You should have heard by now that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare isn’t just another run of the mill shooter. In fact it’s been dubbed a return to form for the series. But it has launched in the same week as another hotly anticipated game (The Outer Worlds), and money is tight. So the question is, which one – if any – did you buy?
It’s a debate that’s raging across social media – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Vs The Outer Worlds, Infinity Ward Vs Obsidian Entertainment. And it’s a decision that is proving quite tricky. On one hand, you’re guaranteed a single-player centric experience – built with that in mind, from the ground up, in the style of ‘Fallout of old’. But the opposing team have put an equal amount of effort into creating an immersive experience of a different kind, filled with the harsh realities of war, and depicting the true victims of combat.
As a result, the story mode in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare isn’t so much an afterthought as a deliberate addition. Infinity Ward wanted to take a different approach to the first person shooter market and thus made the conscious decision to add a touch of emotion. This can at times prove rather uncomfortable as you, gamer not soldier, are witness to the actualities we’d rather pretend didn’t occur. But it provides a viewpoint that is often watered down for entertainment sake.
True, it is far from representative of real combat. But it is an admirable feat of digital manipulation. Infinity Ward has managed to get the adrenaline pumping and there’s no need for us to bull our boots afterwards. However, a number of gamers are waiting for the Multiplayer Mode to come into its own before handing over their hard earned cash, which is where The Outer Worlds may come in.
It is a shortish science fiction RPG of impressive quality (a 20 to 30 hour story with a demanding platinum to boot), the receiver of many positive reviews and a nod to how Fallout used to be – during the era of New Vegas. We’re a sentimental bunch, after all. Then there’s also the fact you’re almost limitless in your choices and can have an affect on just how the story plays out.
In contrast, Call of Duty will always involve you completing objectives with a pass or ‘fail and repeat’ outcome. It doesn’t afford you much freedom in how you approach the battlefield. And, whereas in real life things can go wrong but the battle continues, its action is reliant on you reaching the next checkpoint with certain achievements. Otherwise you and the pre-scripted story can’t proceed.
It’s a limitation of “linear” games, and the technological age we live in. But one that still holds these first person shooters back. Something that may prove enough of a reason to buy The Outer Worlds first, and trade it in for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare on completion.
That way you get the best of both worlds – inner and outer.
But maybe you decided differently? Let me know your thought process in the comments below. And if you need some more information, be sure to check out our review of The Outer Worlds here.
Inspiration: Reddit
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