Sledgehammer Games is smashing down onto the next-gen consoles with Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare. They, and we, are praying that it can innovate and inspire as much as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was able to in the last generation.
Today, Sledgehammer Games revealed that they are not only creating COD: AW, but are also the leads for the COD franchise from here on out. For the first time in many, many years, COD is getting a new engine (for real) and a slew of new enhancements to freshen up the series.
Exosuit
The exosuits feature a bevy of enhancements that can be used to shake up the usual gameplay loop. It augments the movement of the soldier considerably; allowing them to hover, cloak and shield themselves during gameplay. But, exo movement is just the beginning of the exosuit’s capabilities. With perks specific to it you can greatly expand its capabilities. From lessening the chance of overheating, to having the ability to shoot while sliding or sprinting, the addition of the exo perks are a great addition to the formula.
Customization
Customization has been a key point in the series and it is even more expansive inin AW.
Character customization, or “Create An Operator,”gives you the ability to, well, create an operator from the helmet to their boots. But, the customization doesn’t stop there. On top of the usual gun customization, you will also be able to customize your exo suit. Finally, you can make your character look the way you want, leading to unique soldiers in MP and not copy and pasted characters across the board. But, a character’s looks are nothing if you can’t stay alive for long.
Score streaks are back, once again, but now you can customize them and alter them to fit your playstyle. For example, a base remote turret can be upgraded with rockets and a removable head if that suits your needs best. One of the more unique changes, albeit not necessarily a customization feature, is the ability to participate in Coop streaks. Say you aren’t a Tier One operator and more of a green recruit, you can now jump in a gunship with a teammate and have the feeling of being the match MVP.
New Reward System
While the usual weapon progression is making a return, ‘supply drops’ is a new system that will give you that much more of an incentive to keep playing COD. Similar to battlepacks in the Battlefield series, supply drops reward you for how much you play. The more you play the more you can earn. What’s the point of accumulating loot if it isn’t hard to come by? The loot you earn will be rated as; enlisted, pro or elite in rarity, meaning you could get anything from exclusive weapons with unique stats to more customization items for your character. If nothing else, COD is one of the best at keeping the carrot dangling at the end of the stick just out of your reach.
New Modes and New Maps
Although pretty light on details, there will be at least two new modes featured in AW, Momentum, which is a new take on Ground Warfare and Uplink. In Uplink, opposing teams have to pick-up and take a drone to the opposite base to score points. Points are scored by either throwing the drone to their area, which yields one point, or by carrying it through while boosting, which yields two. The interesting take on Uplink is that you can toss the drone to your teammates to advance it to the opposing teams side, or even toss it to your opponent, leaving them defenseless when they have it in their hands. While not an entirely fresh game mode in the world of video gaming, it can definitely create some interesting dynamics because of the dynamism offered by the exos.
Four maps were revealed that appear to cater toward the exo’s abilities. All of the maps seem to have more dynamic environments. For instance, Ascend has areas that have moving vats that you can use for cover, while Defender has a scripted tsunami sequence that forces you to higher ground. The maps are fresh for a franchise that has relied on very static and lane driven map design. If the other maps are similar to those that have already been shown, we should be in for a treat. The maps shown during the conference can be seen above.
Pre-Order Bonuses
CoD wouldn’t be CoD if it didn’t have a slew of pre-order bonuses. But it’s nice to see that, so far, there is no timed DLC amongst the different platforms. The bomb that was dropped, or more aptly the pebble that was lobbed, was the reveal of Day Zero access. If you preorder the game, you can play it one day early and Activision will be putting on double XP for the event. Also included are a couple weapons and a handful of other trinkets. Look below for a picture and the description of what’s there. While not being monumental, who doesn’t want to play a game early?
Call of Duty is a franchise that is either loved or hated. A series that has been oft ridiculed for it’s yearly dev cycle and all too familiar gameplay, Advanced Warfare looks to flip the script on it’s usual ploy. Will you be buying it?
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is being developed by Sledgehmmer Games, published by Activision and will be released on November 4, 2014 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
