Call of Duty: United Offensive

"Now THIS is more like it!"

Call of Duty: United Offensive is the expansion pack to Call of Duty. Which is considered by many to be a great game in almost every aspect. It is developed by Grey Matter, which is the great developer behind Return to Castle Wolfeinstine (single player).

On a personal level, I didn't think Call of Duty was all that amazing, at least not how everyone made it out to be. It was a very solid game however. Thinking more broadly, Call of Duty tried to make the World War 2 battles that you partook in seem more real. The game did what it could to emphasize teamwork. While it did have its flaws, United Offensive (COD:UO) have very little, if any.

Graphics
As with its parent game, COD:UO uses the Quake 3 engine. A great engine, but is getting very old. Still, it doesn't take anything away from the game, it looks great. Everything is very well polished from the models of the Sherman tanks, to the snow that is on them. The landscapes, especially the levels taking place in Italy, are very well done and look beautiful. The Quake 3 engine is looking as good as its probably ever going to get.

Sound
Game-play sounds are great. Guns, explosions, tanks, and other noises are done very well. As for voices, just like in the parent game, its a slightly different story. The British and German voices are done well, but unfortunately, the Soviets still have the magic ability to speak English. With exception to the briefings, I don't see why they need to speak English. There are very clear subtitles displayed each time someone says something you are expected to hear. Perhaps an option to change the language spoken would be a good idea? A similar feature was available in the PS2 game Onimushia, and it received plenty of positive feedback.

Controls
The controls to the game are your basic WS-AD controls for any FPS. Nothing too special, mainly the same as Call of Duty.

Game-play
This is where COD:UO irons out its parents flaws. In COD, you don't really ever get a true feeling that you are with a team. You had plenty of teammates, but it was always up to you to make the first move. It was always you who had to destroy the incoming tank, or plant the explosives. In COD:UO, you WILL get the feeling of being part of a team. You WILL feel like you are not alone. Your teammates, especially in the British commando missions, where your teammates actually take most of the fire for you, and advance killing plenty of bad guys.

On top of doing what the original game tried hard to do with teamwork, there are two other brilliant additions to the game-play. First, the fact that Grey Matter made the levels so much bigger and added so many different elements to the game-play. One of the Soviet levels has you constantly ducking for cover because an enemy plane is making a run at you. Another is an American level where you are advancing with the tanks, helping each other as need be. You hover around the tanks while they blow up the buildings, and then you get to a sniping position to take out enemy anti-tank positions.

Second, the first British level. You start out in an RAF bomber squad. The whole level is an extremely well done level. What makes it so cool is that you are constantly changing gunner positions within your bomber, and you have to do other things, like shut off a pressure valve, and put out fires, ect. Not to mention drop the bombs!!!! Plus the story for the British levels is done the best. You are rescued from enemy territory by the SAS, and because you helped out so well, you are transfered from the RAF to SAS, and go on some real commando missions. Not to mention you get to find out a little about Major Ingram who was one of the British officers you rescue in Call of Duty.

Conclusion
This game, or rather expansion pack, is a great and well put together game. If you liked Call of Duty, you should love this game. It is one of the very few expansion packs that is better than its parent game. Any flaw that Call of Duty had, United Offensive (and Grey Matter) fixed.

If you have Call of Duty, then you should also have this game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/05/04