Call of Duty: World at War

[th3-space-pope]

I played a lot of COD4 and by a lot I mean my play time is sitting around 8 days, but after COD3 I learnt my lesson and was going to ignore World at War altogether, content that all my online shooter needs would be met by Gears 2. Alas, fate conspired against me, the Gears 2 matchmaking is broken (especially if your Australian) and a lot of my mates who are the type of gamer who pick an online shooter and that's all their game purchases for the year went with World at War because they loved COD4 so much.

So today I went and picked up World at War and just got finished playing online with a bunch of mates for about 5 hours...and it sucks. COD4 had a lot of problems with camping, but it was nothing that couldn't be overcome with a bit of skill and a good automatic weapon, World at War however has taken those problems and magnified them 10 fold. Gone is the selection of maps dominated by close quarters street combat, replaced instead with a selection of maps, all of which support exactly the same amount of players, that range from what is ostensibly one room with a balcony to a bunch of massive maps, with over-powered tanks, that you have to pick a spot and stay there on or be shot every time you so much as think about poking your head out. Overall The maps are just terrible, they reward sitting in a corner and waiting, and brutally punish anything other style of play.

Not only have they bought Last Stand back they have added a perk that encourages it's use even more.

The guns just feel terrible compared to COD2.

Overall this game mostly makes me hate Activision, the only people who should be making COD games are Infinity Ward and although Treyarch makes semi-competent clones, as your playing the game you know in the back of your head 'this could be so much better'.

Call of Duty: World at War is a step backwards. I will be returning it tomorrow.

[wideawakewesley]

Overall this game mostly makes me hate Activision, the only people who should be making COD games are Infinity Ward and although Treyarch makes semi-competent clones, as your playing the game you know in the back of your head 'this could be so much better'.

Would you be happy if this game was just called World at War? Certainly Treyarch wouldn't have been able to release a COD game this year even if you wanted them to. Activision are cashing in on the brand and can you blame them? You knew in advance it was made by someone else, you knew it was WW2, you probably read the reviews, you could have rented the game just to be sure.

Much as you may hate Activision, they've done nothing wrong.

Wes

[th3-space-pope]

I know it's an irrational hate, I don't care, I hate them.

Plus, as I implied in my post my purchase was largely driven by peer pressure and the fact that a lot of my friends seem to be so madly in love with anything COD that getting a Gears party together (something absolutely necessary with the current matchmaking) is difficult.

[dolson]

I bought it too, and I was disappointed in my purchase, until I rented Mirror's Edge. Playing that steaming pile made everything better, and I love my World at War, now.

[sushicombo]

I haven't understood a lot of the gripes that people have had with this game. People can't make up their mind if they don't like it because it's either it's not enough like Call of Duty 4 or it's just a reskin of Call of Duty 4.

The game is not a map pack for COD 4, we've already had that. It's a new theater, with new weapons and maps and story. Some guns are better than others. There were guns in COD4 that I found totally useless that other people liked (personally I couldn't stand the submachine guns because they were too weak and found the P90 WAY overpowered.) I've heard complaints about the bolt actions yet a couple of my favorites are in there.

I've greatly enjoyed the single player mode thought I wish it was less fragmented and more a linear story the way COD 4 was but you'd have to have the same complaint about the other 3 COD's if you say that I enjoyed the other 3 as well.

Personally I haven't felt like the tanks are tremendously overpowered. I mean...It's not the Warthog and the game isn't Halo. It's a friggin tank. They're supposed to be tough. A well-place head-shot takes out the gunner and two shots in the ass with a rocket or sticky bomb takes out the tank. I've taken out a few on my own anyway.

Any first person shooter I've played I've heard people complaining about spawn points. When COD4 came out with the update last year it effectively broke the game for awhile. I was spawning in front of 3 guys and even facing the sky once or twice. But they fixed it. I haven't had any real gripes with the spawn points in this one yet but I think if enough people complain they'll do something about this one as well.

