Call of Duty 2: Big Red One

Composed by Graeme Revell

Track Listing

01 - Attract BRO ST bnc
02 - Bloomfield Dies ST bnc
03 - Bucholz Intro Comp Mix-01
04 - Bucholz Start Comp Mix-01
05 - Bucholz Vic alt Comp Mix-01
06 - Bucholz Victory Comp Mix-01
07 - Dragon Teeth Comp Mix-01
08 - Eilendorfer Crossing ST bnc
09 - Eilendorfer End Comp Mix-01
10 - Gela Cue 2 ST bnc
11 - Gela Intro Comp Mix-01
12 - Hawkins Injured ST bnc
13 - Kass Pass Climax Comp Mix-01
14 - Kass Pass intro Comp mix-01
15 - Kass Tank Chase Comp Mix-01
16 - Liberator BTuret Comp Mix-01
17 - Liberator Chin Turret Comp mix-01
18 - Liberator Ending Comp Mix-01
19 - Liberator Intro ST bnc

20 - Menu Front BRO Comp Mix-01
21 - Mons Chase Comp Mix-01
22 - Mons End ST bnc
23 - Mons For toCrash Comp Mix-01
24 - Omaha Cue #2 Comp Mix-01
25 - Omahaq End Comp Mix-01
26 - Omaha Intro 2B Comp mix-01
27 - Oran Intro ST bnc
28 - Oran Rail Comp Mix-01
29 - Pno Lupo Bunker Comp Mix-01
30 - Pno lupo Start Comp Mix-01
31 - Pno Luppo LTanks Comp mix-01
32 - Prolog into Town Comp Mix1-01
33 - Prolog TigerTank Comp Mix-01
34 - Tiger Tank Comp mix-01
35 - Troina Cue #3 ST bnc
36 - Troina DenlyDies Comp Mix-01
37 - Troina Entr Town ST bnc
38 - Troina Old Town Comp Mix-01

Total Running Time: 55:40

     As is becoming more the case with modern PC and console-based gaming platforms, the PS2 and Xbox version of the Call of Duty franchise is a whole different game from the PC-based sequel. Subtitled Big Red One, this title follows the exploits of the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division (also the topic of the film by the same name starring Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill). For this franchise, composer Graeme Revell pulls in double duty by scoring both Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty: Big Red One. While no one could have faulted him for similar results, his score is anything but a retread of the other.

     While Call of Duty 2 is a more generalized experience of the war effort (having the player battle for the Brits, the Russians, and the Americans), Big Red One is more straightforward in its construction and sticks with its subject matter for the entire run of the game. This approach is followed whole-heartedly by Revell, who provides an emotionally rousing score for this game which follows the Band of Brothers concept to a tee. Unfortunately, Big Red One, with its muted brass and primarily string and wood based orchestration, comes across as a glorified television orchestral score at times. I’m sure that the number of players for both Call of Duty 2 and Big Red One remained virtually unchanged, but the style is so different it’s hard to tell that both were originated for what was roughly the same project. Losing the big, epic sound of Call of Duty 2 is what makes this score unique, and (at the same time), not quite as enjoyable as its bigger brother.

     But once you’ve gotten used to the style, Big Red One has a lot of exciting tension building moments, along with several well-done cues that show case the “brotherhood” feeling that is encapsulated in the main theme (which itself also gets quite a workout). Being a score for a video game, and one that in its present form is not so well produced in its current CD form, you’ll be used to hearing a lot of the same style cues with little variation. This can be disheartening at times because it causes a lot of skipping around in order to get to the meat of the score. Like the album for Call of Duty 2, this score has current no slated plans for a legitimate release as of yet. As soon as more information is made available, this review will be updated.

     A different aspect of war than Revell’s other foray into the genre, but no less as compelling, Call of Duty: Big Red One continues the 2-0 streak of Revell’s burgeoning videogame career. And here’s looking forward to more projects in the future.

See Also