Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Call of Duty 3 delivers a gripping singleplayer campaign that spans 14 missions across four allied perspectives: American, Canadian, British, and Polish soldiers. Each mission is presented in chronological order, covering the 88 days of the Normandy breakout and culminating in the liberation of Paris. The variety of viewpoints keeps the pacing fresh, as you switch between infantry assaults, tank battles, and intense scripted sequences that feel both cinematic and unpredictable.

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Core mechanics from earlier entries return, such as slight auto-aim to help pinpoint targets, a regenerative-like damage system that rewards tactical cover-taking, and the ever-useful smoke grenade to obscure vision. New additions spice up the action: you can now catch and toss back unexploded grenades, engage in quick-time events for hand-to-hand disarms, and experience more reactive enemy tactics. Adversaries no longer charge mindlessly but coordinate flanking maneuvers, use cover effectively, and force you to adapt on the fly.

Vehicle sections are a highlight, putting you in the driver’s seat of Sherman tanks, Panzer IVs, jeeps, and other period-accurate machines. The blend of vehicular and on-foot combat creates tense set-pieces where you must protect your tank crew or hop out quickly to fend off enemy infantry. The semi-destructible environments add to the immersion, letting walls crumble under artillery fire or bullet barrage, changing the battlefield dynamically.

On the multiplayer front, Call of Duty 3 offers classic modes like Battle (deathmatch), Team Battle, Capture the Flag, and Headquarters. The new “War” mode bridges the gap between CoD’s fast-paced action and Battlefield-style objective play: two teams fight over five control points, shifting frontlines as momentum swings. Multiple-occupancy vehicles and distinct classes—Rifleman, Heavy Assault, Light Assault, Medic, Scout, Support, and Anti-Armor—ensure each match feels strategic. The dual ranking system (in-game rank and TrueSkill) keeps progression meaningful, while persistent squads prevent the chaos of constant lobby drops.

Graphics

Visually, Call of Duty 3 steps up from its predecessors with richly detailed textures, lifelike lighting, and convincing character models. The battlefields of Normandy—bocage hedgerows, bombed-out villages, and the streets of a war-torn Paris—are rendered with an eye for authenticity. Smoke, explosions, and debris-filled air contribute to an atmosphere that feels both grand and harrowing.

The semi-destructible environments look especially impressive. You can see brick walls pockmarked by bullets or splinter as a shell glances off, creating new lines of sight and cover opportunities on the fly. These dynamic set-pieces don’t just look good—they impact your tactics, forcing you to constantly reassess your surroundings.

Cinematic cutscenes bridge gameplay sections seamlessly, with motion-captured animations that convey the tension and chaos of large-scale battles. From the rumble of tanks advancing to the frantic scramble behind enemy lines, the presentation never loses its sense of scale or urgency. Even the HUD feels unobtrusive, letting the visuals drive the immersion.

Story

Set against the backdrop of Operation Cobra, the narrative of Call of Duty 3 immerses you in the final push from the Normandy beaches to the gates of Paris. While the campaign focuses on the U.S. Army’s breakout plan, it smartly branches out to include British, Canadian, and Polish units, highlighting the multinational effort of the Allied forces. The result is a broader, more inclusive portrayal of WWII’s Western Front.

Throughout the 14 missions, you witness the human cost of war: exhausted infantrymen huddled in trenches, tanks forced to hold their ground under heavy fire, and civilians caught in the crossfire. Though the French 2nd Armored Division—historically the liberator of Paris—is noticeably absent, the game compensates by showing the complexities faced by all four playable nations as they pound their way through fortified German defenses.

Cinematics and in-game dialogue serve to deepen character connections, from the stoic tank commander rallying his crew to the youthful rifleman making his first push across open fields. While the overarching storyline doesn’t stray far from standard WWII tropes, its focus on teamwork, sacrifice, and gradual liberation offers an emotionally resonant throughline.

Overall Experience

Call of Duty 3 stands as a solid installment in the franchise, blending intense singleplayer storytelling with robust multiplayer options. Its varied mission design—mixing infantry skirmishes, vehicular warfare, and scripted events—keeps the campaign from feeling repetitive. The ability to play through multiple national perspectives is a welcome evolution, even if a key historical unit is missing.

Graphically, it remains one of the stronger WWII shooters of its era, with destructible environments and high-quality cinematics elevating every firefight. The integration of new gameplay features, such as grenade toss-backs and quick-time disarms, provides just enough innovation to keep veteran players engaged while remaining accessible to newcomers.

Multiplayer shines with its blend of classic CoD modes and the new War mode, delivering both fast-paced skirmishes and strategic objective-based gameplay. Persistent squads, class specialization, and vehicle combat add layers of depth that extend replay value well beyond the singleplayer campaign. While not without minor flaws—such as occasional AI quirks—the overall package is polished and engrossing.

For fans of WWII shooters or anyone seeking a balanced mix of cinematic storytelling and competitive online action, Call of Duty 3 remains a compelling choice. Its portrayal of Operation Cobra offers both historical context and high-octane thrills, making it a recommendation worth considering for those building a classic shooter library.

Retro Replay Score

7.7/10