Call of Duty: World at War is a first-person shootervideo game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. It was released for Microsoft Windows, the PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, in November 2008. It is the fifth mainstream game of the Call of Duty series and returns the setting to World War II. The game is also the first title in the Black Ops story line. World at War received ports featuring different storyline versions, while remaining in the World War II setting, for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2. It was the first game in the series to feature the zombies mode featured in later sequels. A Windows Mobile version was also made available by Glu Mobile.
The narrative for the campaign mode focuses on the Pacific and Eastern Front theaters of World War II, involving the United States, Empire of Japan, Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany. It is told from the perspectives of Marine RaiderPrivate C. Miller, US Navy Petty Officer Locke and Red Army soldier Private Dimitri Petrenko, and is based on several historical battles. The multiplayer component of the game contains various game modes and a leveling system that allows the player to unlock additional weapons and rewards as they progress, similar to Call of Duty 4 and repeated in many following Call of Duty entries. Vehicles, in the form of tanks, that players can control appear on certain multiplayer maps. The game also contains downloadable content called 'map packs', which can be purchased online. A new feature to the series was the addition of a cooperative mode, which supports up to two players locally and four players online.
Development for World at War took two years and began after the release of Treyarch's previous title, Call of Duty 3, which was also set in World War II and was their first title they developed for the series. The game is based on an enhanced version of the IW enginegame engine developed by Infinity Ward with increased development on audio and visual effects. Treyarch utilized the engine to make more parts of certain environments destructible and introduce limb dismemberment and realistic burns to character models. The game was announced by Activision on June 23, 2008.
World at War received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success. It sold over 3 million copies in the United States within the first two months of its release, becoming one of the best-selling titles of 2008. In 2010, a sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops was released. Three other sequels followed: Call of Duty: Black Ops II in 2012, Call of Duty: Black Ops III in 2015, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in 2018. The Xbox 360 version of World at War became backwards compatible on the Xbox One in September 2016.[4] Chrome settings not saving.
Gameplay[edit]Overview[edit]
World at War[5] features more mature themes than previous Call of Duty installments and [6] is open-ended, giving the player multiple ways to complete objectives,[7] but otherwise generally plays like previous iterations of the franchise. Players fight alongside AI-controlled teammates. They help during the game's missions by providing cover fire, shooting down enemies, and clearing rooms for entry.[8]
When playing the Wii version of the game, instead of using a normal controller, such as the ones used by the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, an optional gun-like expansion controller known as the Wii Zapper can be used. The Zapper, or Wii Remote and Nunchuk, can be used to aim at targets to fire at them and simulate marksmanship.[9]
The game's return to World War II-era warfare reintroduces weapons and technology. The player gains access to these over the course of the game, but may only carry up to two weapons in addition to hand grenades. Weapons and ammo from fallen foes or friendlies can be picked up to replace weapons in a player's arsenal. Players can also find weapons with additional attachments, including guns equipped with rifle grenades, telescopic sights, and bayonets.[8]
A character can be positioned in one of three stances: standing, crouching, or prone; each affecting the character's rate of movement, accuracy, and stealth. Using cover helps the player avoid enemy fire or recover health after taking significant damage, as there are no armor or health powerups. When the character has taken damage, the edges of the screen glow red and the character's heartbeat increases. If the character stays out of fire, the character can recover. When the character is within the blast radius of a live grenade, a marker indicates the direction of the grenade, helping the player in deciding whether to flee or throw it back at the enemy.[8]
The single-player campaign includes thirteen hidden 'death cards', denoted by playing cards attached to makeshift war graves. There is one in each level (barring those that take place in vehicles); collecting them unlocks cheats for Co-op mode, such as reduced enemy endurance and 'paintball mode'.[10]
Multiplayer[edit]
World at Warâs multiplayer experience resembles the one established in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. All versions of the game use a similar perk and ranking system[11] and feature six multiplayer modes, including team deathmatch and capture the flag.[12] There are three 'killstreak rewards' that can be used to turn the tide of battle: a recon plane, showing opposing players on the mini-map; an artillery strike upon an area; and attack dogs, which spawn and attack opposing players. These are gained with 3, 5, and 7 kills, respectively. They are available in all game modes, apart from team survival, and cannot be edited.
Gameplay in online multiplayer's War mode
The game also features a cooperative gameplay mode with up to two players via split screen on consoles, or four players online, for the first time in the franchise. The Wii version of the game does not include online co-op, but two players can play through a 'squadmate co-op' mode which allows both players to experience the game through the same screen and point of view.[11]
Nazi Zombies[edit]
All versions except the Wii feature the minigameNazi Zombies. This is the first time Nazi Zombies ever appeared in any Call of Duty game.[13] The mode consists of 1-4 players fighting an unlimited number of waves of Nazizombies. Players can work together with other people to kill the zombies in a 'co-op' (cooperative) mode either offline with 1-2 players or online with 2-4 players. The players gain points by injuring or killing the zombies or repairing boarded-up windows, which are used to remove blockages inside the bunker and to gain access to more useful weapons than the starting M1911pistol and unlock more rooms. Zombies continually break the windows to gain entrance and to down the players; when all players are damaged enough to fall, the game is over.[14] Three extra maps for the Nazi Zombie game mode were added with the World at War map packs. These maps, Shi No Numa, Verrückt and Der Riese added on to the Nacht Der Untoten map which came with the game.
