Call of Duty
If there's one thing that the modern world can agree on, it's that killing Nazi scum is an absolute good. Not only is it good, but it's actually fun. That's why you don't see many Vietnam war video games...because killing opressed farmers and their children isn't exactly as romantic as blowing the heads off the most inhumane and villainous group of monsters in history. Months ago, I played "Call of Duty" and beat it in a matter of days. It's an absolutely AMAZING game, even better than "Medal of Honor: Frontline." For those of you who didn't know, The "Medal of Honor" games were actually concieved in part by Steven Spielberg, mostly inspired by his experience with Saving Private Ryan. "Call of Duty" is "Medal of Honor's" sister game, focusing on the other fronts of the war in Europe. After beating "Call of Duty," I began to play "Call of Duty: Allied Assault," which is actually the expansion pack to "Call of Duty" (basically a sequel). For the life of me, I could not get past this one part, though, so I let the game sit unplayed for months...until now. I played the game yesterday and I beat the unbeatable part right away, opening up more unplayed levels of "Call of Duty" combat....and now I'm in TOTAL game mode. The great thing about "call of Duty" is that you play Russian, British AND American soldiers, so the experience is not always an American experience, but the experience of the entire Allied Forces, stressing the fact that we were all in it together against a great evil. World War II was about righteousness and human justice as much as it was about patriotism, and deep in my heart I wish I were alive in that time to take part in that effort in some way. Not to mention that the WWII era as well as the war itself plays a major role in my life. It's been influential in the works of Steven Spielberg, which has in turn influenced me as a filmmaker (i.e. Indiana Jones, Schindler's List, 1941, Saving Private Ryan...and MUCH more). Also, I actually had a great uncle who died fighting the Germans in Italy, a grandfather who was a merchant marine, and a great grandfather who had to abandon his ship at Iwo Jima. Playing these video games might seem childish to some, but to me it's about being part of a legacy of heroism that members of my family actually died taking part in.
That being said, the game's also a shitload of fun...and it feels DAMN GOOD killing Nazis. I mean look at this screenshot:
What's better than having a Kraut's head lined up in your crosshairs? The Springfield sniper rifle is probably my favorite weapon in the game...I'm an AMAZING sniper and I use the gun as much as possible. I use it even in close combat. Sure, the reload time forces me to use more close-range weapons like the Thomson, but there's nothing like the power-rush I experience when I nail a head shot from 200 yards away.
Probably the most impressive thing about the game is it's ability to set up environments for gameplay that simulate very intense scenarios. For example, my favorite part of the game is when you're a Russian soldier and you have to take hold of this four-story building.
First, you have to use a sniper rifle to take out the spotters in the windows. Then, you move up on the building itself and lay down supressing fire in order to allow your comrades to infiltrate the building. Once inside the building, your job is to move from floor to floor and go from room to room, erraticating all Germans and securing the facility. This scene reminded me of a movie more than any other part. This is totally like the lost scene from Saving Private Ryan or something, and in fact it is very reminiscent of the part in Schindler's List where the Nazis are liquidizing Krakow and they search for all of the hiding Jews. The scenario in the game mirrors that scene, except instead of Nazis killing innocent people, it's now YOUR turn to reap vengeance on the Germans.
When we think of WWII, we usually think of demolished cities and beach landings with great casualties, but "Call of Duty" takes you to many different landscapes of war. For example, "Allied Assault" opens in Belgium during the Battle of the Buldge. The whole first portion of the game takes place in a snowy forest landscape. Also, we see the grassy fields and plains of France...and how the environment was used against the allies.
"Call of Duty" does a great job in portraying the atmosphere of a war. It's terrifying and beautiful at the same time...and probably oe of the best parts of the game is that you're always accompanied in the game by a squad of fellow soldiers, which makes us remember the motto of war for the allies: "In war, no one fights alone." I may be playing a video-game in my boxers, but in my mind I'm fighting a good fight, reliving the experiences of my heros, and answering my call of duty.