Command & Conquer Renegade™
- March 7, 2024
- EA Los Angeles
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Command & Conquer Renegade™" is a first-person shooter set in the iconic Command & Conquer universe. Play as Havoc, the GDI Commando, and utilize brute force, stealth, and strategy to defeat the Brotherhood of Nod. Explore full-scale structures, commandeer lethal vehicles, and choose from a variety of weapons to bring down your enemies in this immersive and action-packed game.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Command & Conquer: Renegade offers a unique blend of first-person shooter and real-time strategy gameplay, allowing players to experience the C&C universe from a ground-level perspective.
- The game evokes strong nostalgia for long-time fans, with many players enjoying the return to familiar maps, characters, and gameplay mechanics.
- Despite its age, the multiplayer mode remains active and engaging, with a dedicated community and various patches available to enhance the experience.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, particularly in later missions, making it frustrating for players trying to complete the campaign.
- Graphics and AI are dated, leading to a less polished experience compared to modern games, with many players noting issues with enemy behavior and level design.
- Players often encounter problems with installation and compatibility on modern systems, requiring third-party patches to run smoothly.
- story67 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story is generally viewed as standard action fare, lacking significant depth or importance within the broader Command & Conquer universe, often described as filler. While some players appreciate the cutscenes and narrative progression, many express frustration with mission design, pacing issues, and frequent crashes that hinder the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game does feature some engaging elements and callbacks to the series' lore, which can enhance the enjoyment for dedicated fans.
“I played for the cutscenes, to know how the story progresses and for Kane.”
“But the storytelling and the added features like buildings in solo and multiplayer make it special.”
“This one, actually, has a story that is part of canon; the third game has a monument to Havoc, the game's protagonist, and it makes some callbacks to various mainline plot points like you find a corpse of Seth from the Nod campaign, and there's more hints at what eventually became the Scrin.”
“The story is standard action with one campaign only and it is so unimportant in the C&C universe that it probably isn't canon or just filler.”
“The game has a nasty pacing issue, especially as the story progresses, enemies dropping behind you constantly with no warning, or placed hidden on balconies, so that you are always surrounded anytime you are outside, making camping the optimum strategy.”
“When this was out I never finished single player; the story was too boring and many things could one-shot you.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Command & Conquer: Renegade is a unique blend of real-time strategy and first-person shooter mechanics, allowing players to control various units and vehicles, which adds depth to the experience. While the core shooting mechanics and variety of weapons are solid, many players find the gameplay to be somewhat dated and rough around the edges, with issues like aim acceleration and a lack of strategic depth. Despite these flaws, the game retains a nostalgic charm and offers fun, engaging gameplay that showcases the developers' innovative approach to merging genres.
“Command & Conquer: Renegade is a nostalgic gem that brilliantly combines real-time strategy with first-person shooter gameplay.”
“The ability to commandeer various vehicles and structures adds layers to the gameplay.”
“The core mechanics are solid first-person shooter with an excellent variety of firearms to choose from.”
“Seriously, beyond seeing units from the strategy games, this game messes up every other aspect of its gameplay.”
“There certainly is no strategy to the gameplay or the way this game was put together.”
“The shooting mechanics are botched as there is either a dead zone in mouse aiming or aim acceleration.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm of its early 2000s style, while others criticize the visuals as outdated and poorly executed. Despite some technical issues and a few graphical glitches, many agree that the game still holds a certain appeal, especially for fans of the genre. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they evoke a sense of nostalgia for long-time players.
“While the graphics may feel a bit dated by today's standards, there's a certain charm to their style that perfectly captures the essence of early 2000s gaming.”
“Graphically still a great looking game considering its age.”
“As for the graphics, it was great to see the old pixels from 2002; it really brings out the Command and Conquer in you.”
“All for a meh shooter whose graphics make me want to vomit.”
“- horribly, horribly aged visuals (I played this when it was originally released and I distinctly remember disliking the visuals even back then).”
“Unbearable graphics.”
- music20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising Frank Klepacki's soundtrack as a standout feature filled with great remixes and original tunes, while others find it forgettable or generic. The early levels effectively create an intense atmosphere reminiscent of classic battle scenes, complemented by a catchy main menu track. Overall, the soundtrack is highlighted as a significant aspect that enhances the gameplay experience.
“Music is great, cut scenes are funny and the combat offers a decent level of difficulty.”
“Great soundtrack by Frank Klepacki.”
“Soundtrack is absolute killer full of great remixes and original tunes.”
“The music is utterly forgettable.”
“Dreadful, generic soundtrack.”
“The music is just bland and uninspired.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and dark wit, reminiscent of early 2000s gaming, which many players find refreshingly non-cringe. The cutscenes and gameplay mechanics contribute to a fun experience, with moments of comedic chaos during combat that enhance the overall enjoyment. Players fondly recall the game's ability to evoke laughter and nostalgia, making it a memorable part of their gaming history.
“Additionally, the writing and humor from something in the early 2000s era actually holds up and doesn't come off as cringe.”
“Renegade may look, feel, sound, and play like Quake or Unreal, but it's so chock-full of personality and wry, dark humor.”
“It's hilarious.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with players reporting frequent glitches that hinder gameplay, such as characters becoming unresponsive and audio cutscenes malfunctioning. While some aspects, like controls and graphics, perform adequately, the overall experience is marred by persistent bugs that can prevent progression and enjoyment.
“Glitches so much I can't complete the second level.”
“Also very buggy; I quit due to my character just randomly being locked in place for no reason when there was nothing around me to stop me from walking.”
“Great to play a classic again, but damn the game is buggy as hell and poorly made.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is severely lacking, with no support for modern display resolutions or widescreen monitors, resulting in poor performance on contemporary gaming PCs. Users have noted that it remains incompatible with current software and hardware, reflecting a failure to modernize or improve upon outdated systems. Overall, the experience is marred by a lack of updates and a dead online service.
“Same poor optimization for mainstream OS and devices, same dead online service plus same dead Westwood. EA improved nothing but sold old stuff which are incompatible with modern software/hardware structures on a platform that has already stopped support for outdated architectures.”
“Same poor optimization for mainstream OS and devices, same dead online service plus same dead Westwood. EA improved nothing but sold old stuff which are incompatible with modern software/hardware structures on a platform that has already stopped support for outdated architectures.”
“Same poor optimization for mainstream OS and devices, same dead online service plus same dead Westwood. EA improved nothing but sold old stuff which are incompatible with modern software/hardware structures on a platform that has already stopped support for outdated architectures.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, primarily targeting nostalgia for early 2000s titles. Many users feel that the release on platforms like Steam is an attempt to profit from abandonware, with some even resorting to questionable third-party programs to access the game. Overall, the consensus is that the monetization approach appears rushed and exploitative.
“This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
“Reeks of a rushed cash grab.”
“This is a clear cash grab, from the early 2000s though.”
