Call of Duty has always been the most arcade-y of the FPS games, but that doesn’t stop players from expressing a preference for a more grounded, realistic style for CoD’s gunplay and visuals. In the midst of a larger discussion about the change in tone and style in recent years, along with the introduction of advanced movements and futuristic weapons, the nostalgia pours in for earlier titles and the simpler gameplay and weapon choices.
“I miss the days when Call of Duty had a more realistic war setting instead of fighting drug cartels in recent games,” one user writes. Another expresses similar nostalgia: “Remember the days when Call of Duty was actually a good fps game and not just a casual game?”
Others have even more specific memories: “Remember the classic ‘Get Mack’ in the Call of Duty 4 campaign?”; “I remember getting killed by a guy in a bee costume in Black Ops 1.”
Others are simply frustrated with being killed by players dressed in ridiculous outfits, especially when the game’s fairly realistic portrayal of warfare leads you to assume that the other players are taking it seriously. “I’ve seen more camo than I’ve seen in a real forest,” one writes.
The gun effects and character animations are also disliked, with comparisons to Fortnite and its more over-the-top style. “I really don’t like how the guns look in the game,” one writes. “I also don’t like how the character animations look. They feel a little too ‘cartoonish’ to me.”
The introduction of Nicki Minaj as a character in the game is also cited as a low point, with one user saying, “I don’t understand the hate for Nicki Minaj, she’s a good character, and she’s a good rapper.” The blending of realistic and cartoonish elements is seen as a negative by some, with comparisons to games like Red Dead Redemption 2, which also has a less serious tone but with more consistent visuals and gameplay.
“Personally I liked the cartel,” one writes. “They were a cool addition to the game and had their own kind of charm. The fact that they were involved in drug trafficking doesn’t make them any less legitimate than any other armed group.”
“They’re not very different from the Taliban or Al-Qaeda,” another replies. “They’re involved in drug trafficking and exert control over one of the most valuable natural resources in the world. So, they’re no different from the British East India Company, which used to control the most valuable natural resource in the world – tea.”
“The Taliban has a lot of weapons,” another replies. “Taliban fighters have actually been caught with tanks, planes, and even missiles.”
“The problem with the cartel isn’t the fact that they’re a cartel, it’s the fact that they’re unrealistic,” another replies. “There are no cartels with tanks, planes, and missiles. There are no cartels that have been in business for decades.”
“There are a lot of governments that have been in bed with cartel-like entities,” another replies.
You can read the full thread here.
