Even by the most conservative estimates, we here at IGN PC have killed more video game Germans than there are people on this entire planet. Every year, the FPS development community helps us raise that number by delivering up dozens and dozens of World War II shooters. Strategy First is making their own contribution this month with UberSoldier II , a budget title that deserves a spot above the weaker titles that usually occupies the bargain bin.

In the game, players take on the role of Karl Stolz, a one man, Nazi-busting hero who stabs, scorches and shoots his way through the German army's finest in a wide range of locations, from factories to city streets to train cars to other kinds of factories. Loads of enemies and loads of weapons keep the intensity high, while the rare puzzle elements ensure that there's also something for your brain to do. Of course, to capture as broad a market as possible, the puzzles aren't so hard as to alienate those of us who still drag our knuckles along the ground

Trapped+by+the+very+barricade+he+hoped+would+save+him. In between most of the missions you'll have a little cutscene that adds some elements to the story. Most of these are told in a comic book style, with nicely illustrated still panels with voice acting. It's kind of refreshing change from the overdone CGI cutscenes, but the actual content isn't all that compelling. To make up for the thin story (and to distract you from the fact that none of the German characters seem to have accents), the cutscene director has wisely focused most of the shots on the crotch or cleavage of the game's few female characters -- not that we're complaining or anything. Take special note of how cold the female protagonist must be in North Africa.

The story itself makes a lot of references to the events of the original game that may resonate with fans, but all you really need to know is that you need to shoot everyone who's wearing German Army grey or one of those special ops masks. There's something about production of a medicine called T9, a train to Dresden and a giant communication tower but let's face it: this game isn't about story, it's about shooting the crap out of hundreds of white guys.

One of the only really innovative ideas in UberSoldier II is the inclusion of UberSniper and Berserker modes. Basically, if you can score either three head-shots or knife kills in succession, you'll have a short window of time in which to score another head-shot or knife kill. If you can manage to pull it off, the headshots will drop you into Sniper mode and the knife kills will drop you into Berserker mode. In each of these modes, things become a bit easier for you. Enemies slow down, you don't have to worry about health or ammo and you can basically just kill the crap out of everything you see through your Uber-induced blur. It's a great mechanic because it rewards players who take the time to play with a bit of thought and skill.

The+explosions+look+quite+nice+as+long+you're+not+actually+in+them. It also rewards you with experience points that you can spend in between missions to boost your accuracy, health, or other general attributes. Best of all, you can use those experience points to actually boost the length of time you stay in Uber mode. While it initially arises out of the normal circumstances of playing, it eventually becomes one of the main goals you strive for during the game, both because of the experience boost and because it just looks cool when you start knocking guys out in slow motion.

Apart from that, though, there's nothing really fresh or innovative about the game's combat. Yes, there are flamethrowers, and, yes, you can shoot your enemies' helmets off, but the game just serves up the same Tommy guns, wooden crates and second-story snipers we've seen in every other game of this type. Even the few set pieces feel a bit tired by now. Firing the .50cal from the back of a jeep as it speeds through a sewer system, or using a train's AA gun to blast another train that's racing right alongside your own, or battling it out with a lightning wielding super soldier along the catwalks and gantries of a giant communication tower, all sound like wonderfully exciting scenarios but the actual gameplay is just too one-dimensional for you to feel much personal involvement.