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Command & Conquer: Generals

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7.8 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 34 critic reviews
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Based on 51 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: EA Pacific / Westwood

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: February 11, 2003

Summary

Command & Conquer Generals puts your trigger finger on the pulse of modern warfare. Choose a General in control of massive armies of bleeding-edge military weaponry across a globe teetering on the brink of Armageddon. Command either the mighty U.S. Army, the Chinese war machine or the resourceful Global Liberation Army, each packed with high-tech arsenals ready to deliver unprecedented firepower on land or in the skies. Prepare your forces, Commander... it's time to engage in the next generation of 3D real-time strategy. [Electronic Arts]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars Command & Conquer Renegade Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central Game Revolution GameSpot Guide

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GamePro

Generals has a rock-solid single-player game and the most addictive multiplayer skirmishes of the year... A gaming masterpiece.

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100

Maxim Online

With amazing visuals and an arsenal that would make Saddam Hussein soil his prayer mat, C&C Generals is war at its flashiest.

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100

Cincinnati Enquirer

Despite the game's stunning, high-end graphics, Generals loads quickly and plays smoothly.

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100

Play Magazine

Not only a blast to play, it is the best looking real-time strategy game to date. [May 2003, p.60]

100

Cinescape

One of the biggest improvements to the game is the full-fledged air battles.

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Gamezilla!

The fact that this so closely mirrors the world we find ourselves in today and the dangers we face, both in the Middle East and North Korea, instills both a sense of horror to the game and grudging respect for EA.

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IGN

But almost more impressive than the actual gameplay in many ways are the graphics. When the settings are turned up to high and you pump up the resolution from the lowest option of 800x600, you're in for the first real visual feast of this year.

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Game Informer

Generals will serve to entertain you for months on end, what with its robust multiplayer segment that adequately supplements the game's addictive single-player portion. [Apr 2003, p.94]

Computer Games Online RO

The 3D graphics is exceptional, the units, the buildings, their animations also and the visual effects are very detailed and very well done for such a game.

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GameZone

Games like these not only lift the bar, they annihilate it!

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GameNow

In general, Generals is "Command & Conquer," just a lot more of it. [Apr 2003, p.45]

PC Gameworld

Combine top-notch graphics with an overhauled gaming system, and you have a winner. Not to mention it's addictive as hell.

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Gamer's Pulse

All in all any fan of RTS would be foolish if they did not run to the local game store and pick up a copy of Generals immediately.

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Gamers' Temple

Exciting and great looking real-time strategy action. But what happened to the single player campaign?

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netjak

The graphics and animations are the best I have yet to see in a RTS, and the in-game effects are powerful. Just get ready to laugh like a maniac at what the units say during the game.

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GameSpot

It's totally first-rate from a technical standpoint, and it's an all-around fun game to play on top of that, with excellent pacing, great explosions, clever strategic twists, a variety of units, and a fair amount of humor.

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PC Format

It graphically depicts some very horrid things, and on a fundamental level, trivialises the kinds of international, cultural and religious issues which affect us all. Apart from that, it’s ace.

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Xequted

It’s these little details and the wide array of units for each side that makes Command & Conquer Generals a very entertaining title and the included skirmish mode will keep you entertained for a long while.

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ActionTrip

Wicked fun gameplay, and a stellar variety of excellently balanced units... Not as "all-around" as it hoped it would be and it's a bit of hardware hog, but it's still immensely fun.

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Entertainment Weekly

Gone are those enjoyably awful interstitial video segments--and still remaining are those... maddeningly difficult controls! [28 Feb 2003, p.87]

Game Over Online

Just different enough to separate it from the RTS pack, if only a little. It’s reasonably polished, fun to play, and a solid addition to the C&C dynasty.

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GameSpy

Like Westwood's real-time strategy games, there's a lot of flash here, some of the same old interface problems, and more than enough "yee-haw!" enthusiasm to make up for any shortcomings. Well, almost.

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Yahoo! Games

The designers at EA Pacific were able to bring us the contemporarily relevant content of C&C: Generals, with the fluidity and immersion-level we always hope to expect... and all this without any of the pansy-assed 'political correction' that dominates these days.

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G4 TV

An addictive and enjoyable warfare simulation. While not entirely groundbreaking, Command & Conquer: Generals is one excellent game.

