THE GOOD:More perks that let you customize your character more, this includes things such as flamethrowers and tank perks.
More game modes such as capture the flag and war, a game type where you try to capture strategic positions
Co-op campaign, you can play the campaign with a friend over live or with a friend on the same console unlike Call of Duty 4
The campaign is fun to play and it makes you want to keep playing until it's done.
Great graphics that are very in depth
The guns are much more diverse then in COD4. There is more of a mix of bolt-action guns and automatics which makes the game more fun.
THE BAD:
The maps are a bit smaller and less diverse. They seem the same after the while and they grow boring.
The spawning system in multiplayer is very flawed and needs to be fixed.
For all it's worth, the campaign is rather short
SUMMARY:
Call of Duty 5 meets hype and maybe goes over the expectations. For many gamers, the prospect of another Word War II game was disheartening. After taking a step forward with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the franchise went back to the setting of Call of Duty 1, 2, and 3 but with a twist. This game takes place in the Pacific and Soviet fronts. This had some gamers wondering if the game would be as good as Call of Duty 5, or if Treyarch was taking a step backwards.
Well, Treyarch delivers with a pretty good game. In the midst of the releases of Gears of War 2 and other attractive games, World at War should still be considered a look. The Pacific campaign is by far, one of the most enticing things I have played. Scenes such as banzai charges and ambushes are some of the many great features. The story begins by showing a cut-scene of the Japanese torturing an American soldier. His gruesome death and the following show what war can be like. You then must take part in the violent Battle of Peleliu. Here you see some of your comrades die and get a feel for how horrific the island hopping campaign was.
Once you have finished this campaign, it's off to the Soviet and German front. . A chilling beginning takes you to Stalingrad. You are pretending to be dead as German forces take over part of the city, killing any wounded Soviets. You then begin by following an assassin who's mission is to kill a German general. From there, the campaign takes you to the Battle of Berlin. A historic scene takes place in the game where your character and the Soviets take the Reichstag and plant the flag, symbolizing victory. The game doesn't end here however, after beating the campaign you unlock a new mode where you try to survive as long as you can against a horde of Nazi Zombies. However, if you are not familiar with the Pacific or Soviet parts of the war, the plot may be hard for you to understand. The story starts during 1942 for the Makin mission but suddenly jumps to 1944 for the Battle of Peleliu. The campaign is also short and should be a bit longer. I was surprised when only after about three or four hours of gameplay, the Pacific story ended. However, these faults shouldn't stop you from trying out a great part of the game.
In the COD4 campaign, the AI's were good, but not great. Although they would get the occasional kill, their grenades were useless and it was a common sight to see them die before you. In World at War, your allies actually make smart moves. Although the game still requires you to do a lot of work, the AI's have been vastly improved. Instead of just following you mindlessly, they actually will sometimes go ahead of you, or even help you take down an enemy soldier. They realistically take cover, throw back grenades, and even go so far as to rush the enemy. Although they are far from perfect as AI's will always be, Treyarch has made them much better. Enemies too are very much improved. Their skill varies with each mode. If you are playing casual, you will notice how horrible their shooting and grenade throwing is. In Veteran (the hardest mode) they will almost always hit you. Their grenades are endless and are always lobbed very accurately. This makes the experience even more realistic. Treyarch also does a good job of spacing the enemy out. Instead of overwhelming you, they put a good sized number of enemies in, enough so that you will not be swarmed, but it will be tough to take them down. The enemy will also sporadically rush you with bayonets. This usually happens when there is only one or two soldiers left. They will also take cover behind sand bags and other hiding places, making it hard for you to hit them. Beware, the enemies in Veteran mode are smart and skilled, enough so that you will usually die several times.
The levels vary in size and objectives too. Some require you to hold a position for an amount of time before you are rescued by friendlies. In others you must detonate a bomb or plant explosives in the enemy garrison. Most are the classic kill everyone type. The campaign is very straightforward and does not require a whole lot of thinking. A HUD points you in the direction of your objective and it is very hard to get lost. Most levels are the same length and depending on the mode, will take an average of 15-30 minutes to complete. Treyarch also does a good job of making each level unique. Some games are very monotonous and seem to just drag on with the same missions each time. World at War changes the setting, traits, and mood of each level. For instance, after the leader of your squad dies, your men are more serious then before. Each level is better then the next, and should make you want to continue the campaign.
Multiplayer mode also is a spot where the game shines. There are new game modes such as Capture the Flag and War. The old ones are back as well with several improvements. In Headquarters, where you must try to capture and hold a position, the spawning is much more fair. In Call of Duty 4, a team could dominate by spawning next to the headquarters and proceed to capture it, die, and spawn next to the new relocated Headquarters. However, spawns in other modes such as Team Deathmatch are sometimes problematic. I have been spawn killed several times in the same game and have spawn killed a few times myself.
Guns such as the MP40, SVT, and BAR are very different from the ones in Modern Warfare. More skill is needed to use them. Instead of praying and spraying with machine guns, you need to aim and shoot, luck isn't as much of a factor. Players also cannot take advantage of modded controllers that allowed people to have an advantage over others. The maps are very detailed and realistic and offer a wide variety of settings. You can battle at the Reighstag or snipe from a Japanese airfield. Many of these maps however, are very small. At the beginning of the game, the opposing team may respawn just a short distance away from you, so that you don't have the time to find a spot.
Call of Duty 5 is a game worth trying for all gamers. While it doesn't surprise you as much as COD4, it is still pretty good. It continues the Call of Duty franchise's list of great games and if anything, should be considered one of the greatest WWII games. The multiplayer is smooth and very playable and although the campaign could be longer, it's still very fun. At least renting it would be a good idea.
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