Call Of Duty 3
[rating:8.5] 8.5/10
Link: www.magmic.com
OTA Link: magmic.com (No Trial Option)
Cost: $8.99 CAN
Magmic has really pushed the envelope and left the competition in the dust with Call Of Duty 3 for BlackBerry. They have done an amazing job pulling off the game controls on a cellphone. If you have ever played Call Of Duty on another system you will appreciate how they have simplified the control schema to make such a complex game playable on the go. You will also notice that this game is quite a challenge which is refreshing but may scare off the casual solitaire player. I found Call Of Duty to be a fun game that really pushed our test 8800 to its limits. Since this is a mission based game you cannot pause the game in the middle so the game is more suited for when you have a good 15 minutes free waiting for the doctor =) If you have the time to spare I would recommend that you try it out. Sadly Magmic has not offered a trial option for Call Of Duty so there is not try before you buy so feel free to ask us any questions. Check out the details in the review after the jump.
Installation: The game is one of the largest downloads I have ever seen on Magmic. It clocks in at almost 1MB so keep an eye out if you are on a pay as you go plan. Once you install your pretty much ready to go.
First Impressions: The game takes about 25 seconds to load which is understandable due to the complexity and size of the application. When you open the game you will be prompted by the following messages shown above. The first lets you choose the language which is very nice for international users. Your choices are English, French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish. Magmic has also been doing a great job in including the option at the beginning of the game to choose if you want sound on or off as shown above. Keep in mind these menus slide in pretty slow.
Controls: Once you get past those two screens you will be shown the main menu. Here you have the option to start a new game, change options, and view the help file. The controls are more complex than most games since more keys are needed to play. Personally I think Magmic did a fair job of setting up the controls on the game. You use either the trackball or the number keys to move around. If you double tap the number keys or double scroll the trackball your player will run instead of walking. This takes a bit of practice to get right. You can make your player duck and stand up by using the number 5 key on the keypad. You change weapons by using the spacebar and fire by clicking in the trackball or hitting the enter button.
You also have the nice option of using a rifle scope or what they call targeting mode. In this mode your player does not move but you move the camera and crosshairs of the gun with the number keys or the trackball this also works for binoculars. Remembering the keys seems to be the hardest part of the game so you may want to glance them over a few times before you start. Keep in mind that even though the trackball is easier to use you will sometimes have to revert to the keypad since the trackball does not support diagonal movement. (You will understand if you play the game) The best combination of controls I found on the 8800 was to use the keypad to move and the trackball to aim.
The Game: Call Of Duty brings an age old problem to the table when it comes to gaming. Just like the Playstation and other gaming systems each level makes you wait for the loading screen. Each load takes about 45 seconds so keep that in mind. Once you get past the loading screen to the level the game is very fast paced and gives you a first mission in the prologue. This is a nice chance to quickly get to know the controls of the game. Keep in mind even the prologue is difficult and is not the kind of game where you pass every level on the first try. The prologue consists of most of the basic functions in the game. This includes teaching you how to jump over obstacles including targeting, aiming, and using other weapons. You may want to spend some time at this point to get to know these functions.
The game graphics are actually stunning for a BlackBerry game and provide a level of depth that is very nice. Don’t get me wrong it is nothing compared to Call Of Duty on a PC with a $600 graphics card but it is impressive for a cellphone. Above you will see the basic look of the game. You will also see how dialog looks in the game. The dialog is actually pretty good and descriptive. The one thing you should notice is the little call of duty symbol in the middle right of the first screenshot. This symbol arrow points you where to go next to find your next mission. Always keep an eye on it.
There is quite an impressive array of weapons and targeting options in the game as you can see above. These include stationary guns and other cool weapons to please the trigger happy.
Magmic has also done a wonderful job of including hard gunfighting scenes in the game. This is also the first BlackBerry game I have seen that includes cut-scenes between missions.
Also keep an eye out for the on screen messages since the game will try to help you out. As you can see above the game is telling me that red circles indicate a mortar is about to detonate. They do a pretty good job of helping you pass each level if you really try. The one thing you want to avoid is messages like the second screen shot above which means game over and back to the beginning of the mission. Once again you may want to revert to the number keys for control in a gunfight since you will need the diagonal keys to aim properly.
Pros:
- Amazing graphics (For a BlackBerry
- Good Controls
- Real in-depth gameplay
- Great weapon selection and gunfights
Cons:
- Long loading times
- Lack of save options
Conclusion: I have to end this review with one major note. With this game Magmic has really outdone themselves. The gameplay is fun and feels like a console game. The controls are right on the money and for a complex game like Call Of Duty it has a relatively easy learning curve. Since Magmic is has ported this game it is not their fault that there is no save option in the middle of missions but that kept us back from giving the game a higher rating. Anybody who plays Call Of Duty 3 will be impressed with how much Magmic has managed to push into this game. If you have the free time to play at 10 or 15 minute intervals than this game is definitely one you will want installed on your BlackBerry.
