Platform: Xbox 360

Developers:
Infinity Ward
Raven Software
Neversoft

Publisher: Activision

Release Date:
November 5, 2013

Genre: First Person Shooter

Nerd Rating:
8.5 out 10 (single player)
8 out of 10 (multiplayer)

Reviewed by Shadow Links

Another year, another Call of Duty title. At least thats what the people who think the series is all the same say. Personally I think they see the aspects that make it a first person shooter and look no farther. Ghosts is not another Modern Warfare or even another Black Ops. It is a new first-person shooter of Call of Duty caliber looking in new directions. Whether it gets there or not, we’ll see. Just a little note for you reading this, I split it into single and multiplayer sections since there is such a emphasis on the multiplayer.

When I play an Infinity Ward game, I expect a Micheal Bay movie. Remember the modern warefare series? Watching nukes, high action sequences, and more. Well that continues in this game, but with a interesting addition on a personal level. Before you were never more than a soldier in a war, you might have bonded with your squads but beyond that was only the enemies. In this game you start listening to a story. It tells of the origins of the phantom like Ghost squad in a situation similar to the movie 300. You find that it is being told by your father to you and your brother while out hiking. Immediately you already assume these bonds no matter how cliche it might be, and it begins the creation of how personal this game becomes. In addition to your family members you also have a dog which accompanies you on some missions and is even controllable in certain parts. I would have like to see more integration in using the dog other than sicking him on one enemy at a time in combat. The story utilizes these connections to forge an adventure which typically explains how everything is connected and build a enemy you can just hate, but doesn’t quit have the oh shit moment that hits you hard that would have topped everything off.

Oh look, Sharks…

As for combat, don’t expect too much to change in terms of a normal firefight, but there are some pleasant surprises. One being controlling a tank while you participate in a massive attack on an installation while another infiltrates a building in pure darkness. A variety of environments brings a little change to each level as you equipment changes to suit it. Your weapons arent much different nor are the attachments, but the equipment has upgraded to a nice twist on a flashbang that can be cooked for more bangs and an EMP pulse, stun claymores, and even tear gas at one point.

Nerd Rating: 8.5 out of 10

I think they finally got it right with a union of exciting gameplay and immersive story. On the flip side its come at a point where we as gamers have played enough to the point that both have become stale and predictable. Its not bad, in fact I think its one of the best Call of Duty campaigns i’ve played. It just came a bit late and I’m now used to it.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer in this can refer to a lot as there are a abundance of online and offline modes.

Normal multiplayer- that everyone is familiar with
Extinction– which seems to be an attempt at an improved zombies mode
Squads– a unique mode that involves build an AI team and putting them against others as well as a wave survival mode.

 Normal multiplayer continues where MW3 left off with the 3 kinds of kill streaks system (instead of points) but has made a huge number of changes elsewhere. First the loadouts system has been revamped. You have 6 squad members that can have 6 loadouts and unique appearances. Loadouts aren’t based on the pick 10 system from black ops 2, but have a similar idea behind the perks. You start with 8 perk points (more if you forgo any attachments on your weapons) and you chose your perks which have values 1-5 but no limits on which ones you can have together like the 3 tiers system used to be. There are tons to choose from with some new types like resistances and improved healing. Beyond that, Primary weapons can have 2 attachments  (3 with a perk) which typically have 2-4 types (sight, underbarrel, barrel, and mods). Marksmen rifles have been separated from sniper rifles and have attachments catering to that type. There isn’t a huge variety of weapons in each class disappointingly and there are some balancing issues. Most modes you probably are familiar, but there are some additions like Cranked (double points after first kill but only 30 seconds to live) and Blitz (each team has a zone they need to defend from opponent entering and scoring) give a little new variety. In-game expect to die quickly from only a few shots. Kill streaks are more balanced now and have a lot of new streaks like helo sniper, a dog that follows you, and instead of a spyplane a radar unit that operates better as more are placed on the field.

When playing offline, everything is unlocked, but online you have to use squad points to unlock EVERYTHING. This is driving me nuts. Leveling up gains a few points and unlock perks, but everything else, including squad members is done by points. Points can be gained alternatively by weekly challenges and normal gun accolades (ex. killing 15 people with gun by ADS with red dot sight).

Extinction mode is new territory for infinity ward and was assisted by Neversoft. Instead of zombies you fight aliens in while drilling to destroy hives and move forward to deploy a nuke and haul ass back to the helicopter. What makes it unique is that before the game you choose a class, pistol, and 4 equipment pieces you can buy while fighting and deploy for help. At the end of each round you get skill points (2 if you competed the challenge for the round) to improve any you equipment abilities, class, or pistol. At the moment, there is only one map, but this has been one of my favorite additions to Call of Duty

Squads mode I haven’t played too much of this mode due to my lack of online capabilities, but fairly entertaining from what I’ve heard from a friend (note that the is a CoD god) Safeguard is the wave survival mode and Wargames is similar to normal multiplayer, but with the squad you built versus another squad. Safeguard disappointingly lasts only 20 rounds and limits kill streaks to drops in a looting round. Weapons can gain levels through use, but its too short to be a good mode

Nerd Rating: 8 out of 10

Extinction mode really boosts the score since multiplayer at the moment is just treading water as balancing issues are being discovered and squads mode has a recommendation from a friend.