In Now Playing PC Gamer writers talk about the game currently dominating their spare time. Today, Sam gets mauled by Soviet might, but unbalance can work both ways.
I start the game in the top-right corner of the island-based map (it’s called Island Wars, there are bridges, you may remember it). Quickly I build up my base towards landing a tech centre, which grants full coverage of the map by launching a satellite after a certain time. I’m building as many medium tanks as possible. Intimidatingly, within five minutes, I can hear two armies going at it in the shroud. I send one ill-fated machine gun guy down to investigate, and sure enough, two Soviet armies of about 15 vehicles apiece that vastly exceed my powers are exchanging fire. If one of them wins, I’m close enough to be next.
That doesn’t happen, though. As my satellite launches into the air minutes later, it turns out the Soviet armies are both depleted after the scrap. I drop a nuke on a barracks to kill some of their remaining soldiers, and later dispatch Tanyas to their base in an APC flanked by medium tanks to clear out their remaining buildings. I overwhelm them and the Tanyas do their thing. It turns out my big scary enemies with the better units peaked too early. The biggest threat is a red-coloured Allied army in the south which is relatively untouched and swarming with similarly pathetic units to mine.
Now it’s my turn to break Red Alert with unbalanced units. I nuke the red Allies then send in two Allied cruisers, by far the best unit my side has. I toast my victory by sending in some of my tiny tanks to wipe out the remaining units. The key to beating the Soviets in Red Alert? Let those assholes wipe each other out.
