With the pending launch of the PS 4 beta for Call of Duty: WW2, I started to reflect about what a difference a year makes. About the same time last year, the internet was filled with people complaining about the pending release of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Dislike for the trailer and space setting were flooding gaming sites and message boards and the fact that the game had a mixed reception shows that perhaps Call of Duty was losing a chunk of its lofty fan base.
With the announcement of Call of Duty: WW2, the dislike and hatred seems to have been largely replaced by optimism and excitement by many in the gaming community. So why does this installment get a pass from many of the same people who were so outspoken about the previous one?
I believe it all has to do with familiarity. The early games in the series were all set in WW2 and people feel that the game is getting back to its roots. The same people who screamed about each new game being the same thing year in and year out just with new skins and weapons seem interesting in seeing WW2 displayed with the upgraded engine and features that were not possible when the series launched.
The new game also offers new gaming modes, one of which I played which brings objectives to the multiplayer mode which will hopefully enable a new wave of interest for gamers who have grown tired of Team Deathmatch and the common variants that have been offered in the last few years.
I think it is fair to say that after three Modern Warfare, three Black Ops, and three games set in the future, fans are ready for a return to what made the game great. They want a villain that is easy to understand and easy to dislike instead of the flood of Dictators and power-mad individuals who have vexed them in past games. The abundance of tech and wall-walking has evolved the series but in some ways, far away from the core gameplay that players want.
In my gameplay experience with WW2, it was ideal for a player like myself who likes a run and gun style approach but of course I could see that other play styles were represented and in the new objectives mode, it will be key that people work with one another to win the day.
I am curious to see what the future holds as remember with a three year development cycle, Sledgehammer Games was at work on this game shortly after they wrapped up Advanced Warfare and it will be interesting to see where Treyarch sets their game next year now that they have completed the Black Ops trilogy.
For more information on my experiences to date playing Call of Duty: WW2, please see the links below.
