Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

About

In Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, players choose between the Global Defense Initiative, the Brotherhood of Nod, or the alien Scrin in a fight for control over Tiberium, a dangerous and valuable resource. The third installment in the popular real-time strategy series features a single-player campaign with live-action cutscenes, as well as online multiplayer. The game is known for its fast-paced action and strategic gameplay, as well as its iconic factions and units.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,404 reviews

story220 positive mentions

stability23 negative mentions

Engaging story with great cutscenes featuring well-known actors, enhancing the overall experience.
Dynamic gameplay with distinct factions, each offering unique units and strategies, making battles exciting.
Timeless graphics and solid performance, still enjoyable in modern systems, with a vibrant modding community that adds replayability.

Campaign balance was negatively affected by patches intended for multiplayer, making missions excessively difficult even on easy mode.
AI behavior can be frustrating, often leading to unresponsive units and poor pathfinding, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
Multiplayer support is non-existent without third-party tools, and the game is capped at 30 FPS, limiting its performance on modern hardware.

story
715 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The story of "Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars" is generally praised for its engaging narrative, rich lore, and nostalgic cutscenes featuring well-known actors, which enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the diverse mission design that incorporates various objectives and challenges, although some missions are criticized for their erratic difficulty spikes, often exacerbated by balance changes intended for multiplayer. Overall, while the story is compelling and well-executed, the gameplay experience can be marred by frustrating mission design and difficulty imbalances.
- “The story is engaging, filled with political intrigue, betrayal, and epic battles that unfold across sprawling maps.”
- “The cutscenes are another highlight, full of that classic Command & Conquer over-the-top acting and 2000s nostalgia, featuring great performances and a solid story.”
- “The campaign has a ton of mission variety and objectives, full of characters that are well acted and do grow on you by the end of the game.”
- “The story only makes things worse.”
- “The story is unimaginative and the main plot twist (alien invasion) comes way too late to have a meaningful impact.”
- “The balance of the campaign missions is also completely out of whack, unless you're already proficient at the game it is no fun as some missions are hilariously easy and others are frustrating beyond belief.”
gameplay
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The gameplay of *Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars* is widely praised for its fast-paced, engaging mechanics that blend classic real-time strategy elements with modern enhancements. While many players appreciate the dynamic battles and strategic depth, some criticize the campaign's difficulty and balance issues, particularly for casual gamers. Overall, the game is considered a solid entry in the franchise, offering a nostalgic yet polished experience that remains enjoyable even years after its release.
- “Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a great return to the classic C&C formula, with tons of new units, gameplay changes, and abilities that keep battles dynamic and exciting.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are a perfect blend of strategy and action, allowing for a deeply strategic approach while maintaining a fast-paced and engaging experience.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced, the micro is smooth and intense, and the factions are some of the most unique in the franchise.”
- “The mission designs and mechanics, especially the way the AI is boosted, is what breaks it for me.”
- “I beat the campaigns before, but now maybe half of the missions require cheese and/or gaming the mechanics to stand a chance because of the constant, severe resource constraints, and it makes stuff like full AI vision and heavy income advantage stand out and start being an annoyance.”
- “There's a serious imbalance in campaign gameplay due to asymmetrical AI balancing that will tarnish any remaining nostalgia you'd have for the game after the first handful of missions.”
graphics
301 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The graphics of Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars are widely praised for their impressive quality, especially considering the game was released in 2007. While some players note that the visuals show signs of aging, many agree that they still hold up well today, featuring detailed units, dynamic environments, and effective special effects that enhance the overall experience. The nostalgic appeal and polished aesthetics contribute to its status as a standout title in the RTS genre.
- “The graphics, while dated by today’s standards, were impressive at launch and still hold nostalgic appeal with detailed units, explosive effects, and dynamic environments.”
- “Even today, it holds up beautifully: atmospheric, fast-paced, with stylish visuals and great gameplay.”
- “The graphics are surprisingly impressive for a game of its age, and the cutscenes featuring live-action actors add a unique flair that enhances the overall experience.”
- “Though the sparse aesthetic fits C&C’s post-apocalyptic landscapes, this visual style hasn’t aged well.”
- “The graphics are very primitive; not sure why it's so bad.”
- “Another issue is the graphics look half done.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it effectively complements the atmosphere and gameplay, it lacks the iconic quality of previous titles, particularly those featuring composer Frank Klepacki. Some tracks are memorable and fitting for the setting, but others are described as generic or forgettable, leading to a sense of disappointment among long-time fans. Overall, the soundtrack is considered decent but falls short of the high expectations set by earlier entries in the series.
