Call of Duty: Ghosts

Game On's - At A Glance

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS

(published by Activision, developed Infinity Ward)

platform played - XBOX 360

The gunplay in video games gets better and better.  GHOSTS may not have been as well received as BLACK OPS II, but its new and numerous multiplayer formats should have made for greater waves in the gaming community. 

The campaign is short and pushes the sense of 'special tactics awe' that most combat gamers thirst for to the limits.  Who can resist the spec ops mystical stories of phantom fighters and their deep behind enemy line reports, chasing the suicidal assignments with such gusto.  Missions run from living through earthquakes to space combat to taking down enemy in first/third person view as a dog.  Gotta like designers trying to be original.  Also, the campaign AI works well in firefights - your comrades are not useless, actually contributing to the fray without overzealous butchering.

The multiplayer aspects push the boundaries in options.  This helps reach out to each individual's preference, whether a crazed combat junky who likes collecting player kills or the introverted, soft-handed team member working with AI teammates.  You get to choose from many flavors (...take that Baskin Robbins).  Sure, you will find the ones that appeal to you most, but the journey and taste tests will keep you hungry for more.

GHOSTS one weakness for me was in the campaign.  I would have enjoyed more freedom and non-linear combat setups.  You do get the opportunity to try different methods of completing a stage, kills or no kills and such, but it seemed like you were being spoon fed the progressive encounters.  But hey, it happens in games like this. 

Overall, I can assure you that developers are only getting better at these projects.  The bar continually gets raised and the need for unique material a tougher quest.  The COD storylines are among the best out there.