The Angry Outlaw Episode #16 Call of Duty Series, The Rise and Decline of Activision

Oh yes the one you've been waiting for every year (or use to be hyped up for next COD game). Before everybody got on the bandwagon me included of this series, let's look at past games that are relatable to this series that may have inspired the series. Medal of Honor before going downhill, Wolfenstein in a way, or even the early Tom Clancy games may have been a combination of this game in some sort of way. Well let's find out how they got away from that formula they were once had and it disappeared all together.

His the meanest outlaw in all of America,
He doesn't hold back from anything or anyone,
He'd rather stick it up there's and go screw a limp wang,
Then talk about the dreaded terror of furious strength in full power of rage there is no stopping there,
He is the angry! angry! Outlaw!

The call of duty series is a popular FPS series by Activision still going on today has sold so much of its success since 2003. For how long can they lasts when people end up not wanting it anymore with your recent release having to be infamous for the 2nd most disliked video in YouTube history then you have problems. It had such an addicting style of gameplay what might have happened? Well let's look from the very beginning.

Call Of Duty: The original COD was a somewhat revolution not only the first in the series, but also the people from Allied Assault ended up doing this game. Honestly this game is a solid game, but Allied Assault is slightly better. You have control of an American, British, and Soviet Soldiers throughout the game. If you don't know well this game is based on what seems to be World War II according to it's time and year. The game was a big hit for the PC, such a hit it was ported by the later console gens. It's a classic that is worth value if you liked the early games.

Call of Duty 2: Which follows well with it's sequel on the PC, which again doesn't go away from it's gameplay retains it, with once again a good campaign that once-more goes into WWII. Only this time would be the first to introduce level difficulty, Multiplayer online that the predecessor had not, and unlike the console games however this game could hold up to 64 players. They have not gone back to this in a while I wonder why. Battlefield is doing it and people like that. Personally I think the sequel was a big stpe up from it's previous game so don't worry were not there yet.

Call Of Duty 3: The third game of the series was a bit of a mix bag that now and days is considered the weakest link in the original trilogy and I can see why. First off the game was announce to be on consoles like the PS2 and XBOX, later the PS3, 360, & Wii. They decided not to put this game on the PC why is that? While there were spinoff games that I get why they just on console games, it kind of leaves those who liked the game on the PC question why a main game in the series is not included in the PC port. This was Treyarch's first attempt at developing a game and it was just okay, not bad, not great just alright at best. Instead of controlling a Soviet that is replaced with a Canadian and polish solider, while retaining the american and British soldier. This game often considered one of the lower end of the series, it's not bad, but could have been better.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare: Here's the game where the series really got some attention. This games campaign has to be the best top to bottom. I remember enjoying it so much playing it countlessly. You take controls of Soap and fight with the SAS, as your main antagonist Imran Zakhaev leader of the ultranationalists Party wants to form with the soviets, to get nuclear weaponry to (kill the whole side your on). As you attempt to assassinate Zakhev he had been wounded prior to getting shot down. As you finish him off with your pistol as he was distracted. While the game had blown away expectations it literally cleaned house by winning game of the year mostly that year for it's overall game of both it's campaign and it's Multiplayer with memorable modes, Maps, Weapons. This would be the big rise to fame to come for Infinty Ward as you had all these people who haven't played series before come down to play a COD game rather it's a hardcore gamer or the casual gamer.

Call of Duty World at War: The second game by Treyarch instead of having to just be okay they had to be original in which what do casual gamers like? Well they answered with Zombies which they still use today for being so popular in the later blackops series. You just kill your way to live as long as possible and by staying alive you will constantly revive your partners or allies. I tried so hard to get as far as I could, but man is it difficult when you get to the higher rounds. The game retains it's multiplayer gameplay, the games story is of these Russians battle the Germans to end the war in Europe as you (Dimitri) and Reznov fight them all off to plant the Soviet Flag to end this war. While this was not bad, it was actually a pretty good game overall with the interesting story, multiplayer is still good, and the introduction to Nazi zombies equals a fun game.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: This game follows the highly successful Modern Warfare game that did impressively well. Such high expectations for the sequel. The campaign goes back to where it was only this time your introduced to makarov immediately as he orders a slaughter in an Airport. The story is very short in this game which I was kind of wanting more, but I can see why they went this route if they had a lot to offer. You go into two hiding locations of where Makarov maybe, however he was not there in neither location, but they would be betrayal by Shepard who has some greed or conspiracy on him. Which comes back to haunt as he gets killed as the story end again quickly as you wait for a predicable sequel. The games had really stepped up from it's graphics like it looked better than anything at that time. The multiplayer once again was very addicting with some of the most memorable maps ever and weapons. The killstreaks are a plus in this game, rather it's the Predator Missile, Ac-130, or the infamous Tactical Nuke that ends the game. This is one of my more personal favorites, while some may have been disappointed in it's story it's still redeems itself as a game with great replay value. During this time you couldn't deny the series to be one of the best in that decade.