It's not COD 4. It's it's own game with it's own maps, weapons, and problems. They've tried to use some of the best features of the last one but it is it's own game. There are people online who are kicking ass at the game and I'm guessing that they're not doing it simply with exploits. They're doing it because they're playing the game like it's it's own game...not COD4 part 2.

Just an opinion of course. We all get one. :)

[lik]

Hardened mode in this game is freaking insane. it's a lot harder than CoD4's Hardened mode. the AI snipers drive me nuts...perfect aim and one hit kills.

[scoobydiesel]

i picked it up for the hell of it, i got the LE so I'm ok with buying it.

other wise yeah you can tell another company made it and all that good..or bad stuff.

[th3-space-pope]

The game is not a map pack for COD 4, we've already had that. It's a new theater, with new weapons and maps and story. Some guns are better than others. There were guns in COD4 that I found totally useless that other people liked (personally I couldn't stand the submachine guns because they were too weak and found the P90 WAY overpowered.) I've heard complaints about the bolt actions yet a couple of my favorites are in there.

The feel of the guns is pretty subjective so I'll just say, I disagree.

Personally I haven't felt like the tanks are tremendously overpowered. I mean...It's not the Warthog and the game isn't Halo. It's a friggin tank. They're supposed to be tough. A well-place head-shot takes out the gunner and two shots in the ass with a rocket or sticky bomb takes out the tank. I've taken out a few on my own anyway.

See I know that is flat out wrong, I have run up behind tanks a couple of times thrown two satchel charges on it run a bit blown them up and then had the tank turn kill me, that is my problem with the tanks you can't kill the tank with the armaments you have without dieing and getting more.

Any first person shooter I've played I've heard people complaining about spawn points. When COD4 came out with the update last year it effectively broke the game for awhile. I was spawning in front of 3 guys and even facing the sky once or twice. But they fixed it. I haven't had any real gripes with the spawn points in this one yet but I think if enough people complain they'll do something about this one as well.

I didn't actually complain about the spawn points but your right they suck.

It's not COD 4. It's it's own game with it's own maps, weapons, and problems. They've tried to use some of the best features of the last one but it is it's own game. There are people online who are kicking ass at the game and I'm guessing that they're not doing it simply with exploits. They're doing it because they're playing the game like it's it's own game...not COD4 part 2.

Ultimately I wasn't expecting it to be COD4.2, but I believe I am justified in comparing it to COD4, because fundamentally, it is a reskin. Also don't get me wrong I didn't come here to rant because I got my ass handed to me I came here to complain because when I started playing I was flat out told on half the maps that loaded "you have to camp on this map", I scoffed at them at first but quickly realised they were absolutely right. Most of the maps seem to have been made with a complete lack of understanding of what made COD4 a fun game.

[bobafettjm]

At first I was a little disapointed in this game. But after playing it quite a bit now and getting a feel for everything I really like it. My problem at first is that I was trying to play it just like COD 4, which doesn't really work. After I got a handle on everything and started trying all the guns to get a feel for what I liked I started to enjoy it a lot more.

I do however have a problem with the maps. Some of the maps just don't seem to flow as well as most of the ones in COD 4. There are a couple that I really enjoy like Hangar, airfield, and Castle, but there are a few clunkers like Dome (which was the most lazy level design ever), Outskirts, and Seelow.

[th3-space-pope]

At first I was a little disapointed in this game. But after playing it quite a bit now and getting a feel for everything I really like it. My problem at first is that I was trying to play it just like COD 4, which doesn't really work. After I got a handle on everything and started trying all the guns to get a feel for what I liked I started to enjoy it a lot more.

I do however have a problem with the maps. Some of the maps just don't seem to flow as well as most of the ones in COD 4. There are a couple that I really enjoy like Hangar, airfield, and Castle, but there are a few clunkers like Dome (which was the most lazy level design ever), Outskirts, and Seelow.

Despite all the whining I've been doing in this thread, I'm actually of a similar mind now.

