Red Alert: A Path Beyond (APB for short), is a total conversion modification of Command & Conquer: Renegade, released by Bluehell Productions in 2007. While it began production as a modification, it is now available as a free, standalone download with no other requirements to play. A Path Beyond has been widely promoted by Electronic Arts, being the only fan project of its kind that has received this sort of support.
Gameplay[ | ]
Red Alert: A Path Beyond consists of the storyline and battles from Westwood Studios' game Command & Conquer: Red Alert, converted to a first-person shooter game. The game is built with the W3d engine Westwood Studios designed for games such as Earth & Beyond and Command & Conquer: Renegade completed in 2001. Players assume a role as any one of a number of infantry classes, participating in team-based combat that often involves land, sea, and air combined-arms clashes. Certain maps are tailored to infantry-only combat, but most feature vehicular combat as well. The story of Red Alert: A Path Beyond follows closely the story and settings of the original Command & Conquer: Red Alert.
As there is no official master server for integration into the main game shell at this time, players typically join using a front-end launcher phased in with version 1.0.0, known as Beta. This provides a static server listing that requires manual updates. Xfire also supports Red Alert: A Path Beyond, which enables in-game instant messaging, logged gameplay hours and spotting friends who are also playing[1].
Reception[ | ]
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Red Alert: A Path Beyond has been given much attention throughout its history, and has received several awards and commendations. Additionally, the project and staff have been reviewed and interviewed in a variety of electronic and print magazines, as well as C&C modding community news sites. Notably, as a result of its successes, Red Alert: A Path Beyond is possibly the first independent project of its kind to be promoted as it has been by Electronic Arts, including coverage at EA's booth at the Leipzig Games Convention, on the official C&C web site front page, and in EA's novel Command&Conquer TV streaming video series.
Some highlights in reverse chronological order:
- Mod DB Top 100, 2009
- Mod DB Top 100, 2008
- Listed in 1UP.com's Best Free Games of 2008
- Mod DB 2007 Indie Game Of The Year Second Place
- Mod DB Top 100, 2007
- Featured in Games for Windows: The Official Magazine issue in January, 2008
- PC Gamer Mod Of the Month in December 2007 issue
- Electronic Arts interview with lead producer "Chronojam"
- Featured in PC Zone issue in November, 2007
- Featured in Electronic Arts' "Command & Conquer TV" episode in October, 2007
- Featured in Game Informer in October, 2007
- Featured in eGames.de in September, 2007 (review and interview)
- Interviewed by Planet Command & Conquer [2], September, 2007
- 2006 Games Convention posters, video, and demo in cooperation with Electronic Arts (posters, trailers, demo)
- Mod DB Top 100, 2006
- Mod DB Top 100, 2005
- Mod DB Mod Of The Year, 2004 (Level Design)
Minimum & Recommended Specifications[ | ]
 Microsoft Windows Minimum/Recommended Specifications
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Specifications | Recommended Specifications | ||
| Operating System | Windows 98, Windows 2000 | Operating System | Windows XP |
| CPU |  Pentium III 800 MHz
| ||
| RAM | 128 MB | ||
| GPU | DirectX 7.0-compatible | GPU | DirectX 9.0c-compatible |
| Graphics RAM | 32 MB | ||
| Storage | 940 MB | ||
| Additional Software | DirectX 7.0 | Additional Software | DirectX 9.0c |