Call of Duty (video game)

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Call of Duty
Mac OS X
  • N-Gage
  • PlayStation 3
  • Xbox 360
    • Release
    October 29, 2003
    • Microsoft Windows
      • NA: October 29, 2003
      • EU: November 7, 2003
      Mac OS X
      N-Gage
      • EU: November 10, 2004
      • NA: November 23, 2004
      Call of Duty Classic
      PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
      • WW: December 2, 2009
    multiplayer

    Call of Duty is a 2003

    first-person shooter game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. It is the first installment in the Call of Duty franchise,[3] released on October 29, 2003, for Microsoft Windows. The game simulates infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II using a modified version of the id Tech 3 engine. Much of its theme and gameplay is similar to the Medal of Honor series; however, Call of Duty showcases multiple viewpoints staged in the American, British, and Soviet
    campaigns of World War II in Europe.

    The game introduced a new take on AI-controlled allies who support the player during missions and react to situational changes during gameplay. This led to a greater emphasis on squad-based play as opposed to the "lone wolf" approach often portrayed in earlier first-person shooter games. Much of Infinity Ward's development team consisted of members who helped develop Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. The game received critical acclaim and won several Game of the Year awards from reviewers.

    In September 2004, an expansion pack called Call of Duty: United Offensive, which was produced by Activision and developed by Gray Matter Studios and Pi Studios, was released. At the same time the N-Gage Version got an Arena Pack with 3 new Levels.[4] An enhanced port of Call of Duty for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, titled Call of Duty: Classic, developed by Aspyr, was released worldwide in November 2009 with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, being available via redemption codes included with the "Hardened" and "Prestige" editions of the game.[5]

    Gameplay

    In-game screenshot of Call of Duty on PC

    As a

    heads-up display
    's compass; the player must complete all objectives to advance to the next mission. The player can save and load at any time, rather than the checkpoint system utilized in later Call of Duty games.

    The player has two primary weapon slots, a handgun slot, and can carry up to ten grenades. Weapons may be exchanged with those found on the battlefield dropped by dead soldiers. Unlike later Call of Duty games, the first allows the player to toggle between different firing modes (single shot or automatic fire). Call of Duty was one of the early first-person shooters to feature iron sights in game play; by pressing the corresponding key the player aims down the gun's actual sights for increased accuracy. In addition to weapons carried by the player, mounted machine guns and other fixed weapon emplacements are controllable by the player.

    The game uses a standard

    Medkits
    scattered throughout the levels or dropped by some foes are used to restore health when the player is injured.

    Call of Duty also featured "shellshock" (not to be confused with the psychological condition of the same name): when there is an explosion near the player, he momentarily experiences simulated tinnitus, appropriate sound "muffling" effects, blurred vision, and also results in the player slowing down, unable to sprint.

    As the focus of the game is on simulation of the actual battlefield, the gameplay differed from many single-player shooters of the time. The player moves in conjunction with allied soldiers rather than alone; allied soldiers will assist the player in defeating enemy soldiers and advancing; however, the player is given charge of completing certain objectives. The game places heavy emphasis on usage of cover, suppressive fire, and grenades. AI-controlled soldiers will take cover behind walls, barricades, and other obstacles when available.

    Campaign

    American campaign

    The American campaign begins in August 1942 with

    D-Day begins. Martin's unit destroys German artillery positions attacking the landing force at Utah Beach. Afterwards, Martin learns that his unit has been assigned to participate in an attack on a Bavarian manor to rescue two British officers, Captain Price and Major
    Ingram. He learns from Price that Ingram had already been moved to a more secure POW camp for interrogation; Martin and Price infiltrate the camp and rescue Ingram.

    British campaign

    The British campaign starts with Sergeant Jack Evans and a unit from

    7th Parachute Battalion
    .

    By September, Evans has been transferred to the

    Burgsteinfurt, Germany, to assist the impending Allied assault on the city. Discovering plans to launch V-2 rockets
    at the Allied forces, the unit destroys them before joining the rest of the army.

    Soviet campaign

    The Soviet campaign begins during the

    Junior Sergeant. In November, Voronin rendezvous with a unit led by Sergeant Pavlov, tasked with retaking an apartment building
    in German hands. The unit assaults and clears the building, and defends it from a German counterattack.

