Call of Duty W@W

[Runyan99]

Anybody playing this? I'm about due for my annual shooter purchase, and was thinking about giving this a try for the PC. I'm also curious about the online multiplayer which appears to include maps with the Germans and the Russians, in addition to the USA and Japanese in the base game. The reviews I have seen on Amazon are very mixed.

[Sergei]

There's two single player campaigns, one in Pacific and another in East Front. After all, what would Call of Duty be without Stalingrad..?

[MeatEtr]

It is what it is, fast paced twitch shooter, nothing realistic about it. So if your looking for a OFP, Armed Assault, or RO like shooter. This certainly won't fit the bill. But having said that though, it's still a great game that runs great too.

As far as feedback goes, no mixed reviews from the major media outlets. It's gotten solid reviews as seen from GameRankings.com.

Although a word of warning to you and any other CoD5 players. Don't forget to backup your mpdatat file. My file got corrupted a few days ago and I had to restart from level 32 back to 1. But I've been playing on power leveling servers and got back to where I was pretty quickly.

For XP this file can be found at:

"C:\Documents and Settings\<UserName>\Local Settings\Application Data\Activision\CoDWaW\players\profiles"

For Vista it's found here:

"C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Local\Activision\CoDWaW\players\profiles"

[Flanker15]

I rented it for my 360 and thought the single player campaign was well worth a rental, didn't play multi. Did play some co-op split screen though, which was fun except for the way the screens are arranged (weird, not proper splitscreen).

Flamethrower is great, after I got it I preceded to set everything on fire and player 2 never get's one in co-op so I kept setting stuff he was using on fire.

[gautrek]

I must admit i'm playing Left 4 dead at the moment.Its a Zombie survival game.with 4 characters.You can play solo or up to 4 player co op.Plus 4 V4 in the verses game.

I'm loving it at the moment playing with some mates who are mic'ed up.Its a laugh and has many funny moments in it.Like Molotoving your mate as he lays down getting a good shoeing by a load of zombies.

so i would look into this game as well.How long this game will hold its appeal i don't know but i have had my moneys worth already from it

Its on steam and in the shops.

[Herr Kruger]

I've played it a little on the 360. Only single-player so far. I like it, but something about all the Call of Duty games I've played feels off. It's hard to describe. Also, constantly tossing grenades back seems silly to me, it happens too much. I'm not far into it but in one of the early American missions I kept finding myself getting stuck on my fellow American soldiers, or stuck in a corner, or stuck on the environment in some way. You can't brush past your compatriots or move them at all, it seems. Frustrating b/c it happens so much. Also, I just really dislike the grenade throwing animation...

Things I like... the flamethrower is way cool. The weapons sound great. It is fun!

Oh yeah, Left 4 Dead looks like it could be great fun. CoD:WaW also has a Nazi Zombie survival game that looks like it could be fun.

Herr Kruger

[John Kettler]

Flanker15,

By "co-op" do you mean with two people, in the same room, playing on the same X-Box 360, each with a separate controller? If so, yay! My friend and business partner rented the newest COD specifically because it said it had co-op, for that's how we like to play, but we've been burned many times by such claims in the past. Call the definition, in game company marketing departments at least, elastic! Frankly, since gaming IS a social activity, we don't understand why so few console games actually have proper co-op, yet you can fight as many as 64 online.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Herr Kruger]

Flanker15,

By "co-op" do you mean with two people, in the same room, playing on the same X-Box 360, each with a separate controller? If so, yay! My friend and business partner rented the newest COD specifically because it said it had co-op, for that's how we like to play, but we've been burned many times by such claims in the past. Call the definition, in game company marketing departments at least, elastic! Frankly, since gaming IS a social activity, we don't understand why so few console games actually have proper co-op, yet you can fight as many as 64 online.

Regards,

John Kettler

Well, he did say split-screen. That's a dead giveaway. Yes, I feel the same, in some ways, about co-op being under-supported. I wouldn't call split-screen proper co-op, though. Proper co-op to me is System Link.

