Call of Duty:World at War for PC review

Machine specs disclosure:

I'm running vista64 bit
CoreDuo 2 @ 3.16 ghz
2 GB RAM
Nvidia 6800GT(the bare minimum specs for this game)

I can run Call of Duty: World at War: but only in the lowest res possible, with everything turned off. 800x600 res, on a monitor that's native 1680x1050. I can run the game, but it's next to impossible to pick out the Japanese snipers in the trees, because the detail is so low the blend in like camouflage the US Military would love!

In fact, I'll bet I could handle this game with a better frame rate and a higher resolution. I finished Call of Duty 4 in Veteran mode. And Call of Duty 2, and 1 in Veteran Mode. I'm no FPS dummy. But World at War just kicked my ass. I also suspect that the lean towards console gaming affected PC gaming. There are parts where you're asked to do the impossible in Veteran mode in the PC version of World At War, and you do it again and again and again. I can't imagine doing some of these levels on a console, there has to have been some changes made to make the PC version tougher. It's just not fun.

I've been watching some youtube videos of how to get past some levels on Veteran mode, and they are all console versions. The PC version is just too much. You'd have to have the reflexes of a fly and the skill of a Terminator T-1000 to get past the second sniper level while playing as a Russian. I'm a former Marine, and I've coached some snipers in my time, and there's simply no way the enemy snipers against you would get off the shots that kill you. This sniper part is just unrealistic. The enemy sniper will not know where you are, reach around a corner, fire off a lethal shot, and duck back down in less than a second. In real life, he has to be tracking you, and in doing so, you will see him. Then you can line up your shot.

That isn't how this level works. He bends around a random window, shoots, invariably hits, and you're dead. There's no reason why I should have to try this 50 times over.

I can tell that a different 'studio' made this game. Infinity Ward make good game. Call of Duty 4 had its tough levels. Treyarch or whatever their name is do not. Infinity Ward make things difficult, sure, but you can get past their most difficult levels in a night. This new Call of Duty just isn't fun.

I get that they are the game designers to hit on how much HELL the Island Hopping campaigns the Marines went through. I'm fully aware of how brutal and nasty that combat was compared to the Western Front. I was taught this during Marine boot camp, and as this game points out, there was a 1 in 5 chance of survival. However, there's no reason to make it 1 in 200. There's a point where gaming isn't fun anymore. Want to hammer it into our heads how tough things where in the Marine's Island Hopping Campaign?

Make it at least playable, because people will give up.

I did. I gave up.

This was the first time I ever dropped back to Recruit level, and in all of the other Call of Duty games I play on Veteran level. There's an imbalance here.

It's also a Treyarch title and is ridiculously difficult on veteran. After playing a particular sequence at least 50 times, I gave up on that one as well. I refuse to play World at War cause I know what I'm in for.

Jay

but I've heard it just wasn't as good as Infinity Ward games.

I'm at a crossroads.
This generation of games for PC are making system demands that are over the line.
I'm not a hardcore "gamer", but I have been keeping up since the early 90's.
The next generation of games always gave me an excuse to upgrade my PC....as a result, the performance of my PC for other tasks also greatly improved.

I built my current system 3 years ago to exceed the requirements for GTA/SanAndreas and FEAR.
I had been waiting for the release of GTA4 for PC until I looked at the system requirements.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=248x5841

It would cost more than the purchase of a new console to meet the system requirements for the new PC Games.
In the past, I would have gladly upgraded and balanced the cost by the increased performance in other applications. But my other applications are already performing well. The modest improvement in other applications is not worth the cost. My PC performance is already beyond the point of diminished returns. (The point in Drag Racing where the cost begins to double for each barely perceptible improvement in performance)

I have always enjoyed playing games on my PC. I have never played on a console, and don't know if I would even enjoy the experience. But at this time, I am considering buying one. I will wait until after the Christmas season to see if I can find a deal.

Until then, I am looking for a good First Person Shooter from the last generation. I have never played Call of Duty. I am aware of the rave reviews and dedicated fans and went online to buy the last edition, but it is confusing. The evolution of Call of Duty does not appear to be a linear 1..2..3...4 of releases.
Could you recommend your favorite prior to World at War?

Thanks.

2 is strictly WW2, and a lot of the missions are based on history which is neat. Call of Duty 4 is much more technical, with modern weapons and tactics in a fictional 'stan country. I'd probably suggest 2 for someone who had never played that type of game.


Look down your sights, duck, and move forward when your squad does.

Agreed about the requirements. I have a 6800GT at home, getting a 280 gtx for Xmas, I'm not even going to try GTAIV until the new card is in.

After all the research, I made the decision to not make a decision and stick with my PC.
But my wife, who is NOT a gamer (frowns on Video Games especially "Shooters), had watched it all from the sidelines.
She even came to the Gaming Forum and read these threads.

She gave me an XBox 360 and GTA4 for Christmas. :)

So far, its pretty cool, but I miss the keyboard + mouse.
The controller is a little squirrelly, but I'm getting used to it.

Thanks for the tips on COD.
Thats next on my list. :)

The most recent title, 'Hell's Highway', is the last game I ran on my old P4. Even though that box was 3 1/2 years old, I was still able to run at high settings @1600 x 1200. Each title covers historical battles (Hell's Highway is set during Operation Market Garden). They are a unique take on the FPS genre since they put you in charge of a squad and you have to use squad tactics to achieve your goals.