And of course, those exo-suits will introduce an element of nuance and variety into the game’s multiplayer class system, too, which itself has slipped towards generic of late. In combining parkour-like player movement with this near-future tech, Sledgehammer therefore holds the opportunity to introduce a plethora of new and challenging modes beyond the deathmatch stalwarts.
As such, Sledgehammer Games’ first outing at the helm of Call of Duty represents — whisper it — a hoard of fresh potential. For one, you’ve got Kevin Spacey stepping into the shoes of a power-hungry, almost Shakespearean villain, plus the promise of a near-future, globetrotting story. And while that doesn’t scream originality, it would be foolish to dismiss Advanced Warfare as another bland reskin at such an early stage.
For the sake of perspective, the two, headline-worthy takeaways from the reveal of Call of Duty: Ghosts last year were Riley, the battle-ready canine companion and the fact that, for the first time since Call of Duty: Finest Hour, users could play as female soldiers, which was newsworthy precisely because it shouldn’t be newsworthy (It’s 2014 for crying out loud. Of course women are indispensable in modern military operations).
Looking ahead to the future of the franchise, though, it’ll be interesting to see where this puts Modern Warfare in the developing cycle. Will Activision put the sub series on the shelf for the foreseeable future and spin out Advanced Warfare into its own, established trilogy? Either way, love it or loathe it, Activision will pump out a Call of Duty every year so long as it is financially viable, and given that Ghosts managed to surpass $1 billion in sales despite being underwhelming, the franchise is undisputedly here to stay.
Because for years, Call of Duty has been the trendsetter, influencing the first-person shooter genre from top to bottom. And while it may appear naive to place such a burden on Advanced Warfare at this very early stage, it’s clear that, with the release of games such as Titanfall and the upcoming Evolve, it seems like it’s time for Activision’s juggernaut to learn from its contemporaries, rather than the other way around.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is set for a full reveal tomorrow, May 4th, and will invite the gaming community at large onto the ‘battlegrounds of tomorrow’ when it releases on November 4th, 2014.
