Command & Conquer: Red Alert

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 431 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 370 out of 431
  2. Mixed: 49 out of 431
  3. Negative: 12 out of 431
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  1. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 25, 2023
    8
    One of the games that established tha basics for the RTS genre. Big game full of fun
  2. hyrts
    Jun 4, 2022
    10
    This was so much fun. One of the best RTS ever. The graphics are nice, the mechanics are on point. What else do you want?
  3. siou78
    Jan 30, 2022
    9
    Almost perfect game with a perfect soundtrack. For me the sequel Red Alert takes 10/10!
  4. Woolee
    Sep 26, 2021
    10
    The nostalgic feeling I get form thinking about this RTS trend setter for so many games. Made me start getting into the genre I will never leave. Just epic.
  5. UncleEd
    Feb 14, 2021
    10
    Red Alert was my favorite game as a child. I spent hundreds of hours playing the campaign, skirmish missions and multiplayer on 56k internet. Revisiting was a big nostalgia trip for me and also interesting to see how it compares to the original Command & Conquer after all these years.

    Let’s start with the music. Hell March is one of the best video game songs ever, if not the best. The    Red Alert was my favorite game as a child. I spent hundreds of hours playing the campaign, skirmish missions and multiplayer on 56k internet. Revisiting was a big nostalgia trip for me and also interesting to see how it compares to the original Command & Conquer after all these years.

    Let’s start with the music. Hell March is one of the best video game songs ever, if not the best. The entire soundtrack is nothing short of a masterpiece, puts you in mood and is a great fit for the fast-paced gameplay of Red Alert.

    The story is a cheesy alternative history. Einstein invented a time machine and made sure Adolf Hitler doesn’t come to the world stage. This, however, makes Stalin rise as the absolute power in WWII. There are unforgettable characters from Tanya to Nadia, and more importantly Kane (I had erased from my memory that Kane appears in Red Alert. Without spoiling anything, let me just say it was a pleasant surprise). The cinematics have always been a strength of Command & Conquer series and Red Alert doesn’t disappoint. I especially enjoyed the ones with Tanya.

    Gameplay is enhanced in some ways. The two factions (Allies and Soviet) are more distinct from each other in comparison to GDI and NOD of C&C. There are many units which are exclusive to a faction. While Soviet appear to be impenetrable with their Tesla Coil and Mammoth Tank, Allies have the naval artillery Cruiser which are the most powerful firepower of the entire game, as long as you have access to water.

    There are some serious AI issues in the campaign. You will often see your harvesters or submarines getting stuck. This one I remember from the original game. But there are also problems with the enemy AI, where the enemy stops responding to you efficiently as soon as you destroy some harvesters or power plants. I am not sure if this comes from the original game or if it is a problem with the remaster.

    In most aspects, Red Alert is better than its prequel Command & Conquer. It offers more options for strategy with the wider range of units. But in terms of offering a good campaign challenge in medium difficulty, Red Alert pales in comparison to C&C. The enemy in C&C is smarter. Again, this may be an issue with the remaster but not the original game. I am not sure.

    9.5/10    … Expand
  6. TenionFCSM
    Jul 14, 2020
    10
    The funniest and best RTS in the history of computer games! For 1996, it was a breakthrough, nothing like this had ever happened before!
  7. SolveEtCoagula
    Jun 7, 2020
    9
    I liked this one mostly for its style and setting, but its the same game as the original, with new paint, music score and balance nuances.
  8. Bloodnes
    Feb 2, 2020
    10
    Лучшая стратеги тех времен, которая оставалась актуальной 10-ки лет. Шедевр мировой игровой индустрии. 10/10
  9. Genek13
    Nov 19, 2019
    9
    Same as C&C previous game with different setting.
    Story is great - for each side different.
    Easily can be played to this date :)
  10. DrBobLee
    Oct 24, 2019
    10
    Despite this game being over 20 years old, no RTS has surpassed this games greatness. Starcraft and Xcom were great but sorry Boi, you're no Red Alert. In this game you must be able to withstand infantry, tanks, planes, ships, Tesla and the dreaded engineer rush but if you keep your cool, keep your Dr Pepper close and have your Jacks Pizza cooking you should be alright.

    I have played    Despite this game being over 20 years old, no RTS has surpassed this games greatness. Starcraft and Xcom were great but sorry Boi, you're no Red Alert. In this game you must be able to withstand infantry, tanks, planes, ships, Tesla and the dreaded engineer rush but if you keep your cool, keep your Dr Pepper close and have your Jacks Pizza cooking you should be alright.

    I have played many years of RA and have been ranked number 1 on Westwood Chat. I was also highly ranked in Team matches with my life partner Bfb in Kali. I destroyed people in regular or money maps. The only time I would have trouble would be from the terrifying engineer rush. Still to this day I have nightmares of a transport ship pulling up to my base in A Path Beyond only to see my APV and Sm Power Plant in enemy hands, and than before I know it a barracks is made with gunners slowly coming out....It can still be hard for me to talk about.

