Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun (Platinum Edition)

The Good
To tell you the truth, first time I saw the game, all the units seemed pretty much the same. I told myself 'Oh you jerk, both you and Westwood. They made it four years, and you waited four years, and what now? You've been heavily decieved.' However, as I played it more and more, I fell completely and totally in love with the whole game. They did such a great game engine (even though they though just one year after it's a crap, and won't use it on RA2, or any more at all), and acting, oh boy, acting was like never seen before. Beside, I like Michael Biehn as an actor from b4, but there were nicely developed female characters :^)

The game gives you complete control over land and air (see is covered by the hoover units, underground units for Nod side), bridges can be repaired, and explosions are great. They really did a great job on planes crashing an/or falling in flames. Hoover units leaving small waves when getting over water, rocket missile turrets precise and long ranged, with a rocket following you once it's been launched even if it means it'll cross ten full screens, jump jet infantry easily floating in the air, cloaked units and structure to cloak it fusions with the environment. This time, the missions were suited over USA and Europe, giving you mostly mud (with random but rare grass) or snow terrains for conquering or protecting.

Music in game is okay, and barely noticable, but movie sequences holds more then just cool music parts. As Frank Klepacki said, he oriented to them more this time. Something special about this game is Artificial Intelligence. AI gets so smart when you play skirmishes (with the highest AI, of course), that you cannot even dream of using Red Alert tactics on this battlefield. I bow to that perfection. However, there are still possibilities (very very tiny and small, but in existence) when computer AI block its own way and Harvesters, until you un-plug in with an Ion Cannon, Nuclear Missile, or some heavy offensive operation.

Now, oneof the main reasons I bought the Platinum Edition is to play with a small pewter figurine of GDI/Nod soldier... hehe, yeah right! No, actually, I expected more then I've found, and I found what I didn't want to find inside, so it's 1:1 scored. However, I bought this Limited Edition, simply 'cuz I had a chance to do so, and 'cuz I wanted to see 'Making of Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun'. However, I expected it to find on CD, not just a booklet, but better some then none. It was fine though. I probably read it even before starting the game itself.

Now about the soundtrack. It was fine, and the cover looks nice, but the music is worst then from original C&C or Red Alert. However, it's better for Tiberian Sun then the other two, and if you want to hear some nicer tunes, get youreself a Firestorm add-on. You'd be surprised how impoved music you'll find there. At least one or two.

The Bad
One of the main power of TS is civilian and other buildings and infinite number of structures and cars, but something is too silent. The water. You can barely see the waterfall moves, and you can see nothing moving in the water, or the water itself is still. However, shoting or moving across the water, as the explosion reflections in the water, looks fine.

FMV sequences uses too low sound, and that is a very big DB difference between in game playing and movie sequences. Even speech is a bit too low. Acting and speech is great, but they just make it too darn silent. Only one company for sure makes the best sound quality, and that is LucasArts. Beside that, I'd guess Sierra has great sounds as well. Any even though it uses many blue motion video system, their sound is clear and perfect. Just check Gabriel Knight or Lighthouse games.

The Bottom Line
It's better then Red Alert, but after original C&C, newer and isometric 3d alike battlefield, with changable terrain, and nice effects. More then worthy AI challenge will try to break that monothony, as well as nicely added Ion Storms, grounding anithing that flies, as well as messing with communications. Nice and extensive story line with the best animation given by the time, and perfect acting should be very good reason to have this game (well, I'm refering to Tiberian Sun in global, not Platinum Edition specifically). Beside, if you know the past and present already, aren't you curious a bit about the future? :-)