When you boot up Command & Conquer 4, it starts a front end from which you have to log in, much like you would get for an MMO. But then you're in the game and it's mostly like any other real time strategy game. You can play the campaign, a skirmish, or search for an online game.

But what happens when you lose your connection? Or when Electronic Arts' servers get all gummed up, as they've done a few times with week with Bad Company 2?

The above screen is the message that pops up when the game loses contact with the servers. Unlike Ubisoft's new copy protection scheme, which boots you out of the game entirely and cuts you off from your saved games, Command & Conquer 4 just warns you that you won't be able to save your progress. Which is a pretty big deal considering the game is all about earning experience to unlock more units and abilities. But if you're in it for the actual, you know, gameplay, at least you can keep playing.

From here, you can keep playing, and you can even save the game or load a saved game from the escape menu. But if you back out of the actual match, you're staring at the login screen with no option to access the game. So there you have it: Command & Conquer 4's offline mode is mostly the same as its login screen.



More...