The first portion worth diving into is the single player minded “Campaign.” For the past several years, a handful of familiar faces and conflicts encompassed this limb. But with a new dawn comes a slew of fresh characters and story lines. The setup happens quickly and the ball gets rolling in a hurry. So I’ll try to be brief. The United States military is prepared to put the finishing touches on an orbital ultra-weapon called ODIN that will ensure the red, white, and blue will remain the dominant world super power for decades (and perhaps centuries) to come. Just as the in-space crew prep for system boot (in a scene Alfonso Cuaron would be proud of), an opposing force take siege onto the installation and assume control of the payload.. Swiftly, they turn the missiles against the homeland and devastate entire cities, amassing a huge death toll. This leaves the U.S. teetering on the brink of ruin.
Ten years pass, and you find yourself in the shoes of Logan Walker, an infantry troop enlisted into a military force down on resources, weapons, and personnel. Along with your brother Hesh and combat ready German shepherd Riley, a “day-to-day” operations outlook becomes something bigger when a routine scouting detail turns up new intel on the Federation, the organization responsible for the initial attacks that have quickly become Earth’s formidable war hammer. They’re planning something big. Before a proper counter strategy can be formulated, the Feds attack the U.S. main base in Southern California, led by the ominous Rorke. Down on their luck and out of time, this surge appears to be the end of the Walker brothers. Until they are rescued by members of the Ghosts. A tight knit band of soldiers that were once forged from the blood of fallen brothers. With their super-natural like skills and abilities, the Ghosts become vital in the fight against the Federation and their latest plan to rule the world.
Breaking ground on a new IP, even amidst a heralded franchise, gives the devs, designers, writers, engineers, ect. the opportunity to turn things in different directions and try things that may not have been cohesive otherwise. If this was titled Modern Warfare 4, well, that would have a certain set of expectations in many different facets (gameplay, story, characters, level “flow,” all that). Honestly, I’m not sure Infinity Ward took full advantage of a fresh canvas to give radically new ideas a go. About 90% of the time, you’ll be in control of Logan Walker. For about 95% of that time, you’ll have a gun in your hand, usually of the fully automatic variety, trouncing Fed after Fed in an effort to reach the objectives laid out for the current chapter. I would describe this as a “guided hand” experience. You never feel lost or out of place; rarely unsure of where to traverse or what action to take. The campaign banks on the 6-8 hours spent being one of grandiose spectacle. A hard-charging, “hair on fire,” hellishly loud thrill ride.
The actual gameplay is really more of the same from the MW brand, and the skeletal roots of the WWII era can still be observed. Playing through on the regular difficulty was really, really easy. You start practically every mission with a great loadout of weapons with plenty of ammo that is tailored for the battle ahead. Close quarters affairs spawn you with a bullet hose SMG or assault rifle. Assignments that require a bit more stealth (which aren’t many), will supply something with a suppressor. If ammo becomes a point of concern, the Feds usualy carry similar style weapons. Hold X to pick up a new one and go! Specific events within a chapter also ensure simple play. A portion calling for you to take someone out at a distance conveniently supplies a long scope rifle, just in case you don’t already have one within your kit. Ghosts makes sure you’re well taken care of; all you have to do is pull the right trigger.
Serious challenge doesn’t seem to be the intended “point.” The aim here is to entertain. And to do that effectively, IW takes the “administrative” worry away. That falls on the shoulders of the campaign comrades. Your brother Hesh, Ghosts squad mates Merrick & Keegan, and (Army) man’s best friend Riley. The cast of characters is good and bad in how they affect playing the game. First, the plus. Riley is amazing. I’m a cat person, plain and simple. I’m not some lunatic that hates dogs, I just wouldn’t want one as a pet. I would take in Riley without blinking. They’ll be moments where Logan will be commanded to “sync up” with the pure breed. This action puts you squarely in his four paws. Quickly shuffling through the tall grass, using his mounted camera to scout for useful info is only topped by stalking around, stealthily sizing up troops for a leaping take down and angrily ripping out the poor bastard’s throat. Sometimes, Riley will accompany you as Logan with the AI controlling him, affording you the ability to highlight a target and tap LB to send him sprinting forward in violent pursuit. The dog is tough, so to play some easy strategy I would find the furthest enemy within a given firefight and allow Riley to take him out as the rest of us shot down closer, subsequently easier, foes.
