Call Of Duty Black Ops: Declassified - Review

 

I have been on a PS Vita kick, pretty much since Sony announced it was pulling support, and then changed their mind. I haven't played many shooters on the PS Vita and thought Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified, might be fun to try, plus I had a CEX voucher burning a hole in my pocket.

I love burgers, even tried to make a few myself but the lazy part of me just buys them from a butcher. I have, since becoming an adult bought some frozen ones, while the pack makes them look good, opening the packaging they become less appealing and by the time they are cooked up into sickly, grey shadows of true burgers, I have lost all interest. Essentially, don't buy frozen burgers. Playing Call Of Duty Black Ops I found myself asking was this a tasty burger or a poor imitation? 

Story

Something I enjoyed about the Black Ops games and many of the other Call of Duty games is the story. Sadly there is no cohesive story in Black Ops: Declassified, just random missions all set in the seventies where you play as either Frank Woods or Alex Mason.  

Overall a bit disappointing, the campaign is extremely short and could been made more enjoyable by just having some sort of story.

Visuals 

The PS Vita, PSP along with the slew of Nintendo Handheld consoles are unable to match the visual spectacle offered by consoles. Naturally, it is important to manage your expectations from a visuals perspective. Those in Black Ops: Declassified are okay but that is it. Some levels don't seem to render correctly, objects sometimes look they are part of a green screen with no depth. While I would expect this quality of game from a smaller studio or if it is was on the PSP. The game was developed by  InStigate Games and published by Activision, I am unsure if it was lack of budget or someone fell asleep at the wheel but the game is poorly visually especially for a Call of Duty game.

Overall pretty disappointed with the visuals, it is clear this was less about creating good visuals and  more about a cash grab using the Call Of Duty name.

Music

Call Of Duty is generally known for its epic soundtracks, this time around though there is an empty void. There is some music in the game but nothing standout and there seems to be no soundtrack available anywhere online.

Overall a disappointing soundtrack and like many of the other elements of the game fails to live up to its name.

Gameplay 

The gameplay is a very mixed bag. There are a number of play modes in Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified, including; Campaign, Time Trial, Hostiles and Multiplayer. 

The campaign is very short and can be completed in around an hour, most missions are just a few minutes in length which was disappointing. Time trial is pretty much like the tutorials you would be used to from other Call Of Duty games, but this time there are only a few of them, pretty underwhelming. Hostile is wave-based and has you taking on lots of enemies with weapons scattered around the map, this ended up being a lot of fun and enjoyed the fast paced action. Call Of Duty is well known for its multiplayer, and the quality of it, in earnest I had a lot of fun with it and works pretty well. While it lacks the same polish as the full console versions it is still pretty good.

The mechanics themselves are a little weak. Movement can feel a little sluggish, weapons don't feel very accurate and there is definitely a feeling of pray and spray. What I really liked is the use of the touch screen to stab enemies and throw grenades. When using a sniper rifle you can use the back touch panel to have better accuracy when aiming.

Overall the gameplay is up and down, the saving grace for it really was Hostiles mode and the multiplayer.

Final Thoughts 

So, after six hours of player how did I feel? Underwhelmed and confused. The game could have and should have been better. There was no story, the visuals were below par, and there was a lack of quality soundtrack. The gameplay had some strong points, and I enjoyed those but had a lot of weak ones. This was really difficult to score but in the end settled on 2 out of 5

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered - Review

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 was originally released back in 2009, and the weeks leading up to its release I was pumped.  The first installment of Modern Warfare had an engaging story, the campaign did not feel like an afterthought, unlike some first-person shooters whose focus is purely on the multiplayer experience but fear backlash for having no single-player campaign and tack it on. When it was released I played the hell out of it and once that Modern Warfare arc came to close I dreamed of a day when Modern Warfare 2 would be remastered. The day finally came earlier this month.


I like peanut butter, I like chocolate, so naturally putting them together for me is like heaven. Enter Reese's Chocolate Eggs, they are the best example of this and right now I am already thinking how I will be devouring a few at the weekend. This combination of peanut butter and chocolate works well but not all combinations do.  Playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered (henceforth will be shortened to CODMW2CR (even the abbreviation is long)) I wondered did it combine things I love into something heavenly or was is reaching to be something it could never be?

Story


What makes the Modern Warfare series so interesting is that you don't just follow one character but a number of them, each is doing their own missions but they all tie together. The story sees Russia go to war with the US after an incident that occurred in Russia.


