Call of Quantum: Solace at War

(Originally posted at GameTrailers.com.)

So I recently registered for two game-specific community sites. Something I haven't done in a while. Probably the last time was CharlieOscarDelta or maybe SOCOM.com, I forget. It's probably a funny coincidence that the two community sites have similar structuring and are of two games being developed by the same developer: Treyarch.

I have a slightly bitter relationship with Treyarch, as I've played two games developed by them: The absolutely terrible Minority Report: Everybody Runs and the average-but-decent Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. So a terrible game and an average game. And they're making two games that will definitely be their shining moment this year: Call of Duty World at War and the Quantum of Solace video game based off the upcoming James Bond movie.

COD:WaW is a game I initially wrote off because it was going back to WWII instead of sticking to Modern Warfare like Infinity Ward's marvelous Call of Duty 4 did. But then the feature set started trickling in. I'm still skeptical, but if they can deliver on some of the things that's promised (4-player online co-op? Sounds awesome), I might check it out. But they have, depending on who you ask, made two average-to-mediocre COD titles, which makes me wonder if the third time's the charm.

The Quantum of Solace game is also an important game as its Activision's first Bond game. I was playing some of EA's past efforts a while back, and while some were good (Nightfire, Everything or Nothing), some were also terrible (Tomorrow Never Dies, Goldeneye: Rogue Agent). Like before, some of the features promised might be an interesting one, like inter-twining the plotline of Casino Royale during game events and going back to being strictly a first-person shooter. I know some Bond fans are crying foul over the lack of driving missions or the pivotal poker scene from CR, but to be honest I can live without them. Goldeneye never had that and everybody always praised that game. And the times when EA shoehorned in non-shooter elements, it usually was pretty poorly made. So I'll live.

But here's the thing I'm worried about: Treyarch is not a AAA-developer. They're near B or C-level. Having them develop the next Call of Duty game after IW's finest, as well as making the first Bond game for Activision... must be very daunting. I don't want them to screw either game up. If by year's end we find out Treyarch's made two more stinkers to add to their crap pile, I start boycotting all future Treyarch games. Probably wouldn't be good for them either, these could be their swan songs if they don't do well enough. And nobody likes it when game development teams close their doors.

Unless it's Data Design Interactive. They can go drive off the nearest cliff.