An eleven year old franchise isn’t probably up to anything new, you would be inclined to say, since 10 games must have surely exhausted all novelty out of the game. However, Call of Duty is out today and the question is whether developers went with satisfying longtime fans or with providing the ultimate change.
Market analysts haven’t predicted any positive news for the franchise that has sold more than 175 games worldwide. The $1 billion series is expected to have a drop-off of 40 percent in sales after last year’s release of “Call of Duty: Ghosts.”
Such drops in sales can only be attributed to the sense of familiarity that shooters have these days. Regardless of how many efforts developers put into flourishing the setting, everything seems the same, as if it were dug out of the recycle bin. So can Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare be any different?
For one, it provides an unfamiliar setting, the franchise claims, as the action is set in the year 2054. Players battle against new technology while in a futuristic setting that looks nothing like what other games have brought to the table. Swarms of flying robots much like Matrix’s sentinels cover the sky, as one of the many surprises in the realistic war simulation game.
Another feature is the “exoskeleton” which soldiers can now equip. With such technology on, soldiers can use heavy weaponry as well as accomplish superhuman feats. Consequently, the multiplayer experience is expected to be revived, developers say, especially since players will now be able to fly around or leap as opposed to being tied to the ground.
And did we mention Kevin Spacey? Well, indeed, Kevin Spacey is featured in “Advanced Warfare” as the evil private military contractor currently holding a United Nations Security Council seat. So gamers can surely expect major advances where in-game storytelling is concerned.
“If this is the direction they’re going, they’re going to be making movies,”
Spacey said when asked about the game.
The game also comes with a revamped weapons system, which will, as the franchise says, bring a nuance to the game’s weapons. They will be customizable, as users will be able to add unique attributes to each weapon, such as faster fire rate.
Level design has also changed to make stages more dynamic and allow users to progress through the game’s environments in different ways.
There are, however, already critique points, especially where the soldier’s funeral scene is concerned. COD features an in-game sequence of a funeral where users may choose to pay their respects or not.
“Press X to remember that a good friend of mine committed suicide in Iraq when plagued with depression. Ha ha Call of Duty, you nailed it. :|”
a veteran posted on his Twitter account in response.