When Infinity Ward and Activision first announced they were working on the World War 2 shooter Call of Duty back in 2003 many dismissed it, saying things like "We already have Medal of Honor!" and "Aren't there enough WW2 games already". It turned out to be a great game however, and it's no surprise Infinity Ward is working on a followup. We had the opportunity to interview lead designer Zied Rieke, who answers our questions about research, new engine technology, scripted events, AI and vehicles. There are also four new Call of Duty 2 screenshots here.

Shack: There have been many successful WW2 games the past few years and some gamers these days are beginning to say, "WW2 again?!" Why are you guys returning to this war and what are the things you are doing to keep it fresh? Zied Rieke: First, you have to remember that World War II was huge. No other war covered as much of the globe and had as much at stake. After the first Call of Duty, we knew there were other great battles and scenarios we wanted to put gamers in that they had never experienced, such as cliff assault at Pointe du Hoc or the British campaigns in North Africa. Second, we have a new engine that brings a new level of realism and intensity to World War II first person action, which goes beyond what we could do in our first game. Our campaign structure is also more open ended, allowing a more non-linear approach to completing missions.