Review
Played on: Xbox One
Released: 2016
Released: 2016
One can argue that last gen consoles didn't properly begin their world wide dominance until COD4 released in 2007. Unlike the PS3's lacklustre launch lineup, and first year of bad exclusives, the X360 at least had a few huge multiplayer hits pre-COD4, with Call of Duty 2, at launch, Halo 3 and Gears of War.
However, COD4 cemented a significant change for console players online. The COD series went from a fairly successful series to a multi-billion business and grew to become the best selling franchise of all time.
From a singleplayer point of view, COD4's story and setting changed the shooter genre fundamentally too. It moved COD from the over-used World War 2 theme, to modern warfare and weaponry. This change of setting would become hugely popular for other competing franchises, even though titles like Battlefield 2 had done so. years prior to this. The difference here though. lay in the story telling, making the setting feel more dramatic and real world.
From a singleplayer point of view, COD4's story and setting changed the shooter genre fundamentally too. It moved COD from the over-used World War 2 theme, to modern warfare and weaponry. This change of setting would become hugely popular for other competing franchises, even though titles like Battlefield 2 had done so. years prior to this. The difference here though. lay in the story telling, making the setting feel more dramatic and real world.
COD4's truly massively influence to the industry lay in it's multiplayer and and has done so for years since. Features like the levelling system, allowing access to more weapons and perks as you progress, through XP points gained in online matches, while genre standard now, was unique and inventive back then. A touch of RPG levelling if you will, sprinkled into the mix that would influence tons of other genres too. Levelling in all types of games is pretty common now, before COD4 it was mainly used in RPG's.
The fast paced and smooth 60fps framerate combined with incredibly good gunplay would put the COD series into a leading role. So many in fact, it still dominates the multiplayer scene and shooting genre heavily to this date. This generation has seen competing shooters like Battlefield and Halo moving over to 60fps on console too, further proving that framerate over graphics is the better and more popular option for people wanting fast and responsive gameplay in the competitive scene.
Here I am then, 10 years later, once again playing through COD4. This time in a remastered wrapping, Xbox 360 controller swapped out for a Xbox One since then. How does it hold up today, both in singleplayer and multiplayer?
The fast paced and smooth 60fps framerate combined with incredibly good gunplay would put the COD series into a leading role. So many in fact, it still dominates the multiplayer scene and shooting genre heavily to this date. This generation has seen competing shooters like Battlefield and Halo moving over to 60fps on console too, further proving that framerate over graphics is the better and more popular option for people wanting fast and responsive gameplay in the competitive scene.
Here I am then, 10 years later, once again playing through COD4. This time in a remastered wrapping, Xbox 360 controller swapped out for a Xbox One since then. How does it hold up today, both in singleplayer and multiplayer?
There's no doubt that the visuals have received an upgrade, perhaps mostly in the resolution rather than a huge graphical leap. While the 3D models have been redone nicely, especially the characters look much better, the sense of this game looking like something between this gen and the last is somewhat present.
Most areas look significantly improved, others look slightly dated. Some even have a more subtle and bland colour scheme than the original, which I found a little disappointing. Especially, considering this game originally released amidst the grey, brown and gritty era of last gen.
As a whole though, the visuals are improved for the far better, albeit some nasty dithering going on with some surfaces even if the textures gave received a huge improvement. Environment geometry feels sparse and more clearly rooted in last gen though, this mostly because the game is a pure make-over and doesn't alter anything about the gameplay or level layouts.
The story manages to hold up incredibly well in singleplayer, just as intense and perfectly paced as it used to be back in 2007. Prior to playing I thought the presentation and storytelling wouldn't be as exciting ten year later, but I was wrong. The suspense of stopping full out nuclear war between the US and Russian rebels is still very much present and quite frighteningly so. The way both the UK and US special forces are presented, with jumps between controlling characters in each of them feels enjoyable and varied.
With a lower action pace than the sequels, combined with the more down to earth and "boots on the ground" gameplay, makes this feel refreshingly simple and more welcome than later COD instalments futuristic style. The flashback, 1980's sniper mission "All ghillied up" feels just as fantastic as it did back then!
Gameplay holds up, with a less cluttered experience. Especially in multiplayer it's evidently so. Just three simple bonuses for multiple kills, plus far less annoying perks to equip your character with. The fast paced 60fps gunplay, with a precise and satisfying feeling makes this it hold up nicely in both single- and multiplayer. The simplicity would be a nice gateway into multiplayer shooters if you have never experienced the genre before, a tip to newcomers to COD.
The huge letdown to the excellent gunplay however, is the terrible sound. It's just as tinny and simple as it was back in the original. There's not even a heavy bass or meaty sound to any of the weapons. It's hugely disappointing that the sound quality wasn't far more upgraded.
Gameplay holds up, with a less cluttered experience. Especially in multiplayer it's evidently so. Just three simple bonuses for multiple kills, plus far less annoying perks to equip your character with. The fast paced 60fps gunplay, with a precise and satisfying feeling makes this it hold up nicely in both single- and multiplayer. The simplicity would be a nice gateway into multiplayer shooters if you have never experienced the genre before, a tip to newcomers to COD.
The huge letdown to the excellent gunplay however, is the terrible sound. It's just as tinny and simple as it was back in the original. There's not even a heavy bass or meaty sound to any of the weapons. It's hugely disappointing that the sound quality wasn't far more upgraded.
To say the game hasn't aged would be lying, while the story and progress of the game hold up, the restricted levels, infinite enemy spawning, cheap grenade spamming and bad sound effects don't. It's absolutely the best way to play COD4 for newcomers, or to replay it for veterans like me. But I wished it was more fleshed out.
At times, it feels like a 1.5 version of COD4, than a true remaster. I understand this was bundled along the deluxe version of the newest COD Infinite Warfare and only recently began selling as a standalone, but I would have enjoyed some more polish.
At the end of the day, I had fun replaying all the great story moments, plus revisiting the excellent locations both in singleplayer and multiplayer. If you've never experienced this game you really should give this a try, it will give you an exact, but re-polished way of playing COD4. It's simply just a graphical make over, with no alterations at all to actual game.
At the end of the day, I had fun replaying all the great story moments, plus revisiting the excellent locations both in singleplayer and multiplayer. If you've never experienced this game you really should give this a try, it will give you an exact, but re-polished way of playing COD4. It's simply just a graphical make over, with no alterations at all to actual game.
Ageing aside, it still holds up as one of the most groundbreaking first person games and will stand in time as a game that changed the industry through a lot of new and unique ideas. Who says no to this kind of fast and smooth 60fps shooting in a fantastic and tense setting anyhow?!
