics and even Russian voice acting. This game is also paid attention to by those who were unable to update the configuration of their laptop or computer to the current state. While those who like older games like WarCraft III or CS 1.6 are unlikely to switch to newer and more modern games, they will be quite happy with older and popular games such as Generals: Hour of Reckoning.

The main analogue of the C&C: Generals series is the Act of Aggression Reboot Edition, which is less attractive according to many opinions; moreover, it does not have Russian localization of the interface, much less voice acting. You can, of course, look towards Act of War Direct Action, but it came out two years later, after the proven strategy of Generals ZH. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth changing the main Generals game to its analogues. There is a slightly different option, but more on that below.

Act of Aggression R.E. Year of release: 2015 | Size: 13.11 GB | ENG

Act of War Direct Action Year of release: 2005 | Size: 5.37 GB | RUS

Wargame Red Dragon Year of release: 2014 | Size: 10.27 GB | RUS

First of all, I will note the fact that recently, all sorts of mods have begun to come out that clone Zero Hour and install it on slightly more modern game engines, such as Red Alert 3. RD III already has two full-fledged mods that are ways to transfer units and buildings in a more modern game, thereby you play more comfortably and even online, without any lags and crashes, as well as delays.

Modification of Generals Evolution for installation on Red Alert III

The main reasons to switch to the Red Alert III engine are, of course, a stable game in online confrontations. The main version of the game Zero Hour is distinguished by its instability in online matches, this applies not only to the use of third-party network clients such as Hamachi and analogues, even in the days of official servers there were similar problems and they were not solved in any way. It doesn’t matter how powerful your computer is, but you won’t be able to handle the maximum number of bots or a huge number of units for battles in such cases.

Generals on the stable Red Alert 3 engine will allow you to:

• Play consistently online with friends;
• Forget about serious problems with lags and crashes;
• Support for FullHD resolutions and the picture is much more attractive;
• Animation, units, buildings and much more are made as identical as possible;
• Only the interface for purchasing buildings and a number of other nuances cannot be changed.

Download the Generals Evolution mod

A little about the game “Generals: Hour of Reckoning” or “C&C: Generals Zero Hour”

Professional real-time computer strategy, created back in 2002 to 2003, was rightfully the leader of military strategies for personal computers. Today, this game is remembered only by those who played it hard and trained to increase their efficiency in less time. The most popular and official addition is, of course, “Generals: Hour of Reckoning.”

We would like to note the following advantages of C&C: Generals Zero Hour:

• You can build any building absolutely anywhere on the map; there are absolutely no restrictions on construction and linking to a specific building;
• There are no restrictions on the creation of units, ranging from tanks, infantry and ending with air forces;
• Online battles for up to 8 players on the map;
• A lot of mods have been created, some of them have reached the same level of popularity as the main part of the RTS.
• There are many applications and fixes for this game, which allows you to reconfigure the game for yourself;
• Over the entire existence of the game “Generals”, more than 7,000 maps from third-party developers and mapmakers have appeared on the network;
• The advantages of this game are quite extensive, some of which will be shown below, and the rest you will notice yourself during the gameplay.

At the beginning of 2013, a re-release of “Command and Conquer – Generals” was planned, but the development failed due to numerous criticism from the players participating in the “Alpha” version. For that year, a modern and technological engine called “Frostbite Engine 2.0” was used, which showed a very rich picture and a large number of animations. Detailing coupled with good optimization would already please its old fans of the strategy.

As of today, 2018, there are the following fixes to the old version of “Generals: Hour of Reckoning”, which will allow you to slightly improve the comfortable game on new operating systems, higher screen resolutions, as well as nuances that are worth knowing:

1. The launch of Generals in new operating systems is affected by the “Options.ini” file in the game folder through “My Documents”;
2. You can also set compatibility parameters with Windows Xp to launch the shortcut (right mouse button > properties > compatibility > indicate compatibility with Windows xp);
3. Using Camera Fix is ​​considered a mod, but in fact only; a small fix for the camera for HD and FullHD monitors (makes the camera higher, so that buildings and units are not flattened and the view on the map is greater);
4. Regarding Options.ini, it also affects not only the launch in the new Windows 10 and 7 (Seven) operating systems, but also through it you can adjust the screen resolution, those values ​​that are not in the game itself, for example 1920x1080.

There is some chance that development of a new version of the Generals game will soon be resumed, but these are just rumors that are not true without confirmation from the company or developers. Let's hope that EA will still take on this game, because the number of players today, including mods, will number more than 50,000.

The new part of the game, or rather the re-release, was supposed to be called Generals 2, but first of all in this game, the main mistake was that they planned to make it Free 2 Play, that is, shareware. It was the free nature and subsequent monetization that influenced the assessment of players, in addition to the main cartoon process and some other problems associated with the gameplay of the new Generals.

