Something of a disappointment. (Command and Conquer - Tiberian Sun (PC))

Member Name: Mutalisk

Product:	Command and Conquer - Tiberian Sun (PC)
Date:	15/09/09 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Its a Command and Conquer game, familiar gameplay mechanics,

Disadvantages: unimpressive graphics, weak plot, units are imbalanced and look rubbish, bad cutscenes...

Released in 1999, Tiberian Sun is considered by many casual real time strategy gamers to be brilliant. Upon closer inspection however, it becomes clear that this game in one of the weakest in the Command and Conquer franchise.

For those unfamiliar, C&C is a series of many real time strategy games that have sold better than any other of their kind. Many gamers will for example be familiar with Red Alert. Command and Conquer relies on the player to build structures on its isometric landscape to train troops and vehicles, which all depend on meticulous resource management. The units trained must then battle it out with another player or AI with the ultimate goal of destroying the enemy. It sounds formulaic but in many ways, C&C actually came up with the formula.

Whilst this game's gameplay mechanics are highly familiar and easy to master, it still fails to be especially engaging. It seems like Westwood Studios just sort of lazily knocked this one out. Often when a new C&C game is released, at least some kind of new gimmick or dimension comes with it, to hold the players attention. This isn't the case with this one, and also, the plot is weaker than ever.

Tiberian Sun is disappointing in both its graphics and gameplay. Units are ridiculously proportioned and look highly juxtaposed with one another, sound effects are lame and expected, the VGA ingame cutscenes are less than charming, and worst of all the units are imbalanced in terms of combat. Huge battles that took place in the game's predecessors just aren't that impressive here, and often look very cartoony and silly.
Its derivative of earlier games and noticeably lacks originality.

If you're going to get into C&C for the first time, I would recommend playing Red Alert, or Red Alert 2, which are both vastly superior to Tiberian Sun in so many ways. I suppose if you're going to buy this though, then its worth paying just under a fiver for.
Decent value for your money, but still overall a boring and unoriginal gameplay experience that doesn't even come close to living up to its full potential.

Summary: Not really worth playing unless you're a big fan of Command and Conquer.