    Honesty, this is the greatest real time strategy ever created and I think about it hourly if not more. In Denmark (where I am from) people come up to me and say "Hey Nike1(my RA Gamer Tag) please tell me a great Red Alert story. Most people want to hear about when I out "Q"ed 14 heavy tanks with 5 light tanks and a Tanya but I prefer to talk about my exploits on TEN(Total Entertainment Network) There I wrote the book on money game strategy and believe that I could that I could team with any run of the mill Tom, Dick or Harry and take on any top team today, but hey, maybe that is me just getting nostalgic about my glory days, but its hard to forget because in Denmark, if you were a C&C legend you're basically a celebrity. I remember once our national paper, the Weekendavisen, did a top ten of the most searched celebrities on Google and I, Nike1, was number 7 right ahead of Lebron James so at least there is that.

    Anyway, you all should play Red Alert or even C&C the original. It is truly a great game if you're an RTS fan.    … Expand
  11. shatti
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    classic rts that i still play it sometimes even now in 2019 and for years to come
    sadly the game stopped at red alert 3
  12. voditelnlo
    Dec 19, 2018
    10
    Mission Accomplished..The first English sentence I learned from video games..And also, this is the game that symbolize my childhood..No other games can take its place..
  13. Meta1234
    Apr 20, 2018
    10
    Even though this review is not coming from a strategy type of player, this is a 10.

    The only strategy game I ever completed in full. Back at the time it was an amazing game not only because of the campaign mission development, but also because of the very entertaining local multiplayer it offered.

    Had a great time with this game back in the Pentium PC days.
  14. iddqd4
    Jan 21, 2018
    8
    Красные советы проходятся катком по всей западной цивилизации, забавная идея, на то время.
  15. zampaconi
    Jul 30, 2016
    9
    Recensione temporanea da sostituire non appena disponibile quella definitiva. Recensione temporanea da sostituire non appena disponibile quella definitiva.
  16. iseeall
    Dec 18, 2015
    10
    A sequel to Command & Conquer which added many special units and reshuffled the factions balance. The missions were more varied, and the hilarious presentation of the war-crazy Stalin on Kane's place was much welcome. Since recently the game was made freeware (!), and you can download and play it for free, in multiplayer. There are always open games available, on average I spend 1-2A sequel to Command & Conquer which added many special units and reshuffled the factions balance. The missions were more varied, and the hilarious presentation of the war-crazy Stalin on Kane's place was much welcome. Since recently the game was made freeware (!), and you can download and play it for free, in multiplayer. There are always open games available, on average I spend 1-2 minutes waiting in the lobby. Fans have made sure that it works on any monitor size, and on my 1920x1080 monitor the huge overview of the battlefield is simply amazing. RA is somewhat unbalanced, with the Soviets appearing superior in almost all types of units (infantly, vehicles, airplanes, defense towers) to the Allies, at least for novice players. Just google for "Red Alert 1 Online" to grab a free version.… Expand
  17. GolovA
    Nov 28, 2015
    9
    Real Time Strategy, son! Is no joke! This was not as revolutionary as many other titles of the same year, yet it took Command and Conquer to all new levels, with improvements in almost every area. And although i like both games, i prefer Red Alert to C&C. Tesla Coils, son! Whaaaaa!!! :D zzzzzAP!
  18. lach1223
    Nov 19, 2013
    9
    An absolute classic that I still play sometimes even today. This game improves upon Command and Conquer in almost every possible way. The campaign missions are great, the music is superb and the differences between the 2 sides is good enough to create a vastly experience based on the side you chose. The game's cut scenes are also great and the acting (especially of Stalin makes for a goodAn absolute classic that I still play sometimes even today. This game improves upon Command and Conquer in almost every possible way. The campaign missions are great, the music is superb and the differences between the 2 sides is good enough to create a vastly experience based on the side you chose. The game's cut scenes are also great and the acting (especially of Stalin makes for a good laugh. Even after all these years, there are still players to be found online for multiplayer matches courtesy of CNC Net. The game is also free to download now so if you haven't played it, downloading it is a must! Recommended!… Expand
  19. Rox22
    Sep 26, 2013
    9
    To be honest I preferred Red Alert to Command & Conquer. Better story, units are more fun and varied, and overall gameplay is just more entertaining.