We really miss the new game, for these reasons:

1. Optimization, since in the current version of the game, it is rarely possible to play without delays and lags with a large number of AI;
2. Problems in online matches, especially when you have to play with friends against bots;
3. There are obvious problems in the balance of the parties, especially for such factions and generals as “China: Nuclear Weapons”, “USA: Super Weapons”, “GLA: Toxic Weapons”.
4. Problems were noticed when the game most often crashed due to matches where “China: Infantry” and “China: Tanks” are present, when there were too many units or they entered those places on the map where the error occurred;
5. USA: Lasers are a bug with infantry, or rather missilemen shoot from a very long distance and at high speed, as well as from those places where there is a slope and from there, purely theoretically, it would not be possible to do this.

We’ll tell you about new mods and analogues of the game “Generals Zero Hour 1.04” another time. To be continued...

Search Command and Conquer style strategy? Today there are a huge number of games in the style C&C for every taste.

Command and Conquer is a popular series of games in the real-time strategy (RTS) genre, first released in 1995. Having become one of the most successful in the industry, it firmly maintains a rating of more than 80% on the largest review aggregator Metacritic.

Without a doubt, fans of the RTS genre will not be disappointed in the games presented below and will be able to find a project to suit their taste.

1. Anno series

Free Games Series Anno will give you the feeling of playing Command and Conquer with a focus on economic development and creating your own empire.

Anno is a game that relies more on cooperation and trade. However, the need for strategic planning and the presence of opposing sides will definitely remind you of C&C. Starting the game with next to nothing, you'll be faced with many challenging obstacles as you build your empire.

The game has deep and dynamic gameplay, and the free online version increases its accessibility.

The unique combination of strategy, the ability to battle with other players, explore the world, manage and develop your state on the path to power makes this game in the style of Command and Conquer worthy of attention.

2. Men of War

A game Men of War, released in 2009, allows you to focus on tactical control, placing a limited number of units under your control during a mission. Commanding your troops, you will take part in battles in Europe, the Soviet Union, North Africa and other theaters of war of the Second World War. The game's campaign consists of three parts and can offer a wide variety of tasks during the passage.

Based on meticulous adherence to battle tactics, providing support and supplies, the game forces you to carefully monitor and correctly use each of your soldiers and pieces of military equipment. A limited supply of ammunition and its timely replenishment are the main distinguishing feature of Men of War, allowing you to experience the difficulties of a real war.

Moreover, all armored vehicles in the game do not have abstract health points, but, on the contrary, individual parts of them can be damaged. Men of War also has destructible environments, realistic ballistics and other features.

3. Empire Earth Series

Having in its arsenal three games in the RTS genre, the series Empire Earth immerses you in world history, focusing on the construction, development and conquest of other peoples and spanning the period from prehistory to the distant future.

Being close in style to Age of Empires, Empire Earth is much more historically accurate and has features such as troop morale and heroes that greatly expand the tactical options. Using your strategic mastery, you will go through thousands of years of civilization, gaining access to ever more advanced troops.

If Command and Conquer and Age of Empires are your favorite games, then Empire Earth hits the sweet spot.

4. Act of war

Action Act of War takes place in modern times, where you, controlling a small elite squad, fight your way through numerous enemies around the world. In the near future, the price of oil has provoked a global economic crisis and you will have to confront various factions that want to seize control of the production of black gold.

The game stands out for its combination of staged videos with live actors and exciting gameplay. Despite the fact that Act of War was released in 2005, it is still able to compete with modern games.

Featuring injury mechanics, hostage-taking capabilities, destructible environments, and the ability to use scrap items to build shelters, the game is an excellent example of a military-oriented real-time strategy game.

5. Company of Heroes series

This series, consisting of two games, has gameplay made in the style Command and Conquer: Generals. The first game was released in 2006, followed by a sequel in 2013.

Original Company of Heroes received some of the highest ratings in the entire history of RTS from a number of gaming magazines. The game takes place during the Second World War and is replete with many varied and exciting missions throughout the campaign, which will definitely appeal to true connoisseurs of the strategy genre.

There is also multiplayer for fighting battles against live opponents or going through the campaign together. Unfortunately, since the first part of the game was released back in 2005, today it is possible to play its multiplayer mode only with friends due to the lack of active servers.

And although the Company of Heroes series did not bring anything new to the RTS genre, its excellently executed simple, but at the same time fun and addictive gameplay inevitably led to the game's great success among gamers.

6. StarCraft 2

StarCraft 2 is the best real-time strategy game in a futuristic setting. The game's campaign is one of the best in the genre, and the multiplayer component speaks for itself, being the only representative of the RTS in modern e-sports at the international level. The original game also has a great story, but its dated graphics (released in 1998) and difficulty finding opponents online may turn some players off.

The game is set in a fictional (but possible) world of the distant future and features three playable races: Terrans (humans), Protoss (an alien race with advanced technology) and Zerg (a race of all-consuming creatures).

In terms of plot, StarCraft 2 is a trilogy in which each race is dedicated to a separate game, although in multiplayer any one is available for selection. As you progress, you can improve your troops, changing them to suit your playstyle and objectives.