I was talked into giving the game another shot, just got finished another lengthy play session, and I am disliking the game less for it, I still think the maps and guns are bad but I must admit after I got the aperture scope on a gun I found the guns a lot more tolerable.

So I guess I'm not returning it after all, I'm still hoping that the Gears 2 matchmaking gets fixed and interest in this game dies out, but for the moment World at War is passable...barely.

[tsmith15]

I only played the beta of World at War (WaW) and while it wasn't BAD, it wasn't GREAT, it was GOOD. What I liked was that it still had the same addictive experience/levelling up thing that CoD4 had, the War mode was tons of fun, and the double-barrelled shotgun is so fun. What I didn't like was the three maps they had, the general inaccuracy of every gun (which is more a complaint with WWII than WaW), the artillery and dogs replacing air strikes and helicopters (artillery lasts too long and doesn't damage teammates and dogs are way more annoying than helicopters), and the spawn points (which I always maintained would be fixed shortly after the game was fully released).

To address some specific points Pope made:
- I agree that the maps are bad (but that is subjective)
- I agree about not liking the guns (also subjective)
- I disagree about the tanks. I thought they were easy to take down (although I carried rockets on all my classes) because even if you can't do it solo there should be a team to help you
- I didn't find camping was a problem because I exclusively played War and very very rarely encountered jerks who just camped instead of trying to cap flags (possibly an anomaly, but the general good-naturedness of all the players was fantastic)

Bottom line is I like CoD4 much better on the whole, and feel no reason to buy WaW or stop playing CoD4.

[funkjomamma]

I've only played the Nazi Zombie mode at the end of the game after the credits, but it's super fun. Super stressful, but super fun.

[lik]

Bottom line is I like CoD4 much better on the whole, and feel no reason to buy WaW or stop playing CoD4.

the flamethrowers and bayonets are great. plus there are some nice surprises during the single player mode.

[th3-space-pope]

- I didn't find camping was a problem because I exclusively played War and very very rarely encountered jerks who just camped instead of trying to cap flags (possibly an anomaly, but the general good-naturedness of all the players was fantastic)

That's a good point, I've exclusively played hardcore team deathmatch so far, perhaps some of these maps lend themselves better to different game modes, I will have to investigate.

[rkolegendkiller91]

Im a huge Call of Duty.....4 fan. So yeah...i dont like this one that Much.

[jubo]

Call of Duty: World at War is a step backwards. I will be returning it tomorrow.

I'm wondering, how are you going to be returning an opened game, hmm?

[th3-space-pope]

I'm wondering, how are you going to be returning an opened game, hmm?

You might want to consider reading the rest of the thread first next time.

Despite all the whining I've been doing in this thread, I'm actually of a similar mind now.

I was talked into giving the game another shot, just got finished another lengthy play session, and I am disliking the game less for it, I still think the maps and guns are bad but I must admit after I got the aperture scope on a gun I found the guns a lot more tolerable.

So I guess I'm not returning it after all, I'm still hoping that the Gears 2 matchmaking gets fixed and interest in this game dies out, but for the moment World at War is passable...barely.

But as to your question, EB has a 7 day return policy and they price match.

[puddlefish]

I'm really enjoying this game so far. I'm not on X-box live so I've only played the single player campaign of COD4, but I'm enjoying this just about as much (again, campaign only). I personally love the WWII setting, but if you're not as into it you won't enjoy this game as much I guess. COD4's narrative is tighter, but there are some great set pieces in World at War, plus the gun fights are just as intense.

[bobafettjm]

I'm really liking this game more and more, but the only problem is I am already getting tired of the maps. I wish I could pick a few to play a lot, or maybe even have some downloadable maps from previous COD games.

[sushicombo]

PEOPLE THERE IS NOW NO NEED TO WORRY!!














...I won the war last night. We can all sleep a little easier.

