The OST of Command & Conquer Remastered certainly invokes a sense of 90s nostalgia. When I first played C&C it was on my parents brick of a computer, running the equally nostalgic Windows 98 (that start up music though). I’ve been a casual fan since then, but one thing that always stuck out to me, besides the fact that they were great RTS games, was the music.
Welcome back, Commander
The sounds of Command & Conquer, originally developed by Westwood Studios, come courtesy of Frank Klepacki and his band The Tiberian Sons. The first game in the series, Tiberian Dawn, as well as Red Alert, were remastered last year by Lemon Sky Studios, with the team not only updating the visuals (and also keeping the retro look), but also fully remaking the soundtrack with music from Klepacki.
When the remaster launched I was very disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to play (being mainly a PlayStation user) but I have since got my hands on a PC that will run the game and it’s everything I hoped it would be; a trip down memory lane which is as good as I remembered.
When the collection was announced I was shocked to learn that not only would the graphics be overhauled, but so too would the music, with every track being fully remastered for the collection. In addition to this The Tiberian Sons also laid down 22 extra songs from other titles as well as some ‘lost recordings’. The originals are still super nostalgic but the team and Klepacki have done an outstanding job with the remastered tracks… They also sound great performed live.
I’m a Mechanical Man
There’s plenty of options to tweak in-game. Whether you want that super classic, nostalgic vibe of playing with the original graphic settings and music, or you want to choose what songs appear on the jukebox when playing.
My top tracks from Tiberian Dawn include the opening ‘Act on Instinct’ (song below), ‘Target’, ‘No Mercy’, ‘Just Do it Up’ and ‘Industrial’. Favourites from Red Alert are the unforgettable ‘Hell March’, ‘Roll Out’ and ‘Twin Cannon’. My personal favourite however is ‘Mutants’ from Tiberian Sun, which is also my favourite game in the series (please EA it’s remaster time).
This is one of the most important remasters to me, as it brings a classic series back into the modern age, allowing new players to experience the absolute gem that is Command & Conquer. Even for casual fans of the genre like me this series in particular stands out due to its fun, fast, chaotic gameplay, complemented by its iconic, guitar-shredding tracks that blend funk, metal, jazz and electronic music, and will have any gamer humming along in no time.
Command & Conquer Remastered takes you back to a simpler time, and mirrors the on-screen action perfectly, with military chants, marching beats and catchy riffs. Not only that but it really does a great job at immersing the player, even in a genre (like real-time strategy) which is designed to be played at a distance, looking down on the carnage. It may well be my favourite part of C&C, aside from the gameplay and story, and deserves a place in the gaming music hall of fame. As the kids say, it just hits different.
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