Herr Kruger

[John Kettler]

Runyan99,

Have played this on the X-box 360 in what's alleged to be split-screen Co-op only. I say "alleged" because it's broken-backed Co-op in which you have to suffer through the Makin torture cut scene, there being no way to skip it, checkpoints are few and far between, and there is no Save for your game progress. In the case of my friend and I, this means we lost everything we'd played up to Corkscrew & Blowtorch, to our intense dismay and frustration! Apparently, Co-op is all but useless unless you first play the solo mode all the way through. Unlike H3, you can't simply play the levels you want. My friend was so enraged and frustrated by this he had to restrain himself from flinging the controller through his own TV screen.

Shall continue this in short posts, having lost a long, detailed one earlier when Internet died abruptly.

Regards,

John Kettler

[John Kettler]

Runyan99,

THE GOOD

The game is intense, demanding, and beautifully simulates the chaos, dynamism and noise of battle. The environments are rich and impressive, full of goodies that'll make the CMSF types weep in frustration. The enemy AI is aggressive, nasty and devious. Generally, the foe uses cover well, pops up in all sorts of embarrassing, scary ways and can and will kill you given the opportunity. The hellish island fighting comes to life, as does fighting elsewhere if you live long enough. This was challenging, because our game somehow defaulted to Hardened. Dynamic lighting is very effectively used, though levels are way off in places, but bring extra underwear for when the flares pop!

There's some brilliant scripting of events, jaw dropping, and the game is quite cinematic, too. NOT recommended for anyone with a weak heart or nervous excretory organs. You can crouch and even go prone, terrain permitting.

THE BAD

Friendly AI sucks! The men are aggressive, uncontrollable, have zero understanding of fire and maneuver, never run out of ammo, constantly get in the line of your fire (shooting them dings your score), but they do look great. Weapons and gear which should be in the game aren't (Co-ax MG on T-34/85, main gun sights on same, lack of pits/emplacement and proper sights on the triple 25mm AAA mounts (exposed and very hard to use), Nahverteidigungswaffe on German armor, 47mm Japanese ATG shown firing in cut scenes is useless in game, no Japanese lunge mines or satchel charges, Panzerfausten on both Russian (previously unknown to me pic of Russian firing one shown) and German sides late war); the Japanese have practically PPSh-41 ubiquitous Type 100 SMGs, when they are known to have been in one fight against the Dutch in 1942 and not recorded at all vs . the U.S. in the entire Pacific Campaign. This per Hogg, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INFANTRY WEAPONS OF WORLD WAR II. I think the Japanese paratroops dropped before the Los Banos Raid in the Philippines may've had some, for the Type 100 (modeled in game sans bayonet) was first an Airborne weapon. Net effect is to give them much greater firepower than was historically the case, an effect multiplied by powerful, never dud hand grenades which seem to be even nastier than the U.S. pineapple grenades, absolutely uncrossable wire and chevaux de frise (no lying across the wire, bangalore torpedoes, satchel charges, etc.), not to mention invisible walls which force the U.S. player smack into killing zone after killing zone. Not only are the Japanese rocking SMGs they shouldn't have, but grogs will be fascinated to learn of the invisible shielded roof mounted MG on T-34/85s. It magically appears when you clamber into a T-34/85. don't get me started on static mounted MGs which either point the wrong way or are cleverly designed to not cover the critical approaches when you occupy the position! Enemy marksmanship is frighteningly good (historically, the Japanese had a great rifle

and awful rifle training), and inbound grenades seem laser-guided. This is especially true at higher difficulty levels where they seem to come in clouds, far faster than they can be thrown back, like that was common! No mines or booby traps that I could see. Even late war Russian troops have no RKG HEAT grenades. Flamethrower modeling seems to be based on premise that fuel load is as for an FT tank, not a man and allows man to fire too many times and use rifle/SMG, etc. while still in FT harness. Wrong, but impressive!

