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Pros & Cons:
Pertaining to My short list below.
Full Pros & cons re-review coming soon...
Overall, this is a fast paced and entertaining action war game. With sharp graphics, action-packed gamplay, good replay value, and a story that does draw you in a bit more than the last installment. However, this was made by a different team, which plainly makes gameplay feel different. And like every Call of Duty game, the levels are heavily scripted and very linear (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). But, beyond these issues, the worst aspect of this game is its story. Even though the story is more character driven this time around, and it looks like the developer did put more effort into trying to make it compelling, it just isn't very immersive or endearing. This is because the WWII theme has been extremely overused in movies/games, and also because this specific genre of game isn't too conducive to a compelling story. Last of all, there is a nagging issue where you can't skip any of the cutscenes, meaning if you quit, and then resume from your last saved checkpoint, you have to watch the intro cinematic all over for that level (which can be up to 5 minutes long).
Closing comment:
So overall, if you're into the series, this is a great (but not quite as good the last) installment. And that's fine, as this is a fun, and somewhat mindless action game.
Content review for this game:
Pertaining to the ESRB rating.
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Content sum up: Although the blood effects are mild and there's no gore, this is more intense than the last, with much more language and just an overall more violent presentation. So, I recommend this game for ages 14+. |
Full content re-review coming soon...
Blood: When you shoot an enemy, the blood appears in mild to moderate and almost transparent puffs—think of slightly damp cool-aid powder thrown in the air, and you get the picture; blood does not linger. Bodies do linger, and throughout the game you see many dead, but not bloodied bodies of fellow and enemy soldiers, and in some levels, you see a few newly dead livestock, like horses and cows, littering the area. There is no option to turn blood off.
Language: There are over a dozen uses of the words, hell, d*mn, and the slang term friggin', under a dozen uses of the words, a** and SoB, three or under uses of the words, bastard, p*ss and God d*mn, and one use of the words, Christ and Jesus in the main script. Other than the main script, fellow soldiers will say things like, "Find some cover d*mn it!", "Kick their as*es back to the motherland!", "Ah hell! I've got to reload!", and "Let's kick some a**!" There is no option to turn language off.
Violence: This game's setting takes place during WWII, and puts you in the shoes of American, United Kingdom, Canadian, and Polish soldiers. The presentation between levels is a mix of narrated montages with maps, stock photos/videos of WWII, and in-game graphics. But, the majority of cutscenes are made entirely from the real-game engine, which deal with the more personal, character driven scenes. Although the cutscenes and overall story can be somewhat intense (and tragic), they're not graphic in the least, and a bit disconnected and/or generalized (as in not too personal), which makes the actual narrative just too vague to write out a detailed synopsis...
Your sole enemy are German/Nazi soldiers, and you'll be killing hundreds of them with machine guns, rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, grenades, rocket launchers, and you can also use explodable barrels to dispatch enemies. Your character can hold two weapons at any given time, not including your explosive/smoke grenades, and you can pick up enemy weapons when your ammo runs dry. Other than weapons mentioned above, you can knock enemies with the butt of your weapon, and in a few instances, this melee attack is used when an enemy soldier jumps out of nowhere and starts to choke you with your own gun. This will start an event where you have to press the right buttons rapidly to free yourself, and then finish him off by butting him with the end of your gun. On a similar note, there's no HUD (heads up display). So, to warn you when you're near death, the screen will start to go red around the edges while your ears audibly ring, and you hear his ever-decreasing heartbeat.
Throughout the campaign you'll be taking over enemy bases by foot; spotting target with your binoculars for destruction; defending territory against the enemy; and in a few levels, even controlling tanks and jeeps (which can be used to run over enemies). The violence is a simulation of war, so it's very chaotic, heartpumping and intense, with constant explosions and gunfire, destructible environments, and plenty of killing. When you shoot an enemy, they'll gurgle/scream, contort and flail in painful positions, and if they're cornered, they'll lash out with the butt of their gun, yelling madly until they kill you (or you them). And because of the ragdoll physics, when your grenades detonate, enemies, objects and dust will go flying. However, although it is intense, the violence is pretty tame for a war game (especially compared to Call of Duty 4), with very little blood and no gore or dismemberment. This game also has a strict policy on killing your own men, as if you accidentally (or purposely) hit or kill a fellow soldier; it will give you a message saying that it doesn't tolerate friendly fire, and it will place you at the last saved checkpoint.
Specific scenes of violence:
(There is no blood or gore present in the scenes listed below)
- While you ride in a transport truck on its way to the enemy's location, a fellow soldier is seen trying to run and catch up to the truck. When the other soldiers start to help him up, mortar fire hits the truck, flinging (and killing) the man trying to enter, and flipping the truck over a ditch. When you come to, you see that two of your allies are dragging you to safety—one is killed in the process.
- After parachuting out of an exploding plane, you hit a tree and black out. When you come to, a Nazi soldier spots you and starts to walk over. Just when he's about to shoot, an ally comes out of nowhere and shoots him in the head.
- While you cover an ally as he disarms a bomb, he's hit by mortar fire. despite his injuries, he crawls to the bomb and successfully disarms it before dying.
- In the process of escaping an enemy facility (which you blew up), a fellow officer crashes in his jeep and is taken by the enemy. When you find him, he is tied to a chair and being interrogated by a single Nazi solider, who is soon shot in the head by one of your fellow soldiers. After freeing him, you hear a brief, slitting sound as a fellow soldier dispatches a sentry upstairs (not seen).
- An enemy soldiers talks frantically into a radio, trying to reach help. When one gets up and crosses the room, he's sniped in the head by an American soldier.
- While you try to destroy an enemy ammo stash with explosives, the fuse goes out. When an ally investigates, the explosives go off, killing him (not seen).
- A later area shows dozens of newly made (and tragically, newly filled) caskets littering the area. You also see several wounded soldiers in an allied camp.
Mild crude humor: (The ESRB didn't mention this in their rating, although it is mild) While on a mission, you come across an enemy soldier relieving himself (apparent in his stance, the sound and the steam coming from the ground) on the side of a dirt road. Upon seeing the enemy solider, your superior officer states, "Would you look at that! A p**ser, p**sing (p**s included in language listed earlier)." He then says, "Relieve him (knock him out) Doyle (playable characters name)."
Alcohol reference: (The ESRB also didn't mention this, although it, too, is very mild) In a few levels you see wine cellars with vats, bottles and barrels of the substance. You can also shoot the barrels, resulting in some of the wine pouring out.
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