In 2014, Call of Duty Advanced Warfare burst onto the scene, marking the eleventh installment in the series. Developed by Sledgehammer Games, this was their time to shine, taking the lead after assisting with Modern Warfare 3. Let’s dive deeper!
CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE: DEVELOPMENT
Before transitioning to co-develop Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Sledgehammer Games had initially been working on a game titled Call of Duty: Fog of War. This announcement came after Back Ops and before the release of Modern Warfare 3. Fog of War was intended to be an action-adventure third-person shooter set during the Vietnam War, and there were also plans for Call of Duty massively multiplayer online game. Activation publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg clarified that Modern Warfare 3 was a separate project from Sledgehammer Games’ action-adventure game. However, due to their focus on Modern Warfare 3, the development of their title was put on hold.
In November 2014, a new Call of Duty game was announced, signaling a fresh installment in the series. Director Michael Condrey revealed that a significant portion of the game engine had been built from scratch. While some old code remained, there were new rendering, animation, physics, and audio systems. The audio, in particular, was a major focus, with the improved engine providing a more advanced and authentic audio experiences. The development cycle for Advanced Warfare allowed Sledgehammer Games to create a “near photorealistic “world, a departure from previous Call of Duty titles.
Sledgehammer Games also achieved advancements in animations, using a facial animating system and set similar to James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. The game introduced female soldiers I’m multiplayer, a notable addition confirmed by Michael Condrey I’m a tweet.
High Moon Studios, known for their work on the Deadpool video game and Transformers games, handled the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of Advanced Warfare, while Sledgehammer Games focused on the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One versions. Notably, the game did not see a release on the Wii U, marking the first main Call of Duty game to skip a Nintendo platform since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 2008.
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In terms of music, Harry Greyson-Williams, who composed the main title theme for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, returned for Advanced Warfare. The overall score of the game was composed by an audio machine, while Chris Vrenna composed the score for the Exo Zombies downloadable content pack.
CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE: STORYLINE
CAMPAIGN
Jack Mitchell, a United States Marine, witnesses the tragic consequences of a North Korean invasion in Seoul, losing his friend Will and his arm in the process. Seeking a new purpose, Mitchell accepts a position at Atlas, a powerful private military corporation led by Jonathan Irons, Will’s father. The world faces a new threat from the KVA, a terrorist group orchestrating global chaos.
As Mitchell and his Atlas team tackle various viruses, including nuclear disasters and terrorist attacks, they inadvertently discover Irons’ sinister plans. It becomes evident that Irons executed defected KVA members and allowed devastating global events to unfold, all in the pursuit of Atlas’ dominance and profit.
The story takes a turn when Mitchell, with the help of former comrade Cormack, universe Irons’ true intentions and the development of a dangerous bio-weapon called “Manticore”. The team embarks on a mission to stop Atlas from using Manticore, leading to intense battles and revelations.
Despite destroying a bio-weapons laboratory and foiling some of Iron’s plans, the conflict escalates. Irons declares War on the United Nations launching a devastating attack on San Francisco and trapping the U.S. Navy. The world responds by declaring war on Atlas, setting the stage for a final confrontation.
In 2061, Mitchell, Cormack, and their team face captivity and experimentation in an Atlas prison camp. Escaping, they learn that Irons plans to unleash Manticore globally. With battle suits and determination, Mitchell and his allies assault Atlas’ headquarters, preventing the launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles loaded with Manticore.
The climactic encounter sees Mitchell confronting Irons, severing his prosthetic arm, and sending him to his demise. While Mitchell survives, he realizes that the struggle against him is far from over. The narrative unfolds with lend of personal tragedy, global conflict, and flight against unchecked corporate power, creating a gripping and intricate storyline in the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare universe.
Following a failed attempt to control a prison riot in New Baghdad, Atlas deploys the Manticore bioweapon to suppress the uprising. Unexpectedly, the released Manticore turns the rioters into zombies. Atlas platoons are dispatched to contain the undead, but only one survives. The captured zombies are taken to a secret research facility within Atlas, known as Sublevel 6. The reanimated subjects break free, causing chaos, and four survivors- Oz, Lilith, Decker, and Kahn- fight to escape. Rescued by Atlas forces, they join a new battle against the infected.
Later, Sentinel Takes Force operatives, led by Captain Lennox, accuse Oz of being the source of the infection. Lennox executes Oz and anesthetizes the other survivors. Atlas forces intervene, reclaiming the ex-employees. Sentinels tracks them to an Atlas aircraft carrier, and the group, now aware of Oz’s Sentinel past, decides to sink the carrier to prevent further infection. Despite encountering the zombified Oz, the group escapes and heads to an underwater Atlas facility, the Trident Retreat.
At the Trident Retreat, the survivors face a final battle with the undead, including Oz. After confronting Oz in a digital representation of his memory, they learn that are immune to the Manticore virus and can be used as a cure. The group defeats the mutated Oz, vowing revenge against Atlas. I’m the aftermath, Lennox is promoted, Decker joins Sentinel, and Kahn files a lawsuit against Atlas with Lilith’s support. Unknown to them, Atlas has created clones of. Oz, hidden beneath the Trident facility.
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Similar to other titles in the Call of Duty series, Advanced Warfare adopts a first-person shooter perspective. However, it introduces notable changes, eschewing the traditional heads-up display(HUD) in favor of holographic projections from the equipped weapon to relay information to the player. While the core gunplay remains familiar, the game introduces new mechanics, particularly the introduction of ‘Exo’ movements. These movements, facilitated by the Exoskeleton, enable players to boost, dash, and execute sky jumps.