Incidentally the zombie mode is a ton of fun. I'm wondering if it was just a throw in since the game release was a week apart from Left 4 Dead, but either way I played it with 3 buddies last night and had a great time. Nazi Zombie equivalent of Horde Mode I guess.

Having finished the game now I can say that OBVIOUSLY it's not as good a game as Call of Duty 4. But of the Call of Duty 1-3's it is the best of those, and not just graphically. It is the most balanced/enjoyable/well-acted, bang-for-your-buck experience, and all 3 of those were great games. It's also the best WW2 fps that I've personally played but, like all the reviewers (including Alex), I think I'm done buying WW2 games.

Please. There are so many other conflicts. How about Call of Duty: Falklands. Or COD: War of 1812. COD Hundred Years War Part 1. SO MANY OTHERS!

"Level 21! I just earned iron sights for my musket!"


Anyone who wants to give Zombie a try with me feel free to add me up. Now for Veteran.

[dolson]

COD: War of 1812

Come back oh proud Canadians
To before they had TV
No Hockey Night in Canada
There was no CBC

In 1812 Madison was mad
He was the President, you know
He thought he'd tell the British
Where they ought to go

He thought he'd invade Canada
He thought that he was tough
Instead we went to Washington
And burned down all his stuff

And the White House burned, burned, burned
And we're the ones that did it!
It burned burned burned
While the President ran and cried

It burned burned burned
Things were very historical
and the Americans ran and cried like a bunch of little babies, wah wah wah
in the war of 1812!

Now some hillbillies from Kentucky
dressed in green and red
left home to fight in Canada
but they returned home dead

Its only war the Yankees lost
except for Vietnam
and also the Alamo
and the Bay of... Ham

The loser was America
The winner was ourselves
So sing along and gloat about
The war of 1812

And the White House burned, burned, burned
But the Americans won't admit it
It burned burned burned
It burned and burned and burned

It burned burned burned
I bet that made them mad
and the Americans ran and cried like a bunch of little babies, wah wah wah
in the war of 1812!

[rsk_taker]

Oh man, a game with JUST muskets that are completely inaccurate and random in shot direction (none of the f-ing automatic weapons) would be incredible. You'd literally have to let the enemy run close to you to shoot them and that usually wouldn't kill them so melee (bayonets) would be huge

[jay_ray]

I've finished the campaign, the only problem I had with it was the incredibly difficult and stupid German wack-a-mole sniper part. How the hell did that part get past anyone who played the game before hand within the company?

[rkolegendkiller91]

I really really Disliked this game, just got to try and beat it on Veteran for Achivements

[bobafettjm]

Ok so tonight I finally beat the game and unlocked the zombie killing mini-game. I have to say I had a BLAST playing it online with 3 other people.

[dolson]

Ok so tonight I finally beat the game and unlocked the zombie killing mini-game. I have to say I had a BLAST playing it online with 3 other people.

Is it anything like Left 4 Dead at all? I assume there's less enemy variety, but the fun factor, and the teamwork requirements, are they similar at all?

I don't have the option of playing Left 4 Dead because Valve don't want money from PS3 users, so this is probably the closest thing to it, by the sounds of it.

I'll have to finish the game soon, I guess.

[radzack]

didn't buy, but have played some. Fine game.

[bobafettjm]

Is it anything like Left 4 Dead at all? I assume there's less enemy variety, but the fun factor, and the teamwork requirements, are they similar at all?

I don't have the option of playing Left 4 Dead because Valve don't want money from PS3 users, so this is probably the closest thing to it, by the sounds of it.

I'll have to finish the game soon, I guess.

Well I haven't yet played left 4 dead so I am not sure. Basically you all start in a room in a building with 5 windows the zombies can come through. As you shoot zombies and re-build the window barricades you earn money. With the money you earned you can unlock new rooms or buy weapons. As you buy new rooms more weapons become available to you.

Also the game works in rounds, round 1 is a small wave of easy to kill, slow zombies, but the game ramps up. At first you don't really need to do much communicating, but if you want to survive past any decent number of rounds you have to work together.

