Red Alert 3 may have kept its predecessor's formula, but terrific improvements make it worth playing more than before.
- 3 different factions
- Improved stories and tutorial
- Solid and entertaining gameplay is really fun
- Great addition to its 8 year old predecessor
- Impressive graphics and music
Negative
- Difficulty can rise off the charts sometimes
- Some extra depth in gameplay complicate things
Red Alert 3 improves upon its 8 year old predecessor in every sector to create a superior and fun outcome for fans and newcomers alike. The game is bigger, featuring 3 factions which one of them is a new one, more new units and buildings to use, boasts up some great graphics but keeps the gameplay as addictive as it was in Red Alert 2.
The game features 3 distinction campaigns which each faction, and a lengthy tutorial to guide you better than before since it is divided into 6 areas to help you improve in every area. The initial cutscene that guides the story is the opening cinematic so don't miss it, but it is a bit long. The Russian leaders travel back in time and eliminate Einstein making the Soviet Union to dominate the world. In the change of history, a new faction rises in glory, the Empire of Rising Sun. Each campaign puts you in the role of a war commander. The faction's leader will give you the instruction to follow to lead them to victory. You won't fight alone in war since an allied general is always there to help, his color is green. From the minimap in battle there are times where enemy generals will communicate to you and talk to you, and if you played as the faction you are playing against, you are highly to encounter the same general who fought aside you.
Some great additions make Red Alert 3 better. It's superb in almost every section, except the atrocious difficulty still rises off the charts at times, even if there is difficulty setting for every stage between easy, medium and hard. Thankfully it is not as bad as Red Alert 2, newcomers can camp. The tutorial will help you to the new controls and additions over RA2. There are 6 stages making it more manageable and easier to understand than before. No one obligates you to use it, but you might need it. Red Alert's biggest change is that each faction uses different unit types. From example the Empire of the Rising Sun which is from the East (Japan and Korean area) uses shinobi which the others don't. The mecha tengu is also exclusively to the Eastern faction. Also the way they transport their buildings is cooler since it's mobile and is small so if you are used to the other faction it is easy to forget about it and wonder how you have nothing (happened to me). You still control units and send them to fight. Most objectives consist of destroying enemy's structures but it is more varied this time around. There are bonus objectives as well. For example training 5 peacekeepers, repairs certain things and other stuff. You get to destroy statues and using aerial assaults.
Red Alert 3 gives you a special option if you progress well. By looking at the bottom left side of the screen you see something. If it is 1 or higher you can select one of which you can use and it is different for each faction. These "power" may give you the advantage over enemies. Other additions are that you can sell or repair your buildings. There are still the ship and air bases, and armor facility for vehicles. Normal soldiers may take too much so it may be necessary to put them in a vehicle for faster travelling.
Allied generals will sometimes talk to you as well. You can't take control of his soldiers and structures but you can boss him around. His units are always green, while the unit of the Empire of the Rising Sun is yellow; Soviets are red and Allied are blue. At the top left of the screen this time you can make him attack in a particular area or move his units. Most of the time he will assist you, but there are times that the AI does things on its own. It may be difficult to predetermine the allied general's AI. There are times where you take control of things and the general does little, but other time you become a spectator since the general takes the enemies out. Most units can change, transform or use a particular power. By pressing once on the unit and check the bottom right side of the screen you will see the name and class of the unit and right next to it, you will see if some changes can be made. For example the mecha tengu can become an air fighting unit, and peacekeepers can use riot shields.
The thing that most changed is the graphics without a doubt. There is a lot of detail and color put in. The environments and units obviously had a major overhaul from its 8 year old predecessor. The cutscenes are still real life but it nothing bad, I personally find it great. It is more atmospherically to use these kind of cutscenes that 3d ones to tell an impactful story. The sound took a leap forward. The soundtrack adds some rock/metal theme to the battlefield even if there is some of the music which is annoying but overall gets it right. Voice acting has a lot of accents but considering multiple different faction talking in English it could have been worse.
Red Alert 3 performs very well if you have high system power. If you exceed the system requirements you are to have absolutely no slowdowns or crashes. The loadings are no trouble at all, and you can save in the battlefield and also auto saving. It is better to keep the textures low so that the game won't give any trouble. Many people would prefer performance over graphics. The game allows you to play solo or a co-op campaign.
Red Alert 3 is a great step forward in the right direction. Aside from the tough level of challenge, there may be a few little problems that one may notice over time. But nonetheless those problems won't distract you from playing a very well made RTS. This game offers even more for the franchise, thanks to the new faction, a great new tutorial and 3 campaigns. Red Alert 3 doesn't everything right and everything right for every fan not to miss this one.
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Graphics = 8.6
EA elevates the graphics to the next with great result. New environments look great and everything is excellent.
Sound = 8.2
Soundtrack is very awesome except for a certain theme but adding the sound effects make it a complete game. Voice acting has many accents but it is common for those who don't speak English as their mother tongue.
Presentation = 9.0
The cutscenes are excellent and factions are great. No problems in loadings and saving. Production values are impressive. 3 different campaigns are enough for veterans to enough for quite some time.
Gameplay = 8.0
Red Alert 3 improves over Red Alert 2 in every section and may have slightly complicated things. The fact that each faction has different new units is great. Adding allied general to assist you helps in drastic situation. Not changed much if you look carefully, and it still has difficulty problems, more problematic this time around since there is the difficulty setter. Too much depth complicate things.
Story = 8.0
Great and memorable story for each faction. Interesting cast of characters has their own ideas and as their commander you won't be doing the same objectives for each. Real-life cutscenes make the game very real.
OVERALL = 82 / 100
Red Alert 3 boasts great graphics, 3 new campaigns and a story that doesn't let down, but still keeps the addictive gameplay it had 8 years before.