What’s not so great is how the fellow human friendlies are utilized. Returning to the “guided” theme, Merrick, Keegan, and Hesh are usually responsible for the “planning” element of missions. You aren’t asked to look at a battle situation and decide what to do. You’re explicitly told and shown who needs to be shot, or what installation needs to be targeted, or which group of vehicles should be “painted” for heavy artillery strikes. Outside of deciding what order to kill/destroy the aforementioned, Ghosts doesn’t ask you to “think” much. I, for one, am not the biggest fan of that. Although, this does afford some very cool “set pieces.” These are the once, maybe twice, events within a mission that are carefully set up and executed “on zulu.” Breaching doors isn’t some mundane activity. An explosive charge, a powerful kick, or even a super leap from Riley leads into slo-mo events intended for you to one hit headshot kill every you-know-what in the room. Yes, these moments are also not difficult if not “fool proof,” but they do illustrate the single player in its best light. They are the memorable/quotable bits amongst the areas of mindless shooting.
Now we get to perhaps the worst part of campaign: the story. Look, I understand that 1). this is a video game, not a movie, and 2). the MW CoD games didn’t feature the most rewarding narratives. Still, some competency would have been nice. The “frame” is you’re out manned and outgunned, right? While that may be true from a screen play scenario, I never “felt” that way. As a part of the U.S. military, you and your fellow patriots use “all you have left!” to throw at the bad guys. In theory, that sounds interesting. In practice, this means you have top of the line guns and ammo at all times, are afforded heilo evac when necessary (which winds up being a lot), and even have access to major vehicles like attack choppers and tanks. At one point, Logan and crew find themselves on an aircraft carrier. The U.S. is supposed to be relative moments from total ruin. The proverbial doomsday clock is excruciatingly positioned at 11:59pm. And yet we still have fighter jets laying around? This is only worsened by the narrative arch. Jumping from chapter to chapter is only explained during the 30 or so second load screens. One moment you’re asked to “hold the shore” in California, then executing a capture mission in Caracas the next. Or go from the jungles of South America to a freezing Federation base in the extreme northern hemisphere. Again, if resources weren’t supposed to be so limited, cool. I just find it hard to believe a military that has to make do with hotels converted into FOBs have the ability to globe trot at a moment’s notice.
The AI in Ghosts is strong, thankfully. The enemies, while being static in their movements, are agressive and target you most often. The campaign does make sure you have the “agro” a majority of the time. Also, they’re programmed to take advantage of new “tricks of the trade,” like contextual leaning. The friendlies seem to “scheme” well around your actions. To be honest, they’re “invincible” (outside of a few instances where friendly fire is on), so you don’t have to actively worry about keeping them alive. But you can make it easier for them to get their share of the kills. There was one notable checkpoint where I used a rocket launcher called the Panzerfaust to clear an entire room of pesky enemies. By the time I could get down there to clear any remaining tangos, my peeps had already marched in, secured the area, and where waiting for me to catch up. This isn’t revolutionary stuff, it’s just a relief this potion of the game isn’t clumsy, and that deserves a “good job” nod. Still, it feels like an opportunity was missed here. I can remember one portion in a middle chapter where stealth is paramount and essential to survival. That 20-30 minutes might be the most rewarding of all. No, IW shouldn’t have made a Splinter Cell clone. Although, removing the Modern Warfare sub banner and putting up Ghosts affords the freedom to stretch the creative wings out a bit and dare to change a few keystone conventions so the game stays true to history, but cuts its own path. Ya know, kinda like CoD: 4 did. That seemed to work out just fine. If $60 was for this alone, it would be tough for me to suggest for the asking price. Luckily, there are stll two main parts left that can look to even the score and take the lead.