Synopsis[edit]Characters[edit]
During the single-player campaign, the player controls three characters from a first-person perspective. The player first assumes the role of Private C. Miller of the United States Marine Corps' 1st Marine Division in the Pacific campaign. He is captured by the Japanese, but is rescued by Corporal Roebuck (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland) and his men from the Marine Raiders squad, during the Makin Island raid. Other notable non-playable characters of the Marine Raiders unit include Sergeant Tom Sullivan (voiced by Chris Fries) and Private Polonsky (voiced by Aaron Stanford).[15] Private Dimitri Petrenko, the second playable character, fights on the Eastern Front with SergeantViktor Reznov (voiced by Gary Oldman). They are joined by a third character, Private Chernov, Reznov's subordinate, who serves as a voice of reason throughout the campaign and regularly voices shock and disapproval at the brutal slaughter he witnesses. They are all soldiers in the 3rd Shock Army under the command of Commissar Markhov.[15] The third playable character in the campaign is Petty Officer Locke, a weapons operator on a PBY Catalina flying boat, who is only playable in the mission 'Black Cats' during a solo campaign.[15]
Plot[edit]
The opening scene of the campaign
The story begins on Makin Island on August 17, 1942. U.S. Marine Private C. Miller watches the torture and execution of his team, and is about to be executed himself before being rescued by another squad of Marines, led by Corporal Roebuck and Sergeant Tom Sullivan. They assault the Japanese on the island, replicating the Makin Island raid. The Battle of Peleliu is then replicated. After breaking through the Japanese lines on the Peleliu beach, Miller destroys two Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks with rocket strikes, allowing the American tanks to advance. At the end of the mission, Sullivan is killed by a Japanese officer with a gunto. Roebuck is promoted to Sergeant and he and his squad make their way through the Peleliu swamps to launch an assault on a Japanese-held airfield to disable anti-aircraft guns. During the assault, Miller acquires a flamethrower to destroy a bunker and a bazooka to blow up the Chi-Has positioned at the airfield.[15]
Meanwhile, the Battle of Stalingrad is held on the Eastern Front on September 17, 1942. Soviet Private Dimitri Petrenko regains consciousness in a blood-stained and body-filled fountain, just as German troops execute his comrades. When they leave, Dimitri meets injured Sergeant Viktor Reznov, another survivor, who tells him of his mission to kill German general Heinrich Amsel, who is responsible for the massacres and crimes. After killing German soldiers in their way and duelling an enemy sniper, Dimitri follows Reznov through buildings and streets and they meet up with the remainder of Dimitri's unit, who are about to assault the General's communication post. During the assault, Dimitri provides overwatch with Reznov and aids the remaining Red Army soldiers as they recapture the post, managing to kill Amsel as he flees. Dimitri and Reznov jump into the Volga River and escape. The next mission takes place three years later, during the Battle of the Seelow Heights, near Berlin. Dimitri has been captured by German soldiers in an abandoned house, but is saved when the Red Army attacks the house; he is re-united with Reznov and introduced to his right-hand-man Pvt. Chernov. The Soviet troops advance through German lines and Dimitri aids them with a Panzerschreck until they reach and wipe out a German camp.[15]
The story then shifts back to the Pacific Theater. After pushing further inland on Peleliu, Miller and his unit take out enemy mortar crews so their tanks can go inland. They then proceed through the Japanese underground tunnels to attack the artillery-filled Point, one of the major Japanese strongholds that had destroyed many landing boats when they first landed. This allows American ships to advance, and Peleliu finally falls into American hands.[15]
A firefight in the streets of Berlin
Back in Germany, Dimitri and Reznov pilot a T-34 tank, pushing through the last Nazi lines so the Soviet troops can board a train to Berlin. Upon arrival, they engage German soldiers on the outskirts of Berlin, commencing the Battle of Berlin. They then advance through the streets, eventually reaching the entrance of a Berlin U-Bahn station, where three German soldiers are attempting to surrender. Reznov is unwilling to allow the men to live and gives Dimitri the choice of shooting them or burning them alive with molotov cocktails. They head into the underground and start fighting German soldiers around the platforms, until a sudden surge of water fills the tunnel. Dimitri, unable to avoid the oncoming tidal wave, almost drowns.[15]
After America conquers Peleliu, the preparatory action for the Battle of Okinawa occurs in the Pacific Theater, during which Petty Officer Locke, in a PBY Catalinaflying boat, takes part in a raid on three merchant ships. On their way back to base, another Catalina, codenamed Hammerhead, is destroyed by Japanese Zeroes, leaving Locke and his crew alone. Meanwhile, Task Force 58 of the US 5th Fleet is attacked, replicating Operation Ten-Go. Locke's PBY crew, the only one near enough to come to immediate aid, works to rescue as many American sailors as possible by fighting off Japanese PT boats and kamikaze planes. With the PBY almost completely destroyed and ammunition on Locke's .50 cal running out, all hope seems lost, until a sudden attack from a squadron of Vought F4U-1Cs drives off the remaining Zeroes. In the following mission, Miller's squad assaults a Japanese position on Okinawa, clearing out machine gun bunkers to allow American tanks to progress inland. With the battle almost won, the Americans storm Shuri Castle amidst mortar shelling and constant banzai charges. Once inside, they encounter Japanese soldiers surrendering. However, when Sgt Roebuck and Pvt Polonsky search them, they reveal concealed grenades under their clothes, at which point Miller is presented with the choice of saving either Roebuck or Polonsky. The remaining American troops arrive to assist the squad and engage the remaining Japanese soldiers in the castle's interior garden. After Miller calls in air strikes on two buildings, the Americans take Shuri Castle, crushing the last bastion of Japanese resistance on Okinawa.[15]
Meanwhile, back in Germany, Reznov drags Dimitri out of the U-Bahn to regroup with Soviet infantry. The Red Army then advances towards the Reichstag. During the assault at the Reichstag's entrance, Chernov is severely burned by a flamethrower, and is implied to be killed. Reznov, Dimitri and the remaining Soviet soldiers enter the Reichstag, clearing it of its German defenders, and reaching the rooftop. After a final showdown on the top floor to reach the Nazi flag, Dimitri is shot by a dying German soldier, whom Reznov kills with a machete. Although wounded, Dimitri manages to plant the Soviet flag, signalling Soviet victory and ending the war in Europe.[15]
Zombies[edit]Characters and setting[edit]
The first map in the Nazi Zombies game mode, that came with the Call of Duty: World at War game is titled, 'Nacht Der Untoten' (German word translated to 'night of the undead'). The map is fairly simple compared to the ones from the map packs that came later in the DLC expansions for Call of Duty. This zombie story takes place during World War II at an abandoned airfield in a bunker, with only two floor levels. The four characters at this map are unknown United States Marines, in the second map 'Verruckt' the character Tank Dempsey is introduced. The main four protagonists of the zombies story do not all appear until 'Shi No Numa' and include Tank Dempsey, Edward Richtofen, Nikolai Belinski, and Takeo Masaki[16]
Development[edit]
World at War was announced on June 23, 2008, by Activision, who confirmed that the game was to be released in fall 2008, and that the series would revert to its customary World War II setting.[17] The game took about two years to make, twice as long as Treyarch's previous entry to the series, Call of Duty 3.[6] The game is powered by an improved version of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, with several improvements made to the physics model. Environments are more destructible and can be set on fire with the flamethrower, whose fire propagates. Dismemberment, as well as realistic skin and clothes burning of the characters were added.[18]
Not long after, Treyarch released the modding tools for Call of Duty: World at War. These tools were the same ones used to create all the other Call of Duty series games, but with slight changes version to version, which can be downloaded online.[6]Kiefer Sutherland and Gary Oldman were cast as voice actors for the game. Sutherland voices the narrator and squad leader of the American campaign, Sergeant Roebuck, while Oldman voices that of the Soviet campaign, Sergeant Reznov.[19][20] A full-sized replica PBY Catalina was constructed for motion capture use.[6]
Full-sized replica PBY Catalina in a motion capture studio.
