As Call of Duty: World at War was released on Nov. 11, there was one resounding question: Could it live up to its jaw-dropping predecessor?
By Tuesday the early feedback to this fifth instalment of the series has been positive, but measured, compared to the fourth instalment, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
As one Australian reviewer noted, “Call of Duty: World at War doesn’t have big boots to fill. No, it has giant, size-46 novelty boots to fill, the kind you’d find Goofy wearing at Disneyland.”
While Call of Duty 4 delved into new territory — a modern-day battle similar to a certain Middle Eastern war — the latest instalment, World at War, returns to the series’ roots, the Second World War. Only this time, the action takes place in Japan, as well as Europe.
The game’s developer, Activision, is calling the game “the most intense and grittiest WWII experience to date.” Players will face Imperial Japanese charges and guerrilla tactics in the Pacific, as well as “exacting ruthless revenge as you beat back the enemy all the way to the steps of Berlin one bloody inch at a time.”
One of the main complaints about Call of Duty 4, which received accolades from throughout the gaming world, was that players couldn’t play the campaign co-op.
However, Activision has introduced four-player online co-op in this instalment, as well as two-player split-screen local play.
“Our goal from Day 1 has been to make sure that Call of Duty: World at War redefines players’ expectations of World War II first-person action,” said Mark Lamia, who heads-up Treyarch studio. “From co-operative gameplay to a multiplayer that combines vehicle and squad combat, along with a host of new weapons, settings and enemies, we’ve left no stone unturned to make this the best experience possible.”
The game is available cross-platform on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, DS and PC.
