After seeing the trailer before release some thought that Call of Duty could not be more futuristic, because it would risk becoming a sort of Destiny spin-off, Activision surprised us last May with the announcement of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the culmination of a trip without return to the future, that the series began a few years ago. It Remastered, with a trailer that generated a lot of noise and controversy because the players soon showed their discomfort against the new setting, and the video holds the record to second place in the history of YouTube with it’s highest dislikes. To calm down the angry crowd a bit, Activision simultaneously announced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered, the desired remastering of one of the most beloved renditions of the series, the game that always changed the genre, but bear in my mind that you have to purchase it with Infinite Warfare.
And after having played both long Infinite Warfare and Modern Warfare Remastered for several days, it is shocking to discover how the Remastered helps us to see the defects of the Infinite Warfare better, which have not stopped adding things for years. Double jumps and all kinds of parkour moves, powerful and spectacular dot blurs, hundreds of weapons, modifications and aids, multitude of customization options, loot chests with random unlockables, dozens of game modes, and ultimately A lot of layers many other additions , one on top of the other , that have made Call of Duty into something noisier, heavy and big, but not necessarily better .
Infinite Warfare’s campaign feels fresh and entertaining, one of the best single player story in the history Call of Duty. It still has all the vices that have subtly introduced Modern Warfare almost a decade ago, but the new weapons and gadgets, space battles, zero gravity fighting, an open structure with secondary missions, and visiting exotic locations throughout The solar system, help you to be very fun and spectacular.
Although the campaign looks better than last year, it is the multiplayer mode, that is most important and popular mode of the series, where we have seen a step back, despite repeating a virtually identical formula. We do not know if it is the fear or laziness to innovate, the fact is that the multiplayer of Infinite Warfare is very similar to the Call of Duty: Black Ops III, But a bit worse.
The way to move about the scenarios, the number of contents, the game modes, the customization options, everything is very similar to what we saw last year but has less soul and charisma compared to Black Ops 3 from the Treyarch, an opinion Intangible and always difficult to explain. It is something that is noticed when playing, and that is perceived from the design of the maps up to the visual personality, and also does not do a great favor that feeling of being playing more of the same, with hardly noticeable improvements.
Even the additional zombie mode, aliens or horde, also did not want to risk too much, and they have given the community exactly what they wanted: the Zombie mode from Treyarch, with a nicely, wrapped 80’s theme. And of course, it works, but it also leaves that feeling of playing more of the same.
To the infinity and beyond
Perhaps for going with low expectations has caught us unawares, but the story mode for a player of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare we liked a lot, and we have found a breath of fresh air within the series. We are not saying that Call of Duty needs to become a space opera to offer a good campaign, but leaving the prejudices aside, we must admit that we have a very entertaining and spectacular action game with good ideas and above all, a solid story line.
Assuming the usual downfalls of a Call of Duty campaign (it continues with a linear development, full of scripts and with enemies with almost no artificial intelligence), these give you a bit the same when you’re hallucinating with zero gravity combat , When you are engaged in a spectacular space battle with dozens of ships that move at full speed, or when you are amazed by the beautiful landscapes of some of the planets you visit.
The new environment is exploited in many ways and brings new details to the gameplay (which does not happen in multiplayer), and put to risk, have also done so in the very structure of the adventure, since we have a base of operations since The one that we can choose secondary missions, that we can confront in the order that we want. These do not feel like mere stuffing and try to provide different approaches, for example with a complete stealth mission, that if we get to the point, to the main missions, we will not see.
Spectacle, fun, and variety are the three pillars on which the campaign is based, and everything works without failures. The weapons are varied, fun to use and forceful, and is not abused by robotic enemies, as in the previous installment. The space battles are very well resolved, with a very arcade control that responds to perfection, and zero gravity scenes are not mind blowing, but they are very spectacular when they appear.
There is a lot of restraint everywhere : the action scenes never last longer than the count and do not feel elongated, do not abuse any of the novelties as zero gravity combat or ships, new gadgets are very cool and practical , But there are not so many to feel overwhelmed, and the only thing in which the game loses its measure is when it comes to presenting spectacular moments, something to which we have no complaints, because you have a great time.
The story is not bad, and the weirdest thing of all is that it is even understandable and can be followed without too many problems, but what we like most of it is that it does not bother, and does not hinder the rhythm as in Black Ops III. The campaign has a great rhythm in general, although in a couple of punctual moments, especially in the final stretch, they are again going hand in hand with the plot charge, with some cinematic too long. We have come to shoot and to see things flying through the air, and ultimately to have a great time while doing so.
It has one of the best written and most charismatic characters we’ve seen in the entire history of the saga, curiously a robot, it’s important to note that how smart they hide the loading sections behind the cutscenes this time, and everything flows without interruptions, as it should be in a triple A game in the year 2016.
You can say against them that the level of the campaigns of theCall of Duty of the last years was quite low, but that does not tarnish the good work that they have done in the history mode of Infinite Warfare, proving that it is not so difficult to offer In a shooter away for a player with fun, intense, good ideas and without giving up the spectacularity of the series .
