The highly anticipated installment in the Call of Duty series, G
hosts hit shelves two weeks ago to much fanfare. Our intrepid game guru, Nate set out to see if this Call of Duty would live up to the hype. After hours of gameplay he was able to tell us if this one was worth the time and the money.
1. Graphics (Great) – Visually everything looks fantastic. Environmental effects, explosions, and character models are all rendered with excellent quality. Great care and consideration are clearly shown, especially when it comes to water and lighting effects. The detailing is not limited to just the single player campaign, multiplayer also flexes its graphical muscle, only slightly lessened to improve frame rate. The only downside is that when compared to other games, Battlefield 4 is noticeably different and superior.
2. Gameplay (Good) – I’m sad to report that the newest entry in the Call of Duty series will have little to offer fans of the Modern Warfare series by Infinity Ward. I was hoping that Infinity Ward would pull itself together once the lawsuit between its creators and Activision was settled, but those hopes have been completely stomped. This latest entry was handed off to three different developers in an attempt to fill the gap created in the wake of the lawsuit. The oddest of which is the inclusion of Neversoft, the studio that is most famous for bringing the Tony Hawk franchise to life.
Call of Duty Ghosts is a fun game, but it feels dated. From my time playing the game it feels like a modified version of Call of Duty Black Ops. The single player campaign has a few highlights but offers little that stands out. Weapons that are always diverse and fun and the addition of the K-9 unit are the biggest game changers. Multiplayer is where most will be spending their game time. Oddly enough, my favorite gameplay mode, Ground War, is missing. I don’t know why this is, but I assume is that the “new” Ghosts can’t handle 18 players at once. Improvements to the game have been promised to the gaming community countless times but have never come to fruition. Quick scoping eliminated? No, not at all. Perhaps not as ridiculous and easy to abuse as it has been in the past, but it is only a matter of time. The network is still peer to peer, so at any point in time, someone can crash a game in progress if they aren’t winning or if they don’t have a noticeable advantage to others playing the game.
All weapons and kill streaks in Ghosts are unlockable from the get go. Earn enough squad customization points and get whatever you want. While this doesn’t break the game, it diminishes the fun of leveling up and unlocking bigger and better ordinances. Perks are the only customization options that are locked by level and even that isn’t completely true. Players can purchase these perks outright by spending squad points once again. Yes, you can customize your soldier with thousands of combinations of guns and perks but after I spend the points for the best of the best right off the bat, why would I want to try anything else?
One cool aspect of Ghosts’ multiplayer is that fact certain maps have triggerable environmental effects. For instance, one map has a set of double garage doors that can open, close, or even be blown up to be permanently open. This small feature is enough to alter the flow of gameplay and can be used effectively to determine the win or loss of your team.
3. Story (Great) – The story starts with a father telling his sons about a legendary confrontation that lead to the creation of an equally legendary squad of elite soldiers dubbed Ghosts. The day is ruined when the ground starts shaking and the father realizes that the event is not natural, but an attack. Trust, betrayal, secrets, it’s all there. The acting is a little lacking and the story has sits predictable moments, but overall it’s a good story.
4. Soundtrack (Outstanding) – Things blow up, weapons have different sounds depending on what they are and what attachments you have equipped to them. The music pumps through and amplifies the tension during action scenes. I am happy to report that footsteps are very prominent depending on how you move through the environment. Top players that rely on their headsets to give them the edge in multiplayer combat will be happy for its return and implementation into the game. I have experienced some minor glitches when the map played has multiple vertical levels in the same area, but I can forgive them.
5. Replay Value (Outstanding) – Love it or hate it, days’ worth of real life time will be spent on Ghosts. I have not experienced anything so broken or unfair that the game isn’t worth playing.
THE BOTTOME LINE: Ghosts plays like Black Ops, fans of that series will enjoy their time playing. Multiplayer layered levels will take time to get used to and will make or break the game for most players but the combinations and customizations may keep you interested. Truth be told, this entry feels like the most balanced one in the series with player skill standing out over cheap tactics.
Game Rating :(4)[Great] Game type:(First Person Shooter) Game System:(PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, PC, XboxOne) By: (Activision)
Game Score System: Overall Total Value: (Trash)=0-1.5 (Meh)=1.75-2.25 (Average)=2.5-3.25 (Great)=3.5-4.25 (Outstanding)=4.5+
Rating Suggestions:
(Trash): Don’t bother with any form of purchase. This product isn’t worth the effort to purchase it.
(Meh): Not at all impressive. This product isn’t something that should be recommended for most people to enjoy. Flawed or incomplete.
(Average): An average score this product does what it is intended to do and will be worth at least a rent if you are interested in it. A solid item that will be enjoyed if gotten for the right price, usually cheap.
(Great): This product is highly recommended. It is well worth the investment if you are interested in it. You will not be disappointed in a purchase of this item.
(Outstanding): You needed to own two of this product yesterday. Superior quality, going beyond what it was intended to do.
-Nate Biller