While the campaign has a similar flavor to past IW releases, the co-op section is evolutionary. Two main “veins” run through this portion of the disc. First is Extinction. Team up with up to three others in a “horde” style game with grotesque aliens composing the evil foes. You’ll be asked to “drill” out their hives in an attempt to eradicate them from a quaint little town that’s tailor made for some unfortunate apocalyptic circumstance to occur. Managing what role each team member will play is crucial. The first choice is class type. Conveniently, there are four to choose from: Weapon Specialist, Tank, Engineer, and Medic. It remains to be seen if the best course is to split the team equally or use multiple of one template. Most of the groups I ran with had an even distribution and that seemed to work pretty well. Of course, each class has certain “abilities” afforded to them. Medics can move quicker and revive downed folks faster. Engineers provide armor for the drill and can repair it easier. Successful drills and good performance net each member Skill points, which can be used at any time during the game, not just “after the round.” So Tanks can get a 50% increase in health or Weapons Specialists can start reloading faster in the heat of battle. The second major character decision to make is what Power Ups to run with. Every player gets four, each corresponding to a direction on the D-pad. In all, there are 20 choices ranging from different types of ammo replenishment (Incendiary, Armor Piercing, ect) to high powered weaponry like Sentry Guns and Mortar Strikes to Riot Shields and grenade launchers. There are even some strange options like Feral Instincts. When deployed, everyone has a timed “boost” of characteristics such as movement speed and the ability to see the intergalactic insurgents through walls.
The simplistic comparison for Extinction is, of course, Treyarch’s Zombies. Sure, I’ll concede that the setup is four people at the edge of civilization trying to fend of the “forces of darkness.” That’s where most of the similarities end. Okay, you start with a pistol and have to earn money to pick up other weapons on the map and buy the Power Ups I listed earlier. Unlike Zombs, this mode has a definite end. Not just like getting off Alcatraz only to be sent back, either. It is very possible to “win” Extinction, and should be the goal. Also, the “checkpoint” system is much more fluid. Aliens can and will spawn/attack at all times. Yes, certain “queues” will make them appear in stronger numbers, like during a drill attempt. But don’t expect being able to “walk” around one of the smaller enemies while everyone else takes all the time they want to “gear up.” Extinction does offer brief down time to prepare for the next excavation, just not much.
Speaking of enemies, this is another point of separation, as a range of different baddies will be thrown your way from moment to moment. Some seem to be modeled similar to Promethean Crawlers from Halo 4 while others act about the same as Tickers from Gears of War lore. These comparisons are not meant for any sort of foul judgement or vitriol. It’s just kind of clear where the inspiration came from for a few of them. My favorite, though, seems to be a construction all Neversoft’s own. A Scorpion is a medium sized bug that literally leaps from building to building and lobs liquid bombs from its tail. And if someone is down, the person in trouble gets drenched, making them and their immediate perimeter poison. Oh yeah, this isn’t the “mindless” undead. The sheer “numbers” of enemies may not be quite as much during a deep zombie run round, but the aliens seem to actively think and use their abilities in synergy with the others to make for an awesomely addictive challenge. I had a ton of fun with this game type and can’t wait to spend extended time to tinker with different classes and gear to see what’s optimal. Right now, there only seems to be one “map” on the disc. However, I’m sure many more are on their DLC way in the coming months.
The second cooperative choice is a bit perplexing in terms of being seriously enjoyable or not. The premise is this. You “command” a section of elite soldiers and have full administrative rights over their appearance and loadouts. Select between starting primary and secondary, attachments, Perks, all that. Most modes feature six soldiers per squad, so make those choices count! Make a balanced team, or go heavy of long range capabilities. The choices are yours. In most match types, you’ll be “playing” as one of the members. So what I did is create one soldier to the same specifications as my primary multiplayer class and adjusted the others to “role players.” A couple of CQC peeps, a sniper, an LMG specialist, and so on. Hurry and gear up because a range of different modes await!