- “The soundtrack complements the tense, militarized atmosphere perfectly, enhancing the emotional stakes of the conflict.”
- “The music is amazing, 9.5/10; it is not the best in the world, but it is very fitting and addictive.”
- “The sound design deserves special mention, as the iconic music and unit acknowledgments create a nostalgic atmosphere for longtime fans and enhance the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “Music could be better though, it's easy to forget this game has music.”
- “Audio: 5/10 - the music is generic and nothing good like the older titles have.”
- “The only major sin is the lack of Frank Klepacki - this is the first C&C game where I did not even notice any of the music.”
atmosphere
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
29%
10%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its tension, emotional depth, and immersive environments, with a soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While many players appreciate the detailed and diverse settings, some feel that it lacks the romantic and apocalyptic qualities of its predecessor, Tiberian Sun. Overall, the game successfully combines serious themes with engaging visuals and sound design, creating a compelling atmosphere that resonates with both new and longtime fans.
- “The soundtrack complements the tense, militarized atmosphere perfectly, enhancing the emotional stakes of the conflict.”
- “C&c3 is absolutely oozing with atmosphere, tension, and suspense while playing almost identically to the previous six entries.”
- “There's so much detail in little animations, textures, all the environmental locations, globetrotting from North America to Europe, Australia, South America, London, from relatively untouched mildly futuristic cities with fun details on all the buildings, cars, streets, parks, to harbor areas, to slums, to DC, to deserts, to more apocalyptic wastelands with scorched earth, tiberium running rampant, oppressive atmospheres, decaying abandoned buildings - I think every single mission has a handcrafted unique detailed location, map filled with neat props and stuff.”
- “The atmosphere of this game is a big step back from Tiberian Sun, and everything just looks super drab by comparison.”
- “The atmosphere is lacking in comparison to its predecessor, Tiberian Sun; the Tiberium wastelands sorely lack the same sort of apocalyptic feel that was present in Tiberian Sun.”
- “Far from the atmosphere of Tiberian Sun.”
stability
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
4%
85%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting frequent glitches, particularly with online play and certain in-game mechanics, leading to freezes and crashes, especially on Windows 10. While some players find it runs smoothly on older hardware and appreciate its overall performance, many express frustration over the lack of support for bugs and server issues, making the multiplayer experience unreliable. Overall, while the game has potential, its stability issues detract significantly from the experience.
- “Great game, still runs great on an older laptop.”
- “Plays smooth and bug-free.”
- “Runs great on a 6-year-old laptop; cinematics still look surprisingly high-res. All the fun actors are doing a great job, the music is decent, the effects work is great, good modding potential, UI is clear, all signposting is done clearly, no clunkiness or rough edges. A polished, streamlined experience where there's a lot of detail, but all the units stand apart and you can tell what's going on while still having a bunch of effects on the screen at any given time.”
- “Buggy, no support from one of the most destructive companies to the gaming industry, shutting down servers without allowing fans to support multiplayer on their own.”
- “Specifically, I've had game freezes when trying to alt tab a few times, and clicking the multiplayer online option automatically freezes the game and becomes impossible to close by traditional means.”
- “Every time I click online it freezes and 5 minutes later says I have something wrong with my connection.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
48%
12%
The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse factions, unique strategies, and engaging campaigns, which are further enhanced by optional bonus objectives and a wealth of user-created mods. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay modes, including skirmishes and multiplayer options, although some feel that the single-player experience could benefit from more unit diversity. Overall, the combination of solid graphics and extensive mod support contributes to a virtually limitless replay value.
- “Each faction offers unique units, strategies, and playstyles, adding depth and replayability to the core RTS experience.”
- “Furthermore, the ability to mod the game offers endless replayability, with creative mods available to enhance or completely transform the experience.”
- “With a plethora of user-created content available, including new maps, factions, and campaigns, the game's replayability is virtually limitless.”
- “I loved the Red Faction series, all except this one. It felt like more of a whoever has the most troops wins game; the strategy is always the same: collect Tiberium, make cheap all-around units, rinse and repeat. There's no point in saving up for powerful units because by the time you have a decent amount, you've been steamrolled by a bunch of low-mid tier units that seem to have more bang for their buck. Now, there were some good things in this game, like the campaign, but in my opinion, it doesn't have that much of a replayability factor.”
- “Replayability for singleplayer is not overwhelmingly high.”
- “A little more diversity in units and skills could improve this game and give it a higher replayability, in my opinion.”
