Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is without a doubt the best COD game ever created. However, making such a bold statement of this magnitude doesn’t come without further explanation on my part. So without further ado, here is a detailed overview of my thoughts on the action-packed FPS and why it’s definitely worthy of both your time and money.
Shortly after writing up my first impressions on the game, I divided headfirst back into the single-player campaign to see if the storyline would remain compelling past the first few chapters. I went into this experience fully expecting the plot to fall apart, due largely in part to the material getting too convoluted and/or confusing for the game’s intended audience. Much to my surprise, the narrative never faltered and the performances coupled with the groundbreaking visuals of the cast succeeds in making this the strongest campaign in the history of the series.
Another reason why this is a standout campaign stems from the dynamic use of both a futuristic setting and Exoskeleton technology to enhance the overall gameplay experience. The way these suits are implemented across every game mode greatly changes how one operates on the battlefield. With the exoskeleton enabled, players are able to jump higher, dodge oncoming bullets faster and cloak themselves in an attempt to sneak up on enemies without being detected. In addition to all of this, exo abilities can be upgraded based on the successful completion of 4 unique challenges throughout each mission. These challenges are based on number of kills, headshot kills, grenade kills and intel drops found throughout the game. There are a total of 22 upgrades to collect and you’ll need to complete the campaign twice to unlock them all.
The campaign spans across 15 missions and will take you roughly 6-8 hours to complete depending upon which difficulty setting you decide to go with. It’s worth noting that some missions are shorter than others and are done so primarily to push the story forward in a clear and efficient manner. The cinematic presentation of the game does include button prompting QuickTime events that require precision and timing. These actions may or may not appeal to some, but are never detrimental to the amount of fun you’ll have progressing through the story.
When it comes to multiplayer, Advanced Warfare offers players 15 different options to choose from. Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed and Ground War are among the most popular to play in groups. Much like I described in my impressions article, player movement is extremely flexible and smooth from one match to the next. If you enjoyed all that Titanfall multiplayer had to offer without the mecs and wall running, then you’ll find yourself right at home with this title.
If you’re anxious to try out something different, then I highly encourage you to check out Exo Survival. This 4-player co-op mode is Call of Duty’s version of Horde mode and forces teams to work together to achieve the best results. There are 4 different classes that each player can choose from with access to limited weapons once the first round starts. After successfully completing each round, players gain points and are able to buy new weapons at any one of the various supply drops that appear throughout the map. As new waves of enemies appear, objectives constantly change on the fly and certain weapons become disabled for a short amount of time. This is a mode that is guaranteed to keep you on your toes and will easily be the most fun you have while playing with friends.
With so many positives surrounding this game, there is at least one negative that keeps it from being flawless. Multiplayer lag performance issues seem to popup frequently and can vary the experience based on how good or bad your Internet connection is. While this is normal and hardly qualifies as a legitimate complaint for some, the simple fact that Activision still hasn’t implemented dedicated servers into this game is a bit concerning and definitely adds to the problem. These lag issues are most apparent on both the PC and PS4 versions of the game. Hopefully this is something that gets resolved fairly quickly so that everyone can enjoy the multiplayer modes in all their glory.
This issue aside, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is a landmark achievement in the series and a must play title for anyone who is a fan of either the franchise or first-person shooters in general. The engaging campaign, advanced weaponry and addictive multiplayer modes are more than enough to keep you coming back for seconds. If you remain skeptical about this title, I encourage you to try it out and find out firsthand why it’s a surprise hit.
This review is based on a physical copy of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare for the Xbox One provided by Activision.