Squad vs. Squad is 1v1 with AI controlled ‘mates in tow. Essentially, you and your group of bots will do battle with another human and their band. Compete in assorted match types as you work towards ironing out the best strategies in character selection and in game. One thing to note is with equipment. Unlocking something (gun, attachment, whatever) only applies to that one member. Also, from what we could gather, you actually have to be in control of a specific soldier for them to rank up. AI control wont cut it. The second mode, Safeguard, is a co-op experience for up to four real life compadres against either 20, 40, or unlimited waves of tangos ranging from guys in hoodies with rifles to troops in full on riot gear. Wargame is another humans vs. CPU playlist in 1-6 v AI format, following a more “traditional” approach to facing “bots” in a standard multiplayer facet. The last is Squad Assault. Think SvS, but without another human on the other side. You are the only “real” soldier on the map. Take on the Squads of your friends to see if their micro managing skills are as good as yours. And be sure to visit Squad HQ to not only fix loadouts, but choose the name of your guys and gals, check out records against other Squads, and pick which gametype and map you want to accompany the troops when challenged.
The centerpiece here is the AI and how it acts in a “multiplayer” type environment. The pervading, over-arching themes are they “do the little things” and “mind their p’s and q’s.” Depending on how you design their gear is exactly the way they will behave in matches. A SMGer will use objects around them to narrow the distance between themselves and someone from the other side instead of rushing head long. Naturally, squad members outfitted with snipers will find a good place to post up and ring in shots from a distance. One of the coolest things during the play test was when I ran up on a likely sniper lookout. Even though no one was home when I cleared the area, an I.E.D (explosive, plant-able equipment) almost killed me. This shows the previous occupant had setup the room to camp. Something most humans would do without “thinking” about; but the fact the AI was intelligent enough to do the same is impressive. A really deadly Squad template is LMG. There was one match where all but maybe two of my ten or so deaths came from that dude. They crouch perfectly in the thicket of bush cover and plug all wanderers with solid shots.
Yeah, that’s right. I said ten or more deaths. I died several times at the hand of the computer, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. They’re tough and work as a team. They quickly dispatch your equipment, then follow up with something to take advantage. Being deadly accurate is another construct. If they get the drop on you, you’re probably dead. Now, all of this praise is applicable for balanced Squads. Ones that have varied gear and such. For the sake of “science,” Adam Ma of Gamingunion.net and I ran a series of experiments. The first was to see just how OP a group of all snipers would be in a standard TDM game. So he set his squad mates with snipers and scopes of all sorts while mine was left “conservative,” a mixed bag of different sets. We also made it tough by selecting one of the game’s biggest maps, Stonehaven. A beautifully rendered, open pasture map with a few buildings. Ideal for his team. Conclusion was although his team won, it wasn’t a route. So perhaps the AI is so good, my team knew to move swiftly and with purpose to corner them with better close range weaponry. Possible.
The second set of variables was the exact opposite. I designed my team with close range in mind. All SMG and assault weapons with Perks like Sleight of Hand, Agility, Quickdraw, et cetera. And the game was Cranked on Strikezone, a small, object rich area. Absently minded, we forgot to switch his Squad back from all snipers. Should be a landslide, then. Well, it was, for his team. My CQC specialist got beat by the group of snipers 100-34. Definitely not the yield we were anticipating. We’re honestly not sure what caused this or what other factors might have been at play. Perhaps more time in Squads will reveal what went wrong. What is clear is the AI works best in its intended design. Creating really off the wall sections creates really off the wall results. Time (and possible title updates) will tell if this remains true for the longevity of this title.
The “ways to play” that have been talked about to this point display many ups and downs. Low points and high points. Undoubtedly, the most solid portion to Ghosts is Multiplayer. For all those worried about the “direction” of the most valued asset to the CoD brand, don’t. That fluid, twitchy-esque base is well in tact. Character and camera movement is as silky smooth as ever. Positioning the hip fire markers and scope reticles retains authentic precision with no odd moments of delay or “lag.” To me, this is what separates CoD MP, particularly Infinity Ward’s flavor, over the other episodic FPS brands out there. The core “feeling” of the series since 2007 is in tact. To add to this, Ghosts introduces a few new animations that should aid in player movement once the community gets used to utilizing them.