If you are a fan RTS in a futuristic setting, then StarCraft 2 (and its original) should definitely be at the top of your list to check out.

7. Supreme Commander Series

Supreme Commander is one of the few series of real-time strategy games available not only on PC, but also on Xbox 360.

The series currently consists of two games, released in 2007 and 2010 respectively, both of which were highly acclaimed by critics. The series is also positioned as a spiritual successor Total Annihilation And Spring.

Supreme Commander takes place in the distant future and takes you to different parts of the galaxy, so that every new mission you will see an unfamiliar landscape.

At the beginning of each task you are given Armored Command Center, or BKC, with which you build buildings and conduct research in order to destroy the enemy. The game offers a campaign with over twenty missions and various other game modes.

8. Age of Empires series

Age of Empires is another notable series of games. It consists of many main games with several expansions and an online version. The vast majority of them were published only for PC and Mac, but there are also several spin-offs for mobile platforms.

Age of Empires series focuses on historical gameplay, in some cases reconstructing events with high authenticity. The game has a story campaign, as well as the ability to play against AI or live opponents.

Without a doubt, the best representative of the series is Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, maintaining a score of 92% at Metacritic.

Any real fan of the real-time strategy genre should definitely try this Command and Conquer style game.

There are few games in the world as full of contradictions as the new Command & Conquer. Legendary RTS! But! On a shareware basis, without fancy videos, on the action engine Frostbyte 2, and even entrusted to the masters of BioWare role-playing games. However, at the recent Gamescom-2013 exhibition it turned out that the most annoying contradiction has finally been eliminated. There will be a campaign, and it looks like there will be more than one!

Geopolitics: from Albania to the Apocalypse

As you remember, the RTS epic Command & Conquer was stuck on the edge of the abyss after the failure of the fourth part. Then it turned out that almost any changes in the original mechanics of C&C would not lead to any good - after all, this is a strategic mastodon, a symbol of primitive RTS. Therefore, reviving the series, the creators returned to the roots: building and protecting bases, extracting resources and leading large armies. Well, here’s the guide: I circled it and sent it...

The GOA command center is already on its last legs, and the Chinese have also brought in the “Overlords”.

At first, the new C&C grew out of Generals, but plans to unite the universes forced the generals to be removed from the subtitle. However, it is they who are taken as the basis for the mechanics - unlike the classic “dune” concept, when buildings were built without anyone’s participation, here workers are responsible for the construction of the base.

% Note: at some point in this game, war bears will chew the armor of mammoth tanks. But for now we are faced with a very possible war in the near future between three militarized blocs: the European Union, the Asia-Pacific Alliance and the Global Liberation Army. The question “Where have the peddlers of democracy gone?” we expect it, but it is no longer relevant - Victory Games (the same BioWare division responsible for the development of C&C) will return to the USA after the release of the game.

Campaigns also grow from there: sets of missions of varying degrees of linearity and with all sorts of tasks for every taste - even derail a train, even disrupt a satellite launch, or even storm a mountain base - but without videos with live actors in between (although we should be maybe they are just preparing a surprise). The example of StarСraft 2 turned out to be contagious: first, only one campaign will be released, for the Asia-Pacific Alliance, and then all the others will be released as they are ready. They also promised cooperative missions - we hope that they will be more fun than in Red Alert 3.

Apparently, the role of the angry masses will increase even more: look how many of them there are! “And some freak was also selling them drugs...”

General at the apparatus

From the same Generals, a proprietary variety of strategies came into the game, depending on the chosen nation and general. Asians use numbers and brute force, Europeans are adepts of high technology and prefer expensive quality, and terrorists (of which not all are now Arabs!) hide and carry out vile sabotage.

The Army of the European Union is seen as a transitional link between US soldiers and the GDI association from the C&C tiberium series...	...but the futuristic “Orks” were still replaced with familiar helicopters.

But within each union there are differences, as in the addition to Generals - Zero Hour. Remember, one there was a big fan of aviation, and his planes were perfect and cheap, but armored vehicles were only suitable for transporting the wounded, another respected lasers, and the third commanded superweapons and had to sit on the defensive for a long time, so that they could then be burned out by the rays of orbital guns bad word at the enemy base...

It is impossible not to recognize the Asian base - the sloping roofs, like those of Chinese pagodas, are even more eloquent than the nose of a nuclear missile sticking out of the silo.

The same principle is planned here: all future actions, all tactics depend on the choice of the general - just like in a MOBA. And there will be many of them. Nineteen characters are already known, but this is probably not the limit, and for each you will have to save up resources or fork out money. Monetization brings to mind League of Legends, and EA employees assure that there will never be a Pay2Win model. For money - only generals, assorted settings and tweaks, and a premium account like what we saw in World of Tanks(that is, battles will bring more profit).

