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http://bashandslash.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=383&Itemid=105 (http://bashandslash.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=383&Itemid=105)

3. The Gamepro revelations:

GAMETYPES

CTF

CTF is back. A big hit in the original CoD and in CoD2, it was absent in CoD4 and was highly missed by gamers. Treyarch must have noticed that CTF was one of the first gametypes modded into CoD4 by the community. While CTF never did catch on, even on proven CTF maps, hopefully it will fare better in CoD:WW.

War

A new gametype that will allow you to drive vehicles in Multiplayer.

REWARDING SUCCESS

Did I mention how much we hated the Helo and Airstrikes in CoD4? Sadly, non-player controlled MP elements are back in WW: a fact that was foretold to us by Josh when we interviewed him in BASH 77 last week. Note that CoD:WW has kept a lot of this type of commonality in CoD4, whose gaming engine it is using, so as not to unbalance gameplay.

Recon Plane

Frag three of the enemy without dying and you get to deploy the recon plane. It temporarily shows you the location of your foe on a RADAR box in the top left of your screen. This of course matches the UAV in CoD4.

Artillery Strike

Frag five enemy combatants and you get to select a strike zone on the map. A few seconds later...whammo! The artillery shells hit the target. This of course replaces CoD4's dreaded aimbot Helo.

Dogs of War

In a bizarre twist, if you frag seven enemy soldiers, you get to release Attack Dogs onto your foe. The dogs chase down and kill the enemy. They will also see out any camped units hiding in the weeds. DoW replaces the CoD4 Airstrike.

ATTACHMENTS

Scopes

Rifles and SMG's will get aperture sights, telescopic sights and sniper scopes

Bipod

A constant in just about any CoD mod ever developed, a Bipod will be available for snipers and MG'ers. You will be able to use it in the prone position to reduce recoil. This attachment makes us us ask the obvious question: is everything bi- these days?

Enlarging your Magazine

You can add a dual magazine or drum magazine onto your weapon for even more praying and spraying ability.

Suppressors

Suppressors hide muzzle flash and somewhat quiet your weapon - but this will undoubtedly come at a cost as the hit power will be marginally less.

Double-barreled Shotty

A double-barreled shotgun will be available. You can "saw-off" the barrel on these to make the gun an overpowered short distance killing machine. Enormous spread for a short distance. Let the "super-noober-toober" chants begin.

Bayonets

The bayonet allows you to extend the reach of the combat knife. This could be quite interesting as knife vs. bayonet only fights would be quite the spectacle.

Flak-Jacket

The new Juggernaut. A grenade-resistant flak jacket will allow you to survive more punishment - undoubtedly at a cost to movement.

THE PERKS

In CoD4, the more you played, the more stuff you unlocked in the game. These were called perks: better gun, attachment and ability unlocks. As you can imagine, "Perks" became an instant fave online in CoD4. There are fifteen new perks in CoD: WW...many are simply renamed CoD4 perks, but some are brand new and specific to WW.

M2 Flamethrower

High level unlock, the flamethrower has been featured as one of the must-see weapons in CoD: WW.

Pyromaniac

Extends the damage range of your grenades - the WWII version of Sonic Boom

Satchel Charge

WWII's C4. You can damage infantry and of course tanks if you place them on the treads.

Bouncing Betty

CoD4's Back-to-the-Future Claymore. These seriously dangerous devices were mines that would spring upward if triggered, spraying fragments at a height that would not just mame ...but kill.

Bazooka

Unhappy with your tiny weapon are you? Grab the bazooka. Size does matter and you can destroy tanks with it! Much more destructive than those silly CoD4 RPG's.

Flak Jacket

The new Juggernaut. Get added health benefits (or come to Canada - they're free here).

Shades

To counter the flare (the CoD: WW flash-bang, which lasts quite a lot longer), you can use "shades" which reduce the blinding effect.

Gas Mask

Reduces the effects of the Tabun nerve gas weapon.

