Call of Duty
Short overview sentence that summarizes the review goes here.
Introduction
World War II has become the most influencial war known in history - spun off the experience were games, toys, movies...you name it and it probably happened. We are obsessed with the war - not because we have some sort of strange kick from it all, but because it was an important part of history - and we all on some levels wish to get inside the heads of those involved.
Taking us there would be the trusty computer game series Medal of Honour. You play a lone soldier, wasting troop after troop of the enemy, completing missions to fight another day. The bangs and flashes put us in the mind of a soldier, our adrenaline rushes but still something is missing.
If one soldier could wipe out most of an army, why was so much blood spilled? That's right - one man can not do this. You need a team - a small elite force. Enter Call of Duty.
Graphics
On the whole, this game is very solid. It might not have the normal mapping people expect and love so much, but has plenty of style, textures, realistic character models and superb lighting and explosions.
Each character in the game does something physical, for example covering their head as they run around firing their weapon, or using their hands to instruct you on where to go, where the enemies are and what you should do next. But it isn't all serious war tales here, an extra moment in the game is where a glider full of soldiers lands awkwardly; the soldiers bounce around terribly and some fall out of their seats and on top of each other.
Throughout the game you will be playing alongside AI soldiers - as far as it goes these guys act as if they are beign controlled by other players over an internet game. When the squad leaders barks an order, they'll follow it and if you don't act sharpish - you're in trouble. An example of this would be hanging around too long under covering fire when the Germans pop up and you're only half way to cover.
It isn't just friendly AI which acts like they really want to live, either. The enemy AI will try and make itself as small a target as possible by taking over behind objects and peeking around corners. In Medal of Honour games, the enemy will come prancing down the stairs straight into your line of fire.
On that note, my team rarely walked in front of me when I was firing - they picked their positions well and were accurate with their shooting. Yet the AI isn't as great as you'd think - teammates may rush out infront of a German to only be shot in the ass or hit on the head with a gun. The enemy is also supposed to attack you first - occassionally a soldier will stay hidden as your squad runs past him. As soon as you make your move, bam - the whole enemy troop comes from nowhere and pops a cap in your ass. Ouch. Thankfully these occurances are extremely rare.
Sound
Call of Duty has the best sound in any war game ever. The realism of the explosions and bullet shots (hitting walls, people and narrowly passing over your head) is beyond words. It is loud, terrifying and absorbing. Mixed in with the rough bark of the squad leader, Call of Duty delivers an atmosphere gamers have only dreamed of.
The gun fire is more than perfect, every explosion will catch you off guard and the yelling of each army takes you right into the action. Even the English speeking Russian soldiers can be ignored as the overall experience is fantastic.
Gameplay
Call of Duty is run on scripts and random occurances, which is a great thing. Unlike other games - a soldier won't die because he stood on 'the spot' and it will happen time and time again. Sure, it may happen from time to time, but deaths just happen, much like a real war. Sometimes you could be in a squad of five, and return as a four because someone was meant to die to make room for your new sniping buddy. However, sometimes you could go out as a five, return as a two and still receive a new buddy. Each death alters the rest of the game too, consistency is a good thing!
Call of Duty offers the game from the point of view as a British, Russian or US officer. You will also work alone and with a team - there is a definite sense of needing team work from Call of Duty; as soon as you work solo again - all the creeping around may becoming boring and you yearn for some action.
What effect does playing as three different troopers have on the game? Well, flowing from the US campaign to the British one makes sense and fits in perfectly. However moving from the British to Russian campaign does alarm me somewhat. All of a sudden you're gunning down an aircraft, the next you're attacking a German Destroyer from a boat.
Lastability
Call of Duty is a relatively short game, however switching over to the nerve racking "Veteran" mode will take a while longer. Dissapointly this title ends rather arubtly, but to make it that little more satisfying; there are several team modes available. There is Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Behind Enemy Lines, Search and Destroy and Retrieval. A nice part of the multiplayer mode would be the 'Killcam.' You get to see your death through the eyes of your killer - a white arrow pinpoints you so you get to see just how stupid sticking your head out was, or in general how much you suck compared to the other players.
Overall
Wham, bam, thank you m'am! Call of Duty will keep you occupied for hours on end, engulfing you into a world and depth not offered by any other war game. Simply fantastic.
FINAL SCORE
90 %
