Apple Games latest feature article turns the spotlight on Command & Conquer Red Alert 3. The real time strategy title follows the action as the Allies face off against the Soviet war machine and the Empire of the Rising Sun in a fictional futuristic setting. Apple's article includes commentary from associate producer Matt Ott, an explanation of the game's alternate timeline, and tips and tricks for success.

Of course, there’s also a role for you in Red Alert 3: a new commander who helps the Allies, Soviets, and Imperials achieve victory in their campaigns. Each faction features a supporting cast whose members help you complete your objectives. In fact, Ott notes, “every campaign mission was designed from the group up with the assumption that you will always have an ally at your side. These missions employ a whole range of mechanics that require you to coordinate your activities with a co-commander’s army.”

He adds: “That’s Red Alert 3’s biggest innovation: the co-op campaign, the inspiration for which came from cooperative shooter games. For the first time, you can go online and experience all the missions cooperatively in real-time with a friend. Offline, you can enlist the aid of an AI general: each faction has three generals with very unique personalities. They won’t be afraid to share their opinions with you, and their support may come begrudgingly if they think you’re making a mistake.”

The game’s other big innovation is its use of the ocean as a tactical resource. “In most real-time strategy games,” Ott explains, “naval gameplay is tacked on as an afterthought; from a gameplay perspective, it feels like blue painted ground. We set out to blur the shorelines and make controlling the seas an integral part of Red Alert 3.”

He points out that many of the game’s units are amphibious, with different roles to play when on land or in the sea. “We were careful to make this added layer of depth feel very integrated and simple to use, so switching between a unit’s land or sea forms happens automatically,” Ott says. “Every mission in the campaign, along with every multiplayer map, has some amount of water, so players can focus on land, sea, air, or a combination of the three.”

Apple Games: C&C Red Alert 3

TransGaming

Electronic Arts

Command & Conquer Red Alert 3

Buy Command & Conquer Red Alert 3

Search for other Mac games news stories or browse our Mac Games News Archive.