Second Chance

Last-Stand with a twist. As in CoD4's Perk, when you get fragged, you drop to the ground for a few more seconds with only a pistol as a weapon. You lie there waiting for death...however, in CoD: WW, as reported here a few days ago, the new "Second Chance" perk lets you get resuscitated by a teammate who also has Second Chance. This is a nice idea, but I suspect that it will get both you and your teammate killed more frequently.

Fire Proof

A counter to the Molotov cocktail and the Flamethrower.

Dexterity

The new Sleight-of-Hand. This will allow faster reloads and allows you to throw Molotov's and set Bouncing Betty's faster.

Greased Bearings

Allows you to traverse faster with the main gun, and thus get to targets quicker, when you are fighting in a tank.

Ordinance Training

Boost the firing rate of the tank's main gun.

Water Cooler

The tank's machine gun can overheat unless you have this perk.

Lead Foot

Boost the speed of your tank.

PLAYER INTERFACE

You will be able to move from server to server *together* with your friends.

From what we are hearing in the community, CoD: World at War is gaining momentum. Certainly the older crowd who played CoD: UO and CoD2 are looking forward to it. As well, even the CoD4 crowd who are a little reluctant to give up their Deagle's just yet, are gaining interest and wondering if the gameplay will be better in a WWII environment.

According to folks who have played it - the answer is affirmative.

----------------

But back to the weapon/perk rumor...let's start off with a list of the weapons supposedly in the game. Note we have seen many of hese before in CoD2 - with a few exceptions. I have highlighted some of the more interesting weapons and/or one's that have not appeared before in the series:

US Weapons:

* Thompson M1A1
* M1A1 Carbine
* M1 Garand
* Trench Shotgun
* Browning Automatic Rifle (B.A.R)
* Springfield M1903
* Springfield M1903: Scoped
* M2 flamethrower
* M1911 (aka Colt 45)
* Bayonet
* M9 Bazooka
* M1919A6 Browning
* M2 machinegun

Grenades/Explosives:

* MK2 Frag Grenade
* Smoke Grenade
* A Satchel Charge
* Mines

Russian Weapons:

* TT-33
* Mosin Nagant
* Mosin Nagant Scoped
* PPSH (71 round Drum Magazine)
* PPSH (31 round Banana Magazine)
* Bayonet

Grenades/Explosives:

* RGD-33

German Weapons:

* P08 Luger
* Kar98
* Kar98 scoped
* MP44
* MP40
* MG42
* MG34
* Messer

Grenades/Explosives:

* Model 24 Stielhandgranate (German stick-grenade)

Japanese Weapons:

* Nambu 14
* Arisaka Typ 99
* Typ 100 Submachine gun
* Bayonet
* Katana

Grenades/Explosives:

* Kiska grenade

British Weapons:

* Sten

Unlockable Perks:

Apparently, the co-operative campaign in the game will allow players to "rank up" and unlock these perks for competitive multiplayer. This will be done by completing challenges and earning experience points.

(Ed: Note, most of these rumored perks are similar to CoD4, with the bolded exceptions)

* Juggernaut (Sustain more damage)
* Sleight of Hand (Quicker reload)
* Extreme Conditioning (Sprint farther)
* Martyrdom (Should be renamed Kamikaze: drop a nade after being fragged)
* Steady Aim (Shoot from hip with more accuracy)
* Bandolier (More ammo)
* Iron Lungs (Steadies sniper aim for longer periods)
* Stopping Power (Man-stopping power)
* Deep Impact (Rounds penetrate walls)
* Sonic Boom (Larger explosive kill radius)
* Last Stand (Keep shooting pistol if you have been fragged)
* Monkey (better at climbing trees)
* Frogman (faster swimspeed)
* Play Dead (Jock's favorite perk)
* Crouch Sprinter (sprinting in crouch)
* Banzai

----------

requirements:
Minimum System Requirements:

* CPU: AMD 64 3200+/Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz +
* Memory: 512MB (XP) / 1GB (VISTA)
* HD Space: 8 Gigabyte
* Gfx Card: 256MB Nvidia 6600GT/ATI Radeon 1600XT or higher (Shader 3.0 or better)
-----------------

Activision fact sheet:

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
Building on the Call of Duty 4 engine, Call of Duty: World at War thrusts players into the ruthless and gritty chaos of WWII combat like never been before, and challenges them to band together to survive the most harrowing and climactic battles of WWII that led to the demise of the Axis powers on the European and South Pacific fronts. The title re-defines WWII games by offering an uncensored experience with unique enemies and combat variety, including Kamikaze fighters, ambush attacks, Banzai charges and cunning cover tactics, as well as explosive on-screen action through all new cooperative gameplay.

