Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 is a real-time strategy video game created by EA Los Angeles and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in October 2008 for Microsoft Windows in the United States and Europe. An Xbox 360 version came out on November 11. Additionally, the PlayStation 3 version, called Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Ultimate Edition, which includes extra content, was released on March 23, 2009. The OS X version was also released by TransGaming at the same time. The game continues the Red Alert series within the Command & Conquer franchise. A stand-alone expansion pack, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising, was released for Microsoft Windows in March 2009 and made available through digital distribution.
Like earlier games in the Red Alert series, the game is set in a different version of World War II, where the Western Allies fight the Soviet Union. In Red Alert 3, the Soviet Union, facing defeat, travels back in time to kill Albert Einstein and stop his help to the Allies. This action leads to the creation of a new world power, the Empire of the Rising Sun (also known as the Japanese Empire), and causes a war among the three groups. Players can control any of the three factions, building structures, gathering resources, and training armies to defeat opponents. Each faction has a cooperative campaign that can be played with an artificial intelligence partner or another player online. The game mixes strategy missions with video footage featuring actors J. K. Simmons, Tim Curry, and George Takei as the leaders of the three factions.
The game received mostly positive reviews. Reviewers praised the cooperative and multiplayer features, as well as the increased focus on naval battles compared to other real-time strategy games. Common criticisms included issues with how units move through the game world and problems with online gameplay stability.
Gameplay
Red Alert 3 keeps the main rules of the Command & Conquer series. Warring groups gather resources using collectors that are easy to attack. They use these resources to build military bases and forces. Structures offer limited but varied technology options, allowing players to choose from many units and powerful weapons. Weapons are specialized, such as soldiers who can survive attacks from anti-tank guns. Major changes include adding the Empire of the Rising Sun as a new faction, a co-operative campaign mode, and more naval battles.
In the single-player campaign, players work with an ally for each mission. Allies can be another player online or a computer-controlled character. Both players share money and start with similar forces. Computer-controlled allies can follow simple commands, like moving to a specific spot or attacking a target. Each side has nine missions with separate storylines.
Naval warfare is a key part of the game. Many units can move on both land and water, offering flexibility. Bases and buildings can be built on water, except for certain facilities like tank factories. Players who ignore the ocean may lose economic advantages. Even maps that are mostly land in the campaign have large bodies of water in multiplayer games. Naval units and special abilities help counter enemy units effectively.
Most units have a special power. These powers can be turned on or off, target enemies, or activate instantly. For example, the Imperial King Oni can charge into enemies, the Soviet Hammer Tank can switch between a regular gun and a laser that drains enemy health, and the Allied Athena Cannon can activate energy shields with a button press but needs time to recharge. All abilities use the same key. Players earn experience points to upgrade units or buy "commander abilities," like air strikes or recon missions. These abilities cost no resources but take time to use again.
Ore fields, which were resource sites in earlier games, have been replaced with stationary ore mines. This change does not affect gameplay mechanics much, but it impacts how players place refineries and use covert mining methods.
The first Red Alert game focused on a different World War II conflict between the Allies (including Germany) and the Soviet Union, featuring high-tech weapons like Tesla coils and limited time travel. Red Alert 2 included a Soviet invasion of North America with tanks, airships, and giant squids, and its expansion, Yuri's Revenge, added UFOs and Soviet activity on the Moon. The game's creator, Chris Corry, said Red Alert 3 makes each faction more distinct and highlights their unique designs.
The Soviets and Allies have a mix of old and new features. Soviet units emphasize strength, like giant Kirov airships and flak troopers, while the Allies use units like attack dogs. New units include Hammer Tanks that use magnetic beams to destroy enemy weapons, Sickles that jump over obstacles, and Stingrays with Tesla coils. The Soviets lost their nuclear weapons but use cheaper units and structures like the Super Reactor. Their armor is tougher than Allied or Japanese units, and they can use the Iron Curtain to protect their forces.
