Call of Duty World at War: Nothing More Than a New Paint Job, But is that a Bad Thing?

"When I heard Call of Duty was returning to its roots I was a tad shaken. WW II has been immortalized in the realm of video games, and Infinity Ward's departure from the norm was what made Call of Duty 4 stand out. The forth iteration of Call of Duty was gem, a multiplayer masterpiece. Its riveting single player was only surpassed by its impressive and enticing multiplayer. It took the franchise out of the past, and caught it up with modern conventions. Instead of living in the past, it began to shape the future. Thus, I was a little unnerved knowing that Call of Duty would return to the hands of Treyarch and the realm of WW II. Would they be able to build on Modern Warfare's success?

At first glance, Treyarch seems to have answered that question with a resounding yes. The game may have moved to the past in setting, but it's a modern shooter. The customization and class structure of the past remains. In fact, nearly everything from the last game is still there. The game is a pleasure to play, but something just doesn't sit right. It's the same game."

[monkey602]

The only thing I really like are the dogs instead of the helicopter. Apart from that COD5 is nothing COD4 was

[aceitman]

playing on live theres so many ignorant people playing curseing calling names acting childish instead off haveing fun thats y im getting it on the ps3 psn has more mature people playing

[Apocwhen]

We must be playing at different times because I don't find it very different on the PS3 either. Still the same jerks mouthing off and the pre-pube kiddies screaming. There's is some advantage in that not everyone has a headset unlike the xbox 360.

[shovelbum]

It definitely is COD4 60+ years earlier but I really am enjoying the beta. The dogs are very cool unless your on the receiving end of their bites. I enjoy the boards that I've played, especially the nighttime one, forget the name. The train level is great for u sniper campers too (which I hate BTW). So far, it's all good.

[AAACE5]

That's whene that mute button comes into play! I start muting idiots right away, so I can enjoy my experience.

[monkey602]

actually I love having the dogs after me it's funny

[cain141]

I really have never been a huge vehicle fan. I kinda liked that CoD 4 kept them out of the equation.

[Relin]

That's always been my favorite part of games like Warhawk and Battlefield, the layer effect that appears when you have players on the ground as troops, in ground vehicles, and in air vehicles. It allows players to specialize in something they're good at (face it, some of us just aren't that great at being ground troops) without forcing anything.

In CoD4, you were forced into being a good ground trooper; your only options were your weapon loadout. I was hoping that Treyarch would allow for more vehicle gameplay.

[Mikito]

Thats one of my fav points. I like hopping into vehicles and running over people like you. haha ;)

Seriously, I think more people are going to play CoD World at War then go back but you never know with CoD fans. They be CRAZY!!!

[cain141]

@2.1

I think the balance is just hard to keep with vehicles. In general they are either way to overpowered or really vulnerable.

[Blackfrican]

vehicles needs to be done right. In most games I do not like them do to control and balance issues. However, the vehicles in halo(multilayer) control smooth, without being over/under powered so it can be done. I did not like the vehicles in COD3 though.

[Relin]

Hey now, I didn't say *I* was a bad troop. I'm a badass troop :P There's a reason I always play Support in Bad Company, so I can jump up and C4 your vehicled arse.

[thegamereviews]

I am enjoying it so far, but for some reason more people are camping in the maps than in COD4.

[Mc187]

More bushes to hide in?

[cain141]

It could just be that the types of players in the beta are more serrious about the game. (seeing as you have to try to get in the beta). They may just camp more in general than players who play casually for fun...

[outlawlife]

it is because of the weaponry, you don't want to run around with a gun that shoots slower and is less accurate

[JN4G23]

Good piece; I am sure that Call of Duty World at War will be just as good, if not better than, its predecessors!

[cain141]

After playing the beta I'm not so sure about that...

I'm keeping my Preorder, but I'm on the fense still...

[Egzekutor]

Its using COD4 engine .. what do you expect ?
But I will still buy it ;], im tired of COD4, to many glitches for me.
Lets hope that WaW will be better.

ps. I like the fact that you can climb trees :P i always wanted this feature :P

[Jedimaster1]

Yeah, agree with the article. When I played the beta for CoD4, I was blown away. A year later, playing the beta for CoD:W@W, it is not the same feeling. The maps are week (very small), guns are underpowered (I feel like it is halo 3 because of the amount of bullet it takes to kill anything), and the overall feel is just not the same (A bit arcady??? Just doesn't have the brutal realism in the presentation as CoD4).

I am still going to pick it up on launch in spite of my criticisms. BUt hopefully it will be cleaned up before shipping this game out.