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Adrenaline Vault

At its core, this is a title with enough flash and bang, with a high replay value in both single and multiplayer, and enough strategy that it’s hard not to recommend.

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Armchair Empire

Although Command & Conquer: Generals has many points that has made the franchise so popular over the years, it has been “vanillafied” – it’s been molded to play and appear like every other real-time strategy (RTS) game out there.

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PC Gamer

If Generals had shipped with a more compelling story and more skirmish/multiplayer options, I'd be calling it one of the greatest RTS games ever made. [May 2003, p.56]

FiringSquad

The interface problems, with the help of poor unit AI and netcode, are the key reasons for our frustration with Generals otherwise outstanding gameplay.

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Game Revolution

It's a much slower-paced affair than most other recent RTS games like "WarCraft 3" and "Impossible Creatures," but the slower movement makes for a more strategic game.

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Computer Games Magazine

It's a big dumb completely over-the-top cartoon, the game equivalent of "Red Dawn." Shut off your brain and enjoy the explosive ride. [May 2003, p.70]

Total Video Games

The look of C&C: Generals is uninspiring, tired and lacking spirit, miles behind the charismatic approach employed by Blizzard with "Warcraft III."

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GMR Magazine

The glossy graphics can't shine off the mediocrity of the Westwood formula. [Apr 2003, p.67]

Eurogamer

The dull gameplay, horrible interface flaws and cringe-worthy political message of the game mark it out as a wasted opportunity, and a very black mark on the copybook of the C&C franchise.

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Computer Gaming World

Despite a spectacular-looking engine, intriguing units, and some original gameplay, Generals doesn't capitalize on opportunties to be a shining light in the genre, and instead ends up as just decent. [Apr 2003, p.74]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.8 (out of 10) based on 51 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Keenan715 gave it a7:
C&C Generals is a pretty good game. Three sides to the conflict, USA, GLA, and China. Basic strategy game controls (quite similar to C&C 1) make it easy to play. Buuuuut, it carries the C&C title,so where is GDI,NOD,the Aliies,the Soviets,Cabal,or Yuri? This game is a ripoff to Command and Conquer fans everywhere! This is not a true C&C game. An OK game but not a true C&C game. Strategy game fans, there are better games out there. True C&C fans, stay far away.

Tom G. gave it a10:
Does so many things right. The 3 teams you can play as (USA, GLA, and China) are all well balanced, and have very unique units and abilities. The skirmish feature gives a lot of replay ability to the game, and can give you a well challenge when you crank up the AI. The story feels like an actual military conflict, even though this is set in the early 2010s, and you're sitting 4 inches away from a computer screen. While we may be experiencing the same point, click, kill, win gameplay that's been seen for quite a while, this can give you numerous decisions to make. Storm the enemy, defend the base, set up shop somewhere else, take to the skies, make an armored division, make a nice foot-soldier unit, etc. There are so many decisions to make, and so little time to make them. Command, Conquer, and win at any cost. 10 out of 10.

Tyson P. gave it a3:
The worst C&C to date, finish it in half a day, and reflect on its shocking balance of the three forces (GLA is far too strong vs the other 2 teams). Crap Controls, your units will always wander into danger, Long range weapons will NEVER fire unless told to. U can't even ROTATE, even though its a fully 3D game. I hate it, EA has insulted a once great series.

Generals gave it a 10:
When released, the best action strategy of all time. Why? Top Graphics, engine with high performance even with mainstream computers. Detailed and varied textures. High quality sound. Excellent Multiplayer. You never know what your opponent will do. Especially with allt the options this game offers. I simply see it as a game specialised in multiplayer combat. Where the creators have done som serious thinking before the creation. Antoher plus is the 1.7 patch to this game, that corrects and balances details that makes this a solid and stable game. I recommend this one for everyone who want a top action strategy game. Theres only one that i miss, and its the possability to zoom out a bit more, to get a better overview. However this was mostly something i thought of in the beginning.

Martin S. gave it a 10:
A superb action and strategic game!!

Gallez tommy gave it a 9:
Almost even good as zero hour!!!!!

Mafia Guy gave it an 8:
Fun to play, and the graphics are good...but there should have been naval units - it would be more fun.

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Command & Conquer: Generals

Game Info

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