The Soviet Air Force now includes MiG fighters and attack helicopters, replacing nuclear bombs with the Vacuum Imploder, a weapon that pulls enemies into a hole before exploding.
The Allies have many advanced, non-lethal gadgets. New units include hydrofoils with weapon-scrambling rays and amphibious destroyers with magnetic armor. Allied soldiers, like the Peacekeeper, resemble riot police. They retain the Chronosphere superweapon and Tanya, who can rewind time slightly. Allied progress is led by FutureTech, making their strategy more patient-focused. Their strongest units are aircraft, with the Proton Collider as their ultimate weapon, firing energy bolts that cause atomic explosions.
The Empire of the Rising Sun includes samurai-like soldiers with energy rifles, giant transforming robots, and psychic weapons. Some of their units can switch between land and air, giving them more versatility. However, some units are weaker and require large numbers or support to be effective. Japanese naval units are strong, with anti-ship cruisers and battleships. Their bases are easy to build and expand quickly, allowing them to claim ore mines faster. They use psychic weapons like the Psionic Decimator, which can destroy bases, and the Nanoswarm Hive, a shield that blocks enemy attacks.
The campaign mode continues the theme of fictional warfare, featuring secret volcano bases, android spies, and other unique settings.
Plot
As the Soviet Union faces defeat by the Allied Nations, Soviet General Nikolai Krukov (played by Andrew Divoff) and Colonel Anatoly Cherdenko (Tim Curry) use a time machine beneath the Kremlin to travel back to Brussels in 1927 during the Solvay International Physics Conference. They attempt to eliminate Albert Einstein, changing the future. When they return to the present, they discover that Cherdenko is now the Premier of the Soviet Union, which surprises General Krukov. In this timeline, the Soviet Union is close to conquering Europe when the Empire of the Rising Sun (Japanese Empire) declares war on both the Soviet Union and the Allies, seeking global domination. Because Einstein was eliminated, nuclear weapons were never invented, and the Soviet Union cannot stop the invasion. This leads to a new Third World War, fought between the Soviet Union, the Allies, and the Empire.
In the Soviet campaign, the player controls a Soviet commander. Their first task is to drive Imperial Japanese forces from Soviet territory by defending Leningrad, securing a satellite launch facility, and reclaiming a naval base in Vladivostok on the Pacific coast. Later, the Allies are united by U.S. President Ackerman (J.K. Simmons), forcing the commander to attack the Allies’ headquarters in Geneva and capture a research lab in Mykonos. During these attacks, an attempt is made on Premier Cherdenko’s life. The conflict in Europe ends with a strike on the Von Esling Airbase in Iceland. During this battle, Cherdenko accuses General Krukov of trying to kill him and orders the commander to kill him.
Next, the Soviet Union invades Japan to kill Emperor Yoshiro (George Takei) at Mount Fuji. After an initial setback, the commander defeats three Imperial commanders and kills the emperor inside his large battle mecha, ending the Empire’s involvement in the war. Dr. Gregor Zelinsky (Peter Stormare), the scientist who built the time machine, contacts the commander to explain how the past was altered, but the communication is cut off, and Zelinsky disappears.
The Premier orders the commander to Easter Island to set a trap for the Allies under the pretense of a peace treaty, removing Allied leaders from action. However, Cherdenko later declares the commander no longer useful and attacks him. The commander defeats and kills Cherdenko at his volcano fortress. The Soviet commander then invades New York City, destroying the Statue of Liberty. The war ends with the player becoming the new Premier of the unopposed Soviet Union.
In the Allied campaign, the player controls an Allied commander who must first repel a Soviet invasion of Great Britain. Later, the Allies launch operations in Europe, retaking Cannes, saving Allied leaders, and destroying the Soviet headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. However, both sides are vulnerable to the Empire of the Rising Sun, which sends a floating fortress to block the Allies and Soviets from entering the North Atlantic. This leads to a joint Allied-Soviet effort to retake a naval base in Gibraltar and destroy the Japanese fortress in the North Sea. U.S. President Ackerman, who opposes the coalition, goes rogue and tries to destroy Moscow with a laser superweapon hidden in Mount Rushmore. The Allied commander defeats Ackerman’s forces and kills the president during his escape.
