Overall solid gameplay and good graphics make Call of Duty 2: Big Red One worth playing.
You start the game as a Sergeant of the BR1. Don't get used to that, however, as it only lasts for a single level. After that, you will have a flashback to Africa two years prior to the game's beginning. At that time, you were only a lowly private of the BR1 under the command of Sgt. Hawkins. As you progress through the game, you will be promoted to Corporal, and eventually to Sergeant.
You aren't fighting alone, however. You also have the rest of the squad with you, and it' s the squad you'll be seeing for the rest of the game. There is a small amount of character development, but it's not really very good, and definitely not well enough to make you want to risk your own neck to save them.
While BR1 doesn't have any revolutionary gameplay elements, it's still a fun game to play. The only problems I have with are that it isn't as intense as most WWII games and that it somewhat short. Still, these things don't detract from the value of the game much.
The graphics in BR1 are really not very noteworthy (negatively or positively) and the same thing goes for the game's sound. However, BR1 is fun enough that I would definitely recommend at lease renting this game.