The Best and Worst of the Call of Duty: WWII Beta
I’ll admit that when the big reveal dropped for Call of Duty: WWII, I was a bit on the fence. While others celebrated the return to the Call of Duty roots, I was concerned that the return to boots to ground would feel like too much of a jump back from the past few COD titles. After playing the beta all weekend, I am pleasantly surprised about just how smooth developer Sledgehammer Games has made this transition. While the developers did indeed go back to the roots of the franchise, they have changed a lot, which is both good and bad if you’ve been playing Call of Duty for years. Of course, the beta for the PlayStation 4 is not without its flaws, with a few problems that need to be ironed out. Without wasting any more time, let’s dive into the 3 best and 3 worst things about the Call of Duty: WWII beta.
The Best
1) Divisions
Call of Duty: WWII has designed the classes around divisions, of which there are five to choose from in the beta. These divisions have been broken down nicely based on player style, and range from the fast run-and-gunners in Airborne, to the silent but deadly snipers in Mountain. Each of the five divisions has their own setup and ‘perks’ that players can gradually unlock, with five tiers in each division. For example, the Airborne division starts with a suppressor for the SMG’s (it works wonders in case you were wondering), and slowly works up to increased sprint and finally, a classified SMG unlock. Although I am probably one of the worst snipers the world of COD has ever seen, I’ve found the Mountain division helpful in its ability to be invisible and stealthy. Thankfully, Call of Duty: WWII allows changes to these divisions, so I can run-and-gun with an SMG or Assault rifle, whilst remaining invisible to the enemy players. While some may not like the way this system works, I think it’s a nice way to reward players of each play style, especially when the character has been leveled up to tier five.
2) Weapons and Scorestreaks
Activision said that they wanted Call of Duty: WWII to be realistic, which is something completely evident with how they’ve created all of the weapons. Each of the guns have limited sights and scopes, but all of them sound fantastic and look like weapons native to the second world war. The scorestreaks are rather limited, and while there may be more in the full game, this is a welcomed approach to air warfare. Gone are the days where the scorestreaks heavily impact the way the game is played. Of course, while the scorestreaks still have a fairly big impact on the pace of the game, and can offer an advantage to those who earned them, they are no longer the annoying beasts of the last few COD titles. A quick search of weaponry used during World War II shows a list of pistols, rifles, sub machine guns, grenades, mines, heavy artillery and flame throwers, all of which are at the forefront of the battles within COD: WWII. From guns like the Type 100, an SMG with a side magazine for quick reload, to the Molotov scorestreak, decimating all who dare to face you, the beta makes you feel like you’ve been dropped in the middle of a war zone in the early 1940s.
3) Boots on The Ground Combat
Fans of the franchise have been calling for a return to its roots since Call of Duty: Ghosts, and after four years, we’re back right where we started. The return to boots to ground warfare feels like a face lift to the series and although it comes with a complete lack of agility and movement, Activision has chosen the perfect setting to give it a whirl. As I mentioned earlier, I was a skeptic when COD: WWII was revealed, citing that this change back to boots to ground combat would feel like shell shock. I’ll be honest here though, I forgot just how easy it can be to mow down enemies when there isn’t a way for them to jump around and dodge seemingly all of your bullets. And back are the days where reloading behind cover isn’t frowned upon, but encouraged, as no one can pop up and surprise you. This return to the roots of the Call of Duty franchise certainly doesn’t feel like a step back, but rather a step in the right direction.
Click on through to page 2 for the worst of the Call of Duty: WWII beta…