Command & Destroy – NDS – Review

Hoping to extend the love to new neighborhoods,
DSI Games has released Command and Destroy for the dual-screened platform.
Originally announced as a Game Boy Advance game, this DS exclusive is exactly
what it looks and sounds like: a Command and Conquer clone.

Touch and Go

Each mission begins in darkness. The starting
area is well lit, but the rest of the level is shrouded in mystery. Only by
venturing into the unknown can you lighten the path – a gameplay style that
was born in Command and Conquer.

Unit selection is done by tapping units
individually or by dragging the stylus over the group of units you wish to
select. Once selected, units move upon your command. Touch any part of the
screen and they’ll move in that direction; touch an enemy and they’ll attack
until it’s dead (or until they die themselves, whichever comes first).

I’m Dying to Destroy You

In these harsh, unforgiving battlefields,
players are not bound by one commander. They may choose to play as and be
loyal to humans or aliens. One could be your brother, your friend; the other
is a little green man from outer space. But while you may not want to destroy
all humans, the alien army is very appealing. Aliens have access to
four non-vehicular units: Trooper, Robojet, Tekno, and Psionic. Compared with
the five humans offer, this might not sound too appealing. But Robojets are
equipped with jet packs that let them travel anywhere (over ice, water, etc.)
in the stage. Psionic units have the power to influence opposing forces and
make them switch sides.

Aliens also have several vehicular units: Light
UFO, Laser Tank, Wardog, Antigrav, Terrorpod, Probe, Mobile Bomb, Teleporter,
and Mobile Base. With these under your command, you’ll be able to set up new
bases in any location; teleport to the enemy’s location and attack; and launch
a self-destruct weapon. Aliens also have three special weapons that will bring
further disgust to your adversaries upon their destruction.

Having perused the alien army, you’ll probably
think that the human army isn’t as cool or as high-tech. But can you really
turn your back on your own species? Wait – don’t answer that. Mankind is in
enough turmoil as is without having people go extraterrestrial on us. However,
if I may put on my car salesman voice: can I interest you in a 2008 BVP Tank?
How about a 2009 Multiple Launcher Rocket System? As a long-ranged attacker,
those are sure to fly out the door when they hit showrooms this fall. If
you’re a traditionalist, I’ve got a 2002 Apache helicopter available at an
extremely low price. The mileage is good, too – the previous owner only used
it to fly to church on Sundays.

Leaving so soon? Then you’ve got to check out
our line of non-vehicular units: Guard, Stinger (equipped with a Stinger
launcher), Engineer (has no weapons but may repair allied structures and
capture enemy structures), Saboteur (sneak in, set explosive, boom!), and
Commando.

Still no interest? Fine, you’ve given me no
choice. I’ll tell you about our super-special, top-secret weapon. Mind you,
it’s only for our most loyal customers. But if you make a hefty purchase, I’ll
throw in a Plane Bomber. This dangerous unit drops bombs on targeted areas.
Oh, now you’re intrigued? Come, let me show you our new line of missiles.

Aliens Are Oil Hungry Too

If you thought that aliens’ advanced technology
would mean they had found a superior source of energy, think again. In Command
and Destroy, unit production costs money. The only way to make money is by
creating the proper, oil-snatching units. Humans do this by building a
refinery, which spawns one small vehicle called a Driller. Guide the Driller
to the nearest oil site (indicated on screen by a large black puddle) and the
game will take over from there. Drillers can’t hold much oil, which means it
will have to make several trips back and forth between the refinery and the
oil site before the job is done. During this time both the Driller and
refinery are vulnerable and should be guarded strongly.

Aliens have it a tad easier. First create a
Transmitter structure, which converts oil into money (it sounds like a magical
process until you look at gas prices). The Transmitter obtains oil from the
Extraction Dome, which is built over an oil sight. The benefit of the dome
over the driller system used by the humans is that you only have to make one
trip. Oil is continually drained from sight as soon as the dome is built. It
doesn’t need to move or empty itself, and is less dangerous since you only
have to guard the surrounding area – no escort trip is necessary.

Touch and Go Nowhere

Command and Destroy has a lot going for it: two
playable species, 24 missions (12 for humans and 12 for aliens), several
controllable units and a gameplay style that is rarely seen on the Nintendo
DS. However, the game also has a low rating of responsiveness (not all units
listen to your commands, forcing players to repeat their actions), slow unit
movement, and an unclear map system.

Given how small these screens are, I wasn’t
expecting any monumental designs. But some clarity would have been nice. In
addition to the lousy map display, which can’t be fully unearthed in levels
where water and other barriers prevent you from exploring past a certain area,
the unit designs are much too small and too plain. You won’t have to squint to
see them but that’s how it will feel at times. There is no zoom function and
the camera can’t be altered. Some things are forgivable on a handheld, but if
too many things need forgiving, you have to ask yourself: was this game right
for the DS?