Overview
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare moves the series into a military future where the exoskeleton becomes a central element of combat and movement. This technology does not simply provide the setting for the game’s world: it directly changes how environments are traversed, how incoming fire is avoided and how enemies are engaged.
Developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision and Square Enix, the game was released on November 3, 2014. The platforms listed in this entry are PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PC and Xbox 360. The associated genres are action, science fiction and FPS. The specified game modes are Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative and Split screen, and the engine listed is the Sledgehammer Engine.
The campaign follows Jack Mitchell in a world where advanced military technologies and private corporations occupy an increasingly important place in armed conflicts. The exoskeleton accompanies this development by giving the character abilities suited to different missions and gradually integrating these new tools into the traditional FPS structure.
The transformation is particularly visible in movement. The exoskeleton notably allows the use of Boost Jump to quickly reach an elevated position, Boost Dash to propel through the air, Boost Dodge to evade laterally, Boost Slide to accelerate a slide and Boost Slam to descend forcefully toward the ground.
This mobility adds a vertical dimension to combat. Rooftops, platforms and elevated positions become more quickly accessible, while changes of direction can take place both on the ground and in the air. Maps therefore need to be read across several levels rather than only through corridors and horizontal lines of fire.
The exoskeleton also provides access to temporary Exo Abilities. Depending on the configuration used, these can provide a shield, improve movement speed, produce optical camouflage, allow hovering or make it easier to detect enemy movement.
In multiplayer, this new mobility is combined with the Pick 13 system. Derived from the Pick 10 principle introduced in Black Ops II, it provides thirteen points to distribute between weapons, attachments, perks, equipment, wildcards and scorestreaks. Scorestreaks can therefore become part of the choices made directly when building a loadout.
Advanced Warfare also introduces Supply Drops, obtained through progression and certain challenges. They can contain various rewards, including weapon variants, equipment pieces or items that can be used during matches.
Visual customization is handled through Create an Operator. Several parts of the fighter’s appearance can be modified separately, from the helmet and vest to gloves, trousers, protective gear and other equipment pieces. The configured character also appears in the Virtual Lobby.
The main cooperative component is Exo Survival. Up to four players face waves of enemies whose difficulty gradually increases. Some rounds do not consist solely of eliminating opponents and also impose specific objectives, such as defending a position, recovering intelligence or defusing bombs.
Exo Survival offers three classes — Light, Heavy and Specialist — and uses stations that allow weapons and exoskeletons to be upgraded with points earned during the match. Progression therefore takes place directly throughout the waves, requiring the team to distribute its resources while preparing for the encounters ahead.
Advanced Warfare therefore builds its different components around the same technology. The exoskeleton transforms movement in the campaign, redefines the pace and verticality of multiplayer and also plays a role in the cooperative progression of Exo Survival.
Key takeaways
- The action takes place between 2054 and 2061 and follows Marine Jack Mitchell, recruited by the private military corporation Atlas.
- The exoskeleton directly changes movement with assisted jumps, dodges, boosts, slides and vertical attacks.
- Exo Abilities add different temporary abilities related to mobility, defense or detection.
- Multiplayer adopts Pick 13, which distributes thirteen points between weapons, attachments, perks, equipment and scorestreaks.
- Supply Drops can notably provide weapon variants and different equipment items.
- Create an Operator expands visual customization of the fighter.
- Exo Survival allows up to four players to face increasingly difficult waves and objectives together.
- The three Exo Survival classes can upgrade their weapons and exoskeletons during matches.
Conclusion
Advanced Warfare establishes its identity through a change that directly affects how the game is played: the exoskeleton is not merely a futuristic technology integrated into the narrative, but a mechanic that transforms movement both on the ground and in the air.
This mobility extends into multiplayer through Pick 13, Exo Abilities and more extensive customization of fighters and their equipment. Building a class therefore requires consideration of both weaponry and the new capabilities provided by the exoskeleton.
Exo Survival finally carries this logic into a cooperative framework built around waves, objectives and progressive equipment upgrades. Campaign, multiplayer and co-op therefore share the same technological foundation around which Advanced Warfare organizes its main gameplay systems.
Good to know
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was released on November 3, 2014.
- The game was developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision and Square Enix.
- The platforms listed are PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PC and Xbox 360.
- The associated genres are action, science fiction and FPS.
- The specified game modes are Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative and Split screen.
- The engine listed is the Sledgehammer Engine.
- The Pick 13 system extends class customization to scorestreaks.
- Exo Survival is a cooperative mode in which up to four players face waves of enemies and different objectives.
