Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Preview

That’s not a gun… this is a gun.

Ten-year anniversaries have always been a popular celebration—ten-year wedding anniversaries, graduations, and even birthdays. 2014 so far has seen a few decade anniversaries: the launch of Facebook, beginning of World of Warcraft, last episodes of Rugrats, and the debut of Napoleon Dynamite. As you can already figure where I’m headed, this year marks 10 years of Call of Duty action.

Next up to bat is the newest, most badass addiction to the franchise, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. It hasn’t been too long since we last set eyes on an edition of CoD, though it feels like just yesterday that Ghosts was released. So for the average Duty head, a strong yearning for a new title hasn’t quite settled in yet. But for those of you who can’t get enough, fear not for Advanced Warfare is here to satisfy your every shooting desire.

In my hands off demo of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, we were shown an in-game look at a couple of hard-hitting levels. In our first taste of action, we were dropped off in San Francisco, a level they called “Collapsed." Many of the same features and fighting styles to the franchise make a return and the controls remains smooth and fluid. A focus new to this title are the abilities catered to assist each soldier from level to level. Collapsed features players equipped with jump-boosters used to reach heights otherwise unattainable.

The second level, BioLab, took place in a forest in Bulgaria and centered around stealth. With the level’s ability being active camouflage, players move through enemy lines trying to avoid being spotted. This level gave more perspective to how intricate and detail-oriented an armed force team can be. Communications, room entry formations, and strategic planning are only some of the ways that a well-organized ops team can use, and Advanced Warfare captures these moments precisely.

Set sometime in the future (in some ways, it actually reminds me of the recent Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow), the plot and adventure scenarios never felt over the top. Sure, some situations were overblown a bit, but it only added a light jab to what is a fury of punches. Levels were intense, filled with activity, and constantly engaging. Coupled with spectacular visuals, sound was bass-heavy and accurate to what it was attempting to represent.

Personal artillery and combat vehicles hit with strong and effective strike, making any foe think twice before engaging in a firefight. There’s very little doubt those familiar to the series will continue in on the battlefield when Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare hits stores November 4, 2014 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Wii U, Xbox 360, and PS3.