Call of Duty: World at War Preview

Treyarch copped a lot of flak for Call of Duty 3. It wasn't the best game ever made, but considering the development time (nine months) it turned out to be pretty decent (correction: not a launch title - RJG). The original Sonic the Hedgehog had double the development time, but then, Sega had to invent Blast Processing, which must have taken at least a year.

The first thing that struck me about COD:WAW is that Keifer Sutherland is awesome. The second thing that struck me is that the set pieces are just as grand as before. The first of today's demo levels, Hard Landing, took place in the Pacific theatre, sending you straight in to take out a battery of AA guns, using a Bazooka to take out a trio of tanks and a flamethrower for that personal touch.

The flamethrower is, by far and away, the most devastating weapon ever seen in close quarters. If you thought the Pyro in TF2 was a menace, COD5 will either have you gleefully igniting or painfully smiting, depending on your fondness for the burninator. The gift of Prometheus is a gift best shared.

After using a variety of weapons to move through some wonderful set pieces, Hard Landing ended with me capturing the AA guns and in turn using them against an enemy. Jack Bauer then told me I did a good job.

Thanks, Jack.

The second demo level had me playing a Russian, back when they were Allies. Playing as the Russians as they took control of Berlin in the final days of WWII was a somewhat unnerving experience, which was perhaps the whole point. The use of real footage before the level began, of troops and children moving through Germany, gave me a sense of disquiet I found hard to shake.

Call of Duty: World at War will no doubt make a fine addition to the series, even if it is not as innovative as Call of Duty 4.

With any luck, I will have impressions of the multiplayer, including the new perks and weapons (flamethrower!) shortly. World at War is due for release on the 12^th of November, the same day as Guitar Hero: World Tour.