Conquering hero returns with new tricks

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath

(EA. PC, Xbox 360. M)

Fans like me who enjoyed last year's

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

on PC now have a mighty expansion pack which plays exactly the way you want it to, but also introduces some new features and game elements.

In

Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath

, Kane returns from the dead as the centrepiece of a bold new single-player campaign. But it's not only against the GDI, but he must again grapple for control over the Brotherhood of Nod religious zealots.

The new story continues on from 20 years of war - from the rebirth of Nod after the Second Tiberium War, through the dramatic events of the Third war with Cabal and beyond, where we again meet the Half-Life-esque Scrin as the dreaded alien invader.

So what's new? There are six new sub-factions to play as, bringing new units, structures, support powers, weapons and abilities to each of the factions, not to mention the three core factions, the Nod, GDI and Scrin.

Play modes incorporate a new global-domination mode called Global Conquest along with recordable multiplayer over LAN or internet with new multi-player maps and the familiar video theatre cut-scenes.

Those new epic units can be customised mid-battle through garrisoning and upgrades with research facilities and then strategically positioned in Global Conquest before devastating your enemy at the tactical, battle level.

Global Conquest is challenging. It's a turn based

Risk

clone that plays a bit like Tiberium Wars but lets you manage one of the three sides to slowly dominate the world based on control of cities.

You may have struck something like this in

Rise of Nations

or

Battle for Middle Earth 2

and it is proving quite popular.

It's a solid, entertaining expansion trying out a few new features - but there's nothing that strays too far from the successful long-running formula.

You also get a beta key that allows gamers to download (via EA download manager) and play

Command and Conquer 3: Red Alert

(PC game out October 31) for a sneak peek.

The Xbox 360 version of Kane's Wrath is here in July and I'm looking forward to seeing how this RTS stacks up against the PC on a next-gen console.

MadGamer rating: 8.5 / 10