Whenever you don't provide specific orders, your soldiers will automatically offer support and follow your lead. It didn't seem like our teammates were altogether that smart or effective. Unlike the able support given by allied soldiers in Call of Duty 4, for instance, you need to take care of enemies yourself. Several times we remained behind cover waiting for our pals to take out a nearby enemy, but the German soldier remained until we popped up and shot at him ourselves.

Our codependent allies followed close behind as we moved in from the rain. A massive cathedral housing a well-armed squad of Nazis provided hearty resistance. Unfortunately for them, the wooden benches they used for cover were effortlessly cut up by fire from a semi-automatic rifle. Cinematic shots portrayed gruesome deaths from bullets flying through the benches into German bodies. Stylish, to be certain, but also a bit disorienting since these cinematic camera angles occur at random. At least the graphics are gorgeous, so when you are yanked away from the action momentarily by a cinematic death-throe you can enjoy it in beautiful high resolution detail.

Aside from the stellar presentation that appropriately captures the raw look and sounds of the battlefield, Hell's Highway doesn't distinguish itself enough from other World War II shooters to justify great anticipation. Even with an appreciation for the careful attention paid to historical accuracy, it simply fails to do more than what has already been accomplished in other shooters. To be sure, it's a highly polished experience that will undoubtedly offer some enjoyment; however, it comes at a time when more than pretty graphics are needed to establish a leading role in an overcrowded genre.

Questions or comments? We'd love to hear from you .