Call
of Duty 2 has a reputation to live up to. The original
game was considered a winner by virtually all that
played it. As a sequel, this version delivers much
of the same - but not too much of the same. It's a
good balance of old, new and improved.
Call
of Duty 2 is about as good as a WW II, first-person
shooter can get - at least in the faux 3D mode. There
is a great deal of realism to the game even though
there are some elements that shatter that illusion.
For some reason I don't find these conflicting elements
to be such a big deal even though I would probably
really rag on them if they occurred in a lesser game.
Play
as the Russians, Americans or British in any of three
major campaigns. A welcome change is the less linear
gameplay. In many instances you be thrown onto the
battlefield with numerous objects that you can tackle
in any order. But the gameplay is scripted and you
will eventually find yourself forced down certain
paths especially during urban conflict where rubble
and war machines block your path. It just looks more
natural and appears to be less linear.
Missions
are less grandiose. Although you will bask at the
beaches of Normandy there are lots of less popular
locations where you will conduct business. Most of
the time you will be standing your ground and fending
off enemy attacks. With your pre-programmed teammates
at your side you will believe they actually have a
mind of their own. Even though you can't command them
directly they will follow you into battle and do their
fair share of killing. They're not always perfect
and that's what makes them seem real. They will make
mistakes and get killed, sometimes by their own hand
when they fail to launch a grenade in time. It's not
uncommon to count on them and even bond with them.
As
intelligent as your soldier are, the enemy AI will
also put up a good fight. They don't continually respawn
and even though their numbers may be significant you
still stand a chance. If you take on too much damage
all you have to do is find some place to hide and
you will heal quickly. I must admit this is totally
unrealistic but when you're under heavy attack you
don't seem to mind this feature too much at all. You
can always crank up the difficulty if you're a bit
of a purist. A grenade indicator lets you know that
your life may be in danger. This may also annoy purists
but considering how much is going on onscreen you
need some kind of warning system otherwise you would
be blown to bits every few seconds.
The
AI like their grenades and will use them to force
you into various areas, especially out in the open
where they can pick you off with their rifles. There
are not a lot of snipers in the game so you don't
have to worry about random acts of murder.
Online
modes include Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture
the Flag, HQ and Search and Destroy. A server can
accommodate 32 players. There are some 13 maps including
a couple from the original game. It's a lot easier
to lose your life in these modes than in the single-player
campaigns. You will also experience some slowdown.
Aiming
is great and the weapons are very useful and powerful.
As long as you've got some kind of gun on hand you
will feel as though you have some form of defense.
Eventually the gameplay does turn into a bit of a
grind so try to space it out a few hours at a time.
If you try to cram this game into a weekend you'll
be puking it out in your dreams - trust me.
The
graphics look amazing. They are well defined with
crisp textures and colorful and gritty environments.
The only time you'll see blood is when you make a
kill but you'll see an awful lot of killing. Not to
mention hear a lot screaming as soldiers' lives are
taken for their cause. This attention to realism is
actually disturbing. It reminds you that war isn't
a party.
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