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Call of Duty 0 Battlefield 1: Call of Duty: Ghosts review (Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Wii U)

Short, four-hour campaign is entertaining but predictable
All but the opening set-piece do not really have a 'wow' factor
Best-looking COD to date - but not strictly a next-gen engine
Improved multiplayer - featuring the new Extinction mode
Black Ops II trumps Ghosts on 'popcorn value'

Published: 12:53 EST, 6 November 2013 | Updated: 16:40 EST, 6 November 2013

Rating:
Price: £39 / $60

Would you pay £50 for a cinema ticket? Let alone, for a film you've already seen?

That's the problem with Call of Duty: Ghosts - for no matter how many dazzling set pieces, gameplay tweaks and plot twists it throws at you, you're left with a resounding impression that it's an action movie you've seen one too many times.

Out of this world: the opening level is stunning but the other set-pieces just don't pack as much punch

COD purists, then, will feel right at home here. From the stunning opening level to abseiling down an enormous skyscraper, you can't fault Infinity Ward for trying to make things as varied as possible.

There are even some new gameplay tweaks, notably in the use of the dog, Riley. With a click of the button you can 'sync' up with him and scope out enemy strongholds.

Sadly, it's all very linear and scripted - involving sneaking up to an enemy before unleashing a silent takedown.

Good effort: There's no denying that Infinity Ward has tried to bring something new to the table, but they've raised the bar so high previously that it's almost impossible to do that without re-inventing the series

Riley's animation, though, is superb - and, coupled with the odd whimper and nervous bark every now and then, Infinity Ward convey some of his character, too. Other more devastating weapons, from a remote sniper to the more familiar aerial drones, can also be used.

AND FOR THE MORE SERIOUS COD GAMERS...

Turtle Beach have released their new EarForce Spectre headset, packed full of features to help make your COD experience as good as possible. There's the usual Dynamic Chat Boost to block out noise and distractions, while adjustable bass and treble can be tweaked for extra realism. They're comfy, too - having been tested on our PC for hours, with very little ear fatigue. You can even take phone calls when playing and separate game and chat volume. At £124 they aren't cheap - but rest assured, you'll avoid annoying your nearest and dearest with gunfire sounds flooding your house.

Unfortunately, that's about it in terms of fresh single-player content. Gunplay and level design are as expected - ushering you through each stage and often culminating in a set-piece.

It's a formula that has proved successful, but even by last year's brilliant Black Ops II, it was starting to become stale.

BLOPS II overcame that by adding fresh mechanics, player-choice and a vastly-improved multiplayer - proving that there was still some life in the series.

Ghosts, however, seems to have taken a step back - incorporating almost nothing Treyarch did to evolve the series.

As a result, there's an over-reliance on set-pieces that no longer have that 'wow' factor.

Where free-falling from a building sounds amazing, for example, you're merely watching the AI have all the fun before being prompted to press a button and end the level.

Battlefield 4 (dare I say it) may not have held a torch to COD's single-player in the past, but some of the scripted, all-action moments in its latest incarnate are equal to or surpass Ghosts.

This COD, more than ever, feels like a shooting gallery nestled in cliche. Setting up turrets to defend positions. Countless 'one-last-stand-slow-motion' sequences. Monster closets. It's all here, and sadly, it's all too predicable to enjoy.

Battle to survive: Extinction mode puts you in a team of four who have to fight aliens

Plus, the laughable AI - programmed to flank at whatever the cost - isn't quite as evolved as many would like.

What is noticeably better, though, are the visuals - thanks to a modified IW 4.0 Engine. Current-gen versions may notice a slight difference, but it's on PC (and soon to be next gen) where we're given a glimpse of how good COD can look.

To call it a true next-gen game would be slightly misleading as strictly-speaking, it's using a modified version of an older engine.

Still, whether it's looking out over a vast city-scape, or floating through space hundreds of miles above Earth, graphics have a crispness previously lacking in the other games.

Battle lines: Battlefield 4's campaign (above) has clearly been influenced by Call of Duty, and while the last game's single-player paled in comparison to COD, this year's incarnate provides similar thrills

Facial animations, although not quiet Battlefield 4 standard, are incredibly convincing, too.

Multiplayer is another area where Ghosts excels. Standard fare modes return, while dynamic maps and new player movements, such as sliding and leaning around corners, bring something new to the table.

There's plenty of customisation, new killstreaks and game-types, not to mention more interactive environments. Notably, Extinction makes its debut - where four players have to fight aliens in a post-apocalyptic world.

So, is it worth buying? Well, if you're the kind of person who'd go to the cinema and see a good movie twice, then yes.

After all, why should Infinity Ward change something that's won over millions of fans?