Call of Duty 2, To WARRR !!!!!...
The premise of COD2 is more or less the same as its predecessor; face an onslaught of Nazi soldiers till re-enforcements arrive (which by the way makes for some most excellent and intense moments), clear buildings out (only to destroy them later) or steal certain valuable documents. The structure of the single player campaign is the same as COD; come to terms with the brutalities of war through three different campaigns; American, British and Russian. This time though you can choose the order in which you wish to progress. For example, you can unlock the British campaign after merely completing a few Russian missions; you don't have to play through the whole campaign. Even though the game's as linear as it gets (move from point A to B), it offers multiple paths towards an objective. So if a mission's taking place in a city, you'll be able to maneuver through tons of streets and by lanes to reach your destination.
COD was well known for its "Whoa cool!" moments by presenting cinematics and scripted sequences at the right time. COD2 is no slouch in that department; on the contrary it's got a few more tricks up its sleeve. Picture this; you're climbing a mountain behind two of your team mates. One of them has managed to reach the top when suddenly a grenade explodes at his feet, throwing him down the mountain. He clashes with the soldier in front of you (missing you by mere inches) taking him to his untimely doom. To provide respite from on-foot missions you'll be able to man tanks, turrets and ride shotgun in vehicles blasting any Nazis unfortunate enough to mess with you. Tanks are a bit clunky to control at first but you'll get the hang of it after it gets blown to smithereens a few times by German Panzers (heavily armored tanks).
In a surprising move, developer Infinity Ward has completely axed the health bar from the game. That's right; your character will no longer rely on health packs or even armor for that matter. When you start taking hits, the screen shake violently and your vision starts blurring. Don't move from the line of fire and the screen then starts to take on shades of red (probably indicating the fact that you're bleeding like a stuck pig) and your characters starts breathing heavily. However, even at that near death level if you manage to avoid damage for a few seconds your character regains his health completely (think Master Chief's regenerating body armor). This mechanic does seem stupid at first but you'll get used to it along the way and at times even appreciate it. Unfortunately, it makes the game pretty easy at times removing that sense of urgency from the game.
Armed and Dangerous
For those who haven't played COD, you need to understand something now; playing like Rambo will get you killed fast. This doesn't mean the game is team based like Brothers in Arms, it means you'll have to progress using your wits, and skill. Taking cover, going prone at the right time, and running from (painfully) accurate grenades will ensure your survival on the battlefield. The game only allows you to carry two guns at a time, so make every shot count. You can always pick up an enemy's gun but they aren't as accurate as the ones you'll be carrying. The new crosshair doesn't allow you to shoot while in motion so you'll have to stand still or aim down the site to get a precise shot.
AI in the game has been revamped as well. Friendly AI no longer gets in your way; on the contrary they'll even look out for you providing that much needed backup during crucial moments. Just like your enemies they'll look for cover, avoid grenades and even lob them back at times. Path finding is excellent as they'll jump over fences, crawl through fox holes and pretty much do the same things you are supposed to.
World War II may have been brutal but looks extremely pretty, courtesy of Infinity Ward's new proprietary engine. Character models looks extremely realistic, locales and environments are beautifully detailed with all the latest bells and whistles like dynamic lighting, shadows, particle and weather effects and motion blur used well to depict injury. On an AMD 3200+ with a Gainward 6600 card and a Gig of RAM I was able to play the game extremely smoothly except for that rare glitch.
There is some encouraging news for those stuck with a relatively older PC. The game runs fine even on something as modest as a 1.5 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM and a GeForce 2 MX card. Yes, you will need to tone down the visuals and certain effects like explosions and smoke will not look as picturesque as in case of the recent generation cards; but the game is very much playable. Another pat of the back for Infinity Ward for optimizing the engine so well.
COD 2's sound is as brilliant and perfectly complements the pandemonium on screen. The score which is extremely orchestral will make you feel patriotic at times and explosions and gun fire (which you'll hear through out the game) sound as authentic as the real deal. Voice actors have done a decent job and accents sound pretty genuine. The only problem in the voice department is that dialogues and particular words are repeated a lot and towards the end you'll literally tear your hair apart if you hear "Fascist pigs" or "Jerries" again.
In recent times, when sequels are churned merely to cash franchises, COD2 feels like a well done job. With its epic fights and extremely chaotic (I swear that's the last time I'll use that word) gameplay, COD2 will be enjoyed by Call of Duty veterans and freshers alike.