Instead, zombies have been much more conservative, and there is not too much to tell about Zombies in Spaceland. This is the traditional Treyarch mode with four-player cooperative but now developed by Infinity Ward, and we have to survive during successive rounds of attacks from the undead and other creatures, as we make points and unlock new weapons and secrets.
The grace on this occasion is that it was set in an amusement park in the 80’s, and this gives enough game, to listen to music of the time, discover a recreational room where we can enjoy some mini games and even classic arcade Activision and meet cameos as nice as that of David Hasselhoff (well known from Knight Rider , the Baywatch ), which is the DJ of the park.
We have noticed a more pleasant curve of difficulty than in previous Zombie modes, and it is very easy to stand in advanced rounds from the first game, but it is not so easy to discover all the secrets that this park hides, some very curious and friendly. With a change of setting and four new details, this mode still works as a clock, despite being more of the same.
Given the lack of news we would have liked them to be more generous, and perhaps they should have offered at least a couple of maps, and not relegate everything to the downloadable contents behind payment, which as you know, is a norm with the Call of Duty franchise.
A multiplayer with the fear of change
We’ve been pretty critical with multiplayer, but we’re not saying it’s bad, let alone. Its ability to engage and entertain, as long as you like your proposal, is still very much in force, and there are contents and possibilities to be entertained during a good season. But we are not sure to make a copy, and paste of the multiplayer from Black Ops III was a good idea, and the criticized futuristic ambiance has been totally wasted in the multiplayer.
The advanced movement system of the previous delivery remains almost identical here (perhaps a little more polished), the rhythm of the games would say that it is still at the same pace , and the design of the maps is functional and complies, but they are practically indistinguishable from each other, without any charisma or details that will make them memorable. Infinity Ward has taken a good note of one of the biggest criticisms of Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013), the absurdly large size maps, and now they are quite the opposite, quite small, which offers very intense matches in any mode Game.
With some tweaking and changes, everything we tell you about it in our beta impressions is almost worth it for the final version, and some of the “novelties,” like the combat modules, are still a different label for something that Was already the last year, the system of Specialists. A system of classes with unique skills, to which they have taken away any visual personality.
In spite of this, yes there are a couple of novelties that we have liked. Like the mission teams, four sides that you can join, and that you are assigning challenges that you have to meet during the games. These take you out of your comfort zone, and they force you to play in different ways, to use different types of weapons, to perform casualties in a concrete way and are a very interesting attraction in the games, which is hard to believe they had not added before.
The other new thing that we liked a lot is a new game mode, Defender, in which we have to catch a ball and keep possession as long as possible to score points for the team. In his initial approach is very similar to Uplink, present in the last two installments of the series, but not having to go to score a goal, they create very entertaining and curious game dynamics. The teamwork is essential, players passes the ball to each other, covers the rear, and knowing at all times on the map where exactly the ball is located; the skirmishes are constant and very fun. Otherwise, the rest of the usual and most successful modes of the series are still present.
Finally, comment on another of the novelties, which we have seen that can be a double-edged sword, never better said. In this delivery exist the prototypes of weapons, which are special weapons that start from basic models, and that have unique characteristics. Unlocking them will not be easy, you will have to play a great number of hours and be lucky (or a lot of money) to open rewards coffers, but when you try to find them can unbalance the games, they are very powerful. We hope you are careful with this since a high-level player with one of these weapons can be a real killing machine.
Technologically needs a renovation
After seeing just a few weeks ago an action game like Battlefield 1, with huge maps, 64 players and some visual details of heart attack, it is hard to believe that a series as important as Call of Duty is so far technically speaking. And by budget, we assume it will not be, but what is clear is that this graphics engine does not give much more, and urgently needs a renewal, if you do not want to continue dragging the same old graphics.
The game does not look bad, and especially in the campaign, with the action very concentrated and a linear structure, we have to admit that sometimes it has managed to surprise us with what was showing us on screen, with very spectacular action, Thanks to the developer that values of production and a successful artistic direction.
But the multiplayer seems exactly the opposite: the maps, the design of the characters, everything seems very bland and same as before and still using the same engine. Last year Treyarch was able to capture much more striking and showy images, which caught our attention. With 1080p and 60fps on consoles, it is hard to believe that multiplayer can not be a little more visually ambitious, it is necessary to demand more overproduction like this.
Final Thoughts on Infinite Warfare
Right now we do not worry as much if the series is going to continue traveling towards the future, as a matter of fact, we are more curious how they are going to improve the multiplayer in the next deliveries, without affecting the important competitive slope with eSports. There is a great challenge ahead of Activision, the series needs a renovation in many sections (graphics, atmosphere, a multiplayer that can not be more frantic and recharged), and we are very curious to see what Sledgehammer will bring on the table.
While this happens, in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare we have a very fun and spectacular campaign, and a multiplayer with all the vices and virtues of the last years, and for good and bad, too similar to last year. What it gains in the campaign (better than Black Ops III ), loses it in the multiplayer, and finally, its futuristic setting did not seem to us a problem precisely, and in fact, we regret that there is almost no innovation in multiplayer mode.
