Review
Played on: Xbox One
Released: 2016
Released: 2016
Original release: 2007 (360/PS3/PC)
One could argue that last gen didn't properly begin their worldwide 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 away the World War 2 theme, which was becoming stale at the time, to modern warfare and weaponry. This change would become hugely popular and influence many competing franchises. Even though titles like Battlefield 2 had become popular with modern warfare earlier, albeit only focusing on multiplayer. The difference though, lay in the story telling, making the setting feel more dramatic and real world.
COD4's massive influence on the industry, which remains a blueprint as to how to do it, lay in its multiplayer. Features like levelling; allowing gradual access to better weapons and perks through experience points gained in online matches. While it's all standard for the genre now, it was unique and inventive back then. Levelling is apparent in many genres now but before COD4 it was mainly used in RPGs.
The responsive and smooth 60fps framerate, combined with incredibly satisfying gunplay would put the COD franchise into a leading role. To this day, it still dominates the multiplayer scene and shooting genre heavily. 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 option for fast and responsive gameplay in a 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 an Xbox One, how does it hold up? Let's take a look!
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.
Overall, 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 fewer annoying perks to equip your character with. The smooth 60fps gunplay, with a responsive and satisfying feeling makes this it holds 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 COD4 hasn't aged would be lying, while the intense story and progression through interesting locations and varied scenarios hold up, the restricted levels, infinite enemy spawning, cheap grenade spamming and bad sound effects don't. Don’t get me wrong here; it outclasses the original and is without doubt the best way to play COD4 for newcomers and veterans alike. But I really wished they’d brought attention to some of the weaknesses of the original and changed them.
At times, it feels more like a 1.5 version of COD4, rather 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've appreciated some more polish.
At the end of the day, I had fun replaying all the exceptional story moments, plus revisiting the memorable enviroments both in singleplayer and multiplayer. If you've never experienced it, you really should try it. Giving you an exact, but re-polished way of playing COD4. It's simply just a graphical make over, with no alterations to the core gameplay.
Ageing aside, it still holds up as one of the most groundbreaking shooters ever made and will stand in time as the title that changed and set the blueprint for the industry with innovative and unique ideas. Who says no to this kind of satisfying 60fps shooting in a fantastic and tense setting anyhow?!
