Call of Duty 2

Call of Duty 2.

During the Second World War the many lost lives and violence could only have been considered as torture to the innocent soldiers. They had an idea that during the seven year period of war, there was a chance that they would lose their lives, but what they didn't know is that one of the greatest war games ever to grace consoles would recall their misfortunes sixty-one years later.

This is where Call of Duty 2 comes in. Breathtaking landscapes, hundreds upon thousands of bullets flying past your head, the sound of screaming soldiers deafening. It really is full blown war, and unfortunately, you're in the middle of it.

The game spans across three campaigns, starting with the Soviet army in Russia, moving on to the British troops in Northern Africa, and closing on a high as the American troops on Omaha Beach, moving on to Berlin at the climax. Sadly, what sounds like a lengthy game actually turns out to be disappointingly short, unless you play the game on the difficulty setting which it shines most: Veteran. Designed specially for the serious gamer, CoD2's hardest mode is where this game is at, and should at least be experimented with if you want to experience the horror of WW2.

Whilst playing through the game, another thing that stands out like poo on a white shoe are the superb details which have been put into this game. The game looks fantastic, with a very stable frame rate, and can be enjoyed at an optimal standard even on a non-high def TV.

But don't forget, this is war, so you aren't alone. A question which may be running through your head at the minute is, 'Does it feel like war?'. It looks like it and sounds extremely similar, but what about allies and enemies? Are they up to scratch? The simple answer is, damn right they are. Team-mates react to every situation, and all seem as if they have their individual feelings. Sometimes though, 'Let's kill those Jerries', can get a wee bit repetitive.

So, a definite one-nil concerning single-player, but don't forget about multiplayer. Imagine it. You and your team-mates fighting in a battle, only you are all real now and have real feelings over Xbox Live. How awesome this could have been. I say could, mainly because CoD2's multiplayer really is an offence in the name of Xbox 360. The main reason for this is that lag always seems to spoil the party, which makes it a definite 'What shouldn't happen on a next generation console' feature. If you enjoy jolting round like some kind of demented pixie, then you'll probably love CoD2 online…….at a push.

Another thing that lets CoD2's multiplayer down is the fact that the typical battlefield maps can only have as many as eight people fighting in them at once. Ok, this is a great number for death matches, but CoD2 is a war game, and Team Death Match/Capture the flag are the games which this has been designed around. For death matches, see Quake 4 (review coming soon).

So, Call of Duty 2 is a great game to play, but a few little niggles make this a slight bit short of the full package. Let's hope that Infinity Ward hurry up and release that multiplayer patch (Gamer tag: The Albertros)!