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Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ Game Cover
78%Game Brain Score
story, humor
gameplay, music
78% User Score Based on 210 reviews

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PCSteam DeckWindows
Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ Game Cover

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Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Westwood Studios and was released on March 7, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™" is a series of real-time strategy games that offer intense military conflict between the Allies and Soviets. The first game, Red Alert, is known for pushing the boundaries of the RTS genre and becoming a classic. The expansion packs, Counterstrike and The Aftermath, introduce new missions, experimental technologies, and forbidden weapons, adding to the depth and challenge of the gameplay. Players must make cunning decisions to control the fate of the world.

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78%
Audience ScoreBased on 210 reviews
story11 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions

  • A nostalgic classic that remains fun and engaging, even decades after its release.
  • The game features a unique blend of strategy and humor, with memorable cutscenes and a captivating alternate history storyline.
  • Despite its age, the gameplay mechanics and unit variety provide a satisfying experience for fans of the RTS genre.
  • The game suffers from significant technical issues, including frequent crashes and poor compatibility with modern systems.
  • Many quality of life features present in modern RTS games are missing, such as unit queuing and improved pathfinding, making gameplay frustrating.
  • The graphics and controls feel outdated, which may deter new players and make the game less enjoyable compared to its remastered version.
  • story
    71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game is a mix of engaging and dark themes, featuring memorable cutscenes and a humorous yet over-the-top narrative that blends strategic gameplay with a distinctive flair. While some players appreciate the inventive premise and variety of missions, others find the plot lacking depth and clarity, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, the story is seen as a nostalgic element that enhances the gameplay, despite its flaws and occasional mission design issues.

    • “There's a fun mixture of units, and the story (despite it kicking off with the player having to commit war crimes) features memorable cutscenes with acting through long takes.”
    • “This inventive premise underpins a story that is both engaging and humorously over-the-top, setting the tone for a series that blends strategic depth with a distinctive narrative flair.”
    • “The campy cinematics and decent story are worth experiencing, but the gameplay is too frustrating to get through for my tastes.”
    • “Much like the previous game, there’s not much in terms of plot and unlike the rest of the Red Alert games, this is a direct tie-in to the main series.”
    • “The Soviet campaign in particular is pretty dark, with the opening mission discussing the tests of sarin gas on children and the objective being to massacre a village.”
    • “There’s no significant storyline connection in these expansion missions, and they just plop more content on your plate with no real innovations.”
  • gameplay
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Command & Conquer: Red Alert is characterized by its classic real-time strategy elements, including base construction, resource management, and unit strategy, all facilitated by an intuitive interface that enhances real-time decision-making. While some players find the gameplay frustrating, many appreciate its strategic depth and the innovative mechanics that have allowed it to remain engaging over time, especially with the added content from expansions. The combination of humor, narrative creativity, and well-crafted missions contributes to the game's enduring appeal in the RTS genre.

    • “At its core, Red Alert delivers classic RTS gameplay built around base construction, resource management, and unit strategy.”
    • “The intuitive interface, particularly the sidebar command system, allows players to construct buildings, produce units, and issue orders in real time without interrupting gameplay, a feature that was innovative for its time.”
    • “The counterstrike expansion brings fresh missions and a new layer of depth, enhancing the core gameplay.”
    • “The campy cinematics and decent story are worth experiencing, but the gameplay is too frustrating to get through for my tastes.”
    • “First off, the gameplay hasn’t aged well.”
    • “Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a series better known by its increasingly ridiculous and goofy sequels, but the first game is much closer to the main Command & Conquer series in both tone and gameplay.”
  • music
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received high praise for its remastered quality, iconic tracks, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, evoking nostalgia for many players. While some users reported issues with the music player and occasional playback problems, the soundtrack, including contributions from Frank Klepacki, is celebrated for its compelling and cinematic experience that complements the game's alternate-history setting. Overall, the music remains a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.

    • “The original music tracks, voice acting, and sound effects created a compelling and often cinematic experience, amplifying the tension and humor of the alternate-history setting.”
    • “Everything down to the soundtrack is a masterpiece.”
    • “The music is, as always, phenomenal, but that goes without saying.”
    • “The music player seems a bit broken when you try to play specific tracks.”
    • “- Music sometimes doesn't play when loading a game.”
    • “I love the remaster, the new graphics and updated soundtrack, but this could actually be more comfortable to play.”
  • graphics
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 20+ year history, yet they possess a unique charm that contributes to the nostalgic experience for many players. While the original version features glitchy and simplistic visuals, the remastered edition offers significant enhancements, including widescreen support and improved graphics, making it more appealing for contemporary audiences without losing its classic essence. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they are appreciated for their retro appeal and the nostalgia they evoke.