Two are engineered to help the character model get around more efficiently. Mantling, as it’s being called, is a re-tooled version of scaling over low objects like crates. Back in August, this feature didn’t quite relay the desired effect. Methodically jumping a barricade was still slow. Now, though, it does seem to quicken the process a bit, but there is still a notable “pause” vaulting from cover. On the other hand, the Knee Slide is the real deal. Sprint, then hold crouch to drop and scoot forward. Right now, this is most helpful gliding into Domination points if someone on the other team is camping a control point. The last of the bunch is Contextual Leaning. Edging up close to the end of a wall displays a small arrow on the HUD. When this occurs, aiming down brings up the scope/iron sight AND tilts the camera in that direction, keeping most of the character behind cover. CL plays out effectively as another anti-camping tactic, affording pot shots on someone just posting up in a sniper perch. The cool thing is that all of these feel very “natural” to perform. And with enough practice, they will become second nature, like tapping reload after a kill.
With that in mind, there are some notable wholesale changes abound, particularly in the managing department. The traditional Class system has been taken down for a more customizable approach. One LIVE profile is entitled to ten slots. And each can Prestige once. So, ten total Prestige “levels” can be achieved. The categories for adjustment are: Gender, Head, Headgear, Uniform, and Clan Tag. Basically: pick male of female, choose basic facial features (as well as some sweet war paint options), select a helmet, suit up in a uni, and if the whole prefix thing raises interest, then set that as well. All of the menus have many options that will need to be unlocked. No surprise there.
Next stop in creating the ultimate soldier is setting Loadouts, starting with the primary. All of the usual types are back. Assault rifles and SMGs share a similar pedigree, with the former having more range and the latter less time between ejected rounds. ARX-160 and Honey Badger are the best of the bunch for ARs. The 160 has good long shot consistency and a built in hip fire laser. HB seems to feature the best “rhythm” in terms of fire rate, which makes it deadly accurate. And a stock suppressor is also nice. The most solid attachment to use with the Badger is the new Tracker sight. It narrows the peripheral field of vision and traces a yellow outline around an enemy when spotted. Think Target Finder with less, and much more useful, zoom. Sweet. The SMG class isn’t quite as impressive, and needs a ton of help by Perk selection to be really effective. Although, the MTAR-X has a great iron sight and, if built right, can be a runner n’ gunner’s best friend.
LMGs and Shotguns have been adjusted so they fit more into their intended roles. An M27-IAR, for instance, really sacrifices accuracy when being toted around, but staying stationary with it allows the shots to find their intended home with more frequency. Shottys have to pseudo sub classes within the ranks. A selection like the Bulldog hurls shells in rapid succession. It’s intention is to scare as much as it is mangle. Sitting opposite is something like a Tac 12. This is a heavy, sluggish (pardon the pun) piece that needs a calculated trigger pull. If the proper technique is applied, though, that fool is dead! The best part about this type in Ghosts is the player still needs to be at a close distance to do real damage. It’s a shotgun, it shouldn’t be effective at long range, and here it’s not. Thankfully.
If distance is your game, look no further than the Marksman and Sniper classes. Snipers, of course, are what they are. Big, loud, and lethal from distance. Among the herd, a new addition is the Lynx. Its benefit is balance, striking a great chord between damage and stability. Of course, the Marksman set is being introduced with this title. Some come stock with a 3.5x scope or longer, and that just doesn’t mesh. At that point, a sniper might as well be used. These were designed to bridge a gap in weaponry. So a sight that resides in the middle makes the most sense. ACOG and Red Dot are perfect with something like the IA-2. In single shot or three round burst, each bullet feels “meaningful.” Also, the tactile response from using them is just cool. The sound and rumble patterns are additively crisp. Used in a support role, especially for objective game types, at least one person per team should be strapped with a Mark.