    In January 1945, Voronin, now a full Sergeant, serves with the

    Victory Banner
    atop the roof, ending the European war.

    Development

    E3 2003

    Call of Duty was developed by Infinity Ward, a new studio formed in 2002 originally consisting of 21 employees, many of whom were project lead developers of the successful Medal of Honor: Allied Assault released the same year. Led by Chief Creative Officer Vince Zampella, development began in April 2002, and the team grew to 27 members by May 2003. At its beginning, the project was nicknamed "Medal of Honor Killer".[6] Using an enhanced version of the id Tech 3 game engine developed for Quake III Arena and an in-house skeletal animation system called "Ares", Infinity Ward set out to develop a new World War II-era video game that, unlike many of its predecessors, placed more emphasis on squad-based play with intelligent assistance from teammates during large-scale battles. The team also extensively researched weapons, artillery, and vehicles from World War II to enhance the authenticity of animation and sounds used throughout the game.[7] The game's budget was $4.5 million.[8]

    Another area the development team focused on was their artificial intelligence (AI) pathfinding component dubbed "Conduit". The ability to suppress the enemy with cover fire and clear obstacles, such as fences and windows, was tightly integrated into the squad-based aspect of the single-player campaigns. The AI in the game was designed to flank the opponent, bank grenades, and move from one cover point to another.[2] Lead animation director Michael Boon explained that actions which would have normally been scripted in past games were moved to a dynamic AI environment, in order to help create a different experience each time levels are replayed.[9] While the campaigns were the primary focus, development of the multiplayer modes were tailored to please modders. Zied Rieke, a lead designer, clarified that gameplay and modes were written in script making it "extremely easy for players to make their own modifications to Call of Duty multiplayer".[9]

    Reception

    Critical reception

    Call of Duty received "critical acclaim", according to review aggregator Metacritic.[10] It won several "Game of the Year" awards for 2003 from several reviewers.

    During the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (now known as the D.I.C.E. Awards), Call of Duty was honored "Game of the Year" of 2003 by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences; it also won awards for "Computer Game of the Year" and "Computer First-Person Action Game of the Year", along with nominations for "Outstanding Innovation in Computer Gaming", "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition", and "Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design".[16]

    GameSpot named it the best computer game of October 2003.[17]

    Computer Games Magazine named Call of Duty the sixth-best computer game of 2003, and the editors wrote, "This game ups the ante in the WWII shooter arena, and makes everything that has come before it seem as outdated as France's army."[18] The editors of Computer Gaming World presented Call of Duty with their 2003 "Shooter of the Year" award. They remarked, "Call of Duty won this category without a shot fired—there simply was no debate."[19] It was also nominated for "Best Game" at the 2004 Game Developers Choice Awards. While it did not receive that award, it did win Infinity Ward the "Rookie Studio of the Year". Chuck Russom was also presented with the "Excellence in Audio" award for his work on the game.[20]

    IGN rated the game 9.3/10, with reviewer Dan Adams saying "You have to love a game that glues you to your seat and keeps you interested... A thrilling piece of software that action fans should grab a hold of and love fiercely." His only negative critique was on the short length of the game, which many reviewers pointed out.[21]

    The N-Gage version got "mixed or average reviews" on the site Metacritic.[22]

    Sales

    The NPD Group named Call of Duty the eighth-best-selling computer game of 2003.[23] It maintained this position on NPD's computer game sales rankings for the following year.[24] In the United States alone, Call of Duty sold 790,000 copies and earned $29.6 million (~$43 million in 2023) by August 2006. At the time, this led Edge to declare it the country's 13th-best-selling computer game released since January 2000.[25]

    In the United Kingdom, Call of Duty sold 95,000 copies by the end of 2003, which made it 88th-biggest seller across all platforms that year.

    Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[28] indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[29]

    Call of Duty ultimately sold 4.5 million copies worldwide by 2013.[30]

    Franchise

    Main article: Call of Duty

    Call of Duty spawned numerous spin-offs and sequels, as part of the Call of Duty series. Its expansion pack - Call of Duty: United Offensive was developed by Gray Matter Studios and released September 14, 2004. Call of Duty 2 was also developed by Infinity Ward and was released in October 2005. Some Call of Duty spinoffs were developed for consoles, such as Call of Duty: Finest Hour by Spark Unlimited and Call of Duty 2: Big Red One by Gray Matter Studios (merged into Treyarch). The franchise eventually had over fifteen more sequels and spin offs.

