Command & Conquer: Red Alert - Counterstrike

The Good
'You'll get some new units', they said. 'and worthy add-on pack. All you gotta do to love it is try it.' they said. Well, I'm sorry I don't agree with that. However, this game has a special place on my shelves, as this is the first game I got from USA. I realized now how americans prefer over size of everything, as the box cover was mulitplied comparing to european box covers. However, my friend went to USA on some competition, and I told him to look around while there, and viola, there it goes. KaBoom!

This is a typical add-on pack, with a brief list of solo created missions, very alike to C&C add-on pack The Covert Operations, with none of new units, but the same units with a different weapons. It actually seemed to be quite silly watching Mammoth tanks with flame throwers and tesla zapp. Or other things. However, the game looks cool and fine, and those were times when Red Alert was the only thing in my life.

As for usual Westwood sequel, ahem add-on, the CD can be used on audio players as a soundtrack, and there were some new musics added. No sequel without that pass the gate of Westwood. One thing was really nice and dinamically made - the intro animation, and actual commercial for C&C: RA. The more jumpy and nervous and fast the animation is, you get the better feeling like actually watching the movie. Beside that, they used the same animations for starting/ending new levels they used in Red Alert, nothing new... sigh, and I'm sure they made many animations for Red Alert they never even used in the game. Then why the hell didn't they show us those now!? I saw some pretty cool screen shots I never saw in the actual game, like embarking U-boat near the forrest while sun goes down, or actual hind front view, while going to do the sweep. Bwah, at least they did some new units (with icons, can you imagine that!? :) on their second add-on for Red Alert, The Aftermath.

The Bad
No new animations!? aieeee I want new animations... why!? Why!? They didn't add something they're best in doing it. And they sure had some extra unused, so they could put those instead, but nooo, they just wanted to make us suffer, knowing they're somewhere, but we won't be able to see it, and only hoping they'll use it in another add-on. Huh, by that thought, they could make infinite number of sequels.

The Bottom Line
A fine RA add-on pack, with a nice intro animation (commercial), nicely designed solo missions, and more multiplayer maps. However, they did add something new - the ants! As you probably saw their animation (you have it on this CD) if you used any MIX viewer for WS animations, the title goes 'IT CAME FROM RED ALERT', and behind the bunchy bones, a giant ant comes. I never played any of those missions though, but did saw the ants when using some editor. Take my advice, never change the original. When Westwood makes something, stick to that. No new units on your mind, if they want it, they'll make it, same goes for editors of any kind. Stick to developers rules and inies... hehe, and you'll enjoy longer.