The Original World War 2 strategy game is back, and its now on Xbox. And to be fair, you needed a very good PC to play it on. Commandos 2: Men Of Courage, set in World War Two, Commandos places a squad of elite allied commandos in your hands. The original cast are all present and a few new characters have been thrown in. Commandos 2 takes you on a round the world trip, from Thailand and Germany to the Pacific Islands.

Gameplay:
The action is now in full 360 degree splendour. You can now pan around the levels allowing full use of terrain and cover. The action is a lot faster and more intense than the first game and you now have the ability to put your men in "combat mode", they have a field of fire, a selected weapon and whatever enemy happens to walk into their line of fire gets an injection of hot lead !! The main addition to Commandos 2 is the ability to enter and explore buildings (and even shoot from windows). This means that the ultra-realistic environments feel even better and makes the action that much more "real". The Commandos themselves have even more skills now: All your men can knock out enemies, wear enemy uniforms, swim, fire nearly all weapons and drive most vehicles. But of course they still have their own specialised roles. The thief is lightening quick and does "bullet time" moves like those from the matrix. Your driver can pilot any vehicles. Your Sapper is a master of explosives. The sniper can pick off enemies from a very long way away. Your Spy and Seductress can waltz around the levels without any suspicion. The marine can use breathing equipment and swim underwater for hours and of course your Green Beret is as hard as nails and can carry bodies single handed.

Graphics:
On the PC version only a top of the range PC would grant you access to the amazing graphics of this game. The moving 3-D faces and interactive levels only really come alive on Xbox. The levels actually look real and the commandos' movements are ultra-realistic. The "sound area" is slick and very stylish. But best of all the buildings, cars and enemies look amazing. The faces of the commandos get more and more beaten and bloody the lowers their health gets (DOOM esque). And even the cut scenes that use the games engine look amazing.

Sound:
The music is almost as good as Halo's. Its emotive, powerful and suits the levels perfectly. It isnt repetitive in the slightest as the scores are about 30 minutes long so you go along time before you notice its the same. The SFX are excellent aswell, the gun shots are crisp and sharp. The yells of the enemy are clear and realistic. Even the vehicle sounds have improved. The music is the best part of the Audio, its simply amazing.

Longevity:
The 10 base missions and 9 bonus missions are HUGE, they take days to complete and even when you play them for the second time are different, you never perform the same moves twice. The missions range from the Arctic, to temperate climates and tropical islands. The game is very long by modern standards but some of the missions lack the thrill factor second time around.

Round Up:
Overall, a modern classic. Amazing audio, superb levels and of course the genre itself; World War 2 will always be a winner. The only question is....



When is Commandos 3 coming out ??!??

Pros:

• Ultra-Realistic 3-D environments.
  
• Brillian musical score.
  
• Broad range of gameplay.
  

  Cons:
  

  • The music can be repetitive.
    
  • It is a strategy game and some people hate them !!