Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2308 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: ACTIVISION
• Released on: 2005-11-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• ESRB Rating: Mature
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Preview
There will probably never be a definitive World War II action game, for the simple fact that so many new ones are released each year. Call of Duty 2: Big Red One should certainly be the last word on the current console formats though--which means something at least.

Rather confusingly this has nothing to do with the subtitle-less Call of Duty 2 on PC and Xbox 360. Whereas that game has the usual mix of three different nationalities of soldier to control, Big Red One has you playing the same soldier throughout the whole game. You do get to do quite a bit of sight seeing though with missions in North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium and Germany.

The Big Red One of the title is the nickname of a famous American infantry division and by sticking with them throughout the whole game you do get a much better sense of camaraderie than previous Call of Duty games. Unfortunately it also means that the game seems perilously close to the already excellent Brothers in Arms, except without the strategy bits.

No war game ever seems to do its action quite like Call of Duty though and the set pieces here tread that difficult line between cinematic bombast and harrowing realism perfectly. Big Red One won’t have the same impact on the gaming world as the first Call of Duty games, but it nevertheless looks like having a very good chance of being a better game. --Harrison Dent

This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.

Manufacturer's Description
Experience the adrenaline rush and harsh realities of war as never before, get to know your squadmates, and fight alongside them through an epic story during the most harrowing moments of WWII. As a part of America's most decorated and heroic fighting unit, The Big Red One, you'll work together with your squad to accomplish a variety of combat missions spanning North Africa, Italy, and Nazi-occupied Western Europe.

The hallmark cinematic intensity of Call of Duty returns with a more complete gameplay experience than ever. Experience a wide variety of missions on land, sea, and in the air, with the aid of over three dozen authentic American, Italian, French, and German weapons. Charge into battle together as Allied and Axis planes duel overhead, artillery explosions shake the ground and choke the air, and bullets and shrapnel streak past you and your squadmates. Experience war-torn Europe and Africa, from the blistering desert expanses of Tunisia and Libya to the beautiful yet deadly countrysides of Italy, France, Belgium, and Germany.

Live a soldier's story, deeper than any you've experienced before: You are thrust into the role and story of a member of The Big Red One, America's most heroic and decorated infantry division. Experience the camaraderie of a single tight-knit army squad, bound together through the chaos of battle over the course of the entire game. Yes, you will suffer casualties; but you must not suffer defeat.

Know your squad like never before: Through all-new AI and animation, your allies (and your enemies) just got a lot smarter. Your squad will now make better use of environmental cover and tactical Maneuvers, such as flanking, envelopment, and fire-and-maneuver behaviors. Hear your allies reacting to the events on the battlefield with contextually accurate battle chatter.

Online Multiplayer Action: Go online for intense Axis vs. Allies team-based multiplayer action on Xbox Live..

Customer Reviews

Enlist now soldier!
This has to be the definitive WWII shooter for the PS2. It is infinitely more realistic than Medal of Honor but without the aiming frustrations of Brothers In Arms.

The game is quite cinematic in feel and it's almost like watching a classic war film. As the game for the main part tends to focus purely on the American First Infantry Division, you get a real sense of continuity and also empathy with your squad mates.

For the main part it is historically accurate and does convey a believable sense of gritty realism. No one man armies wading in here and winning the war single handed, you need to use cover and your fellow squadmates carefully or you will die very quickly.

The gameplay is intuitive and the levels varied and well thought out. Also the replay value is quite high as you will want to come back to missions time and time again to perfect your technique and also because the game is so enjoyable to play.

I haven't played online yet and so cannot really comment on how good this aspect of the game is.

To summarise, if you like WWII shooters then COD2 - The Big Red One should really be at the top of your Christmas list!

Take Cover!! Stuka!!
This game brings a new defintion to WWII games as it's simply stunning. The wholve visual content of the game is superb and the tension-full atmosphere it creates is electrifying. So why have I given this game only 4* instead if 5? Here's why...

Although this game hits really high notes their are a couple of down notes to it aswell. Firstly the game-span - at only 13 missions the game doesn't take long to complete; however the temptation to go and do it all over again is unbearable as even though it's got all old news, the excitement of each mission is fantastic; whether it's racing past a German ambush on a half-track, landing on Omaha Beach or even flying in a B-24 Liberator (!), every level has it's own interesting twists to make this game replayable.

Next, the AI of your team is quite poor. Mainly because they seem to do crazy things like to be more interested in standing in the doorways of rooms full of enemies getting shot at, than actually go in and do what they're meant to. Also they completely abuse chances to take cover as they seem to stand in the middle of an open space - making an easy target - than scrambling to find a rock, crate, impact hole etc. Now although these are quite minor points it does have an effect on the whole game.

Now for the game itself. You follow the foot steps of one American soldier as him and his squad (really no more than about 5 at any given time) trek through Africa, Italy, France, Belguim and Germany, all the way to Hitlers front door and winning the war. AS in the previous CoD, you can only carry two weapons at a time (I prefer an M1 Garand and a Thompson) but you kept the chance to yield and fire many other weapons through out the game. You build a strong bond for your squad as you fight with them through the hard times and they save you're skin many times. It's actually quite a shock when a couple of them die in cut scenes as its completely unexpected. Overall the surface of this game is actually fantastic.

I got it on Christmas Day and I had completed it by Boxing Day because of the shortness of it but I am still finding it pleasureable to play it over and over again. Unfortunetly, there is no multiplayer which is a slight down side (we all know how satisfying it is to search for your opponent *freind* for ages, before smacking a clunk of lead in his brain).

Overall the game is worth the money and few will probably pick up on these minor downfalls. I'm clearly just fussy hey? Still though, its worth the money if your'e a true war game fanatic.

Hope this has helped you.

amazing
this is clearly the best war game of all time! The last one was good but this is way better. There are so many more things you can do. What ever you do, GET THIS GAME!