Every year Activision releases a new version of one of their major franchises, Call of Duty.
I came into the franchise’s lifespan late. My first experience was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Previous iterations focused on combat during World War II, but as the franchise has aged, the setting has become more modern. This year Call of Duty Advanced Warfare hit the shelves and added new elements to the series.
This most recent version takes place about 40 years in the future, and as such offers futuristic weapons and equipment. An electronic exoskeleton provides your avatar with the ability to fly for short distances. The new equipment also allows the player to take advantage of a temporary shield, cloaking technology and the ability to change grenade types on the fly.
Previous iterations of the franchise’s story mode didn’t draw me in like Advanced Warfare’s. But, that could be due to the addition of Kevin Spacey’s likeness and voice.
As with all COD games, online multiplayer is where fans will spend most of their time. This series has always been my go to for a solid online multiplayer first person shooter experience.
One of the online game modes me and my friends have put some time in to is entitled Exo Survival, where a team is tasked with cooperatively surviving as many waves of computer controlled enemies as possible. It may never rival the thrill of facing off against a human controlled opponent, but it promotes teamwork and provides variety.
I was disappointed to find that a zombie mode was left out of the launch version, but Activision promises an Exo Zombies mode for release in 2015, for an additional fee of course.
If you are looking for a great game to buy the adult gamer in your life, this is a strong choice. I say adult gamer because this game is rated “Mature” and therefore not recommended for children.