Something about generals

Dossiers on some of the future commanders have already been leaked online, and one can appreciate how much they differ. I would like to believe that the balance will be better than in Zero Hour, when the “infantry” general could not do anything about the “toxic” one, and the “tank” general looked with horror at the approaching fighters, without the slightest chance of doing anything to oppose them.

"Scavenger" (GOA)

Advantages:

Rebel squad (heavily armed soldiers dedicated to the ideals of the GOA, useful against infantry).

Bus (spacious transport, and after death - a bunker, useful for infantry).

A hole in the system (introduces errors into the operation of enemy equipment, which slows down and weakens).

"Doctor Trax" (GOA)

Advantages:

Chemists on wheels (increase, ahem, the efficiency of soldiers).

Toxic tank (armored vehicles that spray poisons on the battlefield - useful against infantry and light vehicles).

Toxic bomb (poisons all living things within a certain radius).

"The Beast" (ATS)

Advantages:

Urban Stormtroopers (armored fighters adapted for street fighting; useful against infantry and garrisons).

Rapid-fire machine gun (double-barreled stationary machine gun, effective against infantry and aircraft).

Tear gas (hides friendly units, but reduces effectiveness in battle).

"Red Arrow" (ATS)

Advantages:

Rocketeers (launcher specialists, the thunder of light equipment).

Rocket tank (tracked anti-tank armored vehicle).

“Roll of Thunder” (launches a special rocket that immobilizes enemies in a limited radius).

"Red Mercury" (EU)

Advantages:

Shock Troop (fast soldiers with flash grenades, effective against infantry and garrisons).

Assault armored car (vehicle useful in supporting infantry).

"Bastion" (an ability that inspires allied fighters, allowing them to withstand more damage).

"Ghost" (EU)

Advantages:

Snipers (invisible and fearsome soldiers, useful against infantry).

Armored personnel carrier "Fox" (a secretive but not very capacious reconnaissance vehicle - useful against infantry).

Aircraft module "Reaper" (drone armed with missiles).

* * *

Almost nothing is known about other generals except portraits and nicknames. We cannot help but note that, unlike the generals from Generals: Zero Hour, not all the local commanders are very similar to high-ranking warriors.

The tough “Inferno” can be either a seasoned tanker or a lover of napalm.	The romantic nickname “A Thousand Suns” and the dosimeter on his chest mean only one thing - we have a new nuclear general in China!	"Brigadier" is a very generic name, but based on stereotypes about the Chinese army, one might assume that he commands infantry.

"Blackjack" wears camouflage face paint - he's probably a covert ops specialist.	Like other European generals, “Bulldog” looks like a true Aryan - fair-haired and blue-eyed. The only clue - the nickname - refers us to the UK.	Surely the fighting blonde with a hard-to-translate name is engaged in energy - judging by the emblem on her shoulder and the outlandish weapon in her hands.

“Blade” seemed to be born at the cutting edge of progress. What can we bet that his specialty is superweapons?	Without any doubts! “Daedalus” is an aviation general, the ideological heir of the American Granger.	The Italian “She-Wolf” is clearly one of those who prefer an assault to a siege, but you can’t say more now.

“The Burglar,” we are sure, is distinguished by his passion for technology and its improvement.	“Nitro” comes from Ukraine, and she also replaces the demolition general - and the phone in her hand clearly sends a signal to the detonator.	Judging by his respectful nickname, “Tactician” is the only professional military man in the terrorist fraternity.	The image of the Wild Dog is a mixture of military equipment and pagan amulets. Maybe this is a general of disguise?

C&C has many thematic twists and plot twists, making it one of the most diverse strategy series on PC.

Trying to put all the C&C games in their place is quite a prospect. The series is riddled with so many thematic changes and gameplay overhauls that one fan's "best entry" is bound to be another's "disappointment and disgrace to the series."

Innovation and a reluctance to cliché sequels are why Westwood's strategy games have become an incredibly fun, memorable series that players love. And no matter in what order I place them in this ranking, there will always be people who consider my decision heresy.

However, there are still two things that the majority will agree on. First, the dissolution of Westwood was a tragedy. Secondly, when it comes to ranking all the parts from worst to best, it's easy to find where to start.

C&C4 is so far removed from the talent and inspiring design of the excellent original games that I barely recognize it. Create an online account to play timed team matches. Choose a class, and then churn out dull futuristic tanks and laser-armed robots in a mobile factory, capturing strategic points.

Upgrades are purchased for all units, the gameplay with their special abilities is similar to rock-paper-scissors. All that was left of the once great gaming series was an empty, dried-out shell.