KEY FEATURES:
• Call of Duty 4 Technology – Built using the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War utilizes a bedrock of technology that delivers jaw-dropping visuals, while empowering players to employ elements like fire to affect the dynamics of the battlefield. Players that attempt to harness the power of new weapons, like the flamethrower, will find themselves capable of burning away environmental elements that give cover to a camouflaged enemy, leaving a charred battlefield – and their foes – in their wake.

• Coordinated Assault and Support – For the first time in the franchise, Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-op, bringing fresh meaning to the “No One Fights Alone” mantra. Call of Duty: World at War co-op features up to four-players online, or two-player local split-screen, allowing gamers to experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The title also incorporates traditional multiplayer components such as challenges, rankings and online stats into the co-op campaign for deeper re-playability and advanced gameplay..

• New Theaters of Operation – Players fight as U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers facing enemies – some new to the Call of Duty franchise – that employ lethal new tactics and know no fear, no mercy, nor the rules of war. Epic conflicts are fought on multiple fronts, playing through the climactic battles of WWII in the grittiest, most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date.

• Innovative Multiplayer – Multiplayer builds from the success of Call of Duty delivering a persistent online experience for more squad based interaction. New development with party systems allows an intimacy with squad based combat never before seen in Call of Duty. Combined infantry and vehicle missions add a new dimension to the online warfare and offers more PERK abilities.

• Cinematic Quality Graphics and Sound – Treyarch’s award-winning sound department returns with effects that add to the already immersive cinematic intensity of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game engine.

Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
Developer: Treyarch
Release Date: Fall 2008
Platforms: Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft
PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system
Windows® PC and Games for Windows®
Nintendo® Wii™
Nintendo DS™
PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system
Suggested Retail Price: TBD
ESRB Rating: TBD

new info:
http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/207206/hands-on-report-tanks-invade-call-of-duty-multiplayer/

Call of Duty: World at War is bringing something new to the battlefield this November: drivable tanks. GamePro editor Sid Shuman got first-hand experience with tanks, and the rest of World at War's online mode, as part of the October 2008 issue of GamePro magazine. Here are the highlights.

In a departure for Call of Duty 4's infantry-focused action, World at War adds a new, larger-scale multiplayer gametype called "War" that introduces vehicles for the first time. In War, two teams battle to seize and control a series of landmarks. The real draw to the large-scale War mode, however, is the inclusion of new drivable tanks. With their punishing main cannons and secondary machine guns, tanks excel at assaulting or holding down high-traffic locations. Unfortunately, their slow speed frequently works against them. Tanks are impervious to rifles and grenades, but are far from indestructible: A well-aimed bazooka round (or a well-placed satchel charge) can penetrate the thin armor on the tank's backside, or even damage the treads. These weaknesses mean that explosive weapons are far more valuable in World at War than they were in Call of Duty 4.

Judging by our hands-on experiences with World at War, tanks seemed to be an enjoyable but not overwhelming addition to the otherwise classic Call of Duty multiplayer action. Crucially, the tank's cannon suffers from a sluggish firing rate and relatively small explosive radius, tradeoffs that enable infantry to sprint past safely in between volleys. If you want to be a true terror with the tank, you'll need to devote your Perks to upgrading the base speed and offensive power, though these sacrifices will leave you more vulnerable when on foot. And Call of Duty purists can relax, because tanks can be disabled via the match menu -- check a preference box and you'll automatically be redirected to infantry-only matches.

Based on our play sessions, tanks seemed to be a welcome addition to World at War's already stellar multiplayer action. Check back to GamePro.com throughout the week for more exclusive details on Call of Duty: World at War, including a look at the new Perks and a sampling of the new weapon mods!