    Ports

    Call of Duty Classic is a downloadable version of Call of Duty for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, featuring HD resolutions.[31] Tokens to download the game ahead of its release were sold along with special "Hardened" and "Prestige" editions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,[31] and the game was publicly released on December 2, 2009.

    IGN rated this version 7.5, citing it as not well adapted to the consoles, as well as criticizing the multiplayer for only supporting up to eight players.[32]

    Music

    The music for the game was created by Michael Giacchino and was originally released in 2003 as the Call Of Duty Official Soundtrack Sampler CD, part of the game's pre-order from EB Games in Europe. The music was later released in the United States in 2005 as part of the Deluxe Edition, which included Call of Duty: United Offensive.[33][34]

    References

    1. ^ "Aspyr announces CSI game, ships Call of Duty". Macworld. Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
    2. ^ a b Stead, Chris (July 15, 2009). "The 10 Best Game Engines of This Generation". IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
    3. ^ "GameSpot - Call of Duty". Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
    4. ^ "Nokia N-Gage | New Unlockable Content For N-Gage Games With N-Gage Arena Packs". December 18, 2005. Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
    5. ^ "Modern Warfare 2's 'Prestige Edition' Is Insane". IGN. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved July 13, 2009.
    6. ^ Keza MacDonald (November 1, 2013). "Call of Duty's Original Codename Was "Medal of Honor Killer"". IGN. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
    7. ^ "Call of Duty Q&A". GameSpot. May 1, 2003. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
    8. Newspapers.com
      .
    9. ^ a b Blevins, Tal (May 14, 2003). "E3 2003: Call of Duty". IGN. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
    10. ^
      Fandom, Inc.
      Retrieved February 15, 2021.
    11. ^ "EDGE magazine review score archive". Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
    12. ^ "Review: Call of Duty for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
    13. ^ "Call of Duty for PC Review - PC Call of Duty Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 20, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
    14. ^ "IGN: Call of Duty Review". IGN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
    15. X-Play. Archived from the original
      on April 9, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
    16. ^ "7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
    17. ^ Staff (October 31, 2003). "GameSpot's Month in Review for October 2003". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 7, 2003.
    18. ^ Staff (March 2004). "Best of 2003; The 13th Annual Awards". Computer Games Magazine (160): 58–62.
    19. ^ Editors of CGW (March 2004). "Computer Gaming World's 2003 Games of the Year". Computer Gaming World. No. 236. pp. 57–60, 62–69.
    20. ^ "4th Annual Game Developer Choice Awards". Game Developers Choice Awards. Archived from the original on August 7, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
    21. ^ "Call of Duty Review". Dan Adams. IGN. Archived from the original on March 24, 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
    22. ^ "Call of Duty (Ngage) reviews at Metacritic.com". www.metacritic.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
    23. ^ Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry: 2004 Sales, Demographics and Usage Data (PDF) (Report). Entertainment Software Association. May 12, 2004. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2004. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
    24. ^ Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry; 2005 Sales, Demographics and Usage Data (PDF) (Report). Entertainment Software Association. May 18, 2005. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2005.
    25. ^ Edge Staff (August 25, 2006). "The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century". Edge. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012.
    26. GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original
      on April 7, 2004. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
    27. ^ Reed, Kristan (March 1, 2004). "UK Charts: 2003 Annual Report Round Up". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019.
    28. Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. Archived from the original
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    29. Gamasutra. Archived from the original
      on September 18, 2017.
    30. ^ "Call of Duty: A Short History". IGN. Ziff Davis. November 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
    31. ^ a b Reilly, Jim (July 30, 2009). "Call of Duty Classic Coming To PSN, XBLA 'Eventually'". IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Archived from the original on August 3, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
    32. ^ "Call of Duty Classic Review – Xbox 360 Review at IGN". Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2009.
    33. ^ "Call Of Duty Official Soundtrack Sampler - VGMdb". vgmdb.net. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
    34. ^ "Call of Duty (Deluxe Edition) - PC - GameSpy". pc.gamespy.com. Retrieved February 17, 2024.

    External links

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