EA's approach to the series has always been weak on new ideas, but it was with C&C4 that they completely stopped trying to copy old Westwood features, preferring to pull them from other popular games and mix them into one pile. A tragic ending, but inevitable since EA bought Westwood in 1998 and closed it in 2003, firing the people who worked hard on the series and gave it all their passion. All that's left of C&C is the name.
They didn't ruin the formula of the beloved series, they completely destroyed it. No more resource gathering. Rivet yourself units until you reach the limit, and then throw them at the enemy, gradually wearing them down. The choice is limited only by “class” - ground, air troops and buildings are divided into attacking, defensive and support. The game is no longer about destroying the enemy; to win, you just need to hold the points for the right amount of time. Even if you completely cut out the enemy's forces, he will simply be reborn with a mobile factory and continue to resist. For the last installment in a series so rich in wonderful memories, C&C4 couldn't be more unattractive.

There is a bright side to EA's intervention in the C&C franchise - Sole Survivor is no longer the worst game in the series! Well done!

Most C&C fans have never even heard of this game, and even fewer have played it. But it really exists, or rather, existed - a spin-off of the original Command and Conquer. Players chose one of the C&C units and fought in an online match with 50 opponents, collecting boosters and becoming stronger.

But beyond this simple concept, Sole Survivor is nothing special; it could easily be a mod for the original game instead of a separate title. With a little more time and effort, this online arena could gain a lot more love and appreciation; after all, playing skirmish with a single RTS unit is not a bad idea, but it requires more depth and versatility. For example, a team mode and a segmented map where players try to destroy each other's bases, supported by AI soldiers... and maybe each kill of an enemy would give money that could be spent on upgrades, rather than being found in boxes. It might work.

If you asked people to list all their fondest memories of Red Alert 2, they'd probably say crazy units, cutscenes with terrible acting, and an alternate history Cold War setting that looked like it was straight out of a B movie. Put it all together, feed it to the robot and order it to make a game - you get Red Alert 3. Did you like the Mirage Tank and its amazing tree disguise? Don't worry, he's back. What about the alliance's IFV and its smart, customizable weapon systems? And he's here! Do you remember the flying Kirov and your horror when it fell on your base?

Bringing back the canonical troops is not a problem, another thing is that RA3 can do nothing other than imitate its predecessor. And this once again emphasizes the fact that Westwood were much better at what they did than EA.

As a result, all three armies suffer from a burden in the form of a bloated bag of useless, and even downright annoying, icons and buttons.

RA2's gameplay features were taken to the extreme, to the point where every damn unit in RA3 had an activated ability. Beam "C-1". Shield "Aegis". Acceleration. Paralyzing whip. Even the War Dog has Supersonic Bark! An unsuccessful attempt to diversify Red Alert 2 with interesting and unique units. Where the abilities of RA2 units are “built-in” into their standard actions like maneuvering or attacking, RA3 units shove a bunch of icons in the player’s face, worthy of some kind of MOVA. The war dog's deafening supersonic bark was not given out because of the anti-personnel purpose of this unit, no. The developers were clearly guided by the principle “the more abilities we add, the better.” Unfortunately, quantity does not equal quality, and as a result, all three armies suffer from a bloated bag of useless, if not downright annoying, icons and buttons.

Gameplay is only half the problem with RA3 squads; They also suffered a lot from the design, which was another unsuccessful attempt at copying. The crazy RA2 units stood out from the otherwise ordinary army. When you saw the Giant Squid brutally shaking the Destroyer, or Yuri's flying saucer howling over the battlefield and stealing your money, they looked strange in comparison with the rest of the troops. Everything in RA3 is strange: fighting bears, helicopters armed with shrink rays, cannons firing at other units. A crazy designer worked on every unit. There's even Japan, a new faction that includes anime robots and psychotic schoolgirls among its ranks! Air defense soldiers are constantly complaining about the Gulag, and Tim Curry and George Takei were paid to play Romanov and Yuri! Please remember how much you liked RA2.

The game's complete transition to future technologies doesn't help either - where RA2 units could boast of 80s aesthetics with a touch of experimental development, RA3 "shines" with a mixture of future military technologies and Soviet design from the Second World War. There are no standout experimental units in RA3's arsenal - they're all wacky and experimental, making it hard to tell them apart. Here is another example of how RA3 is trying to make a rule for itself from a feature of the previous game. This approach provides nothing but worthless fan service.

So far we've discussed two games that I, as a C&C fan, find offensive, and one that's hard to call a game. Which brings us to C&C3, a game neither bad nor good.

The action takes place in the dark apocalyptic setting of Tiberium Sun, which has already been tried and tested. The SAGE engine does an excellent job of rendering gloomy, devastated terrain. There are no surprises among the units - ordinary infantrymen, grenade launchers, infantry fighting vehicles, medium and heavy tanks, and so on and so forth. Build bases, collect Tiberium, spend it on troops and throw them at each other. The campaigns are full of cheap videos of Michael Ironside, Grace Park and Tricia Helfer giving advice and Billy Dee Williams going crazy and screaming for a doomsday bomb. Without a doubt, this is C&C.