When starting the game I was asked did I want to remove myself from playing this mission? Why? Well at the time and now even it is seen as controversial.  The mission is called 'No Russian', your character is a US soldier who is undercover working for a very bad guy (understatement).  The mission has you walk into an airport with the very bad guy and his team and watch every person you lays eyes on be slaughtered. There are two options; engage in helping them kill everyone or simply watch the horror unfold.  Right at the end of the mission you are shot by the villain and left to die when it is discovered who you are it leads to Russia to invade the US. With a tense history between the two nations, it is not unfathomable that this would be the straw that finally broke the camels back and gave them the reason they needed to go to war with the US.


When I watch a horror movie I don't get the option to opt-out of the blood, gore, or possible violence, because I know going in this is likely to be part of the movie.  So why would it be done with a game, a first-person shooter that involves you killing people throughout it?  Sometimes scenes are put into movies just to cause outrage, it does not add or drive the plot and is just there for the sake of gratuity. Playing the mission 'No Russia' it adds to and drives the overall plot.  It establishes how bad this person, how if you were a Russian (or anyone with a heart) how it would hurt you to know this had happened to your people, and even how it might be conceivable that they would be justified in wanting revenge.  So with that all being said why should there be a choice to opt-out of the mission? If people are aware of it and don't like it, don't play the game, if they are aware of it they should have the knowledge and sense that there will be a lot of violence in the game.


When you break it down my point or rather my question is why censor or attempt to censor something that was already in the game from day one?  Killing hundreds of people in a game no one bats an eye, kill a load of civilians and everyone loses their mind. I guess what I am saying is if I go into a bar and have a drink and then see people drunk out of the mind getting angry, shouting, falling about the place, or throwing up should I accept it?  Maybe not. Should I be aware this might happen if I go into a bar? Yes.


Overall the story still holds up and is the best modern warfare story to date.

Visuals


The visuals are fantastic! Everything has been upgraded, the character models are more detailed, giving a more realistic look. The levels themselves are more defined, in some cases extra parts added to provide a more organic look. It is one of the best visual remasters I have seen as it is not just a simple 1080p to 4K upscale but a complete redesign of the entire game. It is clear that real-time and effort was put into the visuals and the results speak for themselves.  The game deserved a fresh coat of paint but ended up getting a lot more than that and really shows how come visuals in games have come.


Overall the visuals are all they could be and only hope they round it by remastering Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.



Music


The soundtrack has stayed the same with the exception of a small fine-tuning to give a clearer sound.
The score for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is simply epic, it has the feel of an excellent pulse-pounding action movie, and it really creates an intense atmosphere.  The two people responsible for this are:


Hans Zimmer created the Main Themes in Modern Warfare 2.  The man needs no introduction and has worked on and created musical masterpieces for many films, TV series, and games.  Some of his works include; Gladiator, Inception,  Black Hawk Down, The Rock,  Lion King, and The Darknight Returns.

Lorne Balfe is a Scottish born composer and created the main score for Modern Warfare 2.  He has a varied background, some of his works include: Terminator Genisys, Assassins Creed 3, Crysis 2
and Ghost in The Shell (2017)


The soundtrack runs at just under at over three hours which I found to be a great length considering how long the campaign is.  There were many great pieces, my favorites were; 'Ordinance', 'Extraction Point', 'Guerrilla Tactics', 'Onwards', and 'Safeguard'.


Overall the music still hits hard and works well and helps add more depth to the game as a whole.

Gameplay 


Similar to the visuals the gameplay has had quite the overhaul. One of the first things I noted was how you could examine your weapons, it's a small thing but looks really cool.  The weapons feel more balanced helping to provide a more immersive experience.


The enemies seem tougher and smarter, while I did play the game on hardened difficulty this far from my first rodeo and I only played the original Modern Warfare 2 last year and it did not feel anywhere near as hard.  This was welcomed though and added a new level of challenge to the game.


Something I always enjoyed about the game was the diversity of areas, some of which see you fighting through a gulag, on a snowmobile doing all you can to make a speedy escape while not being killed, traveling through different areas of Afghanistan, through caves and traveling down rapids. The game likes to keep you on your toes and does it well.


Often with first-person shooters, one of the biggest complaints from players and critics is how short the campaign is, this is not the case with CODMW2CR. The campaign is a good length and never feels too short or like it is dragging on too long.


Overall the gameplay is a lot of fun, it has revamped and adds a new challenge while still keeping its original charm.





Final Thoughts


So, after ten hours (yeah I got that long out of it) how did I feel? I feel a renewed love for the game. The story holds up well, the visuals are something else, the music is the same but if it ain't broke why fix it, and the gameplay is polished and more well balanced as a whole. This one did not leave me having to decide for long, this one gets a solid 5 out of 5, roll on CODMW3CR!

