UBERSOLDIER II

The sequel to Ubersoldier finally arrives on the PC thanks to Strategy First in UBERSOLDER II which transforms gamers into Karl Stolz, a one man killing machine as he makes his way through the German army. In its essence, UBERSOLDIER II is your classic first person shooter that is once again set in the World War II genre which for some is becoming a tad tiring.

Never the less, UBERSOLDIER II still offers players that classic "Wolfenstein" first person shooter experience as enemies are abundant and there are a variety of gaming environments to explore. It's classic first person shooting at it's ground roots without the convoluted "online" play only.

To spice up the first person shooter genre, the developers have included two new gaming modes into the franchise which include UberSniper and Berserker that if you successfully pull off (e.g. you get three head shots in the row), the world around you seems to slow down (ala Matrix) and you become an Uber soldier as you shoot and hack your way through the nefarious German army.

It definitely makes for some interesting play and is something to strive for while you are playing that is great for those harder levels. For something different, you are also awarded "experience points" after completing a mission which can be used to increase your attributes such as accuracy or health or even better, the length of time you can remain as an Ubersoldier.

There are a plethora of weapons included in UBERSOLDER II such as pistols, hand-grenades rifles and flamethrowers to liven things up. Of course, you encounter traditional enemy soldiers, however the game is littered with other Super Soldiers that does at times makes for challenging gameplay. Needless to say, depending on your experience and level, you may get your ass handed to you on more than one occasion.

The story is nicely presented in a comic book fashion with some great still panels and voice acting that assists in telling the tale of Karl Stolz. Between each mission that you finish, you will be treated to a comic book style cutscene that not only gives the player a reward, it also gives an insight into your character and characters that you encounter.

Although the title makes reference to the previous game, players will not need to know the history of the previous title, ensuring that new gamers can easily pick up their mouse and keyboard as they shoot their way to victory.

The control system is nicely mapped on the PC and all gamers should have no problem in mastering this control system. Of course the controls can be remapped to your favourite combinations. The artificial intelligence of the game is rather impressive and depending on the difficulty makes for some challenging gameplay. At the end of the day, UBERSOLDIER II was good old fashioned fun, not offering the genre much in terms of "wow" moments but is quite well made.
 
Graphically, UBERSOLDIER II is quite a visually impressive game from such a small development company that contains some great looking environments, texture details and explosions which go hand-in-hand with the gameplay. The character animations are quite impressive and move with a real-world grace and I must admit that the violence is at times quite over the top, albeit realistic. 

The game also contains some great voice acting and realistic sound effects. My only gripe is the musical score which sounds a little overthetop, however I'm sure this is just personal taste and it can always be turned off.

In conclusion, UBERSOLDER II is a rather impressive game for its price that contains an interesting yet clichéd storyline, a sturdy gaming engine and some fun memorable moments such as the train level.

Definitely a game for those interested in World War II first person shooters that also adds a touch of outrageousness. Good combat and some great exploring will keep most gamers entertained from start to finish.