We've already told you how Call of Duty 3 is coming along on the PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. Now it's time for the Xbox 360 edition, and a lot is riding on this one. That's because the system's already seen a splendid part of the series, in the form of last year's stellar Call of Duty 2 release. Well, good news. It looks like Treyarch is keeping up in fine form with Infinity Ward's work, and the third chapter will be just as superb as the second...and maybe even better.

Today, we'll discuss the multiplayer nature of the game. At a recent Activision event, we had a chance to go all out in a 16-player versus match, with Axis (bad guys) versus Allies (good guys). Joining into a game was a breeze, and the game didn't run into any real hitches at all. All you have to worry about at this point is the vicious competition that awaits you...and if this test run was any indication, you have some scrambling to do in order to stay in one piece.

The two maps presented to us were a war-torn village and Eder Dam, which featured a dam that had almost been torn apart from its foundation. Seriously. The dam had been so ripped to shreds that you can actually access the underpass from jumping off the top of it.

Let's discuss the village first, which features a number of small houses, barns, and even a tribunal graveyard in which soldiers can hide from the opposition as they prepare for their next move. The game moves at a very fluid 60 frames per second, only slowing up when many details began smattering across the screen. The map indicator in the lower left half of the screen shows you your position, as well as the position of flags and enemy soldiers. (They're indicated in red, while your team members are in green.)

The first battle was a typical deathmatch mode, where we simply went shooting at each other with bullets going all over the place. However, one thing that's noticeable about this sequel is the new class levels in the game. Treyarch borrows a bit from the Battlefield series with this new move, but it adds some essence to the team play. You have light and heavy infantry, each with their own weapons and positions in the field; you have a medic, who can patch up soldiers who are mortally wounded; you have an antitank soldier, packing a bazooka with a limited number of shots; and you have a sniper, who can sit from a distance and take down soldiers with head shots.

With the second match in Eder Dam, we were introduced to Capture the Flag mode. This is where things get interesting, as players have to guard a point man who picks up the flag and tries to run it back to the base. That's because the flag carrier is defenseless. He can't fire a gun or lob a grenade, as the flag takes up the use of both of his hands. If he is killed or no one else picks up the flag, the enemy gets it back and then has a vital chance of scoring the opposing flag on a run of their own.

But it's with this mode that we found another borrowed element from Battlefield- the use of vehicles. We tooled around on motorcycles (good for speed, bad for taking battle damage) and rolled around in a tank, blasting away at enemies from afar with a few mortars. However, if you're on the receiving end of one of these shots, it's rather painful. Some soldiers (especially snipers) also have the ability to call in air strikes, in which the results can be devastating. The addition of these vehicles mix up the multiplayer action greatly, even if some of the deaths are more painful. I swear, I got ran over by a Jeep four times in one match. Maybe I should've taken the lower path in the dam instead of the upper.

The maps look outstanding, with all kinds of details and multiple paths to utilize as you try and get the jump on your enemies. The action is realistic as it gets. A few hits and you're done for. Hell, a perfectly fired headshot can end your run. And even if you're driving around in a tank, remember- you're not impervious. All it takes is a grenade or two and you're respawning in the midst of an explosion.

Single player mode is pretty much the same as the PS3 edition, with a number of missions to carry out with your team. The gameplay will be familiar to Call of Duty addicts, with the right trigger firing off your weapon, the left trigger giving you better aim, and the left and right shoulder buttons allowing you to lob different types of grenades (smoke and frag). It's not an original engine, but let's be honest. Would you replace an engine if it's working perfectly? Nah, I don't think so.

Call of Duty 3 should be a scorching experience for the Xbox 360 when it arrives next month. The single player missions are just as intense as they've ever been, and the multiplayer sessions have been improved with these classes and vehicles. Look for a full review when the game arrives in early November. In the meantime, watch out for tanks. Someone should put up signs.