CALL OF DUTY 2

by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Technology Editor

>What it’s about: As the Russians, British and Americans, you face off against the Nazi German war machine and work together to force them out of the countries they occupy and into Germany itself. It’s standard World War II stuff, but the first Call of Duty was so good that the second had to be better. It had to look better, sound better and feel bigger.

What’s good about it: Well, it does look better, sound better and feel bigger, that’s for sure. From the snowy Russian missions in Stalingrad to the tank battles in the North African desert and the crazy cliff battle the Americans endured in France at Pointe du Hoc, Call of Duty 2 is a spectacle from start to finish. The AI has improved on both sides, so you won’t be able to run wild with guns blazing or else those pesky Germans will pick you off with only a few shots. And if you do get hit, don’t worry about looking for health packs because there aren’t any. Your screen turns red, which is basically an indication that you better find some cover to recoup until the screen goes back to normal. And make good use of those smoke grenades because if you’re smart with those, it’ll just mean that you die less. Seriously. And if you do plan to play multiplayer, then make sure you’ve got four people to play splitscreen (two people is a little boring), or just hop online to Xbox Live and start fragging with a lot more people.

What’s NOT good about it: The AI may be great on the German side, but that doesn’t mean they always play fair. On the harder difficulty levels, their aim can be incredibly accurate, even from very far distances. But at least that doesn’t happen all the time. To be honest, aside from some glitches in the graphics here and there, you won’t find much to complain about here.

What’s the verdict: This is a definite must-have for anyone who has an Xbox 360. You get an intense experience playing this one, and don’t be surprised if you feel like replaying certain missions over again.

Publisher:
Activision
Developer:
Infinity Ward

Platform:
Xbox 360

Rating: 9.5/10