Will Infinite Warfare See a Return to Form?

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Due for release on 4th November 2016, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare has a lot to live up to; the 14th major title of the Call of Duty series, which includes the Modern Warfare, Black Ops and World War II story arcs and numerous console and handheld titles, Infinite Warfare is hotly anticipated by many, and awaited with apprehension by others.

While the beta release experienced difficulties and received mixed reviews, leading to testing being extended by a day, industry reactions have been favorable, with Infinite Warfare being named ‘Best Shooter’ by Game Informer at E3 and nominated for ‘Best Action Game’ at the same convention, losing out to Battlefield 1.

As with many longstanding gaming franchises, the Call of Duty series has, at times, been accused of stepping well away from its origins in order to release something new; Ghosts, for example, was panned by critics and gamers alike for its failure to bring anything new to the table, while Black Ops: Declassified is commonly regarded as the worst of the series, featuring tiny maps and glitches galore.

It’s only natural, then, that gamers are wary of yet another new title. Is it really possible to reinvent Call of Duty and a whole new army of fans?

If you’re passionate about the Call of Duty series, it’s highly likely you’ll be looking to play Infinite Warfare regardless of the reviews or any previous experiences; perhaps you’re curious about where the series will go next, how the graphics will match up to previous titles, or whether the gameplay will be enhanced by playing Call of Duty on a new console.

If you’ve never played Call of Duty, and you’re relatively new to combat gaming, Infinite Warfare could be your introduction to the genre.

So, what are the major features of Infinite Warfare, and how do these compare to those seen in previous Call of Duty titles?

Firstly, Infinite Warfare is about as far removed from the trenches of the second world war as you’re going to get, owing to the fact that it’s set in space. Indeed, the futuristic angle has caused much upset among Call of Duty purists, who have rallied against this giant leap; the trailer has been disliked numerous times on YouTube since its release earlier this year, although it is also the most liked of all the franchise’s trailers to date.

Representatives from publisher Activision and developers Infinity Ward have been quick to point out that innovation is crucial to keep the series fresh and exciting, and the game’s maps certainly reflect this; there is little of the realism of previous games to be found here – a welcome break from the past, perhaps?

Following the introduction of combat rigs in Black Ops 3, which allowed gamers to play as different archetypes and access a variety of weapons and skillsets, Infinite Warfare has six new costumes, sets of weapons and payloads: FTL Assassin, Merc, Phantom, Stryker, Synaptic and Warfighter.

This new approach to the series will keep it alive and interesting, with each costume, set of weapons and payloads being fully customizable, developing as the game progresses. This enables players to experiment with different combat styles before settling for their preferred route through the game, increasing the possibilities open to them.

Activision and Infinity Ward no doubt hope Infinite Warfare will light a new fire beneath the Call of Duty franchise, encouraging gamers who’ve never before played a title from the series to get on board.

The publicity surrounding the release of Infinite Warfare should shine a light on the work of the Call of Duty Endowment (CODE), a foundation that helps unemployed veterans get back to work. An individual key to the success of Call of Duty, Bobby Kotick, the Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard, founded CODE in 2009 after recognizing that returning veterans need to be helped in an impactful way.

CODE has helped more than 25,000 veterans find a career and provided more than $18million in grants to the military organizations charged with supporting them. The release of Infinite Warfare will no doubt raise further awareness of CODE.

The majority of reviews for Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare have been positive, praising the its dynamic gameplay, futuristic sense of adventure and innovative concept. Those purchasing the legacy and digital deluxe editions of Infinite Warfare will also receive Modern Warfare Remastered.

While Infinite Warfare isn’t a return to the basics, with its attempt to provide an ‘out of this world’ experience and enhanced graphics, it could certainly be called a return to form that the series has been crying out for since Ghosts and Declassified. Whether or not it’s destined to become a classic remains to be seen, but the signs are good.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare will be released on 4th November 2016 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

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