Call of Duty: WWII
After years of future conflicts, it’s time for a history lesson
World War shooters are finding their time in the sun again
Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before. Soldiers huddle together inside a Higgins boat. They’re part of the Allied invading forces barrelling towards Omaha Beach. An endless wave of bullets attempts to repel them as they try to disembark, with bodies littering the shore. Yeah, it’s an FPS set in WWII, with shades of Saving Private Ryan.
Not that recalling this cinematic imagery is a bad thing. I’m taking in this section of the opening mission at a press reveal event and, even in a room crowded with other people, this version of the battle on D-Day is unsettling. Disorientating explosions and gunfire never let up as lead character Roland ‘Red’ Daniels sprints to a Czech hedgehog for cover. I woozily watch the carnage unfold as a gruff sergeant barks orders. Everything looks appropriately horrifying, although the whiff of recycling past glories of the genre lingers.
Fortunately, the demo skips forward to show off some more meaningful changes. Daniels is slowly making his way through stone bunkers on the top of the Atlantic Wall, clearing out rooms of Nazis. There’s a noticeably slower pace, considering the historically-accurate weapons he uses, that gives the action a slither of realism.
The reduced speed is the first of many indicators that you’re no longer embodying an army of one. Another comes in the moment just after Daniels clears out a room and, before moving on, has a clip chucked at him by one of his squad. It isn’t a cute cinematic touch, but a showcase for the larger role your squad will play as you now rely on them for ammo. Depending on your teammates should add vital strategy and depth when you’re trapped in a firefight.
While it’s not shown in the demo, another big change is the lack of recharging health. Taking a bullet now means serious danger. Forget about ditching jet packs, super guns, and grapple hooks, this lack of magical healing powers already seems like the boldest move.
Forest fire
After Normandy, the story takes you through the final years of the war. Your squad snakes through Europe, taking in the liberation of Paris before pushing into Germany. That’s where I get another showing of the campaign in Hürtgen Forest. Looming trees and winding rivers are a welcome backdrop as the squad prepare to ambush a gathering of Nazi’s in a clearing. The space gives Daniels the chance to flank the enemy, a welcome bit of width to the linearity of the Normandy landing. Unsurprisingly, the mission doesn’t go to plan, and we see the squad dash through the forest as artillery bombards the trees, making trees splinter and crash around. It’s a strong mix of a larger style of shootout alongside the blockbuster spectacle the series is known for.
Trudging back to WWII also means significant changes for multiplayer. The biggest of this is Headquarters, which is a place away from the action where you can socialize with other players. There’s also a new mode called War, where Allied and Axis forces clash over specific objectives with a narrative focus. Plus, despite the historical accuracy in single-player, there will also be a co-op Nazi Zombies mode, because of course there is.
World War shooters are finding their time in the sun again and Call of Duty: WWII will need to prove it’s not a cynical throwback trying to capitalize on a trend. So far, there are encouraging signs. The single-player missions offer evidence of meaningful changes, especially in Hürtgen Forest, while social mode is a refreshing direction for multiplayer. It may be looking back, but it feels like a step forward.