Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

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Call of Duty 2: Big Red One
Developer(s)	Gray Matter Interactive, Treyarch, Pi Studios
Publisher(s)	Activision
Designer(s)	Christian Busic Richard Farrelly Aaron Ginsburg Wade McIntyre
Writer(s)	Christian Busic
Artist(s)	Alex Bortoluzzi
Composer(s)	Graeme Revell
Series	Call Of Duty
Engine	Treyarch NGL
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release date(s)	NA November 1, 2005 PAL November 18, 2005 PlayStation 2 NA November 1, 2005 PAL November 18, 2005
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	BBFC: 15 ESRB: T OFLC: MA 15+ PEGI: 16+
Media	DVD, Nintendo optical disc
Input methods	Gamepad

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One is a World War II video game for the Gamecube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. It was released on November 1, 2005, in Canada and the United States. While developed by Treyarch, personnel from Gray Matter Interactive, who created the Call of Duty: United Offensive expansion pack for the PC, also worked with them on the game. Pi Studios contributed as well.

Big Red One differs from other games in the Call of Duty franchise in that it focuses on a single Allied formation in the War: the US Army's 1st Infantry Division, which goes by the nickname Big Red One due to their patch which features a big red one. The game covers the division's part in the invasion and liberation of North Africa, the invasion into Sicily, the landing on Omaha Beach in Europe and moving east, eventually crossing the Siegfried Line into Germany. At the end of each chapter and the beginning of the first, period footage with voiceover (courtesy of Mark Hamill, who was also in the Sam Fuller film, The Big Red One) is seen from the "Military Channel", imitating a WW2 documentary.

The game features several actors from the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, including Michael Cudlitz, James Madio, Frank John Hughes, Richard Speight, Jr., Ross McCall, Rick Gomez and Rene Morono.

The box cover features actor Stephen Saux. The story and characters were written by Aaron Ginsburg and Wade McIntyre.

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Multiplayer 1.2 Characters 2 Reception 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Gameplay

The game follows the US Army's 1st Infantry Division (the "Big Red One") from the sands of Africa to the beaches of Normandy to the heart of Germany.

[edit] Multiplayer

Call of Duty 2: Big Red One features online play in both the PS2 and Xbox versions, with drivable tanks, character classes, and experience gain much like United Offensive. Multiplayer functionality is handled by highly modified netcode originally licensed from DemonWare. The GameCube version, however, does not have any multiplayer.

[edit] Characters

Pvt. Roland Roger is the first-person character in the Single Campaign of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, you play as him in all the missions (except for the aerial mission 'Liberator'), though his name is not known unless the owner has the special edition boxset. In the normal version, Sgt Hawkins commonly calls you just 'Private' or 'Corporal'. He is promoted to Corporal after 'Piano Lupo' and promoted to Sergeant in 'We've Been Through Worse'.

Sgt. Glenn "Hawk" Hawkins commands the squad that includes the main character, Pvt. Denley, Pvt. Kelly and Pvt. Bloomfield. He was wounded in the chapters "Counterattack", "Piano Lupo", and finally in "An Easy Detail", by enemy machine gunners while trying to break down a fence. He isn't seen afterward. He is thought to be in the battle of the bulge and fights on until the V-1 rockets are destroyed and congratulates the player and the squad for the victory, though that is Capt. Delaney.

Lt./Capt. Norman Delaney was a born leader. His father a decorated WWI Lieutenant, encouraged his son to take the challenge at the West Point's demanding curriculum. He quickly excelled there, and became obsessed with the tactics of war. One thing that sets Lt. Delaney apart is his ability to remember the names and stories of every soldier under his command.

Long before the war in Europe, Pvt./Cpl. John Jackson "Schmitty" Smith was a mechanic in the Artillery Division where he fixed guns and vehicles for several years. However the 1st Infantry Division needed replacements and he was suddenly heading into battle without a day of training to replace Pvt. Denley. He is promoted to corporal after "An Easy Detail".

Pvt./Cpl. Alvin "Brooklyn" Bloomfield a chatty soldier. Was promoted to Corporal in "An Easy Detail", but is later killed in action in the "Dragon's Teeth" chapter by a mortar round, while trying to cut some barbed wire.

Pvt./Cpl./Sgt. Stephen Kelly is promoted to corporal after "Farewell To Friends" and later to sergeant after "An Easy Detail".

Pvt. Victor "Vic" Denley was killed in action in Troina, Italy in the "Farewell to Friends" chapter, while breaking down a door with an enemy machine gunner behind it.

Stretch is the the playable character in the "Liberators" mission. he is a member of a bomber crew and takes different positions around the bomber.

[edit] Reception

Scores
Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings PS2: 80.0% (47 reviews)[4] GCN: 78.8% (36 reviews)[5] Xbox: 78.8% (59 reviews)[6] Metacritic Xbox: 78% (46 reviews) [1] PS2: 77% (39 reviews)[2] GCN: 76% (28 reviews)[3]
Review scores Publication Score GameSpot 7.0 / 10[7][8][9] GameSpy [10] IGN 8.0 / 10[11][12] Xbox: 8.5 / 10[13] X-Play [14]

This section requires expansion.

Big Red One received generally positive reviews, with most gaming magazines rating the game a 7 or 8/10.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Call of Duty 2: Big Red One at the Internet Movie Database
• Call of Duty Wiki, an external wiki

v • d • e Call of Duty series Main series Call of Duty (United Offensive) · Call of Duty 2 · Call of Duty 3 · 4: Modern Warfare (DS) · World at War (DS) · Modern Warfare 2 Related games Finest Hour · 2: Big Red One · Roads to Victory · World at War: Final Fronts List of media · Category