    Overall:
    The Red Alert universe, in my opinion, is far more entertaining. It is more or less the same as Command & Conquer, just better.
  20. Dusty_Hayes
    Jul 25, 2013
    10
    A real epic classic with two great tense and thrilling campaigns and an excellent story lines C&C Red Alert is the best RTS for both the PC and PS1 during the 90's
  21. Yakinrossa
    Jun 29, 2013
    9
    Mission Accomplished..The first English sentence I learned from video games..And also, this is the game that symbolize my childhood..No other games can take its place..
  22. kane148
    Aug 6, 2012
    9
    This game took what was great about the first C&C and made it better. The gameplay is fairly similar, but it adds some new dimensions such as mines, naval units, and multiple super-weapons. I personally liked the addition of more air units--the original C&C had only 2 per side--which allow for quick responses to enemy action. I found the story and characters to be less compelling than theThis game took what was great about the first C&C and made it better. The gameplay is fairly similar, but it adds some new dimensions such as mines, naval units, and multiple super-weapons. I personally liked the addition of more air units--the original C&C had only 2 per side--which allow for quick responses to enemy action. I found the story and characters to be less compelling than the first C&C, but good nonetheless, and the alternate-history WWII makes for a cool alternate story in the C&C universe.… Expand
  23. Kirase
    Jan 1, 2012
    9
    Managed to life up to its high expectations even if it played in a kind of different universe from C&C1.
    Singleplayer campaign, soundtrack and general gameplay were very good. Multiplayer not so much.
  24. jwt7000
    Oct 13, 2011
    9
    Westwood's best RTS game and still the best C&C game to date. The music, sounds, characters and gameplay are all great hits to this awesome war game, but some unbalanced and AI issues remain.
  25. smijatov
    Aug 21, 2011
    8
    One of the better games from back in the day. Very interesting concept, and sometimes truly challenging to play. Definitely had a lot of fun playing it. Really enjoyed the cheesy intro videos for every chapter! Defs a great way to spend your time!
  26. AndrewCarts
    Sep 30, 2009
    10
    At its time, it was the best RTS out there. From the way the various units traded off (I will never forget that 5 infantry can take out a light tank without even one of them dying (as long as none are run over), and with 4, one of them will die before killing the tank), to the crisp sounds (the sound of the Tesla Coil charging up then zapping will always stay in my mind), and especiallyAt its time, it was the best RTS out there. From the way the various units traded off (I will never forget that 5 infantry can take out a light tank without even one of them dying (as long as none are run over), and with 4, one of them will die before killing the tank), to the crisp sounds (the sound of the Tesla Coil charging up then zapping will always stay in my mind), and especially the music (Hell March is one of my all time favorite tracks ever), it stands out.… Expand
  27. XandervanDijk
    Feb 7, 2009
    10
    Best game ever!
  28. KR
    Jan 7, 2009
    10
    Much like Duke Nukem 3D was overshadowed by Quake, this game was overshadowed by Starcraft. But both Duke and Red Alert have far more personality and intrigue. Unlike the more recent RA's, this one actually takes itself seriously. The missions feel like they matter. The acting is decent, for computer game. Overall, though, you simply must love WW2 era atmosphere. I certainlyMuch like Duke Nukem 3D was overshadowed by Quake, this game was overshadowed by Starcraft. But both Duke and Red Alert have far more personality and intrigue. Unlike the more recent RA's, this one actually takes itself seriously. The missions feel like they matter. The acting is decent, for computer game. Overall, though, you simply must love WW2 era atmosphere. I certainly logged in my fair share of hours on this one. Thank you, Westwood.… Expand
  29. JoeM.
    Oct 25, 2007
    10
    This was the best rts game of its time. It had amazing intro with the helicopter blowing up the tank. What really got me hooked i think was the vocies of all the different units. The Engineer for the Soviets has a classic voice that i still remember to this day. Also the units themselves were very well done and balanced. The Allies could stop the Soviet Tank Advance with mines and This was the best rts game of its time. It had amazing intro with the helicopter blowing up the tank. What really got me hooked i think was the vocies of all the different units. The Engineer for the Soviets has a classic voice that i still remember to this day. Also the units themselves were very well done and balanced. The Allies could stop the Soviet Tank Advance with mines and cruisers but the Soviets can use their subs and Air Force to blow up the ships and land on the beach with Air cover. The game is brillantly balanced and well polished. The cinimatics are great too. Nice gameplay and control.… Expand
  30. MarkM.
    Oct 11, 2007
    10
    Probably the best game i've ever played, it was so addicting and the music was truly inspired.
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 1996
5
#5 Most Discussed PC Game of 1996
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 1996

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. Adrenaline Vault
    90
    Suffice it to say that if you like strategy, military tactics, or liked the original game, you will love Red Alert.
    Read full review
  2. All Game Guide
    90
    While perhaps not upgrading the original Command & Conquer engine as much as some would have liked, its clean graphics, crackerjack music score and immersive sound effects all make for a game that's great fun to play...and that's what it's all about, isn't it?
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer
    91
    Red Alert will be like by the legions of the faithful, and win new converts as well. [Dec 1996, p.238]
See all critic reviews »