And yet, she is not memorable. Besides the engine, gameplay and setting, there is little in the game that was not in Tiberium Sun and Generals. For a sequel four years in the making, it's not fresh enough to be a memorable new chapter in C&C's history. The introduction of "TW" marked the beginning of the series' transition from innovation to mediocrity; it was the first game created entirely without the participation of Westwood and Westwood Pacific. It's not hard to guess why the magic disappeared. Red Alert 3 was terrible, but C&C3 doesn't irritate me in the same way. It was an attempt to regain lost greatness, and the result was neither good nor bad, just mediocre.

Ah, Renegade. As a lifelong C&C fan, I got really excited after watching the Renegade trailer. Yes, I was 12, but the change of perspective looked so tempting. Check it out for yourself and try to imagine how cool it looked for someone like me, who spent countless hours commanding little men and tanks in , when I was asked to become one of these soldiers myself.

If you do watch the trailer, you might notice how dated it looked even at the time. Westwood's foray into the FPS genre, Renegade lacked great gameplay, especially after the many years since the release of such titans as Half-Life, Quake, Counter-Strike and Unreal Tournament. Yes, in addition to foot battles, Renegade could offer battles on combat vehicles, but the same thing was done much better by Battlezone II and Codename Eagle, which were years ahead of it. And a couple of months later, Battlefield 1942 was released, with which Renegade could not stand any comparison.

But, as the trailer promised, this was not a cool FPS, but a game about a soldier from Command and Conquer. “Renegade” fulfilled its promise, offering players a strong campaign to destroy an entire army of Nod soldiers, bases and vehicles. Multiplayer was also popular, with fans even creating Renegade X, a modern remake of the online component. Despite all its flaws, this combination of face and nostalgia has earned its place in the hearts of many fans of the series.

Get ready, we've reached a place where opinions are starting to divide. Depending on who you ask, Tiberian Sun could be called either the greatest sequel or the worst disappointment in C&C history. It's not hard to see why - the game completely changed the setting, mood and gameplay, offering players an experience completely different from previous games.

Gone are the greenery of the sun-drenched flat maps, the fast-paced soundtrack and the simple, modern units. Instead, the game showed dark, barren wastelands and disturbing melodies, to which armies of futuristic factions kneaded each other. There are no more basic infantrymen and medium tanks, their place has been taken by supersonic emitters and fire-breathing tanks, digging passages underground, bipedal piloted robots and crazy cyber commandos that will rush at you, even if their legs are blown off. The style of Tiberian Sun was very different and if you didn't like it, you won't like the gameplay. Thanks to the fact that Westwood was in a hurry by the new publisher, EA, the game was released without proper polishing, which did not add points to the players.

For all its darkness, Tiberian Sun was a great addition to the series. The engine looked fantastic for its time, and the mixture of sprite infantry with voxel technology created a memorable graphical style. The explosions deformed the area, disfiguring it as the bloodshed continued. A decent selection of soldiers and vehicles, balanced against each other, allowed the use of different tactics to achieve victory in both the campaign and the multiplayer game. Frank Klepacki, who created the excellent musical accompaniment for the classic C&C, did his best on Tiberian Sun, recording gloomy techno that invited “to fight to the death in the middle of a dying world infected with Tiberium.” Listen to this track, Valves, which contains the whole essence of darkness, mystery and endless battle of Tiberian Sun.

In that terrible world, I spent many happy hours, shooting nodes and mutants, strengthening my bases with a concrete foundation to prevent the attack of Devil’s Tongue. TS was a unique game, and the chirping of its rifles and muffled rumbles of explosions immediately became firmly etched in my memory. And yet, despite all my respect for it, I consider TS to be stuck in the middle of the C&C family: it came out too late to become part of the good old style, and too early to be anything more than the basis for future greatness series.

The chatter of machine gun fire. The guttural roar of upgraded watchtower launchers. The hiss of flamethrower tanks. The ominous hum of an obelisk charging before a fierce light illuminates the battlefield. That's what I remember when I think of the original C&C. It seems like just yesterday that I went on my first GDI mission, landing troops on the beach under the cover of gunboats.

I know I'm not alone. Westwood may have set the stage with Dune 2, but only Command and Conquer resonates in the hearts of PC gamers. The game was very simple - build a base, collect resources, train an army and attack the enemy, but the variety of units between the two factions gave the game excellent replayability and depth. The roles of familiar modern combat units were determined intuitively, and the magnificent rhythmic soundtrack from Frank Klepacki, coupled with the fast, driving gameplay did not allow one to tear oneself away from it. The multiplayer mode, which included local and online matches with live opponents, only added to its popularity; Each game box came with two discs so everyone could compete against each other with just one purchase.

Command and Conquer was packed with full-length cutscenes, starting a tradition that lasted until the end of the series, with the exception of Generals. Joe Kuncan's performance as the charismatic NOD leader Kane was wonderful, and along with Eric Martin playing the tough GDI Brigadier General Sheppard, these videos immersed us headlong into the world of the game. Each subsequent installment has tried to get bigger and bigger, but I miss those simple briefs and interludes of the original game. Is the camera still recording?

