Fri 7th November 2008
Filed under: Gaming |
OK, so it's been about two weeks now since I got my hands on a BETA copy of Call of Duty:World at War and I'm going to give a review based on my experiences so far. Please remember I am reviewing the BETA of the PC version here, the finished game may be slightly different when released. Also, I'm a keen CoD4 player so take this into account when reading.
The first thing you notice are the menus. When the game is first loaded the menu structure is almost identical to that of Call of Duty 4. However, one welcome addition (something console owners got but we PC users didn't with CoD4) is the Prestige Mode. This is greyed out (obviously you need to reach a high enough level to unlock it) but it's definitely there on the main menu. Browsing through online games is also identical to CoD4. Eseentially, because of this getting into a game is no hassle if you're a CoD4 user because you're used to everything immediately.
Once the game loads, things are very different but are also very familiar at the same time. The main difference is the fact that we're back in World War Two, this gives the game a very dark and almost bleak look on every map. The graphics are very much similar to CoD4, very little has been tweaked but I found the game ran smoother on my PC than it does when playing CoD4. The game physics have been tweaked a little, there are some ragdoll effects now employed in the game, also limbs can detach in particularly gruesome style when hit by the right weaponry. The on-screen icons are very much the same as CoD4 and this is what gives the game that familiar feel.
The in-game sounds are what really stand out for me though. The sounds are so much more immersive than in CoD4 and you really feel as though there is a battle raging with the troops shouting and explosions going off all over the place. The weapons sound suitably "clunky" as well, as you would expect World War Two weaponry to sound I guess. Also, if you play on the side of the Marine Raiders, Kiefer Sutherland voices the leader - anyone who knows Kiefer's voice will agree that it lends a very suitable and realistic edge to the game.
Gone are the Airstrikes and Helicopter of CoD4, and in come Artillery Strikes and Dogs. The Artillery Strikes are less than impressive when it comes to hitting the enemy, they really are inaccurate but the noise and visuals of these are great. The Dogs on the other hand are brilliant. They appear out of nowhere and will finish you off in seconds - they also keep you on your toes when you know the enemy have called them in.
Call of Duty:World at War has now implemented a vehicle combat system. On the BETA version the vehicles are only available on the Roundhouse map and the vehicles come in the shape of tanks. Now, when using the vehicles, I can't help but feel that this area of the game didn't have as much thought put into it as other areas. While the vehicles move around reasonably easily it just seems a little bit difficult to control and use the weapons. It's hard to pin point what it is exactly that doesn't work with the vehicles, all I can say is it's a frustrating experiencing when using them.
All in all, Call of Duty:World at War is a good addition to the series but I couldn't help but feel slightly let down when I finally got to play it. I felt as if it could have been so much more. I'll definitely be purchasing a copy when it's released on the 14th November 2008 however. |
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