Call of Duty: United Offensive - You now have an opportunity to drive such tanks as the T34/85, SSU152, Panzer IV, Elephant, and the Sherman. Added to this is the introduction of jeeps in various guises. There was an immediate concern within the online community that these would unbalance the gameplay, however it has become apparent this is not so.
With the addition of bazookas and Panzerchecks to the arsenal of anti-tank weapons, the satchel charges and the ability to man the emplaced anti-tank guns it all seems to even out. Sure, some maps favour the tanks - but others make them more of a liability. The infantry boys have fast become adept at sneaking up behind the tanks and delivering a well-placed rocket.
The jeeps are a blast to play, with a new style of play being displayed called the "Jeep Jockey? These fellas grab the nearest jeep, honk the horn (cute feature) to encourage others to get in (a gunner and passenger) and rush of toward the opposition. This mad, suicidal run can often avoid the lumbering tanks and their slow turret traverse. Equally, they can end in a very good representation of a drink-drive advertisement.
The single-player campaign covers something under ten hours of gameplay and has players fighting a desperate struggle through the battles of the Ardennes and beyond, a more sedate British mission that has a very nice air combat mission as well as a boat mission and the desperate battles of Kursk and the Russian Campaign. These are tough missions with a lot more enemies to contend with and players will find themselves saving and reloading more than in the past.
There are also 11 new online maps. These reflect the presence of vehicles, with some being quite expansive while others (particularly the city maps) being filled with infantry hideouts, tunnels and higher levels to climb.
There has been some concern that with the release of the expansion back it would devide the COD community. However, given how quickly the pack is selling, it appears there is a very big shift onto the servers that support this game.
In regard to climbing levels, there is also a new feature in the online games where, as the game progresses, you gain more rank. This rank allows additional grenades, satchel charges and eventually the ability to direct "off map" artillery strikes.
This is a devastating attack to drop on a spawn point with huge explosions and the blurring of both graphics and sound if you are caught near the receiving end. Experience is not gained so much by kills but rather how you contribute to your team.
In the new modes of Capture the Flag, Domination and Base Assault, how many places you capture and defend can ensure a more rapid advancement to the holy grail of the Artillery Spotter's rank.
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