Xbox 360

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath

"Command And Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath" is an excellent strategy title. There's loads of content for your money (the bargain price is a real plus) and the new control scheme and frame rate improvements mean that this is the best looking and playing RTS title on the 360. Kane's challenge, exclusive to the 360, is also excellent. But, the slightly disjointed story (which really requires you to be a massive C&C fan, and played ALL the previous titles to get) and lack of Global Conquest are slight negatives. Also, when compared to the PC version, the controls and graphics are still lagging somewhat. However, if a console is the only place you can play your RTS games, this is very highly recommended.

Electronic Arts Los Angeles got most things right in this transfer of Command & Conquer: Kane’s Wrath over to the Xbox 360. Firstly, they didn’t take years for it to arrive to the consoles after its PC release. Secondly, EALA R&D’d a new control scheme which does pretty well overall. There’s also a fairly fleshed-out Live arena, a custom Xbox 360 gauntlet mode and the ability to play this title without having to jump it with Tiberium Wars. All of this– at a price that won’t scare away the RTS n00b– makes this wrath worth enduring.

Kann man das allein lauffähige Addon auch Kaufwilligen die vorher nicht das Hauptspiel gespielt haben oder gar ohne jede C&C-Vorkenntnisse sind empfehlen? Die Antwort ist ein klares Nein. Kanes Rache setzt mit seiner verworrenen, nahezu zusammenhanglosen Story auf alle Fälle ein Minimum an Kenntnissen um das C&C-Universum voraus. So gesehen ist das Addon nur etwas für Liebhaber des 360-Hauptspiels oder für PC-auf-360-Umsteiger, die wissen wollen, wie es mit Kane und seinen NOD-Truppen weitergeht. Diese Käuferschaft erhält zwar aufgrund der eingebauten 360-Notlösung Kanes Herausforderung für den PC-Welteroberungsmodus ein etwas abgespecktes Addon, das aber dennoch einige Stunden den typischen C&C-Spielspaß bringt, mit allen Höhen und Tiefen.

Now, to answer the question from earlier in this review, “is Kane's Wrath a worthy follow-up to Command & Conquer 3?” The answer is definitely a yes. With a large number of single-player campaign missions, an offline Skirmish mode, Kane's Challenge and online multi-player, you should definitely get your $40 bucks worth from this package. The storyline won't give Hollywood a run for its money, and it will likely confuse you if you have never played a Command & Conquer game before, but who plays strategy games for story anyway? The budget price makes this an easy choice for strategy fans, but buy the PC version if you have a high-end computer as the mouse and keyboard are preferable to a controller.

While the storyline might ward off those who are driven by involving plots, the gameplay, fluid controls, and attractive graphics wrapped into a $39.99 package should provide more than enough fun and entertainment for any C&C or RTS fan.

RTS games have come such a long way since the idea was to bring them to console games. I can clearly remember Command & Conquer 64 and was horrified with the experience. Coming back after all the control issues have been mostly hammered out, it is nice to see another genre be folded back in the cards for the home console crowd. Kane's Wrath is a limited game but that is the point and is reflected by the reduced price. There is so much fun to be had, from the campy acting to the chess-like strategy, it is hard not to recommend. If you are an RTS fan or unsure if you like these types of games, Kane's Wrath is a wonderful place to start your micromanaging skills.

Kane's Wrath is a great example that real time strategy can find a comfortable home on a console. With the added bonus of not needing the previous Command & Conquer installment, Kane's Wrath comes as a very easy recommendation to RTS fans who may not have a gaming PC or simply want to try out their favorite genre on a different platform.

Das Expansion Pack (als Stand-Alone-Fassung auf Xbox 360) hinterlässt einen guten Eindruck. Die neuen Solospieler-Missionen unterhalten euch ordentlich für etwa zehn Stunden, danach warten neue Multiplayer-Maps sowie Spielvarianten auf Online-Strategen. Wirklich viel neues darf man aber nicht erwarten. Sicher, es gibt diverse neue Einheiten, die das Balancing merklich beeinflussen, insgesamt wurde am Gameplay aber nicht gerüttelt. Wie schon ihre PC-Kollegen müssen sich X360-Besitzer also keineswegs vor Kanes Rache schützen, sondern können bedenkenlos zugreifen, wenn sie schon Spaß am Vorgänger hatten. Wer in die Echtzeit-Strategie neu einsteigen will, sollte aber besser zum insgesamt etwas runderen und umfangreicheren ’Command & Conquer 3’ greifen.