optimization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while many players report smooth performance on modern systems, with good graphics and no significant issues on Windows 10, some have noted specific instances where performance dips occur, particularly in graphically intense scenes. The return of full-motion video cutscenes has been appreciated, though their execution has drawn criticism for lacking depth. Despite these inconsistencies, the game is generally considered well-optimized for contemporary hardware.
- “One of the best C&C games in terms of unit power balance, optimization, storyline, and gameplay.”
- “The graphics are very good, the game is very well optimized, and the difficulties feel fair most of the time (you can change them between missions in any case).”
- “Performance-wise, this game runs pretty good.”
- “Do not waste your money on this horribly optimized piece of dog ass they call a game; other than the major issues, it's a classic.”
- “The great live action cutscenes make a return, but instead of the wonderful B-movie quality of previous installments, it is now little more than catwalk performances by semi-famous actors.”
- “C&C’s trademark full-motion video cutscenes return with some impressive actors, but their characters lack depth and their campy performances clash with the self-serious tone.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of campy voice acting, intentionally bad cutscenes, and amusing gameplay moments, creating a lighthearted atmosphere that resonates with players. Many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic charm and comedic elements, such as the over-the-top characters and quirky AI behaviors, which contribute to the overall enjoyment despite some gameplay imbalances. Overall, the humor is seen as a delightful aspect that enhances the gaming experience, making it memorable and entertaining.
- “Still, a great game with good campaigns and good cutscenes, with Redmond Boyle being a hilariously bad acted character yet Kane is full of charisma and cunning.”
- “Absolutely cringe-worthy acting in the cutscenes, but it's hilarious and honestly it's still a great RTS game.”
- “Let's not also forget that you shouldn't save and load mid-mission otherwise the AI does this weird reset dance and immediately sends all its units at you, which, in one mission, led to this funny firing line situation because the main base was inaccessible by land, so a bunch of Nod knuckleheads crammed into one spot as they were regularly blown up by bombers.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
70%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant effort to progress. Many reviewers noted that the overwhelming AI and repetitive missions detract from strategic gameplay, reducing it to a frustrating cycle of mindless grinding. While some found the challenge rewarding, the overall sentiment suggests that the grinding experience can be a major drawback, impacting the enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It takes away any sense of tactics or strategy and reduces the game to mindless grinding until you get lucky enough to break through.”
- “The Alexandria mission and onward is just crazy AI unit spam which actually became tedious after a few missions.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The emotional aspect of the game evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for long-time fans, reminiscent of childhood memories and iconic storytelling, despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics and difficulty. The soundtrack enhances the emotional stakes, while the campaign's challenges can lead to frustration, particularly for casual players. Overall, the experience is bittersweet, blending fond memories with disappointment over the franchise's handling in recent iterations.
- “The soundtrack complements the tense, militarized atmosphere perfectly, enhancing the emotional stakes of the conflict.”
- “If you played C&C from the beginning of the series, you'll have a heartwarming, familiar feeling, as if you just met your old friend from school days.”
- “Again, I really wish I grew up with the Command and Conquer franchise, but I suppose it's heartwarming to see a newer generation appreciating these games.”
- “Still, a boring story is boring.”
- “Aside from the boring story, I could mention things like speed settings being gone for good (which was one of my biggest complaints about Generals). I just can't enjoy RTS games when they're too slow, and C&C3 sure is too. Some campaign missions didn't give us enough freedom and, as a result, felt more like a puzzle with only one correct solution.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it as a "shameless cash grab" driven by microtransactions, while others appreciate the absence of such practices in the original version, highlighting a nostalgic experience free from DLC and additional costs.
- “The nostalgia feels, no origin, no 40GB patch, and it's not tainted with EA's microtransactions.”
- “At least it was back then, no DLC, no microtransactions, and a well-made game.”
- “Microtransactions for a good cause.”
- “Don't fall for this shameless cash grab.”
- “Funded by microtransactions.”
- “Microtransactions for a good cause 😈”

Skip Critic Reviews

85%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews

Skip Game Offers

Buy Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

55h Median play time

633h Average play time

23h Main story

36h Completionist

4-200h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

80%4.1kreviews

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

2008

Real-time Strategy

89%18.1kreviews

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection

2020

Real-time Strategy

70%3.7kreviews

Grey Goo

2015

Real-time Strategy

This game contains adult content

91%7.1kreviews

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

2007

Real-time Strategy

87%13.8kreviews

Age of Empires III

2012

Real-time Strategy

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Platforms

About

PC Review - 'Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars'