Treyarch have been slated from day one when they took hold of the next
Call of Duty and brought it from Modern Warfare back in World War 2.
However this time around they have built upon what Infinity Ward did
with Call of Duty 4 and added a few of their own touches.
When
I got World at War the first thing I headed to was its single player as
Call for Duty 4's was one of the best single players from last year.
From the start it put you in the position of a gruesome touchier and
from there it built into a cinematic opening. The single player
progresses very steadily as you play from both the USA side and the
Russia side as you fight against the Empire of Japan with their
stealthy kamazia side to warfare and the classic Nazi Germans make a
return. The story stays in the area of the Pacific and Eastern Europe
which gives it a new feel to an old genre. The best bits from COD4
single player, its cinematic moments are back in this one and it gives
you some shocks and horrors when you see them for the first time. They
have also got a array of voice talent from Kiefer Sutherland and Gary
Oldman to add some realism on the battlefield. You will also get
chances to jump into tanks which again adds a new spin on things but it
has been done before and better. Finally you will have a new arsenal at
your disposal due to the fact its back in World War 2. The biggest
addition is the flamethrower which is a nice addition and gives a
different way of playing it. For instances burning trees which have
enemies in them instead of, well shooting it. Overall the story is good
but because of the lack of a good narrative it just does not live up to
the stories of today.
The major thing everyone expects from
the Call of Duty series is the multiplayer and for the most part it is
just Call for Duty 4 with World War 2 guns, some additional perks and
vehicle perks and new maps. The ranking system remains the same and the
prestige mode makes a return. The highest level has been raised to 65
but besides that it remains the same. The new weapons gives it a
different feel but because the shooting system remains the same if you
were a master at Call of Duty 4 then this will be a breeze. There are a
few additions to perks like being able to revive someone who has the
Last Stand perk active and instead of a 7 kill streak giving you the
ability of calling in a helicopter, you get attack dogs for 60 seconds.
Also vehicles are on some of the bigger maps which again adds something
else to the multiplayer, but nothing to drastic. The smaller maps are
well designed giving some alternate paths to different areas, while the
larger maps give for some intense action. All together it does not seem
like Treyarch have tried to change much and have left the core game
mechanics that COD4 left behind. Which is by no means is a bad thing,
but if you have played COD4 to death this might be all a bit to
familiar.
Once you complete the main story of the game on
any difficulty you are rewarded an additional Nazi Zombie mode. This
plays best with friends as by wave 3 it will become very difficult. The
game will place you in an abandoned house. You basically have to
survive by killing the waves of Nazi Zombies. You will be awarded with
every kill with money to spend on either better 
weapons
or unlocking different areas of the house to defend. You can also
border up the windows if the zombies manage to break down the initial
defence. This game mode is defiantly not the driving force of World at
War but it is a nice addition and gives for some fun times when played
in co-op. The biggest let down is the fact it only has one map to be
played on. However, this could all change later down the line with
additional DLC.
The best thing Treyarch does is the feel,
fear and horrors of war, especially World Wars. The presentation in
this game is great. As everything else it is built off of the COD4
engine but it has been slightly tweaked. The character models look
sharper and the water effects are fantastic. Also the addition of gore
just adds that touch of realism which again immerses you. When you see
you comrades fall in battle and see there limbs scattered across the
battlefield it really gives you a sense of emotion the men had to go
through. The sound accompanies the design of the game as well. The
weapons feel and sound like they do damage and the cries all around
you, adding in the ambiance sounds makes this game very epic in feeling.
Overall,
World at War does not disappoint but it also does not add much to the
series. It seems Treyarch have stayed with the safe option which is not
a bad thing by any means. But it does give you a sense of been there
done that. It is hard to judge this game because if I say I don't like
it, I am basically saying I do not like Call for Duty 4. Overall it is
a good game but nothing groundbreaking.