Audio[edit]
The music for Call of Duty: World at War was composed by Sean Murray. He had worked with Brian Tuey, Treyarch's audio director, on True Crime: New York City, the sequel to the first True Crime: Streets of LA. Murray said Tuey âknew I would bring a fresh approach to Call of Duty: World at War'. Adam Levenson, the audio director of Activision, was called in to help them. Murray said that he wanted to make the music more fun and intense, but also 'a specific musical path that follows the psyche of the gameplay'.[21]
The new technology of occlusion, which changes the sound made by nearby object depending on objects blocking its path e.g. walls, has been added to World at War. The game has various levels of 'muffled' sound depending on the objects it travels though e.g. a more muffled sound through a thick wall compared to a slightly muffled sound through a thin short wall. For the first time in a Call of Duty game, the player is able to tell the difference between someone walking next to the player and someone walking above or below the player, as well as telling the difference between a shot fired in the distance and a shot fired close by, but behind a solid object.[22]
The other technology of Flux was also developed using field recording systems. The World at War crew traveled to a desert with mountains on both side of the range to test the frequencies of sounds made by World War II weapons. Microphones were placed 60 yards (55 m) behind and 60 yards in front of the gun to test the echoes. This was later replicated and developed in the studio for the game software. It means that players will be able to pinpoint a sniper rifle shot, as it reflects off them, as well as hearing the initial 'pop' of a hand grenade blowing up and then the grenade's loud 'whoosh' sound that begins where the grenade blew up, and ends behind the player. The flux system also combines with the occlusion system.[22]
Marketing[edit]
The first trailer for the game premiered on Xbox Live on June 21, 2008,[23] and arrived on PlayStation Network five days later.[24] A beta of the game's online multiplayer mode was released for the Xbox 360 on October 10, 2008.[25] A PC version of the beta was later released on October 28, 2008.[26] Those who pre-ordered the game at GameStop, Game and EB Games in Australia or North America or who are members of the Call of Duty official website were given codes which allowed them to download both beta versions of the game.[27] Coinciding with the release of the game, McFarlane Toys produced four action figures. Three are different varieties of US Marine Corps infantry, and the fourth is a British Special Ops soldier.[28]
A collector's edition of World at War was released on November 11, 2008 in North America and November 14, 2008 in Europe.[29] It includes several bonus items, among them a stainless steel canteen imprinted with the Call of Duty series logo and a metal storage tin. The collector's edition also gives the player access to an unlockable weapon and the opportunity to earn double experience points in the online multiplayer mode, as well as a specially colored clan tag to denote the player's VIP status. This edition of the game is only available for the Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 platforms.[30]
Downloadable content[edit]
On February 26, 2009, an update was made available to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, as well as the addition of a new multiplayer map, Makin Day. The update included several bug fixes which removed glitches in several multiplayer maps and player movements, and provided more information in the stats display.[31] The Makin Day map was released for Microsoft Windows on February 6, 2009 in the downloadable patch 1.2. Makin Day has a similar layout as the existing Makin map,[32] but includes subtle changes such as daylight, reflected in the tide being out along the shoreline as well as some reworked areas of the map.[32]
Screenshot of the gameplay in Zombie Verrückt
On March 18, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced that downloadable content (DLC) was under development for World at War, titled Map Pack 1. This first installment of DLC was released on March 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, while the Windows version received the DLC at a later date. The map pack includes three new multiplayer maps and one new Nazi Zombies map, entitled 'Zombie Verrückt' (German: zombie crazy). The map is based on the multiplayer map Asylum, in turn based on the asylum in the campaign mission Ring of Steel. The map includes new weapons and power-ups intended to expand the experience. Players can turn on a power generator that reunites both sides of the map and enables 'Perk-a-Cola' machines, which have been featured in every subsequent Nazi Zombies map.[33] The new multiplayer map called 'Nightfire' takes places at night in the streets of a bombed-out area of Berlin. The 'Knee Deep' map is in the jungle of Peleliu and contains fortified huts and streams. 'Station' is located in a ruined underground train station in Berlin featuring subway cars and hidden passages.[34] Reports stated that Map Pack 1 sold over 1 million copies in the first week of availability, setting an Xbox Live record for the number of downloads in a week.[35]
On April 30, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced Map Pack 2,[36] which was released on June 11.[37] Map Pack 2 contains an additional four multiplayer maps. 'Shi No Numa' (Japanese: 'æ»ã®æ²¼' 'swamp of death') is a new map on the Nazi Zombies co-op mode, set in a misty swamp-land surrounded by jungle. New features include flaming hellhounds, the Wunderwaffe DG-2 weapon and ten new achievements/trophies. The map also introduced four new playable characters who have appeared in several subsequent Nazi Zombie maps: Tank Dempsey U.S.M.C, Nikolai Belinski of the Red Army, Nazi Doctor Edward Richtofen and Takeo Masaki of the Japanese Imperial Army. The multiplayer map 'Banzai' is set in a jungle featuring a river bridge, villages, a waterfall and hidden caves. The 'Corrosion' map is set in a run-down train yard in Russia, featuring broken pipelines and train cars. The 'Sub Pens' map is located in a bombed-out Japanese submarine base with heavy rain.[38]
On July 20, 2009, Activision and Treyarch announced Map Pack 3, which was released August 6, 2009. This DLC also consists of three new multiplayer maps and a new Nazi Zombies map. The three multiplayer maps are 'Battery', which takes place on an abandoned coastal artillery battery Pacific; 'Breach', which is set in the overcrowded streets of Berlin, Germany near the Brandenburg Gate; and 'Revolution', which is based on an industrialized city in Russia. The new Nazi Zombies map, 'Der Riese' which means 'The Giant' in English, is based in a factory where 'element 115' is being processed and used to build teleporters and other mysterious devices, such as the 'Pack-a-Punch Machine', which upgrades guns, such as the Wunderwaffe DG-2. New weapons such as Monkey Bombs were also added. This map also introduced the official backstory to Zombies mode, which is continued into Call of Duty: Black Ops.[39]
All map packs were released for free on Microsoft Windows. The packs were paid DLC for the Xbox 360 and PS3.[citation needed]
Other versions[edit]Nintendo DS[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War was released for the Nintendo DS on November 11, 2008 in North America,[40] and on November 14 in Europe.[41] It was published by Activision and developed by n-Space, who used the same game engine as their previous title, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.[42] The game's scenarios are also based on World War II's Pacific theater and Eastern front with American, British and Soviet campaigns.[40] Up to four players can be supported online with four different types of game, as well as perks and rank-ups.[42] Compared to Modern Warfare, it has improved in-level geometry, has more responsive sprints and crouches and 3D-modeled guns instead of 2D sprites.[42] However the flamethrower, which is new to the game series, is rendered with 2D sprites.[42] The framerate is just under 30 and has lots of voice-over during the missions.[43] Players are able to defuse mines and send Morse code with the touch screen, as well as using mortar rounds, an anti-air gun from a battleship, parachuting and using mounted guns.[42] There is also a tank mode which allows the player to turn the main gun and fire machine gun rounds at the same time.[42]
PlayStation 2[edit]
The PlayStation 2 version, titled Call of Duty: World at War: Final Fronts, differs significantly from the main versions. Developed by Rebellion Developments,[44]Final Fronts features 13 missions set near the end of World War II across three different campaigns. Aside from the two campaigns in the Pacific and Western to Central Europe, Final Fronts also includes a third campaign involving the British advance on the Rhine River. The missions range from infantry, infiltration, sniper, large-scale assaults, night fighting, and tank assaults.[45]
The U.S. campaign follows Pvt. Miller and the squad from World at War, but here Miller is of the 2nd Marines Division, instead of the 1st. The game includes his missions from World at War. The Western Europe campaign is from the perspective of Lucas Gibson, of the American 80th Infantry Division. His missions are in Luxembourg and Austria. Most of the Europe campaign, the player controls Pvt. Tom Sharpe of the British 6th Airborne. Final Fronts does not feature online multiplayer or a Nazi Zombies mode. Like other versions, the game includes 2 flamethrower missions and a tank mission, however the latter is on-rails rather than free roaming. The flamethrower in Final Fronts only fires on a small scale, whereas the PlayStation 3 version allows the flamethrower to be used on a large scale in more missions and it is highly visible where it is fired. The tank mission is from the perspective of a tank gunner named Alex.[46]
iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad versions[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War Zombies was released for the iPhone and iPod Touch on November 16, 2009 by Activision, Treyarch, and Ideaworks Game Studio. The game is based on the Nazi Zombies mode in Call of Duty: World at War, and featured a tutorial map and maps called Nacht der Untoten, Shi No Numa and Der Riese, with a downloadable map named Zombie Verrückt. In 2010, an HD iPad version was released with enhanced graphics and the Zombie Verrückt map free to play without buying, but without the Shi No Numa and Der Riese maps.The game was removed from the app store in 2018.