Also there is a ray gun you can get.

[dolson]

Well I haven't yet played left 4 dead so I am not sure. Basically you all start in a room in a building with 5 windows the zombies can come through. As you shoot zombies and re-build the window barricades you earn money. With the money you earned you can unlock new rooms or buy weapons. As you buy new rooms more weapons become available to you.

Also the game works in rounds, round 1 is a small wave of easy to kill, slow zombies, but the game ramps up. At first you don't really need to do much communicating, but if you want to survive past any decent number of rounds you have to work together.

Also there is a ray gun you can get.

Ah, I thought you had tried L4D for some reason.

Anyhow, this sounds excellent, actually. I am gonna resume playing tonight to get this unlocked ASAP. :)

It sounds like I had initially thought it might be - a cross between L4D and Gears 2's horde mode. Maybe not as good as either, but it'll do.

[bobafettjm]

Where it really shines is with the 4 player. If you play it by yourself or with less than 4 it's not as fun I don't think. It really gets fun when playing with people who communicate, especially on the higher rounds.

[forbizzle]

Any old school Day of Defeat players give WaW a shot? I liked CoD4 casually (like halo it gets more praise than it deserves since it's a console release), but WaW looks like a DoD-like game. Since dod:source was a piece of crap, I haven't played a really good WW2 shooter in years.

[th3-space-pope]

Any old school Day of Defeat players give WaW a shot? I liked CoD4 casually (like halo it gets more praise than it deserves since it's a console release), but WaW looks like a DoD-like game. Since dod:source was a piece of crap, I haven't played a really good WW2 shooter in years.

I played my fair share of DoD, I played a lot more DoD:Source though and liked it so our tastes may differ, but don't get this game for the multiplayer, even if your preferences skew towards WW2 multiplayer, COD4 is superior in every conceivable way where multiplayer is concerned.

The campaign is pretty good though, especially co-op, but hardened/veteran still retain all those COD4 annoyances like being spammed with pin-point accurate grenade throws as soon as you get with-in a certain range, no matter where you are, plus it adds a few new ones like the abundance of jungle levels in this game despite the fact that AI can see right through any form of shrubbery...

Yeah...I'm playing through on veteran right now and needed to rant.

[dolson]

Well, I passed the sniper mission that I read complaints about... The one where he's in the windows.

I took about 3 shots and killed him on my 4th. I assume that I didn't have difficulty or die because I'm playing in Normal mode, not Hardened or Veteran.

I play games to be entertained and enjoy myself, not get frustrated beyond belief and angry enough to whip my controller across the room. This is why I used to play games on Easy mode. It wasn't until recently that I decided to bump it up to Normal (and I still blew through Resistance 2 with very few issues).

Maybe someday I'll make the jump to hard modes, but I just don't find it fun anymore, at this point in my life.

[lik]

yea dolson, if you play on Hardened, those snipers have perfect aim and it's a one hit kill. probably one of the most frustrating sections of the game for me.

the game can get frustrating but it's soooo satisfying to win each and every level.

[bobafettjm]

yea dolson, if you play on Hardened, those snipers have perfect aim and it's a one hit kill. probably one of the most frustrating sections of the game for me.

the game can get frustrating but it's soooo satisfying to win each and every level.

Not to mention there were times the bullets seemed to go around the corner to hit me.

So I ended up doing prestige mode for the first time today and I have to say because of it I have noticed a lot of weapon balancing issues. I did prestige mode all 10 times in COD 4 and NEVER had a problem when reset to level 1. However in World at War the guns you start out with seem very inferior to the ones you recieve later in the game. In COD 4 even at level 1 there were guns that one could use to still stand a chance.

Also I don't know if it's just because of my connection or if it's the game but it seems like there are MANY instances where I will shoot someone with a full clip of ammo only to have them turn around and kill me instantly. I've also shot at people a lot and it seems like the bullets are going right through people, only to watch the kill cam and it shows me not shooting a single bullet.