The Cradle, de-dust, Ravenholm. There are many great games, but few truly great levels. The ones that, even in the best games of all time, still stand out as truly spectacular moments. Well for me, one of the best is Pegasus Bridge in Call of Duty. Really? I hear you ask. Surely it is the Battle of Stalingrad. No, you are wrong, so be quiet.
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| Like hide and seek, but with guns. So just like Liverpool then. |
It is great for one reason, it bloody terrified me! I am playing through Call of Duty again (for the Rose-tinted Replay, coming soon) and was thrown into a fit of nostalgia about this particular level. It is frantic, brutal even; enemy soldiers come from all angles (that's both sides of the bridge which I still don't really understand), tank after tank advance menacingly and your squad gets obliterated quickly (well apart from the invincible ones, but they are useless anyway). I remember trying time after time to beat this level, but never quite managing to survive. I would rage quit in frustration and bang my poor long suffering mouse on the desk. The reason I had such trouble. I didn't know quick saves bloody existed did I! I played through using just the crap checkpoints to save my progress!
It was a nightmare, no piece of cover was safe as the Germans came from everywhere, swamping the defencive positions. The tanks had to be dealt with quickly otherwise they would annihilate the Flak 88. Popping out of cover would result in death, staying still would result in death... it was too bloody hard.
With the night descending outside and the frayed nerves of a long frustrating gaming session leaving me worn and panicky, I broke. It was caused by a near miss, after a good hour or so I had finally managed to get near to the end of the level. The clock was counting down and getting agonisingly close to zero. The tanks reduced to smoking wrecks, the advancing Germans stalled by careful sustained fire. The clock ticked, and ticked and ticked. My heart rate racing with every steady second. And finally it reached zero. I cheered, threw my hands into the air, swore furiously. Sighing with relief I popped out of cover to watch the advancing saviours rout the pesky Germans and I was shot dead instantly... NOOOOO!!! 'But i won' I screamed, 'it was on zero. It was on fucking zero!' I reloaded the last check point... 2 minutes 14 seconds left on the timer... balls.
That was when I snapped. I am ashamed now when I think about what I did. Frazzled and tired I led my soldier into the bunker, crouched down and hid in the corner. With my gun directed straight at the door I shot any German brave enough to climb over the pile of bodies. As my comrades died all around me, I hid, not daring to even move for the entire 2 minutes and 14 seconds. It is a low point... I completed the game, but it was a cheap victory. I am marred forever by my cowardice.
It is a great mission and, now I know how to quick save, much easier to complete. Call of Duty at its manic, terrifying best.
You are so right :)
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