After securing the alliance, the coalition plans to attack Tokyo to destroy the Japanese military leadership. However, Soviet forces fail to arrive, leaving the Allies to fight alone. Despite the odds, the commander succeeds, destroying the Empire’s military forces and key structures. After the battle in Tokyo, Dr. Zelinsky defects to the Allies, revealing the time machine and warning them about Cherdenko’s secret forces in Havana, Cuba. The Allies destroy hidden Soviet bases in Cuba, preventing modified warships from taking off.
The commander is then teleported to Leningrad, where they are ordered to capture Soviet leaders hiding in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Cherdenko and General Krukov attempt to escape to the Moon but are captured and imprisoned for life. The Vice President of the United States becomes the new president, announcing Ackerman’s betrayal and thanking the Allied commander for their actions.
In the Empire’s campaign, the player controls a military vassal of Crown Prince Tatsu (Ron Yuan). Emperor Yoshiro’s strategy focuses on attacking symbolic targets, like monuments, to weaken enemy morale. His son, Crown Prince Tatsu, prefers direct attacks on military targets, but the emperor overrides his suggestions. This strategy is challenged when the Allies attack Pearl Harbor and a Japanese floating fortress in the Pacific. Though the attacks are repelled, an Allied assault on Santa Monica, supported by the damaged fortress, leads to a foothold in Yokohama.
After replacing President Ackerman with an android, the Emperor learns of Zelinsky’s defection and Cherdenko’s time travel, which shakes his belief in a divine destiny. He hands military leadership to his son, Crown Prince Tatsu. Under Tatsu’s command, the joint Allied-Soviet invasion of Yokohama is repelled, and a full-scale attack on the Kremlin kills Premier Cherdenko and General Krukov. The Empire then invades Amsterdam, where the Allies’ headquarters and FutureTech, a key technology company, are located. At the war’s end, Dr. Zelinsky uses a prototype FutureTech weapon to destroy most of the city, but remaining Japanese forces eliminate the last Allied and Soviet forces. The war ends, and the Imperial Commander is named “Supreme Shogun.”
Development
In December 2004, Electronic Arts' executive producer and Command & Conquer lead, Mark Skaggs, unofficially mentioned a third Red Alert game shortly after the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth. However, Mark Skaggs left Electronic Arts for unknown reasons soon after, and no official mention of Red Alert 3 occurred until February 14, 2008, when Electronic Arts announced it.
A public beta test for Red Alert 3 was announced in February 2008. PC users who registered a code included in Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath or Command & Conquer 3 Limited Collection by September 15, 2008, could join the multiplayer beta test. Starting July 24, registered users began receiving emails about receiving their beta key and download link in late July and August. FilePlanet members could also join the beta, with keys given on a first-come, first-served basis starting August 22. The beta servers closed on September 29.
Executive producer Chris Corry stated that Red Alert 3 would include SecuROM software, which required online activation for the first use. Each serial key could be used to activate and install the game only five times. Activation was tied to specific systems, allowing users to reinstall the game on the same computer as often as needed but limiting activation to five different computers. After five activations, users would need to contact EA Customer Service for additional activations. Corry also noted that uninstalling the game would not return the installation to the user. However, after several patches, the game allowed uninstallation to return the installation.
Following the controversy over SecuROM in Spore, some customers threatened to boycott Red Alert 3 if it included similar digital rights management. In response, EA increased the activation limit from three to five per machine. Many customers remained unhappy, arguing that this still resembled "renting" the game. The 1.05 patch allowed users to de-authorize the game through the settings menu.