It's 1996, and "Hell March" is blasting from the speakers. Hitler is wiped off the face of the Earth, and Stalin tests nerve gas on local villages. The plane glides over the desperate partisans, spraying them with machine guns. Shots pierce the gas tank and a fireball blooms in the sky, partisans rush around while your infantry levels the town. Under the church, boxes of money are found, with which you can buy more planes.

Red Alert took the blueprints from Command and Conquer to transform it into a fantastic RTS. The same gameplay, but with a huge number of new units and buildings, and the action takes place in an alternative historical line, where Hitler never came to power, and the Second World War was started by the Soviet Union under the leadership of Stalin. Tesla Coils and Chronospheres set the tone for the new fantasy world, and the greater variety of units and buildings available made Red Alert's gameplay even better than its predecessor. And this has been proven by time - many fans of the series still fight in online battles in the open source remake “OpenRA”.

Red Alert didn't just add new toys, it created new ones based on existing mechanics, introducing a second, rarer and more expensive resource, unique units like Tanya and naval equipment that supports ground forces. And also a map editor for players, allowing them to create their own battlefields.

Hitler has been wiped off the face of the Earth.

Each faction in the game had a campaign with a full set of cutscenes, just like its predecessor, and again they were excellent. Whether it was Stalin's creepy office or a conference room with frowning Alliance generals, the videos confidently immersed you in the world of Red Alert, the officers became increasingly dependent on your decisions, and you became a real leader. I love that mission for the Soviets where you need to catch a spy with the help of attack dogs and soldiers, leaving behind destroyed villages so that the prey has nowhere to hide. Other tasks require blowing up bridges, landing amphibious troops or, for example, rescuing Einstein. But what I remember most is the campaign that Westwood added in the Counterstrike expansion.

In the first Command and Conquer, you could access a secret amusement park campaign where you had to fight angry dinosaurs. Red Alert took this idea and, of course, refined it with It Came From Red Alert!, a secret campaign against giant fire-breathing ants. Access to it was opened through a shift-click on the upper right speaker in the main menu of the game. Fun, creative and challenging, these missions were a real challenge for players, and many of us will remember them for a long time.

Red Alert has done a phenomenal job of not only not losing the magic of C&C, but taking it to new heights. There are few games that I remember with such fondness. However, Westwood was just warming up, preparing for their best creations.

Chinooks full of soldiers raining rockets and stun grenades on hordes of Chinese nuclear tanks, while Middle Eastern extremists drive Toyotas, motorcycles and bomb-laden trucks. Often considered the black sheep of the C&C family, Generals was a clear parody of the conflicts of the modern world, a three-way battle where the US and China battled for world domination while the Global Liberation Army sent truck bombs to anyone who would look askance at them.

A world where an American tank destroyed a tractor loaded with anthrax, and then stoically declared: “Our cause is just.” Where, despite all the heavily armed tanks, high-tech lasers and elite infantry, the most feared force on the battlefield was an angry mob with AK-47s. Seemingly referencing the modern world, Generals could compete with Red Alert 2 for the title of the most absurd game in the series.

They could also compete with it for the title of the best C&C game. When Generals first came out, fans were hostile to so many changes. They poked at disappeared resource fields and a new economic system; they didn’t like that the worlds of “Tiberius” and “Red Alert” were abandoned for a more realistic one, that there were no videos, and the game itself was on a new 3D engine. It looked like the Generals weren't going to be a good game. But I said it then, and I will say it to the end: “they were wrong.”

Yes, Generals was different from all previous games in the series, but it gave an absolutely fantastic experience. Everything that made Westwood's later C&Cs so great is there: infantry, vehicles, and static defense. Everything interacts perfectly, everything is balanced, and every choice is viable and, more importantly, enjoyable. Rush with base tanks? It will work great. Slow advance with heavy artillery? It's crawling, but it's hot as hell. Dropping elite infantry into key points on the map? Elegant and effective.

This is a game where "F-22 raid" and "toxic tractor attack" are equivalent if you play your cards right. Use what you like. I've spent thousands of hours playing Generals, playing every unit and every faction. They all have their own interesting approaches to dominating the battlefield, each unit is beautifully modeled (and voiced), and they're all a joy to command. New additions like faction talents, unit upgrades, and some secondary abilities added depth to the game without overwhelming it. The campaign in Generals is not as strong as in previous C&Cs, but its multiplayer is unparalleled, be it battles with AI or real players. Each was limited only by his personal skill and how cunningly he used his army. And there was something to study.

With the release of the Zero Hour expansion, Generals acquired new units, campaign missions, and a challenge mode. Players had to choose one of nine newly arrived generals representing specific forces - the US Air Force, the Chinese Army, GOA Toxins, and so on - and fight the remaining eight leaders one on one on their home soil, and each map was unique, with its own characteristics . The fight was not easy, and after defeating eight opponents, the battle began with the final boss, who used the capabilities of three factions at once.

