Call of Duty It is a franchise that, wherever it comes out, raise controversy. It is really easy to read the name of the saga accompanied by null evolution, more of the same, camperos, rat children and other derogatory terms. The majority, beware, totally deserved given its irregular trajectory (here we focus on the multiplayer aspect) and a conflictive community.
As a Call of Duty player since the second installment, I have always received each new installment with some enthusiasm, especially since the arrival of the installment that forever changed the FPS, especially on consoles, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. And since then, Activision's brand has been one of the most qualitative ups and downs. What makes a Call of Duty good? What sets you apart from the rest?
The old Infinity Ward (nothing to do with the current one since there are more employees of it in Respawn Entertainment than in IW) surprised everyone with what, for many, is the best FPS of the past generation, taking the brand to modern warfare and offering both a campaign and a multiplayer with very few flaws and rough edges. Modern Warfare perfected and further established some of the pillars of the franchise's competitive side as well as most of the competitive FPS we've seen since: weapons, maps, killstreaks and advantages or perks.
Weapon selection
As in any FPS worth its salt, the amount and variety of weapons available is a key point. But beyond the number of assault rifles or submachine guns that we can choose, the importance of this point lies in how balanced they are. It is common and usual (almost characteristic I would say) that there is a weapon of each category relatively superior to the rest but when overpowered weapons come into play, they only detract from the fun and competitive level of the set.
Call of Duty 4 and Black Ops 2 are an example of a varied and balanced list of weapons that meant that in a high-level game we could see a wide range of them. Meanwhile, in games like MW3 it was common that, depending on whether you opted for assault rifles or submachine guns, they would always carry the same (ACR and PP90) so that in Ghosts, directly, the use of assault rifles remained relegated to the background due to the power of submachine guns or, bloodier still, weapons such as the Bulldog shotgun.
Maps
If weapons are the core of an FPS, the terrain where they are used is no less important. Call of Duty 2 and, later, Modern Warfare, were a master lesson in how to offer an extensive and varied list of maps with two key points in mind: avoid static or free play and favor different game modes by offering a careful selection of respawn points or respawn.
Ghosts is the clear example of how should not be the maps of a Call of Duty: excessively large and buzzing for a 6vs6, betting on corridors and narrow areas in the vast majority of scenarios. Meanwhile, Dome, map of Modern Warfare 3, is another example of how respawns should not be worked.
Again, Black Ops 2 and the first Modern Warfare are a master lesson in map selection and variety (with some exceptions such as Dirty Work due to its monotony) among which some such as Collision, Vacancy, Attack, Raid, Slums or Plaza stand out.
Casualty streaks
Modern Warfare pioneered this element that is so essential today in the FPS scene and started the flow in a thoughtful and truly balanced way. Three identical distinct and distinct streaks for all players, focusing on support, player-led offense, and an automatic source of kills such as UAV, Airstrike, and Helicopter.
What followed in certain installments like MW2 and MW3 was a festival of streaks, each one more aggressive and unbalanced, resulting in games in which the sky was filled with helicopters and offensive elements that downplayed what was happening at ground level.
Black Ops and Black Ops 2 put a bit of sanity in this aspect, offering a very wide variety of streaks among which, yes, it was difficult to find one that, due to ease of achieving or being excessively effective, was a handicap that would unbalance the games. BO2 also chose to leave the casualty streaks behind and bet on achieving them thanks to the points with which it enhanced team play and the taking of flags, placing bombs, etc.
Class creation
As we said, another of the points that little less than the old Infinity Ward established with its Modern Warfare was the creation of classes with different advantages for the player with which to enhance the mobility, damage or general precision of their digital alter ego. But COD4 was also the title that included some of the community's most detested perks such as Titan or Last Battle, which would return in MW2 and Black Ops.
It was again Black Ops 2 the title that curled the loop and improved what MW had established thanks to its system "Pick 10" in which they gave an unprecedented freedom in the saga, always accompanied by balance, when creating our "loadouts".
What to expect from Advanced Warfare?
If you ask me, I have a good feeling with Advanced Warfare. From Sledgehammer they have been in charge of highlighting the influences of Call of Duty 4 and Black Ops 2 in their multiplayer section and it has also been clear that they intend to pay close attention (with different modes, rules and game types) to the e-Sports, points that make expect a balanced competitive aspect. Probably not at the level of the excellent MW and BO2, but above the established average within the franchise.
As we have mentioned, there are many points that, when joined and combined, make up the balance in a multiplayer mode and AW has evolved in each of them (laser weapons and without the need to reload, maps with various heights, customizable casualty streaks and Pick 13 class creation system). Will the set work out of the box or will we have to wait for patches and tweaks from Sledgehammer?
With AW we are facing a new studio, a development cycle of three years and a remarkable step forward in the playable skeleton of the franchise. Will they enter the sack of the great Call of Duty like Modern Warfare or the two Black Ops from Treyarch? Will it be one notch below like MW2 or MW3? Or, directly, will it be nonsense like Ghosts? Place your bets.