THE UGLY

Switchology is awful, making simple tasks not only difficult but dangerous. Calling in a Corsair rocket strike, despite on screen prompts, is likely to cause multiple friendly losses and send you into battle sans grenades, it being easy to throw one accidentally while trying to bring in a strike whose timeliness, accuracy and power makes Iraq seem wussy. Close combat is well depicted in the cut scenes, but isn't implemented in game other than the "B" button. NO tactics at all. ZERO ammo resupply, available in games as far back as Star Wars: Battlefront, plus severely limited ammo at any given weapon, plus ease of death resulting from having to leave positions to a) get another gun or provide buddy aid to your fellow Co-op player (obtainable only from him if you get hit) result in more time spent getting into battle and hunting for a usable weapon than actually fighting. Since checkpoints are few and far between, expect a Sisyphean ordeal of deadly , frustrating deja vu. At Makin, you have to watch the grisly torture scene over and over, or be respawned in trip flare perdition if you get through the first part intact. Interestingly, we got through the river ambush the first time we played, but found it impossible the next time we got together.

The cut scenes have some major boners, not least of which is a MODERN CVBG and PHIBGRU for WW II and T-34/85s for Op Typhoon, Moscow, 1941. The manual is an abortion and doesn't even explain what's in your personal inventory, such as Molotovs and how to call them up.

In See Lowe, the Germans have towers which stand up like sore thumbs, but that's nothing compared to the gigantic Japanese mortar pits on Peleliu, occupied by tiny 81 mm mortars. As this makes clear, these were actually big weapons.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/wapa/indepth/extContent/usmc/pcn-190-003137-00/sec2.htm

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/jp_150mortar/index.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Peleliu/img/USMC-M-Peleliu-p181.jpg

Even factoring that in, they're more suited for U.S. pre War antiship mortars, like at Corregidor's Battery Way.

http://corregidor.org/chs_rowbotm/way.htm

BOTTOM LINE

This game is rich with potential, but from a Co-op standpoint, at least, is severely to fatally flawed. The friendly AI is a huge immersion killer, but nothing like the nightmare of trying to fight while chronically ammo deficient and either getting shot/blown up (POs Co-op partner) or having to save same (POing you). The artificial in-game constraints on the players are maddening, but the fundamental awful choice made to force the player to play through solo before enabling Co-op to work properly left us feeling cheated and ripped off. Fortunately, we rented it!

The solo game may be fantastic, with none of the issues listed being applicable, but I doubt it.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Herr Kruger]

Runyan99,

Have played this on the X-box 360 in what's alleged to be split-screen Co-op only. I say "alleged" because it's broken-backed Co-op in which you have to suffer through the Makin torture cut scene, there being no way to skip it, checkpoints are few and far between, and there is no Save for your game progress. In the case of my friend and I, this means we lost everything we'd played up to Corkscrew & Blowtorch, to our intense dismay and frustration! Apparently, Co-op is all but useless unless you first play the solo mode all the way through. Unlike H3, you can't simply play the levels you want. My friend was so enraged and frustrated by this he had to restrain himself from flinging the controller through his own TV screen.

Shall continue this in short posts, having lost a long, detailed one earlier when Internet died abruptly.

Regards,

John Kettler

Suffer through a what, 15-sec cut scene?? LOL! Oh, the horror! Hardly a criticism worth noting. H3? Do you mean Halo 3?

For the record I rented this game and played solo only, and it was good, but with all the CoD games I've played there is something missing. I don't think they are great. However, some of Kettler's criticisms seem very silly to me. I don't buy his accusations of a terrible co-op experience. Playing co-op should not mean you get to skip ahead into a game to play any level you want without having finished the previous levels. How is it that there is no Save for your progress?? I find that claim to be preposterous. Checkpoints might indeed seem few and far between to him, but I've played this game and they seemed to be adequate in my experience.

Herr Kruger

[MeatEtr]

Hmmm, methinks JK and his friend are unaware of the trigger system in the CoD games. In some cases the enemy will continue to come at you until you start taking ground. If you don't move up then you will literally stay where your at killing enemy after enemy while your ammo depletes. I've never had ammo trouble, maybe with finding allied weapons to refill your default weapons. But theres oodles of enemy weapons out there, an overabundance.

