Call of Duty: Finest Hour

"Sleeper hit of the year?"

Review for Call of Duty: Finest Hour (PS2)

Probably one of the sleeper hits of the year. Unfortunately this game has been getting average to sub-par ratings from most video game magazines. Maybe because they compared it to the PC version (which is a totally different game all together), or the whole WW II themed shooters is starting to run itself in the ground (i.e., Rising Sun.) However, from the opening sequences, CoD: Finest Hour turned out to be pretty good game with only minor flaws.

GRAPHICS: 8/10
The graphics in this game are darn good. From the opening scenes with black smoke pillowing up to the sky, to the realistic buildings with snipers shooting out the building, to the dusty trails left by tanks….this game has it all. With games like Metal Gear 3 and Prince of Persia setting the bar in this department, the game still does a pretty good job with realism. Player animation is pretty good as well, along with multiple weapon animation. This game is right up there with Frontline, if not better.

SOUND: 8/10
For some reason, the sound effects seemed they could've been better. The sounds of the weapons you used during the game were realistic, but the background sounds were not. You can't hear that clear popping gun reports in the distance or the squeaking, rattling of roaming tanks like you do in Frontline, or the original MoH for the PS1. What the game lacks in sound effects, the music in the game in paramount. The music is superbly orchestrated at the right moments, without it being too over the top.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10
This is the bread and butter of Finest Hour. To start off, the hit detection is dead on. Yes, you will question some of your shot due to the added realism of aiming. When you want to precisely aim, the player lines up the sights of the weapon to the center of the screen, letting you aim with the weapon itself, with each weapon having its own aiming sights. This can be challenging at night when the sight blends into the background, but red markers pop up when you connect a hit. Heavy machine guns are very powerful, but very inaccurate while carrying it, so the game gives you the option of lying prone and extending the bipod to turn your monster MG into a shredding machine. My only complaint is that it seems like you're running in slow motion, even when standing, which can get annoying in large fire fights.

ONLINE: 7.5/10
Finest Hour has the option of bringing it to the online battlefield. But, if you're looking for the next SOCOM, this isn't it. There are no pre-made servers or pre-made rooms, rooms can not be password protected, you're online name has to be re-created every time you jump online (which means no stats), no clan ability and there open mics. This means you have to listen to multiple people breathing. But, the game is still fun. There are ten stages you battle it out with Capture the Flag, Search and Destroy (aka Demolition), Death Match and Team Death Match.

One last note, this game is hard, even on the easy settings. You're going to die alot. You don't come across any ammo for your original weapons, and they don't overload you with large health paks, so choose your fights wisely. Speaking of which, you can't run and gun in this FPS. It takes patience and timing, especially when it comes to tanks and machine gun nests. Sometimes, it's better just to let your squad do most and take most of the damage.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/29/04