It was challenging and fun, and the replay value was high, since the style of play for each general was fundamentally different from his colleagues. All of them were selectable in multiplayer, with the specializations and improved units they provided adding depth and breadth to the game. Zero Hour was a wonderful addition to Generals, firmly taking its place as one of the best expansion packs ever released for one of all time.

“Yuri, is this the end?” “No, Comrade Secretary. It's only begining". Red Alert 2 is, without a doubt, the pinnacle of the Command and Conquer series. All the best that there is is collected in it and brought to almost perfection. The units are amazingly balanced, each of them dominant in one area, inferior to others in another. A wide selection of bright and interesting maps, built up with a variety of buildings that can be occupied by infantry, as fortifications, or simply captured, receiving special bonuses from this. This is not counting a bunch of necks, bridges and reservoirs.

The campaign is exceptionally beautiful, the videos are fantastic - they are aware that they are playing a farce and they are enjoying it, but there is no excess. All the characters are good, but the standout is Udo Kier as Yuri, both a frightening and fascinating psychic adviser to Soviet Secretary Romanov. In my opinion, he is even better than Kane Joe Kuncan, the best antagonist. Yuri may not have the natural charisma of his NOD counterpart, but he exudes a clearly discernible sinister power. The advisor suppresses my will just by looking at him.

Speaking of Yuri, the coolest addition to RA2, entitled “Yuri’s Revenge,” revolves around him. Yes, no new units were added to the game, but a whole new faction appeared, led by an advisor. RA2 is a great game, but Yuri's Revenge takes it to the next level by introducing us to a completely new and balanced psychic army with many unique units.

That's not counting the new campaign, which aims to save Microsoft from destruction by the Soviets, fight dinosaurs and travel through time, and lead space forces in the assault on Yuri's lunar base.

The music for the original game and the expansion was written by Klepacki, producing an amazing rhythmic techno-funk that is forever stuck in my head. The best unit voices in the series were heard over this music. Up until this point, Westwood had mostly stuck to strictly military-style voice acting, but in RA2 they really rocked it, giving each squad its own personality and memorable lines.

Okay, the water is warm! - SEAL fighter.

“I’ll take the high road!” the allied rocket man sang as he took off into the sky. “We will bury them,” the Soviet Rhino wheezed as he went into battle. “A little C4, knocking at your door,” the SEAL soldier said. “Kirov reporting,” the unstoppable leviathan announced across the entire map, while you panickedly built up air defense and prayed to all the gods.

RA2 is so imprinted in my head that their words periodically pop up in my head when certain triggers occur in everyday life. Tell me: “I’ve got the knowledge!”, and I will immediately answer with “Studying blueprints!” A habit that has become second nature.

But what makes RA2 truly the greatest game in the series is its army design. Each faction has its own huge set of units, quite different from each other. A great example is the Alliance IFV, a fast-moving buggy that comes with different types of weapons depending on the infantry you put in it. Tesla Troopers double the effectiveness of the iconic Tesla Coils, increasing range and damage. The tanks are prismatically connected to each other, thus increasing their power.

Crazy Ivans can attach time bombs to any units, including allied ones, which allows them to create improvised kamikazes. But you can use the power of Yuri to take control of local animals like a cow and attach a bomb to it! Mirage Tanks pretend to be trees, Flying Discs steal money, Terror Drones tear equipment to pieces from the inside, and Chrono Legionnaires erase the enemy from existence. The variety is exceptional, each unit can find its own use.

It is IFV and Spies that show what a huge amount of work has been done on the game design. As I already mentioned, the IFV changed its weapons depending on its passengers, but this did not only apply to the Alliance infantry! Westwood made sure that every infantry unit in the game can provide a buggy with its own bonus! Capture an enemy construction yard and your IFV with a Tesla Fighter on board will be able to shoot lightning; put Yuri in it, and you will have the opportunity to sow terror with psychic explosions. And with Mad Ivanov, the buggy can... well, explode. The main thing is that the enemies are nearby.

The Allied Spy was created with an eye to these rare combinations, allowing him to steal various secret units, depending on what faction he was from and who owned the Tech Center where the spy was infiltrating. For example, the Soviets, having acquired the Spy, upon infiltrating another Soviet center could obtain the Supreme Yuri; while Alliance players who sneaked Spies into the Alliance center received a Chrono Commando, a teleporting SEAL with an MP-5 in his hands and instantly destroying buildings with an endless supply of C4. Yes, it was just as creepy as it sounds.

Many other features added polish to RA2's excellent gameplay, including the previously mentioned ability to occupy buildings with infantry, various interesting superweapons, a selection of different sub-nations, each giving their own unique units and abilities, as well as veteran bonuses that lasted until Tiberian Sun (we saw the Prismatic Tank with three stripes? Get out of here.)

In the end, RA2 became a triumph of the genre, one of the greatest games of all time. The loss of Westwood Studios was a tragedy for the gaming industry, but their passion and inspiration will live on forever in their creations, of which Red Alert 2 is without a doubt the best.