Fans of successful game franchises love to moan: “This isn’t the same as it was before... I want it to be like the original.” They cry, they whimper, and eventually they decide to fall out of love with the series in hope that their protest will make a difference. It’s a shame, because all games need to experiment if they want to grow, and this kind of attitude only holds up proceedings. On the other hand, if after the test, events seem to be slipping, it takes a smart developer to realise that going back to the title’s roots may be the best move to make; EA Los Angeles has some brains.

Command & Conquer 3 stays so close to what brought the RTS to the dance in the first place, if you had the power to ignore the slick visuals and slight tweaks you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been transported back to 1995. As any seasoned C&C admirer would expect, the GDI and NOD are still waging war against one another and you can play through the campaign at the helm of both. Rather than just offer up different technology or base units, there’s a real gap between the two (which adds a heap of longevity to proceedings). Whereas the GDI rely on ground troops and – at times – sheer force, the NOD benefit from the art of stealth, and you better believe you can take advantage of their sly techniques. It really does present two distinct paths to play through (three if you count the relatively short Scrin expedition), and is all the better for it.

Obviously, this would count for nothing if the core gameplay didn’t deliver but it does so in spades. The sheer intensity that each battle brings is borderline insane. A harmless hesitation can be the downfall of a mission and getting into an aggressive routine without delay is key. It’s fair to say that there’s a greater emphasis on building up units and solidifying your defence than concentrating on outright tactics, but C&C at its best has never been that way inclined. Sure, coming up with a clever strategy to outwit your opponent is going to help, but if things go awry, 99 per cent of the time you’ll pull out the victory if your army has enough depth. Unfortunately, this mentality does mean the more powerful divisions have a distinct edge, even over the units a tier below them. However, because it’s so fast and, more importantly, fun, it doesn’t suffer terribly because of it; especially because each campaign objective carries with it a variety of tasks. You may be asked to save the Pentagon without having the ability to build more units, recapture an airfield to use against your foe, or try to seize a base with a single soldier. This, combined with the constantly tense atmosphere is ferociously captivating.

Of course, there’s a potential stumbling block in relation to the 360 controller. Since the dawn of time, man has been cursing the RTS genre on a console and even the most triumphant scheme to date, the system in Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth II, couldn’t end the debate. So, with that in mind, you probably held your head in your hands and cried long into the night when finding out C&C 3 would use the same method – you can stop your sobbing right now. While those who played LOTR will see instant similarities, the subtle adjustments are a delight. You don’t have to glare at the control pad trying to remember how the damn thing works (instantly taking you out of the game) and after a few hours you’ll be micro-managing and navigating the map like a pro. Before the PC crowd lynches us, we admit it’s still not on par with a mouse and keyboard set-up; until a company decides to develop an RTS specifically for a console this may always be the case. Hell, it’s probably the reason why EA decided to ignore Microsoft’s Live Anywhere functionality. Nonetheless, veteran real-time strategy addicts may struggle to adjust but casual players and strategy virgins will have very little, if any, problems.

Although it may sound over the top and like we’re getting carried away, Command & Conquer 3 may very well be the best RTS to ever find its way onto a console. Its rapid tempo and remorseless encounters mean it’s easy to get lost in, and anyone who truly gets sucked in will struggle to pull away. EA has unashamedly taken the series home, and while the overall experience is quite conventional and ignores many of the strides the genre has made, it more than makes up for it with the amount of things it does right. C&C has arrived with more balls than ever, and that’s good news for us all!

Simon Miller