Call of Duty Evolves Online

One would expect subsequent versions of a successful game to stay true to the overall design of its predecessors. While this is true for the single-player campaign in Call of Duty® 3, the multiplayer modes have seen a massive overhaul.

Twenty-four simultaneous combatants ensures plenty of action.

Population
Playing with twelve people on Xbox Live® isn't unprecedented, but playing with twelve on each side represents one of the larger multiplayer scenarios available. What's more, the maps designed by developer Treyarch focus more on forcing the action and less on offering places to hide. The action is swift and furious, but more importantly, you will never feel like you're on your own against the enemy.

Battlefield Memories
Those familiar with DICE's Battlefield series will immediately feel at home with Treyarch's primary new game-type, War. Instead of the standard capture the flag and team deathmatch modes (although they're here, too), this new game-type focuses on capturing and holding strategically important locations on the map.

Tanks as cover online is always good strategy.

You can only achieve total victory when you control every major base on the map, but in a unique twist, capturing a base depends on the territory you already hold. You can only capture a base if you already hold the closest location. In this way you always know what your next objective is, and you always know what location to defend.

Class System
No army is made up of only one kind of trooper, so instead of having everyone play as the same anonymous soldier, every player gets to choose between the following soldier classes.

• Riflemam
• Light Assault
• Heavy Assault
• Medic
• Scout
• Support
• Anti-Armor

Each class performs a unique function, so the strategy base in COD 3 is deep. What's more, each class can level up during online battles, adding upgraded functions to each class' unique abilities. The scout, for example, gets a stronger mortar attack that covers a bigger area. In order to ensure balance, each character starts from scratch at the beginning of each match.

Going Mobile
Also new to COD 3's online experience is the introduction of vehicles. Whether it's a tank rumbling along a path, or a jeep cutting through the trees to flank an enemy, the use of vehicles adds a dynamic new dimension to multiplayer.

Standing up and in the open is a kill waiting to happen…soon.

The Classics
For those worried that the classic modes they've come to know and love are gone, don't worry. Your favorite modes are still available.

• Battle: Classic deathmatch, every man for himself.
• Team Battle: Two teams battle it to reach a set count of kills, or to be the team with the most kills with the clock runs out.
• Capture the Flag: I think you might be familiar with this mode.
• Single Flag CTF: Similar to classic capture the flag, but there's only one flag for each team to pursue.
• Headquarters: One team defends a base and the other team attacks, trying to capture the base before the clock runs out.

Call of Duty 3 and Treyarch have done what few games and developers are willing to do: Completely revolutionize their own beloved game design. The addition of War mode with the different classes of soldiers has breathed new life into an already proven series and shown that the Call of Duty franchise is willing to take the risks required for the very best of games.

Article by Ryan Treit