Windows Mobile version[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War was released for the Windows Mobile. However, the game features a run and gun genre similar to Commando from Capcom rather than a first-person shooter, a different storyline, and a different set of characters. The game was developed by Glu Mobile and published by Activision.[47]
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War received 'generally positive' reviews, according to review aggregatorMetacritic.[48][49][50][51] Describing the game as a whole, GameSpot stated that by returning to the World War II setting, 'World at War achieves greatness but falls short of excellence.'[53]IGN concluded that World at War was a 'solid, confident shooter with plenty to offer the casual and hardcore alike.'[56] Overall, the Official Xbox Magazine described the game as being more like an expansion pack in the Call of Duty series rather than a full game.[60]
IGN applauded the developer Treyarch for its decision to stage World at War in the Pacific theater of World War II. The addition of a co-op mode was also complimented as helping to increase the game's replayability, and the multiplayer mode was described as 'definitely an area where World at War shines.'[56] Some positive points noted by GameSpot include the 'well-acted dialogue' of the characters Sgt. Roebuck and Sgt. Reznov, as well as the solid and fast-paced single player/co-op campaign.'[53]
IGN criticized that the scope of the campaign hurt the continuity of the plot, with some missions taking place several years after others and disrupting the flow of the narrative.[56]Official Xbox Magazine's main criticism was that Treyarch had not expanded upon the success of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but had instead created a 'play-it-safe sequel' that used elements of Call of Duty 4 but added 'nothing noteworthy of its own.'[60] Other flaws pointed out by the reviewer included the lack of excitement in the campaign storyline and the few differences between the Pacific theater missions and European theater missions, stating 'you could just be marching through another European town with a lot more trees.'[60]GameSpot criticized the game's use of 'well-worn source material' and 'déjà vu' game mechanics, also implying its similarity to the Call of Duty series' other games.[53]1UP.com stated that the horror of the game is 'almost too much at times'.[64]
GameSpot praised the darker, grittier portrayal of the World War II settings.[53] 1UP.com noted the significantly increased graphic violence and gore (even over the M-rated Call of Duty 4) as a positive improvement in realism saying, 'While enemies died en masse in previous installments, dismemberment and gore were essentially nonexistent. That's no longer the case â here, legs are severed, men cry out in agony as they reach for lost body parts, and gouts of blood fly as bullets pierce flesh.' and that 'World at War portrays the horror of WWII more accurately than ever before..'[64]
Sales[edit]
Call of Duty: World at War was the second best-selling game for November 2008 in the United States, selling over 1.41 million units.[65] The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions were the second and ninth best-selling game of December 2008 in the United States, selling in excess of 1.33 million and 533,000 copies respectively.[66] The Xbox 360 version was the sixth best-selling game of 2008, selling in excess of 2.75 million copies.[66] The Wii version ranked as the 19th best-selling game and the seventh best-selling Wii game of December 2008 in the United States.[67] It received particular interest in the United Kingdom, where it doubled the amount of first-week sales compared to Modern Warfare on the PS3 and Xbox 360.[68] It also became the third fastest-selling video game in the UK behind Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[69] The Xbox 360 version of World at War received a 'Double Platinum' sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[70] indicating sales of at least 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[71] ELSPA gave the PlayStation 3 release a 'Platinum' certification,[72] for sales of at least 300,000 copies in the region.[71] As of November 2013, the game has sold 15.7 million copies.[73]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Call_of_Duty:_World_at_War&oldid=904835586'
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Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a first-person shooter developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and the Xbox 360 on November 13, 2012, and for the Wii U on November 18 in North America and November 30 in PAL regions.[1][2][3][4][5]Black Ops II is the ninth game in the Call of Duty franchise of video games, a sequel to the 2010 game Call of Duty: Black Ops and the first Call of Duty game for the Wii U. A corresponding game for the PlayStation Vita, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified, was developed by nStigate Games and also released on November 13.
The game's campaign follows up the story of Black Ops and is set in two different time periods; the late 1980s and 2025. In the '80s, the player switches control between Alex Mason and Frank Woods, two of the protagonists from Black Ops, while in 2025, the player assumes control of Mason's son, David (codenamed 'Section'). Both time periods involve the characters pursuing Raul Menendez, a Nicaraguan cartel leader, who is responsible for kidnapping Woods in the 80s and later sparking a second Cold War in 2025. The campaign features nonlinear gameplay and has multiple endings.[6]
Development for the game began soon after the release of Black Ops, with Activision promising that the follow-up would bring 'meaningful innovation' to the Call of Duty franchise. Black Ops II is the first game in the series to feature futuristic warfare technology and the first to present branching storylines driven by player choice as well as selecting weapons before starting story mode missions. It also offers a 3D display option. The game was officially revealed on May 1, 2012, following a set of leaked information released during the previous months.
Black Ops II received generally positive reviews from critics. The game was a commercial success; within 24 hours of going on sale, the game grossed over $500 million.[7] It had remained the largest entertainment launch of all time until September 2013, when Take-Two Interactive announced that Grand Theft Auto V had grossed $800 million in its first day of release.[8] It went on to sell 7.5 million copies in the U.S. in November 2012, making it the highest-grossing game of the month.[9] A sequel, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, was released in 2015.[10]Black Ops II was made backwards compatible for the Xbox One in April 2017.[11]
Gameplay[edit]Campaign[edit]
Tactical view in a Strike Force mission
Black Ops II is the first Call of Duty video game to feature branching storylines, in which the player's choice affects both the current mission and in turn, the overall course of the story. Known as 'Strike Force missions', these branching storylines appear during the 2025 storyline and feature permanent death. The success or failure of these missions can have ramifications for the wider campaign storyline. Choosing one of the missions locks out the others unless the player begins a fresh campaign.[12]
Strike Force missions allow the player to control a number of different war assets, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, jet fighters and robots. If the player dies in a Strike Force mission, the campaign continues recording that loss, as opposed to letting the player load a previously saved checkpoint. The player's progress in the Strike Force missions may go on to change even the plans of the story's antagonist, Raul Menendez.[12] By the end of the game, the player may have changed the results of the new Cold War.
