COD2 demo review

[TdC]

Hi guys!

just thought I'd do a wee thing on the COD2 demo that I downloaded and played yesterday.

I liked it. It's alot like running around in an old war movie. I was expecting Charles Bronson or Telly Sevallas to come walking out of a doorway for a sarcastic remark half the time. I had a great feeling of participation, it was *me* running about tossing grenades, not me causing a pawn to do tricks.

On a grafical level I find that they do dusty desert towns very well. The buildings seem quite real, not counterstrike-esque cubes but with a feeling of solidity. I also got the feeling that the technology that HL2 is going to present in Lost Coast was nicked and implemented in COD2, ie running from dark to light and vice-versa has a flare or solarisation effect mimicing the human eye.

In game sense I felt the playing was very heavy handed and boorish if you know what I mean, much more so than COD1. I didn't feel any form of subtlety in the moves you can do or just running, that I do get in say BF2. Diving behind some sandbags and crawling forward to toss a grenade didn't feel like I was really there. In this respect I found the game to play like a simple shooter. shoot-run-hide-attack-try-to-stay-alive-till-level-ends is the key here imo, no fast reversals or cool tactics. In fact, no surprises at all.

The AI frankly sucked imo: goodies standing right in front of an enemy MG-42 or lingering in doorways waiting to be shot, baddies not smart enough to duck, waiting just around corners to be grenaded, reloading right in front of you instead of doing a mele-attack even though I had the difficulty on maximum. It pisses me off when I find that I'm using AI stupidity against itself instead of winning properly.

Conclusion: I'd like to have the game for the feeling of war-movie film activity. Other than that, muh so-so.

[throdgrain]

Does it still use the Q3 engine? I doubt if I can be arsed to download it to be honest

[TdC]

I don't think so, but tbh I don't know.

[Will]

Demonware's State Engine, apparently. That's just from a quick web trawl, I've not played it.

[TdC]

it's prettier than COD1, but I can't judge playability from the demo tbh. you played through COD1 and UO in a couple of hours when you were over here remember? would you play it again?

[Will]

I played COD a lot, and I whipped UO pretty fast at your place. They are good games, but AI is limited to standard playing techniques in any game. If you've played online a lot, it just can't cope with the crazy shit you pull. I'm not really interested in COD2, mostly because I've got a Mac, and when I borrow Kirsty's PC, I'd rather play BF2.

[TdC]

yeah I know what you mean. it was pretty though (COD2). still not too sure I'll be getting it :/

[KevinUK]

I just dont know about the health system. Take some hits and just hide and your health auto recovers. Its not the Q3 engine, its their own engine. It seems way more scripted than COD but maybe its just this level.

I guess ill buy it but from this level it doesnt seem to be as exciting as COD was.

[Chameleon]

I dunno, I liked it. It seems to have the feel of cod1, but a bit more slick sound and graphics. I guess that's what you'd expect in a sequel. Think it has some potential for multiplayer on big maps ... rampaging with a rifle, etc just like cod1, but I do hope they improve on the multiplayer modes. The team modes in cod1 don't really do much for me over the standard ffa or tdm. The cs-esque mode is rubbish and the behind enemy lines just encourages groups of 10 to travel constantly in a circle around the map imo. Not bothered about the AI or the scripting, I won't load the single player game
I'd definately be buying it any other time, but think I'll get q4 and forget cod2 exists

[~Yuckfou~]

Just played this.
Thought it was pretty good, although short even for a demo level.
I'd probably buy it tbh. But then I'm a sucker for WW2 games.