Distinguishing itself further, Advanced Warfare becomes the first Call of Duty installment allowing players to choose from various types of conventional weaponry. While traditional firearms are available, players can opt for laser or directed energy weapons, each with unique attributes. Complementing the Exo movements, the game introduces different Exo abilities, such as Exo Cloak, granting players temporary invisibility for stealth purposes.
In contrast to most previous Call of Duty games featuring multiple playable characters, the single-player campaign of Advanced Warfare centers around one character, Jack Mitchell. The narrative unfolds through pre-rendered cinematic cut scenes, akin to the approach used in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, enhancing the storytelling aspect of the campaign.
Following each mission, players receive upgrade points that can be utilized to enhance either the Exo suit or weapons. These upgrade points allow improvements in various aspects such as detection, armor, resistance, tactical skills, lethal grenade capabilities, sprinting, recoil control, flinching reduction, reloading speed, quick aiming, and battery life. The number of points can be earned by completing specific aide objectives, including the collection of the game’s collectible ‘Intel’.
Furthermore, players have the flexibility to switch between different grenades, each possessing distinct abilities, contributing to more diversified and strategic gameplay experience.
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MULTIPLAYER
In addition to the Exo movement system, Advanced Warfare’s multiplayer maintains certain familiar elements found in previous Call of Duty titles. The Pick 10 system, initially seen in Black Ops II, returns as Pick 13, enabling players to allocate points across weapons, attachments, perks, and Score-streaks, with a total of 13 points available for customization. Notably, Score-streaks are now upgradeable with a different module, offering additional abilities/effects at an additional score cost.
A noteworthy addition to Advanced Warfare’s multiplayer is the introduction of weapon variants, each possessing unique stats compared to the base weapons. This innovation results in an extensive arsenal, featuring over 350 weapons, encompassing both variants and base versions. Supply plays a crucial role, allowing players to earn new-year gear through gameplay. The contents of each supply drop are randomized and can include weapon variants, player customization items, and bonus experience points(XP) time. Players can engage in daily challenges to earn additional supply drops.
Exo Zombies was initially teased in the conclusion of the Exo Survival map “Riot” and was officially revealed with the Havoc downloadable content (DLC) pack. In this game mode, Zombies are equipped with Exo suits, granting them enhanced maneuverability, and the storyline centers around five new characters.
The gameplay in Exo Zombies closely mirrors the original Zombies game mode featured in Treyarchs’ Call of Duty titles since Call of Duty: World at War. Up to four players must collaborate to survive against waves of undead enemies, with an optional story quest that can be pursued at any point during a match. Points are earned by damaging and killing zombies, which can be used to open doors, clear obstacles, or purchase weapons and perks to increase the chances of survival. Exo suits can also be acquired, introducing new movement capabilities. Various types of zombies appear in the game, including Charger zombies with increased speed and Electromagnetic zombies(EMZs) capable of disabling players’ Exo suits closely.
The first Exo Zombie’s map, “Outbreak”, was debited as part of the Havoc DLC Map pack. Subsequent maps include “Infection” (Ascendance DLC pack), “Carrier” (Supremacy DLC pack), and “Descent”
(Reckoning DLC pack), each offering unique challenges and environments for players to navigate.
CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE: ACCLAIMS
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare received “generally favorable reviews “according to review aggregator Metacritic.
Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game a 9/10 quoting that“The deepest, most enjoyable, and most skill-based Call of Duty multiplayer to date.”
Brian Albert of IGN rated the game 9.1/10, lauding the mid-21 century setting as a significant and successful departure from the unexpected Call of Duty. He praised the campaign, specifically highlighting the performances of Troy Baker and Kevin Spacey, although he critiqued the hindrance of character relationships and exposition dialogue. The campaign’s creativity in level design was commended, especially missions offering freedom to complete objectives. Albert appreciated the Exo suit, noting its positive impact on multiplayer providing intuitive and enjoyable enhancements. The accelerated pace of rewards in multiplayer, including cosmetic items and new weapons, received praise. The Pick 13 System and the addition of a firing range in the multiplayer lobby were also recommended.
Daniel Tack of Game Informer gave the game 9/10, praising the unprecedented fast movement, extensive multiplayer weapon customization, excellent visuals, well-executed single-player, varied multiplayer modes, and distinct single-player levels. However, he criticizes the predictable plot conclusion and non-impactful weapon upgrades. Tick summarizes the game as a significant advancement while maintaining the series’ excellent gunplay.
PlayStation Lifestyle awarded the game a 9/10, highlighting Sledgehammer Games’ success in providing players with a greater sense of customization beyond cosmetic elements, introducing random unlocks and numerous modifications.
US gamer stated “Advanced Warfare executes the formula competently while adding a handful of bells and whistles like mechs, laser cannons, and double jumps, but Sledgehammer Games seems reluctant to cut loose and push the setting to its fullest potential, making Advanced Warfare a solid but ultimately unexciting entry in the series.”
CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE: ACCLAIMS & SALES
Activision claimed that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare outperformed any other media launch in 2014 in terms of revenue. In November 2014, it was reported that US retail sales for Advanced Warfare were 27% lower than Call of Duty: Ghosts from the previous year. Despite the decline, Advanced Warfare still held the title of the top-selling game at US retail for the year 2015.
In Japan, the PlayStation 3 version of the game sold 79,586 copies in its first week, making it the best-selling game of the week. During the same period, the PlayStation 4 version sold 640,060 copies, while the Xbox One version sold 3,370 copies.
Awards rolled in, and commercially, it soared. Call of Duty Advanced Warfare was not just a game. It was a futuristic spectacle that shot the franchise into a new era of adrenaline-fueled warfare.
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