Similarly, in the main story missions, there are certain points where the player is given different choices and paths to progress, which could have an effect on the gameplay, as well as the story. Black Ops II is also the first game in the series to allow the player to customize their loadout before beginning a mission, creating freedom in choosing how to approach a mission.
Multiplayer[edit]
One of the biggest changes added to multiplayer in Black Ops II is the introduction of Pick 10, a new system within the Create-a-Class menu. Pick 10 gives the player a total of 10 allocation slots in a class, which are used for guns, perks, grenades, etc. .. The player can choose to allocate the slots however they like, to either have more attachments for a gun, or more perks.
Killstreaks from previous Call of Duty games are renamed as Scorestreaks, which are now earned by gaining points, rather than kills. This allows the player to focus on objective modes, which also earn points towards Scorestreaks.
Unlike past games, weapons in Black Ops II have a progression system, which is used to unlock weapon attachments. After maxing out a weapon's level, the player can choose to 'prestige' the gun, similar to how they can prestige the player level, and reset their attachment progress. In exchange, the player can customize their weapons with custom clan tags and emblems.
Black Ops II is also the first Call of Duty game to include a competitive mode. Known as League Play, the mode allows players of similar skill level to be matched together, and play according to the rules of Major League Gaming.
Zombies[edit]
Treyarch confirmed that the Zombies mode would return for Black Ops II with new game modes. This is the third Call of Duty game to feature a Zombies mode, following Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Black Ops, and the first to have game modes other than the traditional Survival mode. Treyarch also confirmed that Zombies would run on the game's multiplayer engine, allowing for a deeper community experience, along with new features. A new, 8 player co-op game called 'Grief' is also supported, featuring 2 teams of 4 players competing to survive, unlike the previous games which only supported 4 player online co-op. As with the previous installments, each Zombies map contains 'Easter eggs' side quests, which is used to progress the story. Another new mode, 'Turned', is introduced with several downloadable content maps, in which one player attempts to survive three player-controlled zombies who must turn the other player into a zombie.
Plot[edit]Single-player campaign[edit]Setting and characters[edit]
Raul Menendez, the main antagonist of the game
The single-player campaign features two connected storylines, with the first set from 1986 to 1989 during the final years of the First Cold War, and the other set in 2025 during a Second Cold War. The protagonist of Black Ops, Alex Mason (Sam Worthington) returns as the protagonist in the first Cold War section, and chronicles the rise to infamy of the game's primary antagonist, Raul Menendez (Kamar de los Reyes).[13]
The 2025 section of the game features Alex Mason's son David (codenamed Section) (Rich MacDonald) as the protagonist, in which Menendez is plotting against the United States and China with one of his ultimate goals being to see the United States locked in a new Cold War with China, in revenge for many of his misfortunes.[14] In this era, wars are defined by robotics, cyberwarfare, unmanned vehicles, and other futuristic technology.[13][12]
Returning characters include Alex's CIA squadmates Frank Woods (James C. Burns) and Jason Hudson (Michael Keaton), former Soviet Army Colonel Lev Kravchenko (Andrew Divoff), and disgraced Red Army Captain Viktor Reznov (Gary Oldman). New characters include: Section's SEAL teammates Mike Harper (Michael Rooker) and Javier Salazar (Celestino Cornielle), their commanding officer Admiral Tommy Briggs (Tony Todd), the CIA double agent Farid (Omid Abtahi), U.S. President Marion Bosworth (Cira Larkin), Strategic Defense Coalition leader General Tian Zhao (Byron Mann), Tacitus Corporation ex-employee Chloe Lynch (codename Karma) (Erin Cahill). The game also features several historical and real-life characters, including: UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi (Robert Wisdom), former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega (Benito Martinez), Colonel Oliver North (voiced by himself), and former CIA directorDavid Petraeus (Jim Meskimen). Jimmy Kimmel cameos as himself in one of the game's endings, while the rock band Avenged Sevenfold makes a non-canonical appearance at the end of the game.
Story[edit]
In 1986, Alex Mason, now retired from active duty, pursues an obscure existence in Alaska with his son, seven-year-old David. Their shaky relationship is further strained when Mason is approached by Jason Hudson for an assignment in Cuando Cubango during the height of the Angolan Civil and South African Border Wars. Frank Woods and his team have disappeared aiding Jonas Savimbi's UNITA rebels against Angola's Marxist government; their actions have already been disavowed by the CIA, but Hudson hopes to rescue any survivors. Mason and Hudson recover Woods from the Kavango River, subsequently locating Raul Menendez among a contingent of Cuban military advisers. As a lengthy firefight breaks out, the trio are rescued by Savimbi. It is revealed that Menendez is responsible for holding Woods captive after murdering his team.
In light of this, Mason, Woods, and Hudson begin tracking Menendez, an established primary arms dealer for bush conflicts in Southern Africa and Latin America. The CIA later authorize a strike against the unscrupulous Nicaraguan, now making a healthy profit running arms across Soviet-occupiedAfghanistan. The trio and Chinese operative Tian Zhao ally with the Afghan Mujahideen against the Soviets. They locate Lev Kravchenko, who survived the grenade explosion with Woods in Vietnam, and interrogate him into disclosing that Menendez has moles inside the CIA. The Mujahideen then betray the Americans and Zhao, leaving them to die in the Afghan wilderness until their rescue by two unidentified civilians.
The origins of Menendez's anti-American sentiment is revealed at this point. His sister Josefina was disfigured in a fire as part of an insurance fraud masterminded by an American businessman. The CIA sanctions the assassination of Menendez's father after uncovering his ties to South American drug trade. Mason, Woods, Hudson, and Panamanian security forces led by President Manuel Noriega raid Menendez's compound in Nicaragua; during the chaos, Woods inadvertently kills Josefina with a grenade. Conspiring with Noriega to fake his demise, Menendez crosses paths with Mason and Woods again during the American invasion of Panama. Utilizing moles within the CIA, Menendez captures Hudson and David, and has Hudson manipulate Woods into shooting Mason before crippling Woods. He then executes Hudson, promising to return and complete his revenge at a later date.
In 2025, Menendez reemerges as the charismatic leader of Cordis Die, a militant populist movement. His organization stages a cyberattack that cripples the Chinese stock exchanges, forcing their government to leverage its economic influence and sparking a second Cold War between NATO and the Chinese-led Strategic Defense Coalition headed by Zhao. David, now a Navy SEAL code-named Section, spearheads an effort by American Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to track down Menendez. They fail to apprehend him, but learn that Menendez is planning a second cyberattack with global repercussions, dependent on a quantum supercomputer engineered by rogue developer Chloe Lynch. Section and two other SEALs, Harper and Salazar, either rescue Lynch by killing Menendez's second-in-command, DeFalco, or he escapes. The 'Strike Force' mission 'Second Chance' must be completed to rescue Lynch if the latter occurs.