Secondaries are basically broken down into two types: side arms and launchers. Traditional pistols (P226) are met with the rapid “machine” choices (PDW). Honestly, if the going gets tough, try reloading the primary first in a heads-up duel. As a sniper in a close up pinch, maybe you can get lucky and wind up with the kill. Otherwise, this slot might be better suited for the other, more explosive, option. The Kastet has an old school feel. The blast radius isn’t great, but releasing a shell has that sweet thud sound. Toobers rejoice, this one’s for you. Anti-vehicle specialists should look to the Panzerfaust. A WWII relic finds new life in 2013. With a revitalized sight, targeting destructive aerial forces becomes more doable. As with secondaries, expect more of the same from equipment. The Lethal and Tactical spots return again. Old faves like frags and concussions team up with some rookies. Notably the Canister Bomb and 9-Bang. CBs can’t be thrown very far, but have a TON of splash damage, making the ideal “bunker buster.” The 9 is most effective when fully cooked. When all the HUD quadrants have been filled, it offers a basic flashbang function as well as emitting a localized EMP charge. Sign me up for the new tac any day.
Strike Chains and Strike Packages introduced in MW3 return for another tour of duty. Honestly, most folks will probably roll with the Assault package, which sets awards that are more personally useful. Sure, everyone benefits from SAT COM (a grounded equivalent to the UAV), but Guard Dog and Gryphon are all about self preservation. An online version of Riley becomes available after five consecutive kills. Armed with Kevlar and a razor sharp teeth, he’ll alert you of enemies close with a bark and will bite anyone within striking distance that doesn’t take him down first. Best part is he sticks around through respawns; he must be killed to get booted from the match. Ten unanswered takedowns grants the mighty Gryphon. A four prop “AR drone” armed with explosive rounds that can one shot kill with an accurate pelt. Of course there are a litany of others. The saving grace of this set seems to be a very limited number of air bound assists. Ones like the AC-130 or Pave Low. Those types do exists, but they aren’t so effective that they completely overwhelm the opposing team and make the match unplayable. A standing ovation should be paid to the multiplayer design team for that choice in adjustment. Because Chains are built on points accrued and not kills, that opens the door for a Package like Support. While the other two do reset after a death, dying will not eliminate Support’s total. Concordedly, the Pointstreaks are tailored to aid other teammates with things like ammo with the Box of Guns, or keep the Support player alive with Ballistic Vests and the sort. The last type is Specialist, which replaces trinkets with more Perks. Honestly, it’s hard to see the usefulness of this one, particularly after examining the renovations in this department.
Perks find a new allotment system in Ghosts. Each loadout is granted eight points, assuming a secondary, an attachment, and lethal & tactical equipment have been assigned. If these are left clear, 12 credits become available. The OG types: Speed, Handling, Stealth, Awareness, Resistance, and Equipment are joined with a new category, Elite. All of the above feature Perks of one, two, and three values, with just a couple in the four to five range. The term synergy is applicable with laying out a Perk set. For instance, Sleight of Hand, Quickdraw, Marathon are best suited for an LO with an SMG primary. Focus (decreased flinch) and Fully Loaded (spawn with an extra clip) could benefit Marksmen and Snipers. The most “expensive” Perk is Deadeye. At a five value, this increases the probability of increased bullet damage for successive kills. The more unanswered frags, the more shot power.