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 - Review

Another year, another Call of Duty game.  I have bowed out the last while from playing them, as one of the small percentages of people who enjoy playing the campaign and not multiplayer I have found them to be mediocre at best.  I was excited this time around due to the name Call of Duty Modern Warfare, which for me had some of the best storylines and an all-round enjoyable game.  Plus I loved seeing Captain Price on the box art, thinking how does he look so young?  I got a copy with the latest PlayStation 4 I picked up and was excited to play it.


I love a good slice of Apple Pie, sometimes just by itself and other times with custard.  I like to be sweet with a slight hint of bitter flavouring. Sadly, I have had many any Apple Pie that is too bitter and a bit hard to digest at times.  Playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019 I found myself asking was this a tasty sweet piece of pie or a very bitter one?

Story 

Just like in the previous Call of Duty games you get to play as different characters which really helps mix things up and increase suspense and anticipation.  The game starts with you taking control of 'Alex', a CIA operative and his team trying to recover a lethal gas from Urzikstan.  Unfortunately, they get hijacked and everyone is killed apart from poor old Alex. Then we see Sergeant Garrick and Captain Price try to foil a terrorist attack in London.  Back to Urzikstan, we see Freedom Fighters Farah and Hadir trying to push an evil Russian General out of the country.   All characters end up coming together to help defeat a shared set of enemies.  I know it is an odd thing to complain about but I didn't know it was a reboot until I started the game. I wish this need to reboot everything would stop especially as they could have just created all-new characters rather than trying to entice people with nostalgia.

Overall the story is good, with a few weak points near the end of the game.  There is a mission called Highway of Death which received quite a lot of backlash as they have essentially taken something historic, changed the names and switched the bad guys to the Russians.   A little embellishing is fine but this went way beyond that and felt a little in poor taste.

Visuals

The visuals in Infinity Wards latest installment are nothing short of breathtaking, and easily the best in the series.  The world feels real and very dangerous, often creating a very claustrophobic environment.  This is particularly true of the missions set in Urzikstan, and the one in London which, while being a big city, feels really congested.  The weapons and character designs are sharp, realistic and help create an almost cinematic world.

Overall the visuals are spot on with rarely any issues and certainly helped enhance my overall experience. 

Music 

The soundtrack has a mix of moaning strings to help create an intense atmosphere and a distinct middle eastern sound which worked really well.  The composer is Sarah Schachner responsible for;

Assassin Creed Origins and Unity, Anthem, and Call of Duty Infinite Warfare.

The sound is just shy of two hours and features some great tracks, my favorite being; 'Modern Warfare Main Theme', 'Highway', 'Know Your Enemy', 'Old Comrades', 'Rooftop' and 'Threat Assessment'. Overall it was a good soundtrack but certainly doesn't stand out as much as the previous Modern Warfare games.

Gameplay

The gameplay is fast and furious with little time to catch your breath, and that's a good thing. In some previous Call Of Duty games, you can easily play it safe and take your time, this time you are pushed to move up and move on.  Clearing any area of enemies doesn't mean one still can't sneak up from behind and clock you in the back of the head or shoot you dead.  

In a similar fashion to most first-person shooters, there isn't really a cover system.  While at times this can make things dicey it also adds to the excitement.

The weapons sound, look and feel great.  Sniper rifles feel powerful and require a little patience to get good shots, especially long-distance ones.  The Molotov cocktails are quite fun but one miscalculation and you will be turned into barbecue.

Rather than one final mission to pull everything together the last few all felt like one giant final mission, this stopped the gameplay feeling rushed. While it was very dark I enjoyed the mission where you play as a young Farah try to help her and her brother avoid being caught by soldiers.

Overall the gameplay was really entertaining and is much closer to the feel Modern Warefare 2 provided then some of the newer games in the series.

Final Thoughts

So, after almost ten hours how did I feel.  Pretty good.  I definitely had some issues with the story but as a whole, it was pretty solid and has already sent up the sequel Spec Ops.  The visuals were amazing and some the most realistic I have seen in a shooter in a long time.  The music was spot on and helped make a tense environment even more so.  The gameplay was strong and occasionally stuff but never stopped being fun to play.  Overall this one just slides in with 4 out 5

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Review

Since Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 was released I have played it every year with the exception of last year.  I am not the biggest Call of Duty fan as a whole, mostly due to the fact I am not big into multiplayer and also some of the games are just not that good.  With a lot of first-person shooters, especially nowadays I feel the studios create a single player campaign as an after thought which really bugs me.  To me playing games is about your own singular immersive experience which I simply don't think you can achieve with multiplayer.  I think its's good to have the option of multiplayer but I feel along with many others that there should be more focus put back on the single player campaign.  First-person shooters often seem to blend into each other, why?  Because while there are some variations in the multiplayer experience they all feel too similar.  The one way to set them apart from each other and stand out is by having a solid story.  It worked in Bio Shock Infinite, Black OPS, Crysis, Far Cry, Half Life and The Darkness to name but a few.  I could talk about this stuff for hours but time to refocus, my point is Modern Warfare 2 has a great and engaging story which is why it stands out from the others and why so many people want it remastered.



