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Call of Duty 2: Big Red One Platform: Xbox, PS2 Category: First-Person Shooter Publisher: Activision ERSB Rating: T Overall Score: 81 By Shaun Graves April 8, 2006

Ever since Steven Spielberg unleashed the original Medal of Honor on the PSX, there has been a plethora of World War 2 shooters. No other historical setting has been used more in video games in recent history than WW2 thanks to the monumental success and dollars that game garnered. But what this usually results in is a lot of me-too games, most just copying what prior games have already accomplished. When Call of Duty released in 2003 on PC it was a breath of fresh air for a slightly stale category. 2005's epic Call of Duty 2 for PC and Xbox 360 were no different, featuring amazing graphics and brilliant game play. But then there is Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, a COD for current generation consoles. This game as hard as I would like to love it, just ends up being another me-too, by the numbers WW2 shooter. Been there, done that kind of situations arise frequently and this game does not add anything new to series. On the bright side this game does feature some of the best graphics on current generation hardware, and a great soundtrack. I also love the fact it tells the story of the Big Red One, the first group to go into any battle during WW2.

Now the most important part of this review is the content. Thankfully there is no blood or gore in this game, though you are killing people in self-defense. Bodies also disappear after being shot. Another positive that exists in almost every WW2 shooter is no sexuality whatsoever. This biggest downfall of this game as is with most military shooters is the profanity. It amazes me how the Entertainment Software Ratings Board can rate a game as TEEN, put blood and violence up under that rating, and not mention a thing about the language. I guess what they consider offensive words and what I consider are apparently two different things. The biggest offender is how many times they take the name of Christ or God's name in vain, GD, Jesus Christ, Jesus, or just Christ is used several times through out the game. At first I only encountered it once in the second mission; then about the 4th mission it started to be repeatedly used. Other than that I did hear words such as d***, hell, and maybe bast**d used once or twice. I could've lived with that, but after hearing God's name used in vain so many times I actually had to quit the game. I got about 80 % through the game and decided I could no longer bear to hear His name abused so much. I just hope that maybe game developers in the future would add options to disable bad language in games, and while their at it, give us the ability to turn off blood and gore too.

Violence: 11 out of 20
_x__ - People killing people in self-defense (Ex. Medal of Honor) (-9 pts)

This is WW2 and you do fight a lot and kill a lot of Nazi's. Thankfully this is not made very realistic thanks to no blood, no gore, and bodies do disappear.

Language: 10 out of 20
_x__ - God's name in vain is used through out the game (-10 pts)

God and Jesus' names are used in vain frequently in this game, other than that it would have been acceptable for Prime-Time TV.

Nudity/Sexual Content: 20 out of 20
There is no nudity or sexual content in this game.

Occult/Supernatural: 20 out of 20
This is a by the numbers WW2 Historical shooter, no magic here.

Cultural/Moral/Ethical: 20 out of 20
No cultural or moral issues here. What Hitler and the Nazi's did against humanity was wrong and unjust. Luckily we had very brave service men in the U.S. and other countries to head the Call of Duty and defend the great people of this world.

Total Score 81 out 100

Conclusion
Though overall this game is cleaner than most FPS's out there, and does make a B overall, I think that Jesus' name is taken in vain way too much. I could not bear it and had to quit. If you have to play this game, my suggestion is just rent it and don't waste your hard earned money on this. There are other games with way better game play and less or no use of our Savior's name in vain. Call of Duty Big Red One gets an 81 B-.