Interrogating Raul Menendez from the mission 'Odysseus'
JSOC finally capture Menendez in Yemen with the assistance of undercover CIA agent, Farid. However, prior to being apprehended, Menendez orders Farid to kill a captured Harper. Farid will be executed by Menendez if he refuses. American forces take Menendez aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Barack Obama, commanded by Admiral Briggs; however, Menendez escapes with the aid of a mole inside JSOC: Salazar. How Salazar's betrayal pans out is determinant on the fates of Lynch, Farid, and DeFalco.[a] Menendez hacks into the U.S. military satellite to seize control of their entire drone fleet. Whether the Americans regain control is determined on whether the Strike Force missions were completed and whether Briggs remains alive to activate the ship's defenses.
Regardless, Menendez uses the drones to attack Los Angeles during a meeting of G20 leaders, hoping to kill them and foment widespread economic and civil chaos. With the drones also targeting several other strategic cities across the U.S. and China, Section escorts the President of the United States to safety in a Cougar HE. Menendez is tracked to Haiti, where Section must either execute or reapprehend him.
Endings[edit]
The events of the player's ending is determinant on the fates of Menendez, Lynch, and Alex Mason, and whether the Strike Force missions were completed.
A non-canon ending is unlocked by completing the game, depicting Menendez and Woods performing at a concert with Synyster Gates and M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold. It is shown after the 2nd half of the credits.
Zombies[edit]Characters and setting[edit]
Zombies takes place throughout various time periods, mostly focused during the modern time, in a post-apocalyptic world, created as a result of the missile launch from the moon striking the Earth. The majority of the story follows four new characters: Samuel Stuhlinger (David Boat), Marlton Johnson (Scott Menville), Abigail 'Misty' Briarton (Stephanie Lemelin) and Russman (Keith Szarabajka). Dr. Edward Richtofen (Nolan North), one of the previous playable characters from the previous game, returns as the demonic announcer, overseeing the four characters. Another returning character is Dr. Ludvig Maxis (Fred Tatasciore), who instructs the new group to help him defeat Richtofen. Players can choose whether to help Maxis or Richtofen, which will have different results once the story ends. The map 'Mob of the Dead' features a new crew of characters: Albert 'The Weasel' Arlington (Joe Pantoliano), Billy Handsome (Ray Liotta), Michael 'Finn' O'Leary (Michael Madsen), and Salvatore 'Sal' DeLuca (Chazz Palminteri). The map 'Origins' features an alternate version of the original crew: Tank Dempsey (Steven Blum), Nikolai Belinski (also voiced by Tatasciore), Takeo Masaki (Tom Kane), and Richtofen (Nolan North), as well as Maxis' daughter, Samantha (Grace Kaufman).
Story[edit]
In the year 2025 at Nevada, a team of CIA and CDC operatives investigate a nuclear testing site known as 'Nuketown', where they are attacked by zombies. At the same time, Dr. Edward Richtofen seizes control of the zombies by entering the Aether from Group 935's moon base. However, Dr. Ludvig Maxis joins with his daughter Samantha and Richtofen's former allies, Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, and Takeo Masaki, to thwart him. To end this, Maxis launches three massive nuclear missiles filled with Element 115, the element responsible for the reanimation of dead cells, at the Earth, destroying its atmosphere. One missile completely destroys Nuketown and all present, except for one individual, Marlton Johnson, who escapes after hiding out in the site's bunker.
Ten years later following the events on the Moon, Earth has been reduced to a crumbling, hellish wasteland overrun by zombies. In this new world, four survivors - Samuel Stuhlinger, Abigail 'Misty' Briarton, Marlton, and Russman - have banded together to survive in Washington with the help of a bus driven by a robotic driver. The four are contacted by both Richtofen and Maxis, who is now a digital artificial intelligence, for aid against the other. Both former scientists request the four to assist them in powering up a tower within the area to work in their favor. Once done, regardless of the path they choose, they are teleported by Richtofen to a crumbling skyline in Shanghai, China. The four learn of The Flesh, a cannibalistic cult that chooses to eat zombie meat, as well as the beginnings of a new airborne pandemic of Element 115. Stuhlinger is threatened by Richtofen, who knows of his past as a member of The Flesh, which allows only him to hear Richtofen and not the others. At the site, Maxis and Richtofen once again instruct the four to power up a second tower.
Following their battles in Shanghai, Russman leads the group across the continents to a large hole in the ground known as The Rift in Africa, hoping to find answers about the unseen forces commanding them. Richtofen commands Samuel to 'mend the rift'. The four gain a new ally in the form of a mute giant (real name later known as Arthur) in a Western town warped underground by temporal displacement, and are hampered by a ghostly woman in a massive mansion. In the canonical ending, the group aids Maxis, allowing him to use the power from the towers to enter the Aether and assume ultimate control, trapping Richtofen in a zombie's body. However, the Earth begins shaking, and Maxis explains to the four that he is beginning the process of the destruction of the Earth and humanity to reach Agartha, where he believes Samantha is; in the non-canon ending, the group aids Richtofen, letting him gain unlimited power over the Aether and the Earth, allowing him to kill Maxis and condemn Samantha's soul to eternal damnation.
Following the canonical ending, Maxis then plucks Samantha's soul from Richtofen's body on the Moon and forces her to join him in Agartha. Realizing her father has been corrupted by the Aether, Samantha reaches out to an alternate version of him, who resides in Dimension 63. She ends up in 1918 in France during World War I, where Group 935 was formed much earlier, with Maxis as one of its leaders, operating to secure German victory in the war. Group 935 created mechanical robots, as well as staffs that control the powers of the elements. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb believed to be of Vril origin, they accidentally unleash the first known zombie outbreak in history. Aiming to stop Germany, Japan, Russia and the United States of America send Takeo, Nikolai and Dempsey to capture Richtofen, the mastermind behind the advanced technology. By this time, Group 935's operatives have been wiped out, and Maxis himself was lobotomized when he began to turn into a zombie. The group are contacted by Samantha, who begs them to free her from Agartha. Richtofen puts Maxis' brain in a flying drone, and he joins the fight against the zombies and to free Samantha. The group is eventually successful, and while Maxis meets his daughter, they enter Agartha to be rewarded. A cutscene is played, showing Samantha with a boy named Eddie inside a house playing with toys of the characters who have appeared in the Zombies game mode throughout allthree games. Air raid sirens are heard and the two children retreat to the basement with Maxis, with Samantha noting her father has a plan to make the heroes of their games real.
