Thoughts on CoD campaigns

On 08/05/2014 at 12:05 PM by rejo1479

This won't be a review, as I don't feel very compelled to do a full write-up on this almost offensively short single-player. But something started bugging me as I neared the end yesterday afternoon:

This could have been good.

Seriously. Like many others, I feel that the Call of Duty campaigns are more second thought for the developers, no matter how much they say otherwise. They play up the writers and the Hollywood talent they pay to provide voices, but it never seems like they try very hard to make something actually INTERESTING.

Ghosts had that potential. Yeah, the start was lame, but then they introduce a villain who's out for revenge. (Which would lead to more American destruction. Yadda yadda yadda.) Then, he does something which forces the voiceless main character and his brother to vow revenge.

I feel that if the story wasn't saddled by the tropes of what's expected of a Call of Duty campaign, it could have actually been something cool. The FPS mission style limits the storytelling greatly.

I imagine this could have been a gripping story about the lengths someone could go to for revenge, from the almost delusional need of the villain to the desperate desire for it of the brothers.

I'm thinking that if CoD campaigns went the more traditional storytelling route (no gaps between scenes, no silly pointless "Location/Date/Time" chyrons), they might have more leeway in providing a story that draws players in, instead of Michael Bay-like spectacles that keep the players at arm's length while showing them explosions. I also feel that providing player choice would improve player connection to the story.

Just something that's been on my mind since yesterday. What do you guys think?

PS: and UUUUGGGGHHH, the sequel baiting at the end of this was worse than Guardians of the Galaxy...

Matt Snee Staff Writer

08/05/2014 at 02:05 PM

I enjoyed the first two modern warfare campaigns.

rejo1479

08/05/2014 at 05:36 PM

I jumped in with MW2. It was fun at the time, but as I played more campaigns...not so much.

KnightDriver

08/05/2014 at 03:29 PM

Every since COD MW, the campaigns have taken second place to multiplayer. That's what the majority wanted, that's what they get.

Yea, what's up with that Guardians last scene? I was hoping for better.

08/05/2014 at 05:39 PM

That's the problem. They should give up entirely, or still do something worthy of publishing. Hell, if they abandon it like Titanfall, it might be a good thing.

I really liked Guardians, but I had so many problems with it's consistency. Worse, it was hyped to me as being as good as Star Wars and Farscape. The bar was set waaaaay too high for me.

08/06/2014 at 04:02 PM

They should split COD off into two games, one pure campaign and one multiplayer. Then I might try the campaign one.

Super Step Contributing Writer

08/05/2014 at 04:07 PM

I played Ghosts with friends recently and I can't tell CoD games apart. Would have never known it was that entry unless it said so in the title.

I need to see Guardians of the Galaxy.

08/05/2014 at 05:41 PM

Yeah, that's why I've given up on CoD. I only played the Ghosts campaign for the trophies before I trade it in.

And you should see Guardians! It's funny if you ignore the unevenness of the world. Rocket Raccoon makes that movie, though.

PixlBit