    • “The charming graphics have certainly remained unique, as later RTS games chased realistic visuals.”
    • “In the modern remastered Steam release, enhancements such as widescreen support, improved graphics, and a map editor have updated the game for contemporary systems without losing its classic charm.”
    • “The retro graphics have a unique charm, and while they might seem dated, they contribute to the game’s nostalgic allure.”
    • “The game itself is buggy and the graphics are very dated, but I'm playing for nostalgia.”
    • “Graphics are extremely dated, but that's to be expected for a game made in 1996.”
    • “Very old game with very old graphics, but an absolute classic.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its over-the-top narrative and engaging characters, such as Tanya and Stalin, which contribute to a blend of strategic gameplay and comedic elements. Players appreciate the intentionally humorous live-action cutscenes and the black humor woven into the story, enhancing the overall experience despite some forgettable plotlines. This combination of humor and creativity is a key factor in the game's enduring appeal.

    • “This inventive premise underpins a story that is both engaging and humorously over-the-top, setting the tone for a series that blends strategic depth with a distinctive narrative flair.”
    • “The original music tracks, voice acting, and sound effects created a compelling and often cinematic experience, amplifying the tension and humor of the alternate-history setting.”
    • “The enduring appeal of Red Alert and its expansions lies not only in their gameplay mechanics but also in their combination of humor, narrative creativity, and strategic depth.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its realistic portrayal of warfare, complemented by a dark and mysterious undertone. The inclusion of Frank Klepacki's iconic music, particularly "Hell March," enhances the immersive experience, setting it apart from remastered versions. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's unique and engaging presentation.

    • “Beyond gameplay, the series is noted for its atmosphere and presentation.”
    • “The game had a brilliant atmosphere of realistic warfare and a mysterious aftertaste.”
    • “I'm serious, there was a certain atmosphere in this game that was surprisingly dark and not even close to a colorful disaster that'll come later.”
    • “I'm serious, there was that certain atmosphere in this game (Frank Klepacki's music added to it too, especially his legendary Hell March, while Frank himself appeared in one of the scenes playing the Soviet soldier) that was surprisingly dark and not even close to a colorful disaster that'll come later.”
    • “Still has a flair and atmosphere when playing this compared to the remaster.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it requires extensive map navigation to target specific units, prolonging matches unnecessarily. The gameplay often revolves around a frustrating war of attrition, where players must defend against relentless AI attacks until they can amass enough resources and units to secure victory.

    • “You can't jump to a point on the minimap with a unit selected, so it's tedious to scroll across the map just to target the last ore truck to kill it to end a match.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Much of the challenge of this game is a tedious war of attrition between you and the AI, having to constantly defend against attacks until you’ve built up enough tanks to roll over the enemy base.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant issue, with frequent freezes requiring a complete restart of the PC, rendering common troubleshooting methods ineffective. While some players enjoy the nostalgic experience, they acknowledge that the game is buggy and has outdated graphics.

    • “Runs great.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, even during intense moments.”
    • “It just freezes everything, and you have no choice but to restart your PC; even Alt+F4 and Ctrl+Alt+Del won't work.”
    • “The game itself is buggy and the graphics are very dated, but I'm playing for nostalgia.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability due to its robust LAN and online multiplayer options, which facilitate both competitive and cooperative gameplay, contributing to a loyal player community over time.

    • “Coupled with the option for LAN and online multiplayer, the game fosters both competitive and cooperative experiences, offering immense replayability that has helped it maintain a devoted player base over the years.”
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Frequently Asked Questions

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ is a role playing game.

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ was released on March 7, 2024.

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ was developed by Westwood Studios.

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Command & Conquer Red Alert™, Counterstrike™ and The Aftermath™ is a single player game.

Similar games include Command & Conquer™ and The Covert Operations™, Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™, Command & Conquer Red Alert™ 2 and Yuri’s Revenge™, Command & Conquer Remastered, Command & Conquer™ Generals and others.