In a private’s shoes

Call Of Duty II – Big Red One
XBox and PC

The game: Call of Duty II – Big Red One, follows the WWII campaign of the United States’ Army’s 1st Infantry Division. The game follows the chronological path of the campaign in 13 missions and you play a brand new private in Fox Company.

The play: The gameplay is enjoyable as it constantly changes the types of battles required of the company. One mission you’ll be taking bridges by foot in an urban environment, then driving a half-track though the desert then operating the turret guns or the bomb bay doors of a B-24. The variety is so good it was disappointing when the game ended in under eight hours! The AI is straightforward and your company are reasonable distance shots. Online and in multiplayer modes the battling is smooth and trouble free but lacks originality.

The terrain: The game is big on the environment in that your portion of the mission is only a fraction of the battle going on around you. As you’re slogging it out, at times hand to hand, above you may be dog fighting fighters or tanks firing salvos downrange. The variety of weapons is a direct result of what you find, either in buildings or on your fallen enemies. The weapons sound fine but the bullets defy the laws of physics – submachine guns are just as accurate at long range as rifles.

The experience: Call of Duty 2 is a solid first person shooter offering plenty of variety in an interesting, but brief, campaign.

– Sqn-Ldr Nick Hogan

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