[cain141]

when I picked up the cod 4 beta I was blown away... The CoD 5 beta was more like deja vu

[outlawlife]

personally i don't care for it, so far i'm seeing it as nothing but a low ball copy of COD4 and actually would easily be an expansion pack and nothing more, too much here is copied from COD4 to give treyarch any real credit for creating something

nothing is really there to make it stand apart, vehicles are there but from the map in the beta with the tanks they don't really alter gameplay much

the artillery strike in place of the air strike is worthless, the artillery takes way too long to come in but the other team is warned immediately by voice over and air raid siren so they all just run and more often than not artillery doesn't hit anyone

the dogs are over powered because they count toward new items if you die, in 4 when you die with a helicopter it doesn't count toward another but i'm seeing people get dogs, lay on their own grenade and get another pack of dogs and the other team has no chance which is really annoying, basically the AI wins the game for you and all you have to do is camp and get your first 7 kills

-grenades they don't have the impact as they do in 4
-I haven't found 1 weapon that i truly enjoy using, hit detection seems really spotty especially with the shotgun(can be up next to a guy and pull a trigger and it doesn't register)
-molotovs are worthless(direct hit doesn't kill)
-there is no indication that your tabun gas is effecting people unlike the stuns/flashes in 4
-grenade indicator is way too small

granted it is a beta but right now the multiplayer is seemingly broken

other things are, the graphics and the art style don't really scream A+ game, the game does not look as good as cod4, the icons for things like perks and such are all really ugly and it just isn't cleanly done

i like the new gore system, it made me react to being killed more but it is seemingly random
the design of the maps in the beta are really cool, i really enjoy the feel of Makin and Roundhouse, castle looks like a ps2 game though

unless the campaign proves to be something that i just can't miss out on i'll be skipping this, i'm extremely disappointed at this point

i really wanted this game to be great and hush the treyarch nay sayers but when they repeatedly put out an inferior product it is hard

[cain141]

I pretty much agree with everything you said...

[Jedimaster1]

Yeah you hit many points right on the head, sadly...

[^_^]

||ouch||

[Gam71]

I loved cod4 so more of the same is ok with me.

[Bigrhyno]

Sorry Treyarch, but you have to put out more if you are going to release this game the same month as Gears and Resistance.

[commando34]

not to look like act like the guy who ruins all the niceness..but I feel this will never be as good as call of duty 4. I loved the 4th and I really cant stand going back to WWII. I loved the first 2 on the PC and GCN and then got blown away with Call of duty 4. Im going to stick with what I promised myself when I first heard about this game. No buying if its WWII and treyarch.

[Zerodin]

Of COURSE people are going to b!tch.
Also, it's one where you're fighting in the pacific theater...the droids will NOT be happy.

[otherZinc]

the single player in COD4 wasn't "riveting", not even close, COD2's sp was "riveting"!

What distinguishes COD5 from COD4, is the inclusion of co-op! Yes, not only co-op, but 4 player co-op, why the hell couldn't Infinity Ward's overrated ass not included co-op. And, I don't care for that lame @ss excuse IW gave either.

If it were not for co-op, I'd totally pass on this game. Now, the next COD game better not be scripted or I'll leave my copy at the store.

Its time these developers are held to a higher standard. At least COD5's developer has co-op in their second iteration.

[DA_SHREDDER]

Dont be so hard. I think the graphics are pretty sweet. I think the reason why you girls think that the graphics dont look as nice is because the enviroments in COD4 were bland. The areas were for the most part really small and confined. This game is has bigger areas, more stuff obstacles and things in the game. There is just more of everything. Also, Ive got struck 3 times in a artillery strike.. I wouldn't call that worthless. Id say you are.

On the other hand. I do agree with you ladies. Its COD4, but different. Thats the whole point though. You cant tell me you weren't getting sick of playing the same ol stuff in COD4. The great part about all of this is that you can have both games. Variety at its best. You wanna play modern warefare? Play COD4. You sick of playing the same maps, with the same guns for the past year? Play COD5. Notice the similarities in the Name's? Its COD! Of course its gonna play like its counter parts.. You guys should be happy we have a new one. Ive still have to find a game that I play more then these games. BTW. I cannot wait to get the M1919. I cant believe how cool the machine guns are in this game. This game shines brilliance.

[outlawlife]

look at those horrible white trees in castle and tell me this game looks sweet

and struck 2 times out of how many games? I played this game for hours and got hit 1 time so far and hit maybe 3 total

this agme does not shine brilliance, it shines mediocrity and it isn't a matter of being a "fangirl" it is a matter of recognizing that one of the games is superior to the other

it isn't about being a IW fan or a treyarch fan it is simply the fact that COD4 is without question the better and more solid game at this point

if you can switch back and forth between WaW and COD4 and say that WaW is better then I question you're judgement

it is extremely flawed right now and i'm not holding my breath to see much of it fixed

[Official General]

I agree with you man. This game does indeed look good and the reports I've been hearing from previews sound promising. They say it's COD4 with World War Two themes, with lots more gore and gameplay variety. I think it's good to have this and COD4, some people wanna play modern-style warfare and some people wanna play Second World War. I got interested in this game once I heard you play one part as a Russian soldier and fight in the Battle of Stalingrad. Anyone here who knows anything about the Battle of Stalingrad will know that it was one of the most brutal mililtary battles ever known in WW2 and in history and the first major battle in city streets. I'd love to play in re-creation of that.

[Imallvol7]

Exactly my thoughts in the Beta. Haven't I played this before??? Lol. The multiplayer is the same game as COD4 with worse weapons and less cool technology.

[DA_SHREDDER]

Also, learn how to read, I said I got killed 3 times in in artillery strike. The graphics suck you say? Take off those flame goggles and maybe you can clearly see the resolution in the game is higher then in COD4. It might even be 720p. I think that you really love your COD4. And thats great, but Im glad activision doesn't think like you do. Or I would have to be playing COD4 for another year because you tards dont get sick of playing the same games for 2 years straight. Your probably one of those guys who dont even play anything else but COD4.

[Gamer_Z]

Agreed

your second post was right on the money