Call Of Duty: Blackops: World at war was pretty great, then comes the first of the ops games. This games story follows WAW, but you are Alex Mason who is captive with a voice giving him all kinds of question like ''What happened to Reznov?'' Retains gameplay, graphically a step backwards, this game takes place in the Vietnam war. The game features Pres. John F. Kennedy who they show assassinated, but not realistically occurrence, but of there own idea. The game ends with you drowning Dragovich (the antagonist). The game is once again addictive in multiple, and improved much more with Nazi Zombies with memorable levels like Five, Kino Der Toten, Call of the Dead, and others. With and even memorable easter eggs found rather it's going to a box to get weapons or listening to an awesome song that pops up and you triggered and didn't know how just awesome stuff here.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3: This is where the series may have gone downhill (Well for me). Coming into to this game I knew this game would not reach higher than what the two games had done that this had to offer which was not nearly impressive. the story was much longer and well it was still good, but It felt a little disappointment the way it was done. Another thing that got on my nerves was ''Call of duty: Elite'' which failed miserably because it was a social service that the general public disliked and got rid of in 3 years which should of been sooner. Anyways, the multiplayer is somewhat playable, but some additions I did not like such as the introduction of Kill Confirmed which you have to collect there tags to have it confirm which I find so stupid and that it's still included in the later games why? The game also included Survival which is self-explanatory. This game could of been better, but predictably disappointed to me I kind of knew that, but the next game really takes the word disappointment to a whole new level. Oh and the Riot Shields in this game got too ridiculous they removed them from the game altogether never to bring them back again.

Call Of Duty Blackops 2: Okay here's the game some of you wonder why I don't like. The sense of verge of the series would be starting to be questioned from this point out in the new decade. First let me start off by saying this game is actually more disappointing then what Modern Warfare 3 was. I really liked Ops 1 and WAW, you want to know what changes this game made well for one the knifing detection much worse than the previous game, and the Nazi Zombies leaves me very disappointed that's the reason I had really liked those games. Sure they have a campaign, but there strength is usually at the Nazi Zombie mode in these games. Here's what they did that I strongly hate is that you know the map Transit right where your all over the place. Well why is it the only zombie map in the game What the hell where they thinking? Now look it's good they decided to put more maps in there, but too little, too late for me if i'm so uninterested in one of your biggest pro's then that makes the game to avoid and that's not good. This game makes me beyond angered cause not only did I purchase the game, I had a shirt that Christmas with the games logo name embarrassing I wore for one day that was it I hated myself for the day I went to school with it. I know that people are mixed about this game at best you either find it good or you really don't like this game of it's too obvious flaws it has nobody can change my opinion of this game. The decline would seek in even more if you couldn't tell from my angry story. On a side note this game had a handheld version that was even more horrid than this it surpassed it's awfulness and made it an atrocious port in Declassified that was not needed to talk a lot other than it controls badly and is unplayable.

Call Of Duty Ghosts: This received negative rep from most of the fans I can see why, I bought the game I didn't like it much although the very next game would indicate that series had lost it's spark it once had. You are a member of the special operations and you are sent to kill Gabriel Rorke, was once a ghost himself, and it ends with him grabbing your leg and says ''were gonna kill all the ghosts together.'' I just felt the story was bit meh, and the multiplayer is even worse as you are greeted pretty much every hate able maps you could imagine. Such unliked maps like Stoneheaven, Chasm, Stormfront, & others that just downright too big for players to enjoy. The game was the only to include Squads which was okay, but not enough to redeem it's overall game.

Call of Duty Advanced Warfare: The final game I had purchased to this point was Advanced Warfare. The game had now become more futuristic which was a big turn off for me immediately. I never like the Exo addition, while I don't mind Kevin Spacy as the Antagonist in the game I just felt again were is the total game? Unlike every game before this it was developed by just Sledgehammer games. I played it, gave it chance, I just couldn't take, too different. It goes away from the formula it once had great strengths have now become uninteresting. Now there just getting to there own with Atlus going in a weird direction as the war is far from over how about this series is close to dead by this point.

Why Have you Stop Playing COD: When I heard there was going to be ANOTHER blackops game I was okay i'm done not playing the Donkey role your not getting my money anymore. This is all Activision cares about now is they seem to have gotten away from the single player aspect, and just focus on only the Multiplayer which is fine, but it's 1/3 of the game. It might as well of been twenty bucks then. oh and that new game that is releasing very soon ha you really think were that idiotic to not know this game will suck just from it's one trailer (laughs). I mean it's Call of duty in space does that indicate this series is going way down than it already has. They literally killed the Tony Hawk series, and this series is about dead. For a series that had it's golden era of the 2000's didn't translate as great in the 10's with what one quality game out of 6 soon to be seven. Way to milk the money for all it's worth i'm the angry outlaw i'll see you next time.

Comments

Good rant, the only ones I'm interested in are the ones before Black Ops. - Skullkid755

Great Rant - VideoGamefan5

Good rant. - visitor