Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

The column is rolling into the city of Troina, Sicily, while the soldiers exchange some banter about their comrades. All seems well until the staccato of machine gun fire riddles the vehicles ahead.

The order to get out of the transport is barked even as soldiers of the 1^st Infantry Division, known as the Big Red One, are hitting the ground and scrambling for cover. That was the path through town, and it is up to the foot soldiers to clear the obstacles.

It will cost lives, including those of their comrades.

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is typical of the CoD franchise, sporting solid graphics, vibrant sound and immersive action. While other iterations visited various theatres of operation, with different combat units and soldiers, CoD 2: BRO follows one unit as it moves through the various combat areas across the Atlantic.

The title is from Treyarch and Activision and is slated for release at the first of November on the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube platforms. Activision showed off the title during a recent media event held in San Francisco.

“They been bombing that berg for hours, won’t be anyone left to fight!”

So says one of the squad members as the tank rumbles toward Troina. But that is quickly dispelled and players are thrust into a headlong battle on the streets of the town. With a submachine gun, a rifle and grenades, this game becomes an intense first-person shooter that is both challenging (the game has three difficulty settings) and entertaining.

The game has a very consistent framerate and the game’s controls were smooth and responsive. The graphical quality of the game is excellent for the Xbox system, with line of sight an important element in the first-person shooting aspects of the game. Of course, grenades are that exception that will keep players on their toes. 

The game is somewhat linear in design. If you die during a level, you will respawn at the last checkpoint. The enemies seem to always pop at the same points and use the same tactics.

Like all CoD games, you can pick up ammunition and health packs as you move through the levels. The game also has several multiplayer modes of play (and will be supported over Xbox Live), which tend to follow the CoD format closely – and that is a very good thing. Snipers are not much of a bother if you take advantage of available cover, use the rifle and bring up the targeting viewpoint. A bullet in the helmet seems a good discouragement. Most of the gun play works off a generalized targeting icon that is accurate enough at range, especially when you are maneuvering for position and trying to keep yourself from being too much of a target.

The graphics of the game sparkle, and the sound is the co-star in this aspect. While the game does have some graphical intensity, with enemies popping out from around corners or tucked into bombed-out balconies to shoot down at the advancing infantry. The AI seems rather good, from the level played, and while there is a bit of a linear nature, the enemies won’t just stand there waiting to be shot, but will take advantage of cover. It can become a waiting game as you sit there, area targeted waiting for them to pop a head up for a look-see. Or, make it quicker by inching closer and tossing in a grenade.

By localizing the action within one unit Big Red One antes up on the personality factor. You will grow to learn about the members of the platoon, rather than them being just names you see in passing.

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a solid title that plays strongly into the series’ reputation, and gives a different take on the action. Shooter fans, and particularly CoD console fans, should have this one already on their wish lists.