We recently had the opportunity to check out all the latest builds of Activision's forthcoming first-person shooter Call of Duty 3 at the company's press event in Santa Monica. In future articles, we'll discuss the Xbox 360 multiplayer and hands-on testing with the Wii. For now, we're going to discuss the forthcoming PS3 edition, and what gamers can expect from this latest WWII-based first-person shooter.

During our play time with the PS3 edition, we were only introduced to one level in the game, called The Forest. In this stage, the team has to advance through the foliage, surrounded by trees and leaves as they sneak up on Nazi posts and take out any awaiting enemies. Your player's primary weapon is a sniper rifle, which can be fired with the R2 trigger. To get the best effect of the sniper rifle, however, you have to hold down the L2 trigger so you can actually look through the scope. You can further enhance your aim by pressing in the analog stick, which enables you to hold your breath for a brief period of time to steady the rifle. This was a function introduced in Call of Duty 2 on the Xbox 360 last year, and it remains just as effective a tool in this game.

As we continued through the forest, we found more and more Nazi groups awaiting us. And they weren't standing out in the open either- they scattered in different spots in their outpost, hiding behind trees and then leaning out to take quick shots at the team. Treyarch, taking over for Infinity Ward, has done a good job with this engine, keeping the AI tight and surprisingly effective with their aim. You really have to scramble across the open terrain to avoid taking too much damage, or you're going to be another casualty of war. Like in COD2, you don't have a health meter. As you grow more damaged, the screen begins to redden.

The graphics in the PS3 version look pretty damn good. The game doesn't run as smoothly as the Xbox 360 version (not yet, anyway- it runs at 30 frames per second instead of 60), but it still moves very fast and has lots of detail. Streams of light shined through the trees as you made your way through the forest, creating a beautiful sense of ambience. The animation is very detailed as well. Hit a soldier in a non-vital area and they'll crouch down momentarily before deciding to shoot at you again. The visual effects are solid, although it would have been nice to see another stage to compare it with.

Meanwhile, let's talk play mechanics. The PS3 controller is surprisingly comfortable with a game such as this. You control movement of your player with the analog sticks, and the R2 trigger is used to effectively fire your weapon. The L2 trigger also comes in handy- hold it and you get better aim on enemies. You can also lob smoke and "frag" grenades to confuse or obliterate the enemy, using the L1 and R1 shoulder buttons. (You only have a few, so be cautious.) The melee attack can be triggered with the press of a button, or you can jerk the Sixaxis controller to lunge at the enemy.

The audio remains on par with the series. The music is just as stirring as it's ever been, taking heroic themes and playing them along the backdrop when dramatic scenarios arise. You'll also hear constant screams from both members in your squad as well as from the enemy. Many of the voice actors from Call of Duty 2 are back in full effect, including Aliens star Michael Biehn.

The only thing we didn't get to test out, however, was multiplayer. Treyarch assured us that the 360 and PS3 versions of the game would support up to 24 players in different games, including Capture the Flag and Deathmatch. We didn't get to test out the PS3's multiplayer functions, but Treyarch assured us it would be the same as the Xbox 360's- and those were fun as hell from what we tried out.

The game's tempo remains intense throughout, and that's good news. Treyarch has made a wise decision here, following in Infinity Ward's footsteps instead of trying something off the beaten path. Not that I don't mind creativity, but Call of Duty 2 for 360 was soooo good, and this one looks to be following suit. Rummaging through the forest and setting up defensive positioning for sniper fire is exciting, and the team has informed us that other levels in the game will be just as intense. Like I said, though, it would've been nice to see them. Our play time with the game was all too brief.

Call of Duty 3 is sure to be a fantastic game, and will provide potential PS3 owners with another quality FPS alongside Resistance: Fall of Man. And although the game isn't any different in nature from last year's Call of Duty 2, Treyarch is doing a bang-up job with the engine, and the gameplay adapts pretty well to the funky PS3 controller. Sure, the theme of WWII shooters may be growing tired, but if they've done this well, we can always put up with one more. Look for a full review next month.