.co.uk Review
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There will probably never be a definitive World War II action
game, for the simple fact that so many new ones are released each
year. Call of Duty 2: Big Red One should certainly be the last
word on the current console formats though--which means something
at least.
Rather confusingly this has nothing to do with the subtitle-less
Call of Duty 2 on PC ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009RW87C/${0} ) and
Xbox 360. Whereas that game has the usual mix of three different
nationalities of soldier to control, Big Red One has you playing
the same soldier throughout the whole game. You do get to do
quite a bit of seeing though with missions in North Africa,
Italy, France, Belgium and Germany.
The Big Red One of the title is the nickname of a famous
American infantry division and by sticking with them throughout
the whole game you do get a much better sense of camaraderie than
previous Call of Duty games. Unfortunately it also means that the
game seems perilously close to the already excellent Brothers in
Arms ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/B00023HUNK/${0} ), except without the
strategy bits.
No war game ever seems to do its action quite like Call of Duty
though and the set pieces here tread that difficult line between
cinematic bombast and harrowing realism perfectly. Big Red One
wont have the same impact on the gaming world as the first Call
of Duty games, but it nevertheless looks like having a very good
chance of being a better game. --Harrison Dent
This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game;
features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the
finished game.
Manufacturer's Description
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Experience the adrenaline rush and harsh realities of war as
never before, get to know your squadmates, and fight alongside
them through an epic story during the most harrowing moments of
WWII. As a part of America's most decorated and heroic fighting
unit, The Big Red One, you'll work together with your squad to
accomplish a variety of combat missions spanning North Africa,
Italy, and Nazi-occupied Western Europe.
The hallmark cinematic intensity of Call of Duty returns with a
more complete gameplay experience than ever. Experience a wide
variety of missions on land, sea, and in the air, with the aid of
over three dozen authentic American, Italian, French, and German
weapons. Charge into battle together as Allied and Axis planes
duel overhead, artillery explosions shake the ground and choke
the air, and bullets and shrapnel streak past you and your
squadmates. Experience war-torn Europe and Africa, from the
blistering desert expanses of Tunisia and Libya to the beautiful
yet deadly countrysides of Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany.
Live a soldier's story, deeper than any you've experienced
before: You are thrust into the role and story of a member of The
Big Red One, America's most heroic and decorated infantry
division. Experience the camaraderie of a single tight-knit army
squad, bound together through the chaos of battle over the course
of the entire game. Yes, you will suffer casualties; but you must
not suffer defeat.
Know your squad like never before: Through all-new AI and
animation, your allies (and your enemies) just got a lot smarter.
Your squad will now make better use of environmental cover and
Maneuvers, such as flanking, envelopment, and
fire-and-maneuver behaviors. Hear your allies reacting to the
events on the battlefield with contextually accurate battle
chatter.
Online Multiplayer Action: Go online for intense Axis vs. Allies
team-based multiplayer action on Xbox Live..