Call of Duty 2 is a 2005 first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in most regions of the world.

Announced by Activision on April 7, 2005, the game was released for Microsoft Windows on October 25, 2005, and as a launch title for the Xbox 360 on November 22, 2005.

Many features were added and changed from the original Call of Duty, notably regenerating health and an icon that indicates a nearby grenade about to explode.

[9] Retrospective reviews have been positive, with critics praising the game's improvements over its predecessor and innovations that become the series' mainstays, although some have found it dated.

In April 2006, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 2 Radiant, which allows a player to create their own multiplayer or single-player maps.

[14] Call of Duty 2 contains three individual campaigns, fought in the roles of four World War II soldiers, for a total of 27 missions.

[20] The player controls Private Vasili Koslov of the 13th Guards Rifle Division in December 1941, initially involved in the defense of Moscow from the advancing German troops.

The next objective involves battling for strongholds throughout Stalingrad throughout the middle of December 1942, including re-connecting cut telephone wires and re-capturing the rail-yard and train-station.

The player controls a British soldier, Sergeant John Davis of the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa, led by Captain Price.

The assault on El Dabaa to intercept the remaining Germans in Egypt and destroy several 88mm guns soon follows, ending the first British campaign.

[21] An addendum to the second set of missions has the player taking on the role of a British tank commander, David Welsh, while engaging German forces in Libya.

The first mission of the third campaign in Toujane, Tunisia, has the player immediately under fire, holding a house until they break out and rendezvous with the second squad.

[10] On April 7, 2005, Activision announced that Infinity Ward was developing Call of Duty 2, set for release in fall 2005 for PC.

In Call of Duty 2, we are creating the most intense and realistic action game imaginable with a stunning visual atmosphere and an advanced technology that delivers an unprecedented level of authenticity".

[22]The press release said players would engage enemies in a less linear battlefield, tackle the major battles chronologically, and use squad tactics not available in previous Call of Duty games.

Infinity Ward also confirmed making a "Battle Chatter System", similar to Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, where squad members converse to create situational awareness.

With the new game engine, Infinity Ward expanded the scope of combat to deliver a realistic battlefield experience and improved the visuals.

Players have the freedom to follow each of the four storylines through for the ultimate character-driven experience, or they can engage in the historic battles chronologically for quick hitting action.

Squads now have the freedom to take on a variety of mission objectives, on expansive battlefields that allow for multiple paths and the ability to utilize actual combat tactics like outflanking and fire and maneuver capabilities".

Vince Zampella, creative director of Infinity Ward, said, "We didn't want to take any of the parts out that made Call of Duty so good.

[25] Infinity Ward spent a lot of time on WWII battlefields, which led them to scrap whole levels for parts of the game that took place in France, since they found the location very different from what they imagined.

Thanks to a combination of sharp visuals, teeth-rattling sound effects, and tricky enemy AI, you'll be on the edge of your seat from the moment you're dropped into combat until your dying breath".

[39] For the PC version, IGN editor Tom McNamara was impressed with the presentation and graphics, describing them as "Excellent" and "smooth" respectively.

McNamara also praised the sound, describing it as "sad music, encompassing battle noise, and excellent voice work".

[44] GameSpy's Sal Accardo noted "Instead of feeling like a stale retread [of the original Call of Duty] or losing steam halfway through, it manages to be a blast from start to finish".

[49] Despite this praise, McNamara of IGN commented that he finds implementing regenerating health to be "a little troublesome", and that it allows players to "experience a kind of combat only a mythical super-soldier could withstand" which, therefore, "propels the game from gritty authenticity to John Woo fantasy".

According to ASA spokesperson Donna Mitchell, "Viewers felt that the ad was misleading because the quality of graphics was superior to that of the game's".