'Call of Duty: Ghosts' Disappoints With Underwhelming Graphics Overhaul, Deluge Of Scripted Events

Call of Duty: Ghosts key art | Image credit: Activision

I had an open mind and high hopes going into the closed-door demo of Call of Duty: Ghosts at E3. Infinity Ward was showing off their new graphics engine, giving us a lengthy look at new canine companion Riley, and buzz from a few industry contacts pointed to a renewed focus on the PC platform. As it turns out, it’s going to take more than a dog and shiny new graphics to save Call of Duty from its continuing descent into hand-holding, outdated visuals, and uninspired gameplay.

As we sat down in one of Activision’s many theaters, an Infinity Ward developer promised the attendees a “huge leap” in visual fidelity and graphical immersion. Using in-game development tools in real time, we witnessed the inclusion of displacement mapping, which outputs realistic bumps and curves in previously flat surfaces like a rocky riverbed.

Next up was “Sub-”D,” a technique that’s been used for a while by Hollywood. Infinity Ward is now incorporating this into Call of Duty. Essentially it takes jagged, rough surfaces and smooths them into perfect curves. Crucially, as you get closer to an object the poly count increases rather than decreases, making that object look even better as opposed to muddled and blurry.

The revamped Call of Duty engine also ushers in HDR and volumetric lighting. One example of this is the brief  blinding brightness you experience when emerging from a dark environment into daylight. It’s captured realistically here.

So yes, it’s a huge leap for Call of Duty, but still underwhelming for even moderately seasoned PC users. While most demos on the E3 floor were shown off using high-end PC hardware from Origin and MAINGEAR, the Ghosts demo was running on “next-gen spec,” a definition for which I couldn’t obtain, or the PR team was unable to give. My guess is that it was a PC built to the specifications of an Xbox One.

At one point during the demonstration, the developers called our attention to a weapon’s scope, asking us to see how it was now perfectly round. These are not next-gen features but rather long overdue ones, and basic effects we should expect across the board on next-gen consoles. Effects that are old hat for PC enthusiasts.

The Problem With Riley

Riley will end up being a vehicle for emotional storytelling, rather than a useful gameplay mechanic

The dev team then transitioned into a real-time gameplay demo. Set in the ruined remains of San Diego, the level affords a perfect opportunity to use your new canine companion Riley, who’s equipped with a battle vest sporting some cool features. A collar with positional vibrations can tell Riley to turn left or right during stealthier segments. A telescoping camera equipped on his back can be utilized for remote recon. And a specialized earpiece can be used by the handler to issue special orders to Riley.

While it’s awesome that Infinity Ward has based these gadgets on real-world tech, the actual takeaway is unremarkable. We watch our hero crouched in tall grass, issuing Riley a takedown order for the point man in an approaching enemy squad. The remaining enemy is executed by the protagonist’s brother. This action could simply be replaced by you shooting the first guard in the head, or coordinating a joint assassination effort like we’ve seen in previous, stealth-based Call of Duty missions. Call me crazy, but it seems more logical to maintain a low profile with a silencer rather than a barking dog, complete with jangling accessories.

Later Riley is used to scout a location, but this reconnaissance could be obtained just as easily with aerial surveillance, thermal imaging, drones, or any number of other gadgets. Then there’s the “use Riley as a distraction” mechanic, easily duplicated by something as simple as a well-placed rock (Far Cry 3). My point is that Riley is being promoted as this breakthrough feature; he’s not. Rather he’s a re-skinned delivery mechanism for features we’ve already seen.

Speaking of skin and appearances, Riley already looks last-gen compared to the flowing mane and realistically shifting fur of wolves in The Witcher 3. Riley has a single texture map for his fur; no independently moving hair to speak of.

Walk, Shoot, Breach, Repeat

The majority of the three levels shown to the E3 press involved typical Call of Duty fare. Slowly approaching a location, engaging in a slow-mo breach, and participating in firefights with what seems like completely braindead resistance. A deluge of scripted events and hand-holding remains the norm for Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Some thoughtful touches like decreased bullet velocity while underwater do improve the immersion, but the single player component of Ghosts seems to find Infinity Ward unable to innovate. Whether that’s a symptom of stagnation or simply a response to what their audience wants is another question. But it’s becoming clear that, at least on the next-gen consoles, Call of Duty will be playing catch-up to superior shooters like ARMA 3 and the upcoming Destiny from Bungie.