C&C4 is definitely different, which sort of explains the poor reviews
from hardcore fans and gamers expecting this to be another C&C game. It is
not a C&C game as you know it. However after spending 1 evening adjusting
my playstyle, I actually find it extremely fun and enjoyable.
C&C4 is probably more familiar with those who've played Company of Heroes
and Dawn of War 2 where there's less base building and resource management and
more tactical actions. You may also like it more if you're the kind of C&C
player who always pack up your MCV and really emphasise the meaning of
“mobile” in “Mobile Construction Vehicle”.
In C&C4 you plunge straight into the action in every single game. Forget
about boring trivial stuff like (building) build order and creating forward
bases, the moment you deploy your MCV all you do is start building units and
move forward. There are so many units to choose from you have to decide whether
to play offensive (heavy tanks), defensive (infantries, light tanks and
turrets), or support (airplanes and medium tanks). You can play all of them if
you want, but you can only deploy 1 MCV at a time. And no, you don't build
harvesters anymore.
More advanced units and upgrades are unlocked by levelling up. You can level
up by playing, either campaigns or multiplayer games. So yeah if you're a
campaign fan, you will probably miss cinematics unveiling a new unit or building
(“Commander, you may now use our latest technology stealth tanks!”).
Otherwise it's a pretty nice reward system, especially when you manage to beat
a high level opponent with your army of basic units.
On that topic, the multiplayer games are also enjoyable. With no tiberium
fields to worry about, all you need to do is take the game to your opponents,
build strategically to counter their playstyle and enjoy the fireworks.
In summary, C&C4 is indeed different but still enjoyable. The gameplay is
fast, flexible, and fun, but you have to be prepared for a steep learning curve
at the start.
If you prefer traditional RTS, however, Starcraft 2 maybe your
best bet.