I am not a big fps fan, and didn’t really start playing Call of Duty until playing a little of Modern Warfare 2. But I played Black Ops a lot, and then Modern Warfare 3 even more.
There is a lot to like about these games. They have fantastic presentation. The gameplay is very polished, with few bugs or frame-rate slowdowns. And, most importantly, they are fun.
I am not a particularly hardcore gamer. In a standard week, I probably play games for between 5-8 hours. So I guess my gaming status could probably be described as somewhat unrefined, uncultured, unsophisticated, maybe even naive. But still, I find it odd that there are so many people who seem to hate CoD games.
It appears that a major gripe people have with CoD is that it hasn’t changed much over time. I don’t quite understand why this is a problem. If a game series stays true to its developed formula, polishing the edges and making some minor changes, rather than trying to introduce drastic changes and new elements, I don’t think that should be a criticism. If you get tired of playing the same or similar game year after year, then I don’t think your qualm should be with the developer and their failure to evolve or change. There are plenty of other fps games to play. You are not beholden to only play CoD games.
Just last year, in 2011, I had a great time playing Bulletstorm, a fps that had a very fresh take on the genre, which lightened the mood a bit and was great fun. Crysis 2 also came out on consoles, which added a bit more depth to gameplay in its single player mode, and it worked a treat. Battlefield 3 also came to consoles, which provided a slower paced fps option contrasted with the hectic-ness of CoD. There was also Duke Nukem Forever, which catered especially for people who liked loading screens.
So while CoD keeps rolling out highly polished games with such fantastic multiplayer, I think I will remain a big fan.
That all said, I do have a list of wishes I would like to see in Black Ops 2.
Firstly, I would like there to be even more customization in multiplayer mode. I think the leveling component in CoD is one of the best features in the game. I love leveling up, unlocking new gear and perks, and being able to customize my guy. Thus, going forward, I think it would be awesome if CoD expanded its customization options, in particular by adding more perks and weapon proficiencies options.
Secondly, I would like there to be greater difference between guns. I think again Modern Warfare 3 did a pretty good job of producing greater differentiation between weapons. But it would be good to have more.
Thirdly, it would be good if there were additional benefits to prestiging. One of the rewards available in Modern Warfare 3 allowed you to unlock a weapon for future play-throughs. I thought this was a good idea, and I think it is something that should be extended in the future. Maybe a fourth perk tier could be added, and with each future prestige a new perk option could be unlocked in this tier.
Fourthly, it would be great if they added a new multiplayer mode added where one team holds a fortress and the other team has to attack the fortress. When I was growing up I am pretty sure that Paul and James used to play a similar game to this on PC at LAN parties. It looked pretty awesome, and I think it would give CoD multiplayer a bit of a new dimension.
However, these are just hopes, and when Black Ops 2 actually does arrive, it may come with less customization, fewer multiplayer modes, and only two guns to choose from. Then I might just be a CoD hater like everyone else. Gamers can be so fickle.
Eight and a Half Bit 