Before I begin, let me just point out that Infinity Ward IS the creator of the "Call of Duty" series. Before they created their masterpiece "Modern Warfare" for consoles, the developers had made the very first "Call of Duty" in 2003 strictly for the PC. An acclaimed WW II FPS, COD was an alternative to its PC brethern "Battlefield" and the "Medal of Honor" franchise. Infinity Ward produced a sequel in 2005 which was also released on the XBOX 360 to great acclaim. When MW was released in 2007, the series experienced a "re-birth" of sorts due to the revolutionary multiplayer and modern setting of the campaign. Infinity Ward's president Jason West and CEO Vince Campella headed development on the acclamied sequel "Modern Warfare 2" before being dismissed by Activision. As a result, the remaining members of Infinity Ward had to create MW 3 with the assistance of Sledgehammer Games. "Modern Warfare 3", the last of a trilogy, was not as acclaimed as the first two MW games. And now "Call of Duty: Ghosts", the first original creation of the "reconstructed" Infinity Ward, has been released to solid, if not spectacular reviews.
I've played "Ghosts" for a few hours and I can say that it is the least innovative of the series. This is disappointing, but not quite surprising since the promotional ads never displayed anything special. Last year, however, Treyarch (once known as COD's 'B-team') hit a high note with "Black Ops II" which helped evolutionize the series with branching story paths, a future scenario and tower defense levels. It was the best COD they ever produced. "Ghosts", on the other hand, plays it safe with linear storytelling and levels. It plays like a linear shooting gallery with the occasional Hollywood action blockbuster moment (there are homages to the Bond pics "Moonraker" and "Thunderball"). Yet, it is less grounded in terms of action when compared to the "Modern Warfare" games. If MW were the Jerry Bruckheimer/Michael Bay movies, then "Ghosts" is from the Tom Clancy school of film. The campaign starts off with a quiet moment in Southern California that transitions into a space segment which recalls the recent "Gravity" with Sandra Bullock. The story itself is not much different than what's come before. It's pretty standard and is devoid of any emotion. The scripted events are solid, but unspectacular. And the biggest addition is probably Riley, an attack dog which you control a few times during the game.
It's the multiplayer portion that gets the most additions in "Ghosts". Besides the traditional multiplayer experience, "Ghosts" introduces "Squads" mode and "Extinction" along with extensive customization options. "Squads" is a co-op experience with some competitive rules that allows you to earn Squad Points and level up your multiplayer soldier. It is composed of a few modes in which you're teamed with five other players (or bots) to battle other bots or a human player with their squad. Basically, it's a simulation of multiplayer games, but with the benefit of leveling up. "Safeguard" is an amped up, more "Battlefield"-like four player version MW 3's "Survival". The traditional multiplayer portion includes a few new modes. "Cranked" allows you to gain speed, points and abilities after each kill, but you must chain them in order to survive. "Blitz" is basically a "touchdown" mode in which you must enter your oppenents' scoring area in order to gain points. "Infected" is like "Halos" infected mode, where you must be the last human standing (by evading death). And in, you start out with basic weaponry and work you're way to finding heavier artillery. There's also "Extinction" which is the succesor to Zombies. It is a four player co-op game that plays like a cross between "Borderlands" and the survival mode of "Gears of War: Judgment". In it, you must defend a portion of the map (drills or helicopters) from being destroyed by fast-moving aliens. You can choose from different classes, level up your character and use skill points to upgrade your abilities. It can be a fun time and I can see it being almost as popular as Zombies.
Overall, "Call of Duty: Ghosts" is a fun COD game, but it's also the weakest entry in the series. The new additions aren't too substantial, but the story campaign is fun, if a little too familiar. Oh, I even forget to mention the destructible environemens in multiplayer maps because they're minor additions. And the inclusion of female soliders is just a cosmetic change (along with the addition to switch costumes/skins). Ironically, Infinity Ward feels like the 'b'-team of the franchise now. "Ghosts" is perhaps the least satisfying in the entry since the console exclusive title "Big Red One". Without West or Campella, Infinity Ward haven't been able to create the great shooters they once had. That's not to say their latest game is bad. It's just not a masterpiece.