World War II
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Next Call of Duty answered, previewed
If the mention of World War II still compels you to go about shooting things (typically Nazis) from a first-person perspective, you'd best check out 1Up's weeklong feature that promises to detail every pixel, polygon and private that constitutes the upcoming Call of Duty 3. Taking over from Infinity Ward, developer Treyarch is keen on capitalizing on next-gen technology and the creative freedoms it provides -- with any luck, that means we'll actually be able to open doors in this one. Oh well, we suppose loads of on-screen enemies and trampled blades of grass are just as useful.The screenshots and video provided are enough to convince us of the game's technical gravitas, but we're quite interested in the Wii version and how it looks to take advantage of the unique control system. A small blurb in the first part of the preview suggests how, while at the same time suggesting that the other two versions of the game are the main focus here. "The Wii version, in development outside Treyarch, shows some potential to bring the player into the game during the Battle Actions in a way the PS3 and 360 won't be able to. Actually wrestling with a German for his gun or actually disarming that explosive are things only the Wii will let you do this gen."Battle actions are Call of Duty's answer to Shenmue's Quick Timer Events. At certain points during the game, you're required to press certain buttons in order to escape a cinematic struggle or situation. Failure is likely to result in far more unpleasantness than getting smacked in the head by some Japanese kid's soccerball. These sound particularly intriguing if done correctly for the Wii and should make up for some of its inevitable graphical shortcomings. Even then, we have to wonder how long it'll take before we grow tired of crawling through trenches and taking out tanks. Is World War II the new Hoth?[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
First Call of Duty 3 image [update 1]
The first image of Call of Duty 3 has begun making rounds on the web. As expected, the shot features some stunning details, from the rendered water, to the billowing smoke, to the debris flying from the exploding building. Of course, it's difficult to know what the final game will look like, considering it's being developed for a variety of different platforms. Interestingly, there are no plans to release this next Call of Duty installment on the PC.(Update: Activision has requested that we remove their image, writing that it was "not approved for online use" and that they're in the "process of asking all sites to pull it down." They do offer a conciliatory note: "We'll have plenty of screens to share soon enough." Until then, check out the trailer for 24 screenshots per second. All real-time, right fellas?)
Battlestations: Midway lands on 360 this Fall
Think of the gaming industry's numerous World War II titles as a squadron of circling Zero fighters waiting to get blasted out of the sky by discriminating consumers. Eidos' recently announced entry, due this Fall, doesn't skimp on the Zeros and throws in some submarines for good measure."Battlestations: Midway offers players a refreshingly new and exciting gaming experience, whilst maintaining an incredible level of detail which recreates the intensity and atmosphere of the Pacific War. The ability to jump from a raging dogfight to the deck of a destroyer, with the crew frantically running about around you on deck, to the silence of a prowling submarine provides a unique and at times breathtaking experience. And, of course, watching your mate's aircraft carrier sink past your sub after a sneaky online torpedo attack is extremely satisfying!"Call it Battlefield Too. I always wanted my own aircraft carrier.
Blazing Angels demo drops into XBLM
A demo for World War II dogfighter Blazing Angels is now available in the Xbox Live Marketplace for the Xbox 360. The marketing hype promises an environment "so real you'll feel like you're the pilot in a famous WWII movie." Wait a minute! Let's do some close reading on that bit o' marketing mummery. When did we suddenly become one more level removed from the actual experience? Today's game audiences can't know what it was like to be a pilot in an actual WWII dogfight and can only know what it's like to be an actor in a movie based on what some director imagined WWII to be. Sixty years from now, when few living gamers will have seen a WWII movie, marketers will be promising games that are "so real you'll feel like you're controlling a famous game based on a famous WWII movie based on a famous historical novel of a famous WWII battle." We tingle with excitement in anticipation of that glorious day. [Via Xbox360Fanboy.com]
