Command & Conquer: Generals series

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Three boxes with different boxart representing the three factions were released. This one features the USA side.

Command & Conquer: Generals is another game bearing the Command & Conquer brand, though its plotline is completely unrelated to the other games of the series.

It uses an engine dubbed "SAGE" and is the first fully three-dimensional Command & Conquer RTS game. Fans of the C&C universe were quick to note that it was the first ever C&C RTS game that did not include full-motion video cutscenes to tell the story, and also departed from the unique interface and base building mechanics that had characterised all the previous C&C RTS titles. [1] Because of this, some fans of the series state that Generals does not deserve the C&C label, and that EA has turned Command & Conquer into a brand name for generic real-time strategy games.

In Generals, there are three different factions, which maintain a balance of power: the USA which adopts emergent technologies and support units; China, which swamps defences, and the Global Liberation Army, a terrorist network which uses low-tech ingenuity and guerrilla tactics. The Chinese and the USA are targets of the GLA.

This story is followed by the game's expansion pack: Command & Conquer: Generals: Zero Hour.

Generals: Zero Hour adds many new additions to the original, for example each team now gets three generals to choose from, while the basic faction still remains available. Each of these Generals has a "specialty", which means they focus on certain aspects and their available units are themed to reflect this. For example, one USA general prefers laser weapons, and hence only has laser tanks and laser turrets, replacing some of the standard USA tanks. There are no new sides added to the game, it is still China, USA and the GLA. It also includes full-motion video cutscenes in the form of news reports before every single player mission.

After the game's success, EA released a Command & Conquer: Generals Deluxe Edition which simply included both the original and the expansion of the game.

[edit] Games in the series

• Command & Conquer: Generals
  • Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour (expansion)