Anyways, for those that chose the best platform to experience this game on. For the PC, there is a new profile backup utility here.

[John Kettler]

Herr Kruger,

We wanted to love the game, but took it back in dismay. That said, it was the best of the CODs we've played. If you haven't played the game Co-op, then you have an opinion, but I'd argue it's not an informed one. I say flatly and formally that we lost ALL prior progress, despite believing that the game saved properly since we completed the level before Corkscrew & Blowtorch. Doesn't matter whether you want to believe it or not, for it happened to us, causing my normally phlegmatic friend to practically blow a gasket. Co-op in Halo 3 allows the players, game fresh out of the box, to decide what kind of battle they wish to have by choosing the level they want, something I think someone who shells out $70.00 for a game deserves, as my friend says, "without having to leap through flaming hoops." Would you argue, running with your premise, that CM players MUST play all the scenarios and ops on the disc before being allowed to play QBs? If so, preposterous! Some people who love the CM games have NEVER played anything but QBs. Rather doubt this makes them wrong!

MeatEtr,

We tried advancing boldly and died, fighting in the middle of the pack and died, hanging back and died--all in Co-op at Hardened in the trip flare scenario. No idea how we got through it the first time! Given that, not even sure I want to think about the Berlin street fight.

Runyan99,

If you want to see a truly well-implemented game, check out Left 4 Dead (AKA Zombies on Crack). Too disturbing for me, but brilliantly executed in terms of a game that works and works well, albeit, while ignoring the gear it takes to carry 10 boxes of shotgun shells, a pistol with unlimited ammo and a few other things. Has 4-person right out of the box split-screen Co-op with campaign mode or your choice of level to play, Versus mode, character choice , cinematic, immersive scenes, drama, eerie music, atmospherics and pulse-pounding, in your face action. Valve did this one right. How? By concentrating on proven game design essentials and features, not gee whizzery for its own sake.

Regards,

John Kettler

[Herr Kruger]

Herr Kruger,

We wanted to love the game, but took it back in dismay. That said, it was the best of the CODs we've played. If you haven't played the game Co-op, then you have an opinion, but I'd argue it's not an informed one. I say flatly and formally that we lost ALL prior progress, despite believing that the game saved properly since we completed the level before Corkscrew & Blowtorch. Doesn't matter whether you want to believe it or not, for it happened to us, causing my normally phlegmatic friend to practically blow a gasket. Co-op in Halo 3 allows the players, game fresh out of the box, to decide what kind of battle they wish to have by choosing the level they want, something I think someone who shells out $70.00 for a game deserves, as my friend says, "without having to leap through flaming hoops." Would you argue, running with your premise, that CM players MUST play all the scenarios and ops on the disc before being allowed to play QBs? If so, preposterous! Some people who love the CM games have NEVER played anything but QBs. Rather doubt this makes them wrong!

A few points :

I agree, my information about co-op on that specific game is limited, however, everything I said applies. Your lost progress is no doubt an Xbox hardware problem, and not a CoD game problem. Do you own a 360?

As per your claim on Halo 3, you are severely misinformed or flat-out lying. I own Halo 3 and I just tested your claim. You can't choose any level you want without having first completed the previous level. I am as I sit here signed into my Xbox and Halo 3 with two profiles that have not completed any campaign missions and I can ONLY choose "Arrival" to play, which is the beginning cut-scene that leads to the first level. Perhaps your friend has hacked his 360? Case closed on that score.

A game with levels and a cohesive story to tell is very, very different from CM, a game with scenarios. If you can't see that, well, I guess it says something about you. Your comparison is nonsense.

One final point, the standard price for games these days is $60, not $70.

Herr Kruger

[Flanker15]

Yes that co-op problem does exist I remember from when I had it out.

The co-op is a online match sort of set-up even offline, you pick a stage and play through it and the stages after it. The host who picks the stage can only pick levels they've beaten in single player so if you play split-screen first without playing single player, you have to finish the game in one go. Finishing a level in co-op doesn't count as finishing it in single player like Halo.