A separate story, 'Mob of the Dead', taking place also in Dimension 63, focuses on four mobsters: Salvatore 'Sal' DeLuca, Billy Handsome, Michael 'Finn' O'Leary, and Albert 'The Weasel' Arlington, who are incarcerated at Alcatraz Island. On New Year's Eve 1933, the four attempt to escape the prison, using Weasel's plan to build a makeshift airplane called Icarus. However, the prison becomes infested with zombies, and they are forced to fight their way out. They succeed in building the airplane, but crash-land at the Golden Gate Bridge. They are then teleported back to the prison, with no memories of their previous attempt (except Weasel, who keeps a journal of the ongoing events). They continuously try to escape, but the result remains the same. After many failures, they discover that they were actually stuck in Purgatory, constantly repeating a cycle as punishment for their past sins. Monster hunter 4 ultimate pc download. In reality, the escape plan never came to fruition, and Weasel was killed by the other three on New Year's Eve, while the rest were given the death penalty weeks later. Having remembered the truth, Sal, Billy and Finn set out to kill Weasel once again. Two possible endings can occur: if Weasel is killed, the cycle repeats once again; if Weasel lives and the other three are killed, the cycle is broken, and he is finally freed of his punishment.
Development[edit]
Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick stated on November 8, 2011, that a new Call of Duty game was in development for a 2012 release and will be the newest installment in the franchise.[15] The game was officially confirmed by Activision during its fourth-quarter earnings call on February 9, 2012, and promised that it will feature 'meaningful innovation' for the series.[16][17]Oliver North, who was involved in the IranâContra affair was a consultant on the 1980s portion and helped promote the game.[18][19] The author and defense expert Peter W. Singer served as a consultant on the 2025 storyline of the game.[20]
Internal leaks[edit]
Reports of Black Ops 2 surfaced following a product page for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 appeared on Amazon France before quickly being taken down in February 2012. No information had yet been released by Activision, but Gameblog claimed that Activision demanded it remove its original report too.[21] When it refused to do so, the publisher cut off Gameblog from ad support, review game mailings and future Activision events for refusing to comply.[22] Later Activision denied Gameblog's claims that it has been cut off.[23] Around the same time, computer game artist Hugo Beyer also listed 'Black Ops 2' as his current project in his Linkedin CV, before his LinkedIn page was taken down.[24] Beyer is an artist working for Nerve Software, 'a Dallas-based independent developer' which has 'helped' with previous Activision games including, Black Ops in 2010.[25] A 'Black Ops 2' trademark by Activision was spotted January 2012.[26] Further, Black Ops 2 was listed by the France international entertainment retail chain Fnac in March 2012, which touted a predictable November release date.[27]
On April 9, 2012, an image was leaked from a URL on the official Call of Duty website, which leaked the Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 logo, as well as a reveal date of April 28, 2012. The URL was later removed.[28] On April 18, 2012, Kotaku received an image from 'a retail source', which showed a teaser poster that lacked a game title but had clear nods to Black Ops and a May 2 date that seemingly points to a reveal.[29] On April 27, 2012, an image containing two Target pre-order cards sent by IGN reader Richard confirmed the game's title and release date. The cards clearly display the Call of Duty: Black Ops II logo, and the release date November 13, 2012.[30][31]
Reveal[edit]
Call of Duty: Black Ops II advertisements at gamescom 2012
On April 23, 2012, Activision redesigned CallofDuty.com to announce that the game will be revealed on May 1, 2012, during the NBAplayoffs on TNT.[32] The art featured on the site matched up perfectly with the supposed retailer leak received by Kotaku.[33] However, parts of the official website went live hours prior to the announcement, which revealed the title, confirmed the release date for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and the '21st Century Cold War' setting.[34] Activision had hinted that the game may eventually become available for Nintendo's own consoles, although had no official announcements for the time being.[35] As promised by Activision, the preview for the game was revealed in the form of a YouTube trailer that detailed the futuristic setting, the characters carried over from the previous games, and the conflict.[36]
After the game was revealed, the preorder rates on the game set records three times higher than for the preorders of the first Black Ops.[37] Critics have noted the trailer's similarities to that of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.[38][39][40] On July 19, 2012, a second trailer was released by Treyarch, offering insight into the game's narrative. The storyline has been described by writer David S. Goyer as 'better than a Hollywood movie'.[41]
Gameplay revisions[edit]
Promotion at E3 2012
In developing Black Ops II, Treyarch introduced several revisions to the gameplay mechanics for online multiplayer that have been a hallmark of the Call of Duty franchise. These include the introduction of 'multi-team' games that allow matches to host three or more teams of players, in contrast to the traditional two factions,[citation needed] and revisions to the 'Create-A-Class' function that allows users to select which guns, attachments, weapon camouflage and perks (additional bonuses that alter aspects of gameplay) to use in multiplayer matches.[42] The 'Kill Streak' function, which gives players in-game rewards for killing other players, was revised and is now known as 'Score Streaks'.
Whereas players still receive in-game rewards, these are unlocked by performing certain actions â such as killing other players, successfully capturing territory, and so on â rather than simply killing other players.[43][44] Furthermore, the 'wager matches' feature included in Call of Duty: Black Ops was removed.[42] These changes were introduced to shift the emphasis towards objective-based gameplay, to reward players who work in teams and to make the game more accessible to new players.[43]
Additionally, Treyarch announced plans to integrate Black Ops II into the world of 'eSports' or competitive gaming.[citation needed] To this end, Treyarch unveiled a matchmaking system designed to pair players up based on their skills within the game to ensure that online games are relatively equal in terms of player skill. They also announced what they termed 'CODcasting', a form of live streaming that allows users to stream their games directly onto YouTube from their gaming consoles.[citation needed]
There is also 3D support if players are playing with an HDMI cable on a 3D TV. Before one enters multiplayer mode, one needs to simply just turn on the 3D setting in the 'options' menu.[45]
Japanese releases[edit]
Square Enix released the game for the Japanese market on November 22, 2012, as a subbed version. A Japanese voice-dubbed version was released separately on December 20, 2012. The script for this version was translated by Zenigame Nakamoto. The translated version was criticized for its translation errors.[46] The Japanese release of the Wii U port is only the dubbed version since the console was not available in Japan in November.[47]
Soundtrack[edit]
The game's soundtrack was composed by Jack Wall,[48] with the main theme composed by Trent Reznor,[49] the leader of industrial rock project Nine Inch Nails since 1988.[49] The soundtrack was released as a part of the Hardened Edition and Care Package releases, as well as on iTunes and Amazon, with two supplemental tracks by Brian Tuey, as well as 'Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K550 (Allegro Molto)' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Also, a version of the song 'Try It Out' by Skrillex and Alvin Risk is used in the game, but it is not present in the soundtrack album. When the Campaign is completed, after the end credits, Woods and Menendez perform a concert with heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold on their song 'Carry On', with Woods on drums and Menendez on rhythm guitar. The band chose to use Woods as the drummer in the game due to the loss of their original drummer The Rev, who died of a drug overdose on December 28, 2009. The band's song 'Shepherd of Fire' is featured on the Zombie mode Origins. Additional artists include Sean Murray, Jimmy Hinson, Sergio Jimenez Lacima, Kamar de los Reyes, Azam Ali, & Rudy Cardenas.[50]
The Replacers[edit]
Heralding the release of Black Ops II's DLCs, Activision releases a live-action short starring a well-groomed Peter Stormare, who acts as a 'Replacer', part of a group who are sent by mutual friends to take your place during your daily life while you can stay at home and play Black Ops II's new content. Stormare goes on to explain the aims of his jobs and is then shown in multiple situations where he has taken over random people's jobs, such as masquerading as a pregnant lady's husband, working at an office, and enduring a grandmother's endless talking, as well as other such scenarios.
