Preview - Call of Duty: Ghosts

Writing an introduction for Call of Duty is becoming a harder task every year seeing as it follows pretty much the same formula with every new instalment. We know there's going to be a fast and furious multiplayer. We know there's going to be a forgetful campaign. We know it's going to sell millions. However it appears as if Activision and developer Infinity Ward have heard the claims from critics about the game growing stale and they're desperately trying to do something about it. 

The first level of the campaign we get to see is an underwater one, and it appears as though Infinity Ward are eager to show off a refined and updated engine. To their credit, the game does look nicer than usual. Fish swim by as you float along and everything just appears slightly crisper. But it's not long before you're following the tried and trusted method of, "Shoot this guy without being spotted" and, "Follow your partner over there without getting lost".

It's gameplay that has worked in Call of Duty for years, and it will probably continue to work as long as the franchise is around, but it doesn't inspire confidence that Ghosts is something to really shout about. Later on in the level you and your partner are on the ocean bed while the ship above them explodes and catapults to the floor. Thus ensues a mad rush to get out of the way before being flattened by debris, which is always an adrenalin rush but again, nothing new. 

We're then shown a level which involves you and a team of soldiers abseiling down a huge skyscraper before going inside. It's a nice idea and it works well as a way of disorientating the player before they can enter the building. You then have to cut a hole through the window, get inside and do your dirty work by taking out enemies silently and efficiently. It's simple Call of Duty stuff, but it happens so quickly and cleanly that you can't help but enjoy it.

It's the multiplayer where Infinity Ward is working the hardest, and as usual there are several new features and updates to bring Ghosts to life. This includes new games modes and a Squads feature, which lets you customise and level up a team of ten soldiers. Each soldier comes with his own XP counter and you can even prestige each one separately. Unfortunately Squads wasn't available to play at this time so we had to make do with a good old fashioned game of Team Deathmatch instead.

And as expected, it's still the fastest, most unforgiving multiplayer around. The 60 frames-per-second gameplay is more evident than ever as you rush around corners and jump through windows, always close to a kill or be killed situation. Earning XP points is easier when amassing kill streaks, or even ending somebody else's, while weapons have been given the usual update so they feel better to fire than ever before. 

Overall there are several small improvements that will probably make Ghosts the best Call of Duty yet, but in the year of next-gen consoles and a massive rivalry with Battlefield 4, is that going to be enough? It remains to be seen, but this year's battle between the FPS giants is set to be the closest of all time.