COD 3 Multiplayer

I won't spend time on the single player game as that has been covered more than adequately by the previous review. I agree with all that he has to say.

Multiplayer

This game takes what was excellent about the second game and enhances it. Call Of Duty 2 allowed a maximum of 8 players in the multiplayer maps. Part 3 allows up to 24. As a result the multiplayer maps are huge.

The beautiful graphics of the single player game crossover into the multiplayer arena as well. The level of detail, atmospheric effects, and lighting make for some excellent and intense battles. The maps are full of all sorts of natural cover (from trees and shrubs to walls and barrels). I played with a friend the other night where he and I were the only ones in the map, and we played for 15 minutes before we ever came across one another!

COD 3 adds a few new features to the multiplayer portion aside from the enhanced graphics and effects...

1. The game has the typical multiplayer game types we have come to expect. Battle (Deathmatch), Team Battle (Team Deathmatch), Capture The Flag, etc. The best addition to the gametypes is the "War" option. This functions similar to Headquarters from COD 2, but the headquarters does not move. Each "army" is battling over a specific plot of land for the entire match.

2. Character classes have been added. When you go into a multiplayer game you choose Axis/Allies, and what character class you wish to be (Rifleman, Light Gunner, Medic, Scout, Heavy Artillery, and a couple of others). I'm not sure if I named all of those correctly, since I typically play Scout. Each class has a default weapon set. The Scout starts with a sniper rifle and a pistol. The Heavy Artillery starts with a rocket launcher and a pistol. If you play a team game each class also has a secondary ability. The Medic can heal fallen soldiers. The Scout can call in artillery strikes. As you play through the game and rack up kills, your character will also rank up. With each "promotion" the character gets an enhancement to their special ability. When you first start with a Scout you can call in a strike on a small area, but as you rank up the bombed area increase, and more shells are dropped. The ranking does not carry over from one game to another, so you must rank up each time you play (this keeps it a little more fair...).

3. This time around multiplayer also allows for vehicular combat. So far I have come across jeeps, motorcycles, and tanks that can be driven. Each vehicle has a mounted weapon as well, so a comrade can join you on the vehicle (ala Halo) and fire away as you drive around.

4. As with the single player game there is an enhanced "cover" system. This allows for soft cover, and hard cover. Soft cover are things you can hide behind, but that will be chipped away or destroyed by enough gunfire (crates, hay bales, some fences, some stone walls). Hard cover is cover that will not give way under fire (sturdy walls, metal barrels, houses, etc.).

All of these truly add a new layer of depth to this already robust game, and are great for strategic gameplay.

I am a huge fan of COD 2 and COD 2 multiplayer, and I am finding myself to enjoy COD 3 just as much. It is different, and has taken a little getting used to, but overall the enhancements are for the best.