Call of Duty 3 - T

Bloody-but-powerful first-person WWII shooter.

Publisher: Activision Category/Genre: Video Games - First Person Shooter Platform: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360 Price: $59.99 Online Enabled: No Graphics: Excellent. Lush settings a nice counterpoint to war chaos. Playability: Medium. Standard first-person shooter controls for console. Reading Level: Light Release Date: 11/07/2006 ESRB Rating: T for blood, language, and violence

Common Sense Note

Parents should know that the third entry in this popular WWII first-person shooter is beautifully presented and rich with historical detail -- but still very violent. A small amount of blood spills with every kill, bodies litter the battlefield, and close combat often means face-to-face struggles with the enemy. Open approaches to enemy positions create intense battles, with threats that appear out of nowhere and less than perfect cover -- exposing players to sudden, bloody deaths. Players' deaths are punctuated with grave quotes from luminaries like Abraham Lincoln, John Adams, and Martin Luther King, Jr. -- keeping the mood somber and serious.

Families that play this game should talk about the popularity of WWII games. Is there something about this particular conflict that lends itself to video game treatment? What is different about wars like Vietnam or the current War on Terror that make them more or less suited to game recreation? Does the historical content of this game actually make it educational -- or is that aspect just an attempt to legitimize another shoot-'em-up? This is the third game in a series -- how does it stack up against the two previous versions?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Aaron Lazenby

CALL OF DUTY 3 is the latest addition to one of the most popular WWII first-person shooter series. Players control an infantryman marching through France after the D-Day invasion at Normandy. Working with Allied forces (players buddy up with the French Resistance, Polish troops, Scottish soldiers, and others), players participate in some of the fiercest fighting of the European ground war.

In rural towns like Saint Lo, Mortain, and Chambois, players storm German positions on strategic hills, go house-to-house to clear enemies from French villages, and secure critical infrastructure (such as bridges and ports). Cut scenes elaborate on the war strategy -- giving some much-needed context -- but the game forgoes traditional narrative; instead it uses occasional bits of gallows humor or an intra-squad flare-up to set the scene.

Developers chose to focus on enhancing the combat, rather than dispensing a robust storyline. Whether fighting face-to-face in the trenches, commandeering a jeep, or serving as a sniper spotter on the back of a tank, Call of Duty 3 keeps the action engaging. Battles are challenging, but can always be accomplished with a little ingenuity and nerve.

An array of period weapons are at players' disposal: sniper rifles, automatics, shotguns, and heavy machine guns. A deftly placed smoke grenade can mean the difference between life and death. The only failing here is the unrealistic torrent of enemies that appear at certain points of the game, undermining best laid plans with a lame advantage for the computer.

All is forgiven with graphics and detail that define next-generation gaming. Looking through a rifle sight, players' first-person perspective takes a moment to adjust focus from a nearby object to an object in the distance. Breaking into an enemy encampment, players hear Adolf Hitler giving a speech through an abandoned radio. Environments are genuinely disorienting, giving players a number of options to approach enemy positions -- some more vulnerable than others.

The mixture of intensity and detail makes Call of Duty 3 a sometimes-harrowing game experience. While not as violent as some other shooters, Call of Duty 3 gets the blood pumping like few games can. Parents could certainly do worse (see Black and Prey), but they may want to take a look at less extreme shooters like Star Wars: Battlefront II or Battlefield 2. Families interested in this series can check out the first game in the series: Call of Duty: Finest Hour.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content
Violence Not as bad as some other first-person shooters, but small amounts of blood spill and bodies litter the battlefield.
Language Restrained use of battlefield language.
Message
	Social Behavior The "noble war" setting provides many opportunities for sacrifice, heroism, teamwork, and bravery. Still, it's a bloody battlefield where violence is the norm.
	Commercialism Part of a series.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco
	Educational Value Takes a History Channel approach to setting the scene.