To promote Black Ops II's second DLC, entitled 'Uprising', comedian J.B. Smoove joined Stormare in the second production of The Replacers, in which the two maintain a haphazard relationship. Stormare normally acts as a mentor to the new replacer Smoove by pointing out his various quirks while doing his job, such as his poor performance defending his client while he replaces a lawyer, admitting that he might be guilty.
Downloadable content[edit]
A Black Ops II Season Pass was released by Treyarch with the release of the game. On December 12, 2012, all Xbox 360 Season Pass holders received access to the Nuketown Zombies map, with PC holders following on January 17, and PlayStation 3 holders on January 19, having been delayed two days due to PSN technical issues.[51][52] It was later released as an individual download for PC on April 13, 2013.[53]
The first major DLC pack is called Revolution. It was announced on January 8, 2013, and released for Xbox 360 on January 29 and PC and PS3 on February 28[54] The pack contained four new multiplayer maps - Downhill, Hydro, Mirage and Grind; and two new Zombies modes - Turned and Die Rise. Also included was the first DLC weapon; the Peacekeeper. Turned occurs in the Diner segment of the TranZit map from the original release, and allows up to four players to fight each other in two teams - one human against three zombies. The Die Rise map is a larger zombies survival map taking place in a destroyed office building, where one to four players use elevators to travel between floors.[55]
Personalisation pack microtransactions for the game were released for Xbox 360 on March 12, 2013, and PC and PS3 on April 12. These allow the player to make small aesthetic changes to the multiplayer functionality of the game, like adding the flag of their country to the kill notification box, adding new weapon skins and allowing the player to use more Create-a-Class slots.[56][57]
The second major DLC pack is known as Uprising. It was released for Xbox 360 on April 16, 2013, and came out for PC and PS3 players on 16 May.[58] It includes the new zombies map Mob of the Dead as well as new multiplayer maps Magma, Vertigo, Encore, and a re-imagining of fan-favourite from previous installment Black Ops Firing Range, known as Studio.[59]
The third major DLC pack is called Vengeance. It was released for Xbox 360 on July 2, 2013, and PC and PS3 on August 1. It includes new zombies map Buried as well as new multiplayer maps Cove, Detour, Rush and a remake of the popular map Summit from Black Ops: Uplink.[60]
The fourth and final major DLC pack is called Apocalypse. It was released for Xbox 360 on August 27, 2013, and PC and PS3 on September 26. It includes new zombies map Origins back to the old characters (Takeo, Nikolai, Richtofen and Dempsey), as well as new multiplayer maps Pod, Frost and two remakes of popular maps Courtyard and Stadium of Call of Duty: World at War and Black Ops: First Strike DLC.[61]
On July 8, 2014, Activision released Nuketown 2025 for the Wii U Version. On March 27, 2013, Activision revealed that they were considering releasing Revolution, but a firm decision has not yet been made.[62]
Reception[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
Call of Duty: Black Ops II received 'generally positive' reviews for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U versions, but 'mixed or average' reviews for the PC version, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[63][64][65][66]IGN editor Anthony Gallegos describes the game as 'a good example of how to evolve an annualized franchise.'[71] Gallegos praised the game for telling a story was genuinely interesting and creating a villain that he empathised with to the point of questioning his own actions over the course of the story. Gallegos directed criticisms at the artificial intelligence of allies in Strike Force mode and at the ending of the campaign, which he felt was disappointing even though he was aware that the outcome was directly influenced by the choices he made.
Dan Ryckert of Game Informer was also critical of the artificial intelligence of Strike Force mode, and was unimpressed by the 'Pick Ten' system introduced to multiplayer modes, noting that it was 'interesting, but ultimately less exciting' than the system used in previous Call of Duty titles.[68] Like Gallegos, Ryckert praised the narrative and structure of the single-player campaign, introducing changes that he felt were overdue and noting that the branching storylines 'had me talking to others about their experiences in a way I had never done before with this [Call of Duty] series'.
Steven O'Donnell and Stephanie Bendixsen, of video game talk show Good Game, both gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, praising the gameplay multiplayer and zombies mode, but were critical of the campaign's confusing narrative and Strike Force missions.[76] In particular to the narrative Good Game, was critical of the opening battle where the player guns down fleeing Africans rebels, feeling that it was added purely for shock value and commenting that
The landscape of shooters is changing somewhat. The fact is that everyone loves playing military shooters, but we're also realising that we don't want to glorify aimless killings. A lot of games are trying to make you feel that conflict and even make you feel bad about what you're doing. But I don't think it's been handled very well here.[76]
Frederick Charles Fripp of IT News Africa gave it a final score of 9.2/10 and wrote that 'BO2 is a non-stop action-packed shooter that will keep gamers on their toes and on the edge of their seats. It has everything a player could want in a game: great graphics, a good story, easy controls and superb acting.'[77]
Sales and revenue[edit]
Activision reported sales figures for Black Ops II in the U.S. were more than 7.5 million copies sold on launch day[9] and grossed over $500 million, in the US alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time until the record was surpassed by Grand Theft Auto V in September 2013. It is the fourth year in a row that the Call Of Duty series has broken the same record. 2011's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 grossed $400 million on one full day; 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million.[7]
Black Ops II went on to gross $1 billion in the first 15 days of availability, beating Modern Warfare 3's record of the first 16 days.[78] On November 5, 2013, IGN confirmed that the game sold 24.2 million copies,[79] making it the third highest selling game in the series, behind 2010's Black Ops, and 2011's Modern Warfare 3.
Lawsuit[edit]God Mode Call Of Duty
In July 2014, former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega sued Activision for lost profits from the use of his likeness in the game. He also claims that his inclusion translated to higher sales of Black Ops II.[80] Noriega makes an appearance in the Cold War portions of the game and aids the primary antagonist. The suit sought compensation for lost profits and damages for his depiction as a 'kidnapper, murderer, and enemy of the state' in the game.[81] On October 28, the Los Angeles court dismissed the lawsuit, ruling that Noriega's inclusion was protected under free speech laws.
References[edit]Call Of Duty Multiplayer ModesNotes[edit]
Citations[edit]Call Of Duty Paintball Mode
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Call_of_Duty:_Black_Ops_II&oldid=902958479'
Shadows of Evil introduces players to The Femme Fatal, The Magician, The Cop and The Boxer â and these are not nice people. Every one of them is a lying, conniving, manipulative and selfish individual with a long sordid history of past misdeeds.
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