Call of Duty 2 was one of the most successful launch titles for the Xbox 360 last year. With a captivating single player mode on offer and a blistering multiplayer counterpart, it was and still is a must get title for FPS fans. Call of Duty 3 intends to continue that tradition of seamless and cinematic gameplay, and game developer Treyarch, best known for Call of Duty: Big Red One, have provided the details on how they intend to develop a more immersive and cinematic game, exploiting the Xbox 360’s hardware to its fullest.
Essentially the Call of Duty franchise was elicited from WWII and Call of Duty 3 concentrates on the aftermath of D-Day in which the Allied forces are focusing on the liberation of France from German occupation. Although it seems like another reiteration to the endless WWII shooter plague, it actually focuses on an aspect of the war others in the genre cease to display. The campaign follows the typical Call of Duty schematic; however this time around it will feature the Polish and Canadian campaigns that coincided with those of the American and British forces.
One of the biggest features for any FPS fan is the option of having destructible environments – well Call of Duty 3 provides the answer, and this is one of the immediate improvements you will notice in the game. For example, if you are taking cover behind a wall, it could be blown up by an enemy grenade and you would then be forced to first, find new cover, and secondly, find a new tactic – that is, if you are even still alive! It would definitely give the term “cover blown” a whole new meaning.
Also with the new advances that COD3 has in enemy AI, don’t expect them to be dumbfounded when you manage to blow their cover. They will move out of your sight, regroup, and then counter you if it is feasible. Along with this don’t think that the destructible environments feature only applies to whatever cover you might be hiding behind, it also extends to most other in-game fixtures, and even the grass, which will have scorch marks left from grenades, and will be destroyed from being trampled on too much by soldiers.
The environment is an integral part of the gameplay in the Call of Duty franchise, and so we are also looking at expansions in the game terrain as a whole. The levels will be bigger and will also have more objects appearing at once (including enemy soldiers). If that doesn’t sound any better, COD3 will also have seamless gameplay. This basically means no loading screens. There will be a bunch of new decal features including improved smoke effects, water updates, and overall texture improvement.
