A Mouse is required as usual and the controls are as smooth as they have always been and very well refined. You can use a Joystick, but you might find it harder to win the war due to their less direct flexibility. RA2 may not be very demanding as far as controls go, but you should always use the best device for the medium. As an example, who uses a Joystick or Keyboard for Quake? Not us!

No not that way! GO THIS WAY!

In what must be one of the most welcomed treats to any C&C fan, units actually act with some intelligence. That's right, they find the best way to your move markers and rarely wonder off down completely the wrong rout. However that's about where advanced AI ends, C&C simply doesn't have the kind of scope titles such as Total Annihilation and Earth 2150 do and as such it isn't required.

Despite all this the AI doesn't have to be that intelligent to pose a threat, the computer generally sends out predictable strikes and you simple have to find ways to defend against them and ultimately attack - although the gameplay is only like this half the time. As with the original RA, there are often covert levels where you use agents to infiltrate and takeover bases - many revolve entirely around strategy and skill like this.

Ultimately it's all about fun, TA set the standard for AI and since then nobody has bettered it. Units from the TA universe were so clever they could operate independently and if you didn't want that then you could tone the intelligence down by group or individual. RA2 is the opposite; units can find your move markers better, yet ultimately they're pretty dumb. Walking into enemy fire and not returning any shots until they reach the point you've asked them to are all common problems.

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