Kevin Spacey Theres a Middle School Down the Road Call of Duty Funny

The name "Call of Duty" brings forth certain images of bro-tastic gamers, slamming cans of Mountain Dew and stomping "n00bs." While that probably isn't too far from the truth, the long-running series wouldn't have stayed on top if people didn't like it. Whether you're one of the legion of fans that proudly wear the bro badge or quietly except these games as a guilty pleasure doesn't matter, you more than likely have played -- and very much enjoyed -- these shooters.

This go-round, it's developer Sledgehammer Games at the helm. New to the revolving development of the series, they have a lot to prove with their debut. With "Advanced Warfare" they've stuck to the bread and butter of previous "CoDs" yet they've made some smart additions to keep things fresh.

We already showed you what of the other critics thought. So, we figured we'd chime in as well.So, how does "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" stack up? Read on.

Big, Loud, Dumb, and Proud of It

Listen, "Call of Duty" probably isn't going to win any award for deepest story, nor will it have anyone looking into their souls for meaning. Still, the narrative is competently laid out and provides enough motivation to push you forward. It's loud, features lots of explosions, and knows when to shut up and let you do your thing. That thing being mowing down a legion of terrorists.

This isn't to say that Sledgehammer didn't put any care into crafting the story. We won't spoil anything meaningful but basically you're looking at another war game that blurs the line between heroism and fascism. It also explores how warfare has become a business in the sense as this is the first "Call of Duty" title that sheds the flag and promotes private military companies. You can probably deduce the rest of the story with these hints but at the end of the day you won't really care because you'll be preoccupied with the insane and frantic gunfights.

Activision

Same Feel, New Toys

The formula for each "Call of Duty" since "Modern Warfare" has pretty much gone unchanged. Mostly, there's been slight variances in arsenal and story. But it's largely been a high stakes, globe-trotting tour full of bullets and Michael Bay-esque action sequences. More or less, your problems can be solved at the end of a barrel. There's a lot of left trigger/right trigger and hiding behind cover and while "Advanced Warfare" keeps this tradition alive Sledgehammer pushes the gameplay forward in meaningful ways.

The combat exosuit is the biggest addition. You're a super soldier in the not-too-distant future and your future-tech gear makes you an indomitable force on the battlefield. Your suit grants you powers such as rocket jumping, dashing, a tactical shield, and super strength. In single player, you're given a particular loadout. There's a light leveling system at work too. It's mostly innocuous but allows for some versatility.

Weapons get a significant bump, too. Laser guns, high tech drones, and railgun rifles exist to take out the enemy. There are also some clever new grenades -- like the threat grenade that highlights enemies behind cover and the the smart grenades that can be guided to your foes. There's a great number of weapons and you might have a hard time deciding what gun is your favorite. The gunplay is tight and rewarding -- just plain fun.

Activision

Advanced Multiplayer

Of course, one could argue that the real "CoD" is all about the competitive multiplayer. On the surface, it's pretty much the same -- you rank up, unlock new gear, create a load, and repeat. The gunplay is solid and is still some of the best in class. The real star is the exosuit. The new movement options really allow for faster gunplay. You dart in and out of danger, and boost to new heights to subvert other players. At first, it takes a bit to get used to the kinda awkward controls but after a few rounds you'll be dropping guys in no time.

As far as modes, the the usual suspects -- like team deathmatch -- are represented. One new mode stands out, though. It's sort of a weird amalgam of basketball and paintball. You're tasked with guiding a satellite to a goal. While you're in possession of it, you can't use guns. The dynamic of tossing it to teammates, avoiding fights, and slamming it into the goal is pretty great. Also, Hardpoint makes a welcome return since "Ghosts" removed it. Though, honestly, you'll spend most of your time in TDM.

Rounding out multiplayer is the pick 13 system. Three points better than the pick 10 from previous games. You're given a ton of freedom to tune your soldier for your playstyle. Want a pistol but lots of perks? Maybe you favor more grenades and guns but no killstreaks. Either way, however you want to loadout is completely acceptable.

Sharp Shooting

We also have to remark on the rendered cutscenes. There are some legit moments where Kevin Spacey's in-game model climbs out of the other side of the uncanny valley. Indeed, the rest of the cast look pretty damn good as well.

Graphically, "Advanced Warfare" is the best looking "CoD" to date with nice productions all around. While the levels are fairly static -- there's very little interactivity -- they look great. Each burst from your gun and each blast from a grenade puts you fave first in the action.

The rest of the game clocks in at a steady 60 frames with very minimal -- if completely non-existent -- stuttering. It keeps pace no matter how frenetic or how squirrely the action gets. Sledgehammer has set the bar fairly high for the inevitable sequel and further follow-ups.

Final Thoughts

We get it. "Call of Duty" is quite long in the tooth. You've played one, you've played them all. But there's a certain comfy knowledge about this fact. These shooters might not by the most amazing, though provoking games out there but they are fun. What's better than grabbing a bunch of friends going online and having some great gunfights?

Be that as it may, Sledgehammer puts their mark on the franchise. "Advanced Warfare" takes one small step for a dev, but a giant mech-powered leap for the franchise. You'll have a blast with the new movement and the gameplay is as intense as ever. However, Activision and the other devs need to take a hard look at the future of "Call of Duty," the the freshness of "Advance Warfare" keeps the aging franchise pushing forward. After playing "Advanced Warfare" you can't go back to the other titles.

"Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" is available today (November 4th) on PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

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Source: https://www.mtv.com/news/1986758/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-review-release/

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