Conclusion
In summing up, I have to say that as far as expansions go, UO is a lesson in how to do it right. It takes nothing from the original games mechanics, adds a few touches of its own to enhance what’s already there and gives the whole thing a nicely polished feeling. Issues that were raised with the first game (such as the ‘samey’ feeling on some levels) have to an extent been addressed.
More control has been given to the player with things like ‘cooking off’ grenades (delaying your throw), sprinting and movable machine guns. The AI hasn’t improved in any appreciable way though and is more of a pain in certain situations that it was before.
All your favourite bits from the first game are revisited here, but in a different setting, so you still get to drive a tank, or ride shotgun in a mad car chase or snipe at the enemy from afar. Added in on top is the B-17 mission which gives a nice break from the constant FPS running around and it would have been nice to have seen a bit more of that sort of variety, to be honest.
The difficulty level has been ramped up a little too, so even on the easiest level, you’ll find yourself dying a few times. This extends the playing time a touch, but not a whole lot and you’ll probably find you’ve finished the game after 6-8 hours of play. That said, this is an expansion pack and not a full game and the price reflects that. As such, it’s well worth the money of anyone who has CoD and wants some more of the same with a few extra bits thrown in.
Pros
Updated graphics
New weapons
Historical missions
Superb Effects
Cons
AI still dodgy
Some mission goals not clear
Missions lack variety after a while
A worthy purchase if you have the original
