Monday 14 January, 2008

GAMEPLAY

This time around I decided to play the single player campaign of Call of Duty 4. In the single player campaign you play as either the British S.A.S. forces or the American U.S.M.C. in many missions that take place in the Middle East and Russia. The campaign is incredibly action packed and i would describe each level as the best action movie you have ever seen. The levels are very well scripted but at the same time do not feel scripted. There is always plenty of action going on on-screen so you never really feel bored or like you are waiting for something in interesting to happen.
The single player campaign consists of an Epilogue, three acts each consisting of multiple missions, and a bonus mission that is very short but VERY fun. While playing through the campaign I noticed how much each mission varied from the others. One of the problems I have found with single player in first person shooters is the lack of variety. In many FPS games each level seems very linear and similar to the previous level. While environments may change, the core gameplay does not. This is not true in Call of Duty 4, where each mission is very different from the next and you are never really sure what is coming next. They constantly mix up the gameplay and this makes for a very action packed and enjoyable campaign.

DESIGN

I would consider Call of Duty 4 the biggest innovation to first person shooters since GoldenEye 64 for the Nintendo 64. There are so many innovative features in this game including shooting through walls, the perk system, the concept or hiding in plain sight, along with many others. These features combine to create one of the best games I have ever played.
In many games of the past if you could not see the enemy you could not shoot them. For instance if you were shooting at an enemy hiding behind a waist high wall and then he decided to crouch and hide you were out of luck. In Call of Duty 4 you could shoot at the wall where the enemy is hiding and actually kill them. Of course this depends on the strength of your weapon and the thickness of the wall, but many of the surfaces in the game are penetrable by most weapons. This adds a really interesting element to the game because you are no longer safe if you are out of sight.
Another great feature of this game that adds to its replay-ability is the perk system. When playing online, each character has three customizable perk slots to which they can choose abilities that accommodate their personal play style. These perks include 3 frag grenades as opposed to 1, silent footsteps for the stealthy kills, more health, less kickback on weapons, holding your breath longer which is useful for snipers to get that headshot, along with many more. This adds a new element to the FPS genre and gives players much more freedom and creativity when making their character. Now not only must you decide on your favorite weapon but also which three perks you feel make you the best all around player.
One moment that made me sit back in my chair with my mouth hanging wide open in a confused stupor was when a bush killed me. Now it wasn't really a bush, but a enemy player in a guille suit crouched down in some shrubs. A guille suit for those of you that do not know is a suit consisting of shrubs and other plant material that real life snipers use to hide from the enemy. At a glance this character blended in so well with the environment I was shocked. Since then i have also learned to use the environment to my advantage as well. Grass is no longer just for looks but can be used to hide from enemies when the bullets start flying.

(Nicolas Kent - Grader)

Good analysis of gameplay and design.

Eric,

I checked out the web site for Call of Duty 4. I watched some of the video of the game. Is this the game you just bought over Winter Break. Parts of the video look like a movie, not a video game.

What is the perk system?

Never let a bush kill you! You are better than that.

Rick