Pies, pies, wonderful pies, they are a whole meal encased in pastry whats not to like?  With so many variations there is something for everyone (note to self buy some pies).  When I was growing up there were a few pies I really liked, one of them was steak and kidney.  It's not the nicest sounding or the best looking but it was damn tasty.  I tried one a few months ago and it was still good but not as tasty as I remember.  Playing Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 I found myself asking was this is tasty as it used to be?

Story


The game is set five years after the original Modern Warfare and the world sees a new enemy rise up after the death of Imran Zakhaev, his name Vladimir Makarov.  He has no allegiance, no political agenda and isn't afraid to commit murder or even genocide, he is one bad guy.  You get to see the story unfold from many characters perspectives including; Private Joseph Allen, Private Ramirez,
Captain McTavish and Sergeant Sanderson.  There is nothing more I can tell you as it would spoil the story.


This story has it all, betrayal, revenge, loss, war and lots of guns. It still holds up to the test of time and is a great story with a really good ending.  The game had me hooked as soon as I heard the intro, Captain Price saying 'what the hell kind of name is Soap anyway?', which is a call back to the first Modern Warfare.

Graphics


The game is starting to look dated but that isn't saying it looks poor either, it does however show that it does need to be remastered (hopefully in 2018).  The cut-scene at the beginning looks great and helps provide a recap from first Modern Warfare.  I know it's only a map showing illuminated green lines jumping all over the globe but it does look good.  There are some stand out places in the game, my three favorites were; Firebase Phoenix (where you first start out), The Boneyard and Cliffhanger missions.  Firebase Phoenix is a living breathing place, there are soldiers carrying out repairs, a few playing basketball, some training and others just hanging out. The Boneyard looks amazing especially all the old planes, half a fuselage here, a wing there, even a few rows of seats out in the open.  I also like the contrast between old and new, you have all these forgotten wrecks and then there are a ton of soldiers with up to date equipment fighting around them. The Cliffhanger mission is awesome for many reasons but one of them are the visuals.  At the start it has Captain McTavish causally smoking a cigar near the edge of a mountain, you get to look at the ice and snow capped mountains surrounding you and it just looks fantastic and that is just a taste of what the mission has to offer.



Music


The score for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is simply epic, it has the feel of a really good pulse pounding action movie and it really creates an intense atmosphere.  The two people responsible for this are:


Hans Zimmer who created the Main Themes in Modern Warfare.  The man needs no introduction and has worked on and created musical masterpieces for many films, TV series and games.  Some of his works include; Gladiator, Inception,  Black Hawk Down, The Rock,  Lion King, and The Darknight Returns.

Lorne Balfe is a Scottish born composer and created the main score for Modern Warfare 2.  He has varied background, some of his works include: Terminator Genisys, Assassins Creed 3, Crysis 2
and Ghost in The Shell (2017)


The soundtrack runs at just under an hour which I found to be a great length considering how long the campaign is.  There were many great pieces, my favorites were; 'Ordinance', 'Extraction Point', 'Guerrilla Tactics', 'Onwards' and 'Safeguard'.

Gameplay


On to the good stuff!  Let's talk about shooting mechanics, as a whole they were okay throughout but there were times I thought the aiming was off or the weapons were not as balanced as they should.  It wasn't enough to spoil my experience overall but it did throw me off a couple of times.  Everyone one has weapons of choice, mine were the UMP45, M14EBR and the combat knife.


My biggest concern when reviewing a game is that I will give away too much and spoil the experience for those reading it so I will try not to give away too much detail about the missions.  I will however provide some cliff notes.  The cliffhanger mission is great for people who love snow, snowmobiles and mountain climbing. The Gulag missions offer a varied pace which helps keeps you on your toes plus who doesn't like a prison break?  The Boneyard is chaotic fun and encourages you to choose flight over fight.  Then there is the mission Loose Ends, this is a tough one to talk about as it brings up a lot of emotions for me, so like any regular male I am going to keep quite and say nothing (it still hurts).


The campaign is short and depending on what difficulty you decide to play it on you could have it finished in as little as five or six hours.  It might be short but it certainly is sweet and even though some people complained about it I thought it was the perfect length.




Final Thoughts


So after fifty hours or so (well just under six hours this time) how did I feel?  Awesome, I really enjoyed playing it again and getting to experience the thrill of it all.  I am hoping next time I go to play it that it will be remastered as at this point it is really needed.  This one was easy to score and gets a 4 out of 5