Vehicle Perks
Greased Bearings: A new vehicle Perk that speeds up the rotation of your tank's main cannon, Greased Bearings allows you to switch between targets faster. This will help you keep hiding enemies on their toes, though the tank's main cannon isn't always the best choice against speedy infantry.

Ordinance Training: This special ability gives a small boost to the firing rate of the tank's main cannon. This is probably the most instantly useful of the new vehicle Perks, partly because the tank's default firing speed is quite sluggish.

Water Cooler: The tank's secondary machine gun will overheat with extended use. Selecting Water Cooler will allow you (or your buddy) to fire much longer before entering the cooldown mode. As such, Water Cooler is must useful if your team is being overwhelmed with enemy infantry.

Lead Foot: This Perk is designed for drivers, increasing the top speed of the normally slow-moving vehicles. Even after equipping Lead Foot you won't exactly be zipping around the levels in these armored goliaths, but every little bit helps.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/callofduty5/news.html?sid=6198170&tag=topslot;thumb;4

We get some new intel on the PC version of this upcoming World War II shooter.

Many modern first-person shooters combine the adrenaline rush of dashing around 3D environments while shooting anything that isn't you with gritty, realistic settings that heighten the tension. Last year's outstanding Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, developed by Infinity Ward, was a great example of excellent technology meeting a strong game setting and terrific, action-packed gameplay. And now the Call of Duty series will make its return to the theater of war known as World War II with Call of Duty: World at War, in development at Treyarch. Though the game was originally announced for consoles, it will also make its way to the PC. We have new details from Treyarch's project lead Cesar Statsny.

GameSpot: The last Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty 3, didn't make an appearance on the PC platform. Why have you decided to bring World at War to the PC?

Cesar Stastny: Consoles are great fun and I am a big fan. But I am an old-school PC gamer at heart who believes in the supremacy of keyboard and mouse for first-person shooters. The PC community wants better precision, configurability, and the opportunity to play on faster processors at higher resolutions. They want to play the same game that their friends get to play on 360 and PS3, but they also want to create and play mods.

We get it: more awesomeness, please. Well, we are PC gamers and we want all of these things too.

GS: You've shown off some exciting new features in Call of Duty: World at War, including four-player online co-op. Will all of the announced features make it into the PC version, and are you planning cross-platform play?

CS: Yes, the PC version has the same features as Xbox 360 and PS3, but implemented in a way that makes sense on PC. We do not have split-screen co-op, for example. We are not planning cross-platform play. Instead, we are focused on making the PC experience as fun as possible. Four-player online co-op is incredibly fun on PC!

GS: After Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare made the leap to modern combat, it was somewhat of a surprise to learn that you were taking the franchise back to the World War II setting. What was your inspiration for this blast-from-the-past decision?

CS: Treyarch actually starting [working on] Call of Duty: World at War a year before Modern Warfare hit the shelves. I doubt that many people would have been very surprised back then, since all the titles in the COD series up to that point were set in WWII. So we set out to create the best of that genre. As surprises go, I think you will like this one.

GS: Are there any other PC-specific features you can tell us about in Call of Duty: World at War?

CS: Our goal is to bring the same game experience to multiple platforms, and I think we are hitting our mark. That said, my team is very consciously making a PC title with a focus on all the things we love about PC gaming. COD:WAW looks fantastic in higher PC resolutions than you can get on a console. It plays great on high-end rigs, but we've optimized for more-modest gear, too. The PC version is more configurable with respect to controls, graphics, and performance options. And support for mods--not just multiplayer but co-op mods too!

GS: How has Infinity Ward's COD4 engine helped you in development of Call of Duty: World at War?

CS: The COD4 engine gave us a solid foundation on which to build this game. You can't beat it for next-gen cross-platform development with excellent lighting and scripting. This allowed us to concentrate on creating content, developing new types of gameplay features like cooperative multiplayer, graphical improvements, new effects, integrating our own networking technology, optimizations, and so forth.

GS: Speaking of COD4, that game featured one of the most robust and addicting online multiplayer modes we've seen in a while, and you've taken another page from Infinity Ward's book by including persistent ranks and stats in your own multiplayer mode. You've also added a new squad mechanic. Tell us how online squads work.