Another set of incredibly solid factors to Ghosts MP are maps and modes. Included on the disc are 14 locales that average a medium-large arrangement. Some are really compact (Strikezone) and a couple are sprawling (Stonehaven), but balance encapsulates the majority. Through the initial hours, the design seems much “smarter.” Meaning there aren’t many instances where one or two “lookouts” can completely dominate a map. It’ll take a concerned effort from all teammates to assert and keep map control, as it should be. Thumbs up. Also, look for Field Orders and Dynamic Map Events. FOs are awarded by “picking up the briefcase” and performing the requested action, such as killing an enemy whilst crouched. Success grants a care package with a random item. DMEs are those trailer worthy moments when an action is performed that adjusts an object or objects on the map. Blowing up the gasoline pumps on Octane sends the overhang timber-ing down, killing anyone in the way and creating a makeshift wall for cover. Not all maps have this feature, and really only a few are rocking them. Something says future DLC will probably change that average. In terms of what is being played, joining the usual Kill Confirms and Dominations are a slew of new selections, including: Search and Rescue, Cranked, and Blitz. S&R plays much like Search and Destroy, except kills drop tags, a la KC. If a teammate picks them up before the other side does, the fallen gets to respawn. That change forces both sides to worry about planting/defending the bomb instead of just trying to eliminate everyone. Blitz has a CTF backbone with more carnage thrown in. Two scoring zones light up when the match begins. Crossing into the enemy “endzone” awards a point and a teleport back to the friendly zone. The restriction being zones have a ten second “cool down” period. So a Conga line of players can’t catapult their team to a big lead in one surge. Planning and strategy makes all the difference. The last, and subjectively speaking best, is Cranked. Simple: kill an enemy and a 30 second timer starts. Kill again before time is up or you go boom!
According to those in “the know,” the emphasis on Clan support will be increased with the new game. And nowhere is that more evident than with the Call of Duty App. Developed by Beachhead Studios, in collab with IW, the App provides Clan creation and statistics tracking. Clan info can go cross-platform now, observing a “console family.” In other words, a Clan started on the 360 can exist on the ONE as well. Starting a band instantly enrolls the team in a Clan War. Two month long “theaters” are waged between groups of eight. Different “Zones” are battled for based on various gametypes. So, if a Clan spends a majority of the time in Domination, there is a scoreboard specific to that. When a Clan has control of the board (so to speak) for a type, every member will receive some award for being in first, such as 25% more XP. And any match played on LIVE contributes to the War. It’s not the case that there is a Clan Wars playlist, but Wars are an enveloping feature to online. And the App is a very effective place to view the team’s status. Full customization options for Clan unis and layouts, as well as a player’s individual Soldiers are available. Second Screen Integration, a hot topic leading into the new generation of consoles, is another addition to the App. During a match, the phone/tablet screen features the list of loadouts and tapping another LO will queue that one up for the next respawn. Look for the CoD App now on iOS, select Android platforms, and coming soon to Windows 8.
The last bit might be the most important, given what system this particular review is for. There has been a lot of chatter concerning the graphical quality of the two next gen machines in lieu of it being revealed the PS4 version is running 1080p straight from the GPU while the ONE is native in 720 and is “up-scaled” to 1080p. I’ll save a technical discussion to the theories as to why. What I can objectively say is that I couldn’t visually discern a difference between the two builds. From single player, to Extinction, to Squads and MP, the graphical quality to the ONE’s generated 1080p is awesome. The “emptiness” of space has depth and gravitas. Lush jungle canopy come alive with movement and sharpness. Big set objects like trains and buildings approach photo-realism, but don’t quite achieve that badge. Comparisons to other games are difficult at this time because we’re in the land of launch. There isn’t a huge library over several years to draw from. Visually speaking, Infinity Ward and company have taken great first steps. What’s more impressive? The sound quality. The audio engineering for the campaign has always been a specialty since Modern Warfare. Expect more of the same. Where a huge upgrade can be heard is in multiplayer. Gone are the days of two bullet sounds: up close and far away. Shots and explosions have many layers that are depended on the situation. A sniper shot in the wide open from distance comes in with a whisper. An indoor Panzerfaust round within a few feet is deafening. More impressive, even, are the mid range repeated tones of an automatic weapon that sends audio in defined spaces instead of spamming the room with “pewpewpew.” Even the shell casings after fired rounds can be heard; of which are proportional to the number of shots taken. Spatially, the CoD brand has never come close to this level of detailed, attentive, and purposeful design.
Before the summary, I would just like to sincerely thank Activision and Step 3 for having us out and allowing the opportunity to meet the ladies and gentleman that created the game while offering full access to their product.
