Command & Conquer + The Covert Operations

The Good
When Dune II set the standard, addicted player to its spice started to impatiently anticipate the incoming of Command & Conquer, Westwood's second breakthrough to the genre they created. Noone even bothered to think they will deliver a product that is anything than perfect, 'cos after all, who can be better at something one creates than the one that created it in the first place. Thus long, but alas, ending saga of C&C has begun.

This bundle contains both, original Command & Conquer, and The Covert Operations add-on. When I say original, I mean the first DOS version of a game, not later Windows 95 Gold bundle remake, that one has its own package. The real improvement was that everything was new. Game ran smoother than ever, units were now spread across all terrains to command, there were ground units ranging from light Hum-Vees with a mounter gun atop, and Missile Trucks to gigantic dual-barreled Mammoth Tanks. The next big impression was a variety of infantry units, from simple Machinegunners to Flamethrowers and Commandos. Each soldier would be a little restless when not given order, so you can see them doing some push-ups, cleaning rifles and such. Never lack of details with Westwood around, that's the truth. Now, aside from majority of ground units, there were given air units in a way of helicopters (Orcas for GDI side, and Apaches for the Brotherhood), plus certain airstrikes that both sides could summon (Nod could only do that in the add-on, kinda pushing the luck, but what the heck). As for the sea units, nothing there actually except a gunboat or two in GDI's arsenal, though you can only change its target, not the floating root.

But units were not all there is to wage a war. Supplying your bases with a proper defences and protection from weak sides is that counts majorly. So there are sandbags and walls to fortify your most important structures, but on top of that, there are several types of turrets, both sides having one regular and one high-tech. Harvesting for funds is inherited from Dune II, only this time there is no spice, and it is all integrated in a rather promising story that can feed the universe for generations to come (blasted be ye EA for bringing it to an end). So, the year in the game was present (that is 1995, when the game was first released), but it is taking a whoop on a fictional side of science. An unknown meteorites hit the Earth and whatever became of it started to grow. Even certain alien forms became visible. But, to make it a primary resource of funds it had to be something resourceful, which is, a mineral called Tiberium. Deadly poisonous for human lifeform so stay away from the tiberium fields with your infantry. The only way to collect those is with Harvester units, and hence, there is Tiberium Refinery that processes raw ore into funds.

That covering the story thus far, let's see the sides you can meet. The one is more of a continuation to a United Nations, basically the good guys, heavy arsenal, high-tech units, and... well, wouldn't say too noble, but there's a good side and bad side in every war, so these certainly play the good guys. A side bit more interesting to play under is the Brotherhood of Nod under one man, Kane. Joe's gotta be the best villain I've ever encountered in a game, and he'll bring you right to where the action is and let you employ all the vicious tactics minding less about your troops and casualties and keeping in mind nothing but to bring him the good news after your every successful mission. Furthermore, Westwood made a new policy in their world of RTS games which is to make a briefing and put a little pre-rendered FMV between every two missions, some for the story, some for the fun, and some as a reward. That tradition was kept right 'til the very end of Westwood Studios, gotta give 'em credit for that. But this game would give a little booster to the addictive gameplay if it wouldn't be Frank Klepacki's fantabulous soundtrack which cannot be matched by any other C&C OST to date. It gives a great feeling as your troops move across desert wastelands in Africa, fight for survival in deep forests of Europe, and all the way through the cinematics. This is one soundtrack that should not have been so rare an unavailable as it is comparing to others.

The Bad
I can't quite figure if this is a bundle or not. The box is downright the plain same Command & Conquer box with an exstra sticker saying + The Covert Operations and The Covert Operations contents tossed inside. Still, it's a war in total, and with this little package you have everything that started the cataclysmic eruption of the series.

The Bottom Line
Still having some old 486 that cannot quite run Windowses properly? Having a thing for real-time strategies and want to see where it took on the upper hand of the genre? Look no further, try to get the original Command & Conquer in its cute yet now incredibly huge 320x240 resolution with units that can barely fit the screen. Naaw, it's not that bad really, it's great actually and I've spend endless hours of playing this very game, even when my eyes were sore (I know I know, I was a bad kid, but no worse than Bart). It was addictive even when all was dragging (hm, now I can't even imagine a game this old being dragged), and it's really challenging, especially the add-on, it's really for hardcore players, it's so tough you will never know if it is you who won over the computer or was it just dumb luck.

So, let's sum it up. You get original C&C with a full war, story, soundtrack, dozens of cinematics, unequal range of units (that's actually a great thing, it's never good when all sides have same types of units just looking a bit differently, blah to Blizzard) and a privilege to still have this game after all these years. Then you get an incredibly hard add-on (which I can brag to have finished, boohoo you quitters) which was the first WS ever made so don't take it too hard against them. Only two actual new units (both on Nod's side), and this time Nod can call A-10 Warthogs for a deadly airstrike against your base of infantry squads, and you even get to command two Commandos per mission. Yes, it's hard and it's challenging, but you wouldn't get it if you don't like this game now would you? And the biggest treat is the trailer for an upcoming Red Alert, an awesome assemble of the cinematics with Face of the Enemy track playing. Just so you know what awaits you further down the road if you ever get to the 'not enough' point after playing this game.

No, but seriously, if you have a chance, do get this game, this or the Gold Bundle remade for Windows 95 with higher resolution and level of details. But be aware, Gold version won't play on newer Windowses while this can still probably run on some DOS emulator, lol.