Before the game's release, Corry acknowledged that other Command & Conquer titles had long lifespans and warned that authentication servers might eventually shut down, preventing future users from verifying their copies. He stated that EA would consider disabling copy protection after the risk of piracy decreased.
On January 8, 2009, the game was available on Steam with SecuROM, but a February 19 patch removed SecuROM, leaving the game protected by Steam's DRM.
Some copies of the game had manuals with missing last digits of the CD key. EA initially suggested guessing the missing digit but later revised its response to inform users that the issue was due to a printing error. Users were instructed to contact EA via email or phone for a replacement code. Later, EA created a page where users could retrieve the missing digit without contacting support, though a free EA account was required.
Composer Frank Klepacki contributed three tracks to the game. He expressed interest in contributing more but noted that his current employment with Petroglyph Games might limit his ability to do so. At the Red Alert 3 Community Summit in June 2008, Klepacki shared a video showing his involvement in composing "Hell March 3," an update of Red Alert's iconic theme.
James Hannigan and Timothy Michael Wynn composed the majority of the game's 114 minutes of music. Hannigan created the "Soviet March" menu theme and music for the Empire of the Rising Sun faction, while Wynn composed music for the Allies and remaining Soviet tracks. Music4Games covered the game's score. The band From First to Last created remixes of "Hell March" and "Hell March 2," included in the Premier Edition soundtrack. A track by James Hannigan titled "All Your Base Are Belong To Us" references the Zero Wing game and an internet meme.
Marketing
Red Alert 3 could be purchased before its release and included bonuses such as the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 game, an exclusive multiplayer map, a bonus DVD with various films, and Red Alert 3 desktop wallpapers. In the 2008 United States Presidential election, 43 people voted for Ackerman as a write-in candidate.
The Red Alert 3 Premier Edition included a soundtrack CD with remixes of "Hell March" and "Hell March 2," and a bonus DVD with making-of documentaries, developer footage, scenes from the game's cinematics, and strategy tips. The game also included a code to download exclusive multiplayer maps and a key for a beta version of a future Command and Conquer game. It was packaged in a Soviet-themed tin case with a poster of the women from Red Alert 3. In the UK, the Premier Edition was sold only by the retailer Game.
In Taiwan, a limited Premier Edition was released with an additional item: the Dicota Red Alert 3 backpack.
Copies of Red Alert 3 included a code to unlock an exclusive item in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning called the "Kossar's Helm" for a limited time.
In 2008, EA Singapore and Gamers.com.my launched an exclusive Red Alert 3 Commander's Pack in Singapore and Malaysia. It was released on October 27 in Singapore and October 28 in Malaysia. The Commander's Pack included the C&C Red Alert 3 Premier Edition, the C&C Red Alert 3 Dicota Notebook BacPac, and a Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard with Garskin Red Alert 3 decals. Exclusive posters and Soviet T-shirts were given to early attendees at the game's launch. A smaller and less expensive version of the Commander's Pack, called the Officer's Pack, was also released. The Officer's Pack included the C&C Red Alert 3 Premier Edition and the C&C Red Alert 3 Dicota Notebook BacPac.
A PlayStation 3 version of the game, called Red Alert 3: Ultimate Edition, was released in March 2009. Senior development director David Seeholzer stated the game's visual quality was designed to match HD Blu-ray definition. According to EA, Red Alert 3 was expected to have better graphics and performance on PlayStation 3 than on Xbox 360, due to the complex renderer from the PC version.
However, many potential customers requested the ability to use a mouse and keyboard for gaming on PlayStation 3, even with threats of not purchasing the product. These requests were not fulfilled. Seeholzer mentioned the "step forward" made in developing the console's control interface but did not answer the question clearly during an interview with IGN.
Reception
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 got mostly good reviews, with an average score of 82 out of 100 on Metacritic. Critics praised the game's strong team play and online features.
At the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences gave Red Alert 3 the "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year" award.