If Paras really were this small, it's no wonder they could parachute in unnoticed...

So this is what it's like to be God. From our lofty vantage point, we're following events as tiny allied paratroopers wage war on tiny Nazis. Look! There's a tiny GI crumpling to the very tiny cobblestones clutching a tiny exit wound in his chest. Better get St Peter to make up another bed...

But what's this? One of the remaining tiny paratroopers is fighting with incredible, tiny bravery. Just took at him lob those tiny grenades and mop up the eeny weeny fleeing German conscripts with his tiny sniper rifle. Of course, it's no big surprise he's winning World War 2 single-handed. He is on a mission from God, after all. So smite away, little paratrooper. This war ain't going to win itself.

But first, a small confession. During the opening levels of Combat Elite, our gung-ho hearts sank like Mulberry Harbours and we almost broke the Dual Shock 2 trying, in vain, to force the bloody camera down to an angle approaching 'combat useful' or, as we like to call it, 'horizontal'. Third-person warface can be good (especially if you can swing it during a real conflict) - the thing is, initially, Combat Elite's top-down perspective felt more like a secret Axis weapon aimed at Churchill's shiny bonce than a Switzerland-neutral, stylistic choice.

Thankfully, though, time in the field is a valuable teacher, revealing a thoughtful and fresh-faced recruit to the growing regiments of WW2 shooters on PS2. Essentially, buying Combat Elite: WWII gets you Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance with ranged weapons and ration books. No, really. This makes use of the same graphics engine, shared gameplay elements and several of the action RPG's development team.

Oddly enough, the shift from double-headed axes to Thompson machine guns has actually slowed down the pace of combat. With melee combat a relative rarity, and enemy AI on a default "Gott in Himmel!" setting, the steamroller approach to mission success will invariably earn you a serious spanking. An alerted goon on the margin of the screen can - and will - now you down given a clear shot, and it's something you adapt to quick smart. Adopt a crouch, cover and advance approach, then, and the game's curtailed forward perspective suddenly becomes an ally. And in this way, tense exploration interspersed by pockets of brutal, noisy suppression rapidly becomes the currency of victory. Protect your skilled NPC comrades (or a mate playing alongside you in Gauntlet-style, co-operative play) for a handful of missions and before long you'll be amassing points that you can use to enhance warmongering attributes from grenade lobbing to stealth and rifle work.

Tense and rewarding, Combat Elite: WWII Paratroopers possesses more immediacy than its RPG-alike perspective suggests, but it comes with a word of warning. If you demand relentless fraggery, get Medal Of Honor: Frontline or the upcoming Brothers In Arms instead. If, however, you're after a longer view of WW2, Combat Elite's thoughtful perspective on events is as welcome as it is unusual.

Graphics 80%
Detailed war zones with superb animation.

Sound 70%
Suitable retro and basic.

Gameplay 80%
A slow burner but genuinely rewarding.

Lifespan 70%
Plenty of depth to keep you playing.

Overall 70%
Combining a WW2 shooter with RPG and strategy-lite elements has produced a likeable and engaging one-off. Good stuff.