Once you beat the game you get NAZI zombies dun dun dunnnn!

[gautrek]

Herr Kruger,

If you want to see a truly well-implemented game, check out Left 4 Dead (AKA Zombies on Crack). Too disturbing for me, but brilliantly executed in terms of a game that works and works well, albeit, while ignoring the gear it takes to carry 10 boxes of shotgun shells, a pistol with unlimited ammo and a few other things. Has 4-person right out of the box split-screen Co-op with campaign mode or your choice of level to play, Versus mode, character choice , cinematic, immersive scenes, drama, eerie music, atmospherics and pulse-pounding, in your face action. Valve did this one right. How? By concentrating on proven game design essentials and features, not gee whizzery for its own sake.

Couldn't agree more here mate.

Me and my mates are loving this game.Its a case of fire the game up and steam tells you if your mates are online(just like x box live).you can drop in and out of games as you like invite mates in,chat with its inbuilt voice stuff and basically shoot Zombies all night.2 of us have nearly finised each capter but are stuck on the final map in each one.We are waiting for a night when we finally get four online at once.

The point about the ammo loadout and health system are a no better or worse than anyother typical FPS.

But i just love this game as its a laugh out loud game.Molotoving your mates by mistake,getting boomered then huntered and smokered all at once then and then getting the tank to snot you as well in verses is a laugh.

Playing verse and actually managing to take a fellow human down for the first time as a hunter is fun.

Check this out for basically what the game is.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=a8kVwkoO0BI

This is the intro video.

The co op works brilliantly in this as you get more points in verses for ever person left at the end of each round. Plus playing the missions on difficult means you must have 4 people left to stand any chance of finishing.This is the only online game where total strangers work together with out being told to do it.If you get huntered or boomered you need help if they leave you you are dead.so you must stick together and work as a team.To hear 4 strangers co operating using voice is great.

I would recommend this game to any FPS lover.Its engine is ideal for a Co op aliens type game or a Starship troopers Co op game.

Any game makers should be forced to play this game as it is so right in just about every department.It needs a few tweeks in verses like reducing the spawn for the infected side to counter the run through humans but other wise as an out the box game its awesome.

Any one who wants to play this game check me out on steam and i'm up for some co op fun.

[John Kettler]

Herr Kruger,

I don't, but my friend/gaming buddy/business partner does. It may be an X-Box 360 problem as you suggest, but everything was behaving normally prior, and we followed the established procedures as outlined. As to your assertions about me personally, I may be wrong, I may be misinformed (possible that friend conflated H3 memory with some other game), but unless you can prove it, to include deliberate intent to deceive, I suggest you eschew and retract even raising the issue of my lying, especially since I didn't. I simply reported what I remember being told of the difference between H2 and H3. And no, my friend hasn't hacked his X-Box 360.

gautrek,

Awarding points for saving party members was a genius move by the game designers, for it forces the players to work together, rather than the madness and rampant egos in so many other shooters played in Co-op. Indeed, my friend told me of one clash in Left 4 Dead in which his character held off the zombie horde with a Mini-gun, allowing the rest to reach the helicopter, only to himself perish. Beaucoup points for sacrificing himself for the greater good!

Regards,

John Kettler

[Herr Kruger]

Herr Kruger,

I don't, but my friend/gaming buddy/business partner does. It may be an X-Box 360 problem as you suggest, but everything was behaving normally prior, and we followed the established procedures as outlined. As to your assertions about me personally, I may be wrong, I may be misinformed (possible that friend conflated H3 memory with some other game), but unless you can prove it, to include deliberate intent to deceive, I suggest you eschew and retract even raising the issue of my lying, especially since I didn't. I simply reported what I remember being told of the difference between H2 and H3. And no, my friend hasn't hacked his X-Box 360.

Regards,

John Kettler

So, I guess we'll go with 'severely misinformed' on the score of Halo 3, then.

Herr Kruger