Despite the name and the cover art, SoF doesn't play like some kind of Call of Duty predecessor. The story is military themed, but the gameplay really isn't, as John Mullins controls more like a superhuman ninja than a soldier. He's basically John Wick with a moustache. Combat is fast and frantic, lending itself more to reflex based spur-of-the-moment decisions rather than tactics or planning. It's extremely violent, but it's all very stylish. It feels over-the-top in a subtle enough way that it can't be taken seriously or really offend anyone, but not so crazy that it becomes a parody.
Everything feels very slick. The dismemberment system is what SoF is known for, but the gameplay would still be great without it. Each map is PACKED with enemies, even more so if you increase the spawn rates (which is one of the difficulty options). The environment explodes around you and shell casings litter the ground, as you sprint through the levels killing everything that moves like some kind of terrifying, unfeeling exterminator. It tickles something in my primal lizard brain and remains consistently entertaining throughout, though you'll need to increase the difficulty beyond the default if you want ANY kind of challenge. Weapons pack a satisfying punch both visually and audibly, and it has some of the most satisfying weapon animations I've ever seen in a game too. It might sound odd to say that the animation for switching to a weapon, or even just reloading one, can actually be memorable, but some of these have stuck with me for 18 years. It's almost like each weapon has its own little personality, and in a way it's kind of charming.
The level design is consistently good, except for a few confusing areas. The gritty underground environments of the early game are contrasted by the Japanese skyscraper, German castle, and the slick silver rooms with sci-fi technology of the later game. Although the drab sewers of Kosovo aren't very inspired, and the Iraqi Oil Refinery is frankly a sh*t level that should never have passed playtesting, they're slight flaws in an otherwise varied and memorable selection of environments. But most importantly there's no chest high walls and highly scripted sequences here, this is turn-of-the-millenium soldiering!