Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 479 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™ Game Cover
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In Command & Conquer™ Tiberian Sun™ and Firestorm™, players are immersed in the Second Tiberium War, commanding either the Global Defense Initiative or the Brotherhood of Nod. Dynamic battlefields with destructible and deformable terrain, along with new units like jump jet infantry and hover tanks, add strategic depth. Units can gain experience for increased power, while new kinetic battlefield effects intensify combat. The game's mood is gritty and action-packed, focusing on an epic struggle for the future of humanity.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 479 reviews
story19 positive mentions
stability7 negative mentions
  • Tiberian Sun is a nostalgic classic that still holds up well, offering engaging gameplay and a captivating storyline.
  • The game features a unique atmosphere with its dark, post-apocalyptic setting and memorable soundtrack, making it a standout in the RTS genre.
  • Despite its age, Tiberian Sun provides a fun and addictive experience, especially for fans of the Command & Conquer series.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including frequent crashes and a lack of modern quality-of-life features, which can frustrate players.
  • Gameplay mechanics feel outdated, with clunky controls and poor AI pathfinding that detracts from the overall experience.
  • The resolution is limited to low settings, making it visually unappealing on modern displays, and many players feel it desperately needs a remaster.
  • story105 mentions

    The story in "Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun" and its expansion "Firestorm" is generally praised for its engaging narrative that continues the conflict between GDI and Nod, enriched by live-action cutscenes and a dark, post-apocalyptic atmosphere. However, many players find the story fragmented and the mission design frustrating, with some missions lacking clarity and relying heavily on trial and error. Overall, while the storytelling has its strengths, it is often overshadowed by gameplay issues and mission design flaws.

    • “Interspersed with live-action cutscenes, the story has a charming quality that shows a lot of love and effort went into crafting a narrative that engages and intrigues players—which it does exceptionally well.”
    • “The game’s dark and moody aesthetic matches its story of a world ravaged by wars and the spread of tiberium, creating a desolate, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
    • “From the moment you jump into the campaign, you are greeted with an engaging storyline packed with political intrigue, environmental challenges, and a classic good vs. evil narrative.”
    • “The only problem – the story feels fragmented.”
    • “Both gameplay and story feel like there was supposed to be more.”
    • “No idea what's going on in the story - it's Tacitus macguffin this and Tacitus macguffin that... worst of all is the mission design.”
  • gameplay51 mentions

    The gameplay of "Tiberian Sun" and its expansion "Firestorm" is characterized by a mix of nostalgia and dated mechanics, with some players appreciating its strategic depth and unique faction dynamics, while others criticize its clunky controls and simplistic gameplay. The base-building and unit management elements are highlighted as strengths, alongside the atmospheric setting and engaging soundtrack. Overall, while the gameplay retains some charm and depth, it shows signs of age compared to modern standards, prompting calls for updates to enhance the experience.

    • “The distinct faction mechanics between GDI and Nod provide a unique twist to strategy, encouraging players to explore different tactics and units with every playthrough.”
    • “The game shines in its base-building mechanics and unit management, pushing players to adapt their strategies on the fly.”
    • “With its engaging storyline, strategic depth, and innovative gameplay, there's nothing quite like it today.”
    • “Yet Tiberian Sun was still doing the same old thing, both visually and gameplay-wise.”
    • “No amount of nostalgia can hide the dated visuals or clunky gameplay.”
    • “The problem is the gameplay itself - Tiberian Sun is one year older than Red Alert 2, but feels like it's at least five, in a bad way.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions and nostalgia. Composed by Frank Klepacki, the soundtrack blends techno and sci-fi elements, enhancing the gameplay experience and complementing the game's dark themes. While some feel it doesn't quite match the iconic soundtracks of earlier titles, it still delivers memorable tracks that resonate with players.

    • “The transition to a more dynamically animated world filled with striking visuals and an immersive soundtrack really enhances the gameplay experience.”
    • “The unity of the story, the art, and the music creates an immersive space that draws you in.”
    • “Particularly great atmosphere aided by an outstanding techno soundtrack.”
    • “Expect low video quality during cutscenes and random audio pops on the soundtrack.”
    • “The songs are meant to sound more sci-fi and alien than the groovy/epic/metal vibes of the first two games.”
    • “While Red Alert 2 is kind of Westwood's refined opus in a way, its bombastic swan song before its untimely death, Tiberian Sun is a bit slower and melancholy like the original C&C, but you should give it a chance because it's equally good.”
  • graphics24 mentions

    The game's graphics are largely considered dated, reflecting its age of over 25 years, with many users noting a nostalgic charm despite their old-school appearance. While some appreciate the atmospheric dark aesthetic and the significant graphical advancements of its time, others feel that modern graphics and mechanics could greatly enhance the experience. Overall, the visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia but may not satisfy players seeking contemporary graphical fidelity.

