Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

The Call of Duty series is as quick as they come in the WWII genre. The sequel brings the same fast-paced action that keeps you on your toes while managing to immerse you in the battlefield.

Not content to handle just a single mission or campaign like other games in the genre, Call of Duty 2 sends you through the war in three different armies. You'll start out with the Russians, battling through snow-covered war-torn cities, then switch to the British in the African deserts, and finally take control of the Yankees as they storm Normandy.

Though the gameplay is the same for all three armies, the game does an admirable job of making each campaign feel different from the other. Your brothers in arms scream in appropriate accents and dialects, and the weapons and architecture are authentic to each campaign. The large battles, constant noise, and hectic environments do a terrific job to make you feel like a small piece in a big war.

As for the war itself, don't expect to have time to stop and strategize. For the most part, this is a straight run and gun game. Your computer-controlled allies are helpful for the most part, though there are times you'll wish there were some kind of basic commands you could issue, like when they rush into heavy machine gun fire, or jump in front of your line of fire causing you to kill them (and end your game). Still, they prove helpful when it comes to clearing houses of Germans or tossing back enemy grenades.

The single player portion should take around 12 hours to complete on the default difficulty, though switching to the hardest mode makes for a much longer and challenging experience. The basic FPS levels are all here-heavy infantry combat, sniper roosting, rail shooting sequences, and even a couple of tank levels. You've seen it all before, but the controls are tight, and things like the excellent smoke grenades and aggressive enemy AI keep the combat tense and interesting. Beating the game doesn't net you any unlockables, but the achievements offer a bit of replay value.

The multiplayer, though sadly restricted to eight players, is in time with the single player tempo. Most of the maps are the right size for the number of participants, with plenty of bonus packs available for download. Hopping into games is easy, and there are still people playing regularly.

As a launch title, CoD2 looks great. The guns, uniforms, and indoor environments feature an appreciable amount of detail. The character models and facial animations may be the best in the genre, and they animate fluidly. The guns discharge with satisfying sounds that pack a punch. Orchestral music swells in and out at times, but it's mostly overshadowed by the chaotic sounds of the battlefield.

Overall
It sticks close to the FPS basics, but the hectic action, beautiful graphics, and unique perspective on the war make it worth playing through.

Purchase?
Long after its release, CoD2 still stands strong as one of the 360s best. If you're looking for some visceral run and gun gameplay in an immersive environment, you can't go wrong with Call of Duty 2.



*This review was originally posted under my old username, APWC. It has been edited for style and content to match the higher standards of Yeah Write.