Fact: there is no game that wouldn’t be improved by the liberal application of jetpacks. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare developer Sledgehammer knows this, which is why it’s given every player one of their very own to play with.
The result is that combat looks like a real departure from the series’ trademark running and gunning. In the sense that it’s now jumping and gunning.
Seriously though, it actually looks really fun. As well as Titanfall-style maneuverability, each player’s powered EXO suit has a number of special powers to choose from. You might want a clocking device, or you might decide a ballistic shield is more your thing. There’s even a kind of force-field thing that flings grenades back at your enemies. My favourite is hover mode, which lets you float over the battlefield like a vengeful dragonfly, blasting away at the hopelessly exposed enemies below.
Alongside a tonne of guns, including rare loot drop specials, you’ll get to further customise your avatar with the Pick 13 system, an upgraded version of the Pick 10 system found in Black Ops. Every attachment, perk, weapon and killstreak (which are also customisable now) takes up one point. It’s a neat way of allowing players to focus on how they like to play.
Then there’s the usual suite of maps and modes, including an interesting looking Uplink mode that sees players hurl a ball across the map and into the opposition’s goal. A bit like Blitzball with machineguns.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare just looks a lot more fun than recent entries in the series. It’s trying something new. It’s due out this November 4 on PC and consoles.
