Red Alert 2 - First Impression

The Allies and Soviets are back in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. Westwood Studios has been secretly working on this brand-new game for more than a year now, and from the early demonstration given to us, the game looks like it's coming along nicely.

The plot involves a puppet Soviet dictator who secretly builds up his army, and, unbeknownst to the Allies, launches a surprise attack on the United States. Soviet troops pour into the country from all directions and instantly disable the US's defense systems, leaving the Allied military crippled. For the first time, US forces will have to fight a war on their own soil.

Red Alert 2 includes a number of new units as well as the return of several favorites, such as the mammoth tank and the spy soldier. As the Soviets, players will have the benefit of psychically enhanced weapons and infantry. Allies, on the hand, will have to depend on brute force for survival.

Red Alert 2 is powered by a stripped version of the Tiberian Sun engine, which lacks voxels and layered terrain, giving the designers more headroom for enhancing the game's fast-paced gameplay. Red Alert 2 should ship this November.