Realistic and mature review from a hardcore gamer, but not hardcore C&C fan.
I've been a gamer for a very long time. And like many others, I loved the first C&C when it came out (I was already in the University by then). I stayed up late challenging everyone in the dorms. It was one heck of an addicting game. The first Red Alert had similar effects on me.
Over the years, I've lost track of the C&C series and RTS games in general. However, I recently finished both RA 3 and C&C 3. This was my first time playing these series since C&C 1 but I did enjoy both titles. However, I didn't really care for the story and just "ESC" through all the cut scenes. I play games for the gameplay and graphics. Story is very secondary for me. Even games like Mass Effect barely peak my interest in terms of story. I think a good game can bring you into their world simply by having awesome gameplay and iconic designs (remember Zelda, A Link to the Past? I'm sure the graphics sucks now, but your memory of it is much better right?)
I bought C&C 4 because the art style looked very interesting. The advertised gameplay also reminded me of Dawn of War II (which I loved). As a gamer, I really didn't care if they changed the "C&C formula." For me, as long as the game is fun, then who cares? And thus I pressed the "Purchase Now" button on Steam.
Ok, on to the review (I'll keep it short)
Story:
The cut-scenes are worse than high-school productions. I couldn't stand watching them. Plus the style is a big disconnect from the style of the actual game. I only watched the intro and skipped all the rest. As a result, I had no idea what the heck was going on (NOD on my side; then I was fighting NOD, etc.) But this didn't bother me at all. In conclusion, I had no idea what the story was but that's my own fault.
Gameplay:
Ok, this is a big issue for a lot of C&C fans. For me, it didn't bother me that much. However, if EA wanted to change to a new formula, then they should commit fully to it. Instead, they did a half-baked conversion. It's no secret they are copying Dawn of War II, but they copied the wrong parts. The squad based concept is fun; *only if* the gameplay was designed to support it. In DoWII, the landscape and formations allowed for some very interesting battles and strategies. In contrast, C&C 4 gave you squads, but left out the strategy. Once you get your limited troops, the only option is to just rush them into battle. There are no barriers to hide behind, or terrain elevations to give you an advantage. Basically, what's the point of having a tight squad if I can't use them effectively? Granted, there are some basic strategies, but nothing that's too challenging for the average gamer.
That said, the game is still somewhat fun. It's cool to see units pop out of the base and do their little animations. The effects look great and everything ran extremely smooth (all settings on high at 1920x1200). Battles can take ages since there are unlimited resources for both sides. It all just boils down to constantly sending in suicide squads until one side wins.
Graphics:
I actually like the cartoon style. Some units are over the top, but over-all, the designs and animations look playful and fun.
DRM:
This seems like another big issue for a lot of people. Understandably, it's pretty annoying if your internet connection is not stable or if you play games off of laptops in Hotels. I have a very stable connection and thus didn't notice the DRM at all. I never had one issue with it.
Overall:
For $49.99, it's a bit expensive for an advanced casual game. The cartoonish design and simple gameplay is more suited for younger players. It's odd that EA chose this direction for a monster IP like C&C. Their fans for this game dates back to 1995, and this game is not suited for these gamers. The title is also misleading. I'm sure EA could have had a lot more sales if they simply renamed the game to "C&C: Tactical Squad" or something to that effect. This puts the gamer's mindset into another game-type. All and all, C&C 4 is not a bad game. It's fun and held my interest for about 2 weeks. If you don't follow the C&C storyline, then gave it a shot. Gameplay is relaxed and simple and this game runs ultra smooth. But wait for a 50% price drop on Steam first.