    • “The game’s dark and moody aesthetic matches its story of a world ravaged by wars and the spread of tiberium, creating a desolate, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics, revolutionary for their time, remain a testament to the dedication of Westwood Studios in crafting a world that is as beautiful as it is deadly.”
    • “The dark sci-fi setting is fantastic in my eyes and I enjoy the aesthetics fully.”
    • “The graphics look like they're from two decades ago, which, again, they are.”
    • “No amount of nostalgia can hide the dated visuals or clunky gameplay.”
    • “Modern graphics and improved mechanics would breathe new life into this gem.”
  • atmosphere23 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, moody aesthetic that effectively captures a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by war and tiberium. Many reviewers highlight the unique blend of gritty visuals, immersive soundtracks, and compelling lore, making it stand out among other titles in the Command and Conquer series. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a significant strength, enhancing the gaming experience despite some criticisms of gameplay mechanics.

    • “The game’s dark and moody aesthetic matches its story of a world ravaged by wars and the spread of tiberium, creating a desolate, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
    • “Great atmosphere with gloomy post-apocalypse vibes, coupled with some of the best 2D pixel art in gaming.”
    • “Particularly great atmosphere aided by an outstanding techno soundtrack.”
    • “The atmosphere holds up, the gameplay does not.”
    • “While not flawless, it is very ambitious in comparison to the first games and has still probably the most distinct atmosphere out of all the C&C games.”
    • “The cutscenes have some major atmosphere.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with some users reporting smooth performance on Windows 10 and no major crashes, while others experience frequent bugs, freezes, and save loss. Although it has some old glitches, they generally do not render the game unplayable. Overall, players find it a bit buggy but still enjoyable.

    • “Runs great on Windows 10, albeit not supporting modern resolutions, but an easy Google search will find ways to adjust. Previously owned this on Origin and it would never work.”
    • “Runs great on the latest Windows.”
    • “And when I go to the menu during a mission, the menu freezes on screen - can't click buttons.”
    • “The game loses saves and freezes too much, a zero effort offering from EA.”
    • “- very buggy/glitchy.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and mentally exhausting, often requiring significant time investment without much reward. Many express frustration with the repetitive and boring nature of missions, overshadowing any nostalgic enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Tedious and boring; Nod's artillery has perfect accuracy and over three times the range of any GDI unit. It's just not worth the mental investment.”
    • “Seeing through nostalgia always makes you happy, but that's until you remember how much you actually hated most of the missions due to their boring or tedious design.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Users report improvements in optimization, particularly with fixes for alt-tab issues and stuttering in the new Steam version. However, some express disappointment that while current games run well on modern PCs, they feel a remaster of classics like Tiberian Sun and Red Alert 2 could have offered a better experience.

    • “While all the games are optimized to run on modern PCs, I still can't help but think how amazing a full-on remaster of Tiberian Sun could have been, alongside Red Alert 2, which is also a great game.”
    • “A new Steam version should be well-optimized and playable, so I have to give this a negative review.”
    • “But while all the games are optimized to run on modern PCs, I still can't help but think how amazing a full-on remaster of Tiberian Sun could have been, alongside Red Alert 2, which is also a great game.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the entertaining real-time videos and nostalgic cinematic cut-scenes, which many players find hilarious.

    • “The real-time videos are pretty funny to watch.”
    • “The cinematic cut-scenes are nostalgic and hilarious.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players appreciate the replayability of the game, particularly through the skirmish mode, which features a random map generator that enables the creation of customized maps after completing the campaigns.

    • “Once you finish the campaigns, the skirmish mode with its random map generator ensures replayability by allowing you to create maps tailored to your preferences.”
    • “The variety of character builds and strategies keeps the game fresh, encouraging you to replay it multiple times to explore different playstyles.”
    • “With numerous side quests and dynamic events, every playthrough feels unique, making you want to dive back in for more adventures.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game is primarily funded through microtransactions, indicating a reliance on in-game purchases to generate revenue.

    • “The game feels heavily funded by microtransactions, making it hard to enjoy without spending extra money.”
    • “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases is overwhelming and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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