Für jeden Command and Conquer Spieler kommt mit Kanes Rache ein Jahr nach Tiberium Wars der perfekte Titel heraus und man konnte schon quasi von Kaufpflicht sprechen. Anfängern im RTS-Genre könnten sich jedoch etwas schwerer mit dem Teil tun, es gibt zu wenig Hintergrundinformationen zur Handlung und es bedarf einer Menge Übung und Zeit um diesen Titel gut spielen zu können. Spielern die bisher eh nichts mit Echtzeitstrategie anfangen konnten, werden auch mit Kanes Rache keinen Einstieg ins Genre finden.

If you like RTS games but don’t feel the need to go all out for a full-priced C&C experience, Kane’s Wrath might be just the ticket. The controls are much improved over the full version, and it stands alone as a chunk of well-presented content with most of the bells and whistles. If it’s story you’re after, though, look elsewhere. The live-action video sequences have worn out their welcome, and the plot is almost nonexistent here, unless you’re a hardcore fan of the series. But on the whole, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath is a good value, if nothing especially exciting.

If you played and loved Tiberium Wars on the Xbox 360, then there is no reason why this expansion shouldn't be in your library. If you still can't get the mouse and keyboard mechanics away from your left brain and had issues playing the home version, there isn't anything dramatically improved here that will encourage you to play this expansion pack either. Whatever side of the fence you stand on; there is no denying that EA has taken great painstaking steps into finally bringing RTS games to home consoles. I for one am happy as I'm tired of upgrading my rig every six months to play something new. Thank you EA!

Kane’s Wrath is an expansion that honors its name and in singleplayer focuses on the Brotherhood of Nod. Some players might find it disappointing that don't get more info on GDI, the Scrin and their respective subfactions but that's understandable. The expansion was going to be the first of a series, but EA already announced to have burried those plans. Still that shouldn't stop strategy fans as the renewed interface and online possibilities will keep you busy for hours.

"Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath" foi lançada como uma expansão de "Tiberium Wars" para PC e chega no Xbox 360 como uma continuação, uma vez que não necessita do jogo original para funcionar. Com o preço reduzido em relação ao anterior, é um pacote que, embora não traga grandes inovações ou uma narrativa consistente, tem uma grande produção e bastante conteúdo. Não há muita razão para encará-lo no videogame se você se considera um expert no estilo e tem um PC que rode jogos, mas os marinheiros de primeira viagem ou entusiastas da plataforma encontrarão muita coisa boa a explorar e uma mecânica sólida por trás de uma interface ainda não tão bem adaptada.

Over het algemeen is Kane’s Wrath een geslaagde RTS op de console. De interface is nog niet perfect, maar beter dan we tot nu toe gewend waren. Het is ook jammer dat de Global Conquest-mode gesneuveld is, maar voor de schappelijke prijs krijg je desondanks genoeg waar voor je geld. Kane’s Wrath is echter nog niet de ‘Halo van de console-RTS’, we vrezen dat dat toch echt een game in de Halo-reeks gaat zijn.

In the end, Kane's Wrath greatest sins are attributable to an all-too-common error: not taking the strengths and limitations of both PCs and consoles into account when porting from one to the other. The original console version of Command & Conquer 3 did and came up with a fairly decent console RTS. Kane's Wrath is manifestly not Command & Conquer 3. Many of the new features change the game significantly and it's obvious most of them were designed with the PC in mind. The result is an unfortunate comedown from the original game.

None of that, though, can really compensate for the fact that console owners are being asked to pay more money for a lesser product. Taken on its own merits, we'd describe the 360 version of Kane's Wrath as a relatively solid but entirely uninspired expansion - one for the dedicated fans only, albeit one with a very clever new control system. It's by comparison with the PC expansion that this game starts to look seriously bad, and even while acknowledging that not every 360 owner has a gaming-capable PC, our score reflects the fact that this is one game where the console version is definitely inferior.