CS: Squads make it easier to play with your friends while helping to keep your team organized into groups. This is particularly fun on our large multiplayer maps.

GS: What vehicles will be playable in Call of Duty: World at War? Can they be used cooperatively with friends?

CS: Yes, tanks are best enjoyed with friends.

GS: You've announced plans for a public multiplayer beta on the PC and Xbox 360. How can players sign up, and what can they expect from the play test?

CS: Players can expect to get a taste of some of the new weapons and attachments while still enjoying the fast-paced action that they know is Call of Duty. We are excited to bring back some game types that are favorites around the office, but more details about that and how to get into the PC beta will be coming soon. To get into the Xbox 360 beta, players should register at the official Call of Duty Web site.

GS: So far, Call of Duty: World at War appears to be a graphically intense game. What system requirements will PC gamers need to jump into the fray?

CS: My team worked closely with hardware vendors such as Intel and Nvidia to optimize for various hardware configurations available on PC. This was especially important as we are really pushing the limits of the engine. So we were able to achieve this graphical intensity with only a modest bump in the minimum requirements from COD4:

Processor: AMD 64 3200+/Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz or better
Memory: 8 GB free hard-drive space, 512MB RAM (XP)/1GB RAM (Vista)
Graphics: Shader 3.0 or better, 256MB Nvidia GeForce 6600GT/ATI Radeon 1600XT or better

GS: Finally, how do you think Call of Duty: World at War will separate itself from the number of other excellent first-person shooters on the PC platform?

CS: We started with the technology from the best FPS available. We cranked up the graphics and audio. We ratcheted up the hardcore intensity. We kept the awesome multiplayer. We added vehicles and squads and co-op. Can I go play now?

GS: Fair enough. Thanks, Cesar.

http://www.callofduty.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18906&sid=66435f31672c682654197c7fcb1c6bff

To begin with, new search preferences option have been included in the matchmaking screen. This means its easier for you to form a squad with a band of randoms who are more likely to be the same skill level as you (if you're not a fan of playing with strangers you can you party privacy to close you game to outsiders). To help you fine tunes thing even further, the lobby leaderboard will display stats specific to the matches you played as a group, so you can find the weakest link.

Class of '45

CoD4's character class system is making a return to, allowing you to define your weapons and bonus abilities according to the class you choose. classes include riflemen, light & heavy assault and support roles, and several other unconfirmed units.
Should you fancy a change mid game, you can simply bring up the pause menu, select your desired job and the next time you die, you'll respawn a new man.

This then ties in with CoD's ego stroking prestige system. In Modern Warfare, youd earn XP points for every man you killed, which would level you and your weapons up unlocking new perks and options along the way, Once you hit lvl 55, you had the option to reset back to level 1. Even though this meant you lost all your hard earned perks and gear, bout you'd be rewarded with a shiny new medal indicating you bad-assed skills.
this could be repeated nine times. However in WaW not only will you get kudos, youll unlock additional class slots, meaning that by the time you prestige ten times you'll have access to all ten character classes mid battle.

The weapons you start with will depend on what class you choose. As well as guns youll be given frags, Molotov cocktails, sticky grenades, bouncing betties and smoke grenades.
However the best new arnaments are the gas bombs and signal flares. Drop a gas bomb and anyone caught in its area of effect will be stunned leaving the wide open to attack. Meanwhile, the signal flare will unleash a vicious volume of white light. Lay down a row of them and you'll blind the enemy, making them ripe for a shooting.

Of course, with new weapons comes new perks. Perks were the star feature of CoD4, providing players with special abilities like faster sprinting, increased damage, or the ability to drop a grenade when you're killed.
WaW's perks will include Flak Jacket(saves your life against a single grenade attack), Shades (reduces the effect of a signal flare) and gas mask (grants immunity to gas attacks.) Recon Boosts are also available and oh yeah, now you can get a selection of sweet vehicle perks...

http://www.gamedaily.com/games/call-of-duty-world-at-war/xbox-360/game-features/handson-call-of-duty-world-at-war-multiplayer/

If any game can top last year's monumental Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it's Call of Duty World At