Want to know what it would be like to be in a World War Two firefight? Step right up!
GAMEPLAY (9) - I have to say that the control in the two 360 FPS games I've played are much better than what I ever experienced with previous consoles. The controls were set up in a very friendly matter and it was a simple matter to do all the necessary actions: fire, aim w/sights, frag grenade, smoke grenade, jump, crouch, even melee attacks. A problem I had in the past was that console aiming felt too loose and out of control. With COD2 the control was tight and accurate. Not saying it's quite up to using a mouse but very good nonetheless. Similar to the first COD this game gives you a fascinating insight as to what it would be like to be fighting from several different armies as you'll be a Russian in Stalingrad, a British soldier in North Africa and an American in France and Germany. Most of the game is frantic house to house battles as an infantryman but there are a few vehicle stages, including a large tank battle against Rommel's forces in the desert. During the battles you will have numerous objectives such as simply taking and holding on to a position or perhaps knocking out an antiaircraft gun with explosives or a mortar team with a sniper rifle. By introducing different objectives the battles never seemed stale or repetitive.
GRAPHICS (9) - Very impressive, and this is certainly not a game you would look at and think of it as being two years old. Character models and backgrounds were very detailed, and all of the soldiers moved and acted very realistically. A couple of times I just stopped and watched my fellow soldiers during battles as they each did their individual part, it was almost like watching a movie. A special mention must be made for the great effect of using smoke grenades. Many times I would run into an enemy that was firmly entrenched and in a position where I could not outflank him. A basic frontal assault would pretty much be a disaster. This is where the smoke grenades came in. The effect was very realistic as the area will be filled with smoke and we would make our advance. As I moved through the smoke I really couldn't see much of anything and then eventually I could make out hazy outlines of ghostly soldiers where I might have that split second to react before he did. It was an awesome effect and one I'll long remember.
SOUND (10) - From the sound effects of the different weapons and explosions to hearing the yelling from my fellow soldiers and my enemies, it doesn't get much more immersive than this. Just as I had noticed how realistically the soldiers moved so too were the comments I would hear. Yelling insults at the enemy, officers giving commands, men screaming as they were hit, all of these were mixed in the unique sounds from different guns and grenade explosions, not to mention the ominous sounds of an approaching Tiger Tank or the roar of planes swooping down on a bombing run. This game dares you to crank it up on surround speakers, though be prepared to feel the wrath from anyone else in your house that has to listen to it!
VALUE (9) - This game probably took about 12 hours to play, which overall I feel is about right for a FPS game. It also offers several different levels of difficulty which will force you into taking a much more strategic approach as the difficulty goes up. It offers multiplayer which I haven't tried but I've heard is quite good. I bought this game used for $15 and definitely got my money's worth.
SUMMARY - Something else I'd like to mention is the great presentation. As the game would switch to different battles it showed a short documentary of the battle you were about to enter with real movie footage. As a WWII buff I really enjoyed watching those. There has been quite a few WWII based FPS games over the years but I would have to say that COD2 has done the best as far as "making you feel you are there" along with great controls that will provide you with a very fun time. Highly recommended.