Fans of the Command & Conquer series certainly have something to celebrate as the latest installment is about to be released, sometime this fall, actually.  What’s more, this game will mark something of a return to the franchises roots in terms of gameplay, which is something that will undoubtedly excite more than a few die-hard proponents of its unique strategic action.

If you’re completely unfamiliar with C&C, you should know that the series has always been about real-time strategy, placing you at the helm of a range of forces and then lets you figure out a way to achieve your goals.  This time around you won’t just be commanding armies and military forces however, you’ll also need to collect resources and build bases – a mechanic that was once lost at one time but has now been regained.

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about this iteration of C&C is its visuals, which are nothing short of gorgeous.  Everything is super fluid and detailed, the lighting is simply fantastic…it’s hard to find faults with what developer Victory Games has put together here. Even the basic art style and direction is alluring, and definitely adds to the overall theme of the game itself.

There are, count ‘em, three factions which provide the drama which propels the game forward.  Naturally, each one of the leaders of these factions has their own unique attributes and abilities which you must learn to wield properly to your advantage.  Just check out the details via this Wikipedia page (reposted here for your convenience):

Main article: List of Command & Conquer: Generals factions

The game will feature 3 “unique” factions:

• EU (European Union)

• GLA (Global Liberation Army)

• APA (Asian Pacific Alliance)

Generals

EU Generals

• Mercury Red

• Ghost

• Daedalus

GLA Generals

• Dr. Thrax

• Junkyard

APA Generals

• Beast

• Red Arrow

• Black Jack”

As with any highly developed, well-thought-out real-time strategy game, “Command & Conquer (2013)” is a game that’s going to be fairly easy to play and “get into”, but also difficult to fully surmount.  In other words, casual players will be able to appreciate its intricacies and visuals, but more advanced players will also be able to dig into it very deeply and tear hours of multiplayer gameplay out of it as well.  There’s something intensely gratifying about witnessing a swarm of choppers or fighter jets fly over and lay waste to your enemies.  The on-screen action looks incredibly smooth, even if you don’t have a super-powered PC at your disposal.  Explosions, shadows and yes, the audio are all top-notch and can easily suck you into the game.

Simply put, 2013’s Command & Conquer marks a glorious new chapter for the series and sees it return to the basic elements which arguably made it into a success (in the first place).  Obviously, this time around, everything has been drastically improved, from the visuals to the controls and beyond.   Not only is free-to-play multiplayer on the table, but there will also be a barrage of single player campaigns to choose from including an A.I. only option.  To make a long story short, if you’re a fan of the franchise or are perhaps into RTS games, you definitely need to keep this one on your radar.

Command & Conquer (2013) is set to explode this fall on Microsoft Windows.