Call of Duty 3
Score: 89% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Activision Developer: Treyarch Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Online Genre: Action/ Shooter
Graphics & Sound: My proclivities about playing sequel games aside, I didn't start off with a real good taste in my mouth about Call of Duty 3. It furthered its instant stance with me when the first map you play was way too similar to a multi-player map from the first game. I know, I know, it is historically accurate and there is only so much you can do with the imagery. But I am here to let you know that every one of my first impressions were quickly put aside as I found myself many times with sweaty palms sitting on the edge my seat in a fire fight. I really liked it. I don't care what next gen can do. I was impressed with all of the graphical muscle they were still able to pull out for the PS2. You would assume that sometimes when they do a multi-platform port, all of their concentration might be for the "HOT" systems and not yesterday's hardware. I didn't get that feeling here. The graphics were sharp and clean like they should be. Animations and character models moved and look great. There were plenty of particulates and environmental effects. I cannot recall a single time that the action slowed noticeably. The soundtrack for the entire series has always been well done. Weapons and explosions, without actually standing on top of them in real life, came across clearly. One of the things I remembered the most from the previous games was that I could distinctly tell the differences in weapon fire and location. The same was true here, and when you play online, that is important. You know when you hear a M1-Garand and a MG-42 go off next to you it is probably time to move.
Gameplay: Call of Duty 3 has a simple and complete premise. Find the bad guy. Shoot the bad guy. Ask questions later. First you will assume the role of an American soldier named Nichols. But, as in the other games in the series, you will take on many personae to achieve the goal of liberating Paris. You get a standard in-game tutorial of how your controls work, and there isn't any marked difference between the new and old control schemes. Don't expect break out of bounds, free-roaming gameplay. Everything that happens to you is scripted. Not that this is a bad thing. There is something to be said for the experience of very specific scenarios. The game takes place in 1944. Your main objective is to head into German occupied Paris and liberate it. All the while you are moving through the historic paths taken through the cities leading into Paris. There was a lot more emphasis on characters in your squad and their stories. This was interesting as a whole, but it didn't really change the game at all. It seemed more of something to see while wiping the sweat from your hands. I kind of wish I had a chance to play this more online; there just aren't that many people around on the PS2.
Difficulty: You think the Wii has had incidences where the controller broke the screen, you should have seen me hurl mine more than once. There are some pretty sticky situations in Call of Duty 3 that you get yourself into. Hence, the aforementioned sweaty palms. There are many types of players in games; some that are patient and wait and others that charge into the fray, hair blazing, screaming. I am the latter. So yeah, no Tom Clancy games for me. I like to charge in. However, this doesn't always bode well for your character, but it sure is fun. You have times where you have to be patient or it will just kill you quick. For the most part though, charge away and take no prisoners.
Game Mechanics: There was an addition of a hand to hand fight that popped on Call of Duty 3. It consisted mainly of a series of button pushes and a final strike, all of which was prompted on-screen in Simon Says fashion. I like the fact that I could throw grenades back at the enemy if I timed it right. Most of the time it was just an opportunity for me to die faster and again threaten the life of my TV screen. I guess after the success of the Indigo Prophecy, they thought they would throw more complex button combos in wherever they could. Trying to plant a bomb was like throwing a "Shoryuken" in Street Fighter 2. So as we pull out from the front lines, again, I would have to say I really enjoyed playing this game. I wasn't inspired by the way it was played, as all of that was standard fare. I was impressed by how it looked on the PS2. I liked the intensity of the scenarios. The added fluff of the human interest pieces on each soldier's life was a welcome, but otherwise unnecessary addition. I still love the multiple roles you play. So, again great game and kind of an end of sorts. I really doubt I will play another iteration on the PS2. All is well though, as I am sure they have one more left in them for the next gen consoles. Until then for me, au revoir! Viva liberte!
-WUMPUSJAGGER, GameVortex Communications AKA Bryon Lloyd
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