Call of Duty

Not as superior as the Medal of Honor series but still an excellent game!

The most original thing about "Call of Duty" is the story. The story gives you the feeling you're watching a movie were you are in control of. The levels aren't just levels were you have to go from point A to B and shoot everything and everyone on your way. The levels are scenario's in which there is always something going on and surprises wait around every corner. The levels are filled with great many moments and surprises in which you have to fight for your live and that of your buddies. It really gives you a movie feeling, it's no wonder once you know that the story was written by professional movie writer Michael Schiffer who also wrote the screenplay for "Crimson Tide", "The Peacemaker" and the recent movie "The Four Feathers".

The amazing soundtrack by the excellent Michael Giacchino also add to the movie feeling of the game. The music is written like it's made for a movie scene instead of for a game level. Some tracks even surpass the music Giacchino did for the Medal of Honor games. The music is not spectacular or exciting (like he did for the Medal of Honor games) but emotional instead, which is probably one of the reasons why it gives the game an extra movie like feeling. The music for when you have to hold the Pegasus bridge until reinforcements arrive and the music when you storm the Reichstag in Berlin especially stand out. Giacchino isn't called the new John Williams for no reason.

The levels like I said before are excellent. There is a high variety of levels in which you don't only play as Americans but also as British and Russian soldiers. Some of the levels uses elements and moments from the HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers" and especially from the movie "Enemy at the Gates".

And then the sound. My God the sound! The game has probably the best sound I ever heard done for a game. It really gives you the feeling like you are in the middle of WW II and need to dodge bullets and mortars all the time.

The gameplay however isn't that good, especially not once you're used to games like Medal of Honor. And the fact that you can only carry 2 weapons at the time (+ pistol and grenades) surly adds to the realism of the game but not to the fun of it.

It's not a game you quickly play over and over again once you have finished but luckily the multiplayer option gives the game an high play-ability level. The maps are fun and you can choose between many play options such as SD (search and destroy) and DM (death match) or the original BEL (behind enemy lines) option.

I even liked the game better once I found out that Giovanni Ribisi and Earl Boen were part of the voice cast. I'm eagerly awaiting the first add-ons!

9/10

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