Go to Berlin today, and you'll find a relatively pleasant city with a large population. Take a trip there this November, however, and you'll find a war-torn city filled with ruins and bomb sites. Because Treyarch's latest masterpiece is set to catapult us back into the midst of the Second World War.

Call of Duty: World at War follows two different campaigns, and there looks to be enough difference between the two to make it worthwhile. One follows the struggle between the US Marine Corps and the Japanese Imperial Army in the Pacific, and the other playing out the story of the Soviet Red Army's push on the Eastern Front towards the end of the war.

Based on an enhanced version of the CoD4 engine, the latest in the Call of Duty series allows players to experience the final climatic days of the Second World War. You play as either an American or Russian soldier, attempting to prevent the advance of Axis forces on multiple different fronts, which should give the game a real sense of intensity.

So far, three levels have been revealed, and they look to be shaping up nicely. One level, entitled Makin Raid, pictures an Allied prisoner of war being tortured and then murdered by the Japanese - while the player's character witnesses the whole grisly proceedings. Two other levels include machine-gunning on a PBY Catalina and attack against German troops under cover of a bombing raid.

Treyarch don't seem to be lacking in the multiplayer department either, with co-op play and online multiplayer packed into the same disk as the single-player campaign.

The latest gaming tour of WW2 features 2 player split-screen and up to 4 player online co-op modes, so you needn't play the game through feeling lonely. Players can complete unique challenges with their teammates, as well as playing the game through normally. The co-op also utilises the CoD4 perks system, so it should give an immersive experience.

Online is where it's all happening, though. World at War takes the CoD4 multiplayer engine and adds vehicles, which should make for some very exciting ranked matches. Of course, the classes, perks and player rankings are still there, so changeover from CoD4 should be easy for even the most die-hard Modern Warfare gamer.

The latest in this massively successful franchise looks like it's going to be one of the highlights of the gaming year. The revert back to WW2 may be sneered at by some, but I reckon that it could redefine the Second World War genre. I'll have to wait and see. November isn't long away.

Linford

Labels: Activision, Call of Duty, Hype Train, Preview, Treyarch, World at War

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