Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is the latest entry into the somewhat crowded sub-genre of first person shooters set in WWII. Not to say that this is a bad thing, as the experience of blowing stuff up and shooting virtual Nazis proves to be quite fun and entertaining in this case. But there is a part of me that is starting to wonder how many times I can storm the beaches of Normandy, shoot enemy Stukas out of the sky, blow up bunkers and generally aid the Allies in winning the war. Regardless, COD2: BRO (how's that for an acronym?) does all of this with enough flair and skill to satisfy one's inner soldier, if of course you are prepared to play by the rules, enjoy the ride and try not to look too deep.
In this particular simulation of WWII, you take the part of a private in Fox company, which as the subtitle of the game indicates is part of the Big Red One, the United States' Army's 1st Infantry Division and one of the most highly acclaimed and successful units during the war. Together with your squad mates, you will visit North Africa, Sicily, France, Germany and a number of other countries, where you will lay waste the German army and their allies. As stated, this is generally quite fun and engaging. The action is constant, the missions are varied and well paced, and the overall sense of chaos, mayhem and carnage is enough to bring you into the experience and get your heart pumping at times. But that being said, nothing that COD: BRO has to offer is particularly new or hasn't been seen before in other WWII shooters- or even in previous versions of the Call of Duty series itself. For a major trait that The Big Red One has in common with it's predecessors is the fact that the gameplay is heavily scripted and makes you stick to the path or direction the level designers want you to go in. Don't try to jump over any fences, climb any walls, or go into any random buildings or you'll quickly find that the illusion of war the developers have obviously spent so much time and effort creating will be dispelled- by a big, fat invisible wall in the face. Of course, if one is indeed willing to play by the rules so to speak, then the ride will be a smooth one and you'll be lobbing grenades, putting holes in tanks and dishing out some good old 1940's American justice on all who come before you.
While the single player portion of the game is relatively short (around 6 to 8 hours), this is offset by the inclusion of a fairly well rounded multiplayer component. Most of the levels are variations of those from the single player game, but are modified enough to allow for a more free flowing and less scripted type of action to take place, as the addition of real human players creates an obvious element of unpredictability. Throw in a few different game modes, such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, and the longevity and replay value of the game is increased dramatically.
Even though the PS2 is several years old and graphically lags behind the Gamecube and Xbox, COD: BRO looks amazingly good. The lighting is great, moment is smooth and doesn't stutter, models while a little blocky are still well done and the special effects (smoke, explosions, weather conditions) show obvious care in their presentation. Plus the historical accuracy of the weapons, vehicles and settings are seemingly impeccable, as shown within the Extras portion of the game (where content is unlocked as progress is made).
The audio elements of the game are also well executed and enhance the sense of immersion within a WWII setting. The sound of bullets firing is unique to each gun, explosions are full and imposing and there is the constant, ominous roar of aircraft and artillery fire in the background. Also of note is the voice acting of your squad mates who benefit from the talents of a number of actors from the critically acclaimed WWII series, Band of Brothers. Having watched the series, it is obvious that they have learned how to bellow orders and convincingly scream in pain during the heat of battle and this translates quite well to their digital counterparts.
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If you like WWII shooters or war themed action titles in general, then Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a worthy title. Showcasing a fun and engaging single player game, impressive graphics (especially considering the limitations of the hardware), satisfying audio and some basic multiplayer options create a fairly good package overall. But don't expect any thing particularly new or innovative as COD: BRO treads familiar ground and presents many gameplay elements that have been seen numerous times before. So grab your rifle, join your squad and shoot some Nazis; but just remember to be a good soldier and go where you're supposed to- the world beyond that fence isn't for you.
WHAM! Rating: |
7.6 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
T (Teen) |
Official Web Site: |
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