Call of Duty: WWII PS4 Game Review

Reviewed by Max C. on Nov 10, 2017

Rating:

Call of Duty, Activisions record-breaking first-person shooter, returns to its roots in WWII. Check out our review of the PS4 game at Kidzworld.

By: Max Cannon

Attention: This is a review of a Mature rated game.

Call of Duty's roots are in WWII, as are first-person shooters in general, but we haven't seen a game in the series set during the Second World War since way back in 2008. As if the title Call of Duty: WWII didn't make that clear enough, the new game revisits the familiar scenes of Normandy Beach from gaming history but with a stronger story, better visuals, and everything that you'd expect from a Call of Duty in 2017.

An Important Return

I think it's unquestionable that most of the recent Call of Duty 's have strived away from these roots, for better or for worse. While I really enjoyed some of the futuristic gameplay in titles like last year's Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, I was more often disappointed that we strove away from our real world in games like Black Ops 3. Stepping back into the shoes of a soldier during WW2 feels like a smart way to bring things back to basics for players that preferred the older games and to hook in players that also enjoyed games like Battlefield 1.

Call of Duty's tank section is maybe the worst I've ever played in a game.

However, this return to WW2 brings its own problems with it. While playing a less realistic game like Medal of Honor: Frontline on the PlayStation 1 or Wolfenstein on the SNES I wouldn't think the violence of the game to be an issue but in a year like 2017, with such powerful graphics, Call of Duty: WW2's campaign feels deserving of a warning -- especially to an audience of younger gamers. The opening of the game has players running across Normandy Beach in what was a historically violent battle and things don't stop there. This isn't just a game with a Mature rating, this is a game that demands parental approval/supervision before playing, especially when it comes to the campaign.

The Three Branches of Call of Duty

The story of this game, which was provided to us by Activision, though taking place in an important setting, feels weaker than most to me. Aside from the game's villain, last year's Infinite Warfare delivered a surprisingly moving story with memorable characters. Call of Duty: WW2 feels disappointing by comparison, the game looks and sounds beautiful but the story feels bland and forgettable. Your lead character, Ronald "Red" Daniels, is one of Call of Duty's most uninteresting characters in the franchise's history and the struggles that unfold amongst his platoon are mostly boring, save for a few moments where your game drops your gun. One of the strongest moments is a sneaking mission in the middle of the game and the second is a slow, respectful walk that plays as a well-intentioned memorial to lives lost during the war. The rest of the game is made of standard turret sections, cover fighting, and one of the worst tank sections in all of the series.

WW2's campaign may have a bland story but its definitely easy on the eyes.

The main reason that people seem to keep coming back to Call of Duty is the game's multiplayer which feels very stripped down this time around. Much of what I felt during the beta remains true. There doesn't seem to be as many weapons as the more recent games and cooler modes like War are smart changes but they still have some room to grow, particularly in terms of balancing. If you're familiar with the other games you'll be able to quickly pick up the simple point-and-shoot because WW2 has made things as simple as possible.

The maps in the new Call of Duty are well designed but the gameplay is maybe too simple.

The final third of Call of Duty is the Zombies game mode. While I personally wasn't a fan of Sledgehammer Games last take on Zombies in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare this feels like a welcome entry that feels distinct but will work well alongside the best entries we've seen. Things feel a lot darker, and scarier this time around, but not nearly as obtuse as some of the most convoluted Zombie Modes. But slowly uncovering the mystery of Zombies, this time, feels welcome and satisfyingly well paced.

Final Thoughts

I can't make it clear enough that this game's violent atmosphere is something that demands parental advisory. Some of the game, especially that memorial scene, feel important historically but a massive chunk of the game feels extreme for our audience. That aside, I'd still have a hard time recommending this game when compared to other titles in the franchise. It's definitely one of the better FPS games to come out this year but it feels too bland aside from the awesome addition of Zombies.