Unlike the previous games, Generals eschews Red Alert's silly time-traveling storylines and Command & Conquer's overblown chronicle of the battle between Nod and the GDI. There are no cinematics with pre-rendered cities being destroyed by blimps or live action sequences of Kari Wuhrer in a low-cut tank top leaning over a tabletop. Instead, you get the game engine used to create some fairly clunky cutscenes for each of the three sides' campaigns, which consists of a handful of loosely related missions. There are some clever scripted moments in some of these, but they're mainly excuses to gradually fold in each side's unique units and capabilities. If you're looking for a story, you're in the wrong place. Generals is built on a solid game design that revolves around three unique sides, each with a distinctive look and feel: the United States, China, and Arab terrorists with the sanitized moniker of 'Global Liberation Army.' The United States has powerful and expensive units, including well-armed infantry and vehicles that can heal themselves. Their superior intelligence capabilities and flexible air force allow them to strike quickly anywhere on the map. China, on the other hand, excels at amassing hordes of cheap units and improving their capabilities with bonuses. They have computer hackers who can steal money or quickly subvert enemy buildings and units. Eventually, China can bring to bear monster tanks and fearsome napalm weaponry. The GLA is the most interesting side, partly for Electronic Arts' blunt disregard for how this might be inappropriate subject matter. There are elements of the GLA that clearly reflect recent events. You have Arab terrorists with car bombs and truck bombs (the nightclub bombing in Bali and the embassy attack in Kenya), Arab suicide bombers with explosives strapped to their bodies (the Palestinian attacks in Israel), Arabs researching anthrax and biotoxin delivery systems (Iraqi attempts to develop weapons of mass destruction), Arabs avoiding destruction by using tunnels and hiding in caves (al-Qaeda troops in Afghanistan), and angry ululating mobs of Arabs wielding AK-47s (the events in Mogadishu recounted in Blackhawk Down). Even if you can write it off as being 'just a game,' it's hard to believe all this is from the same company who felt the need to change the artwork on their Red Alert 2 boxes in the aftermath of 9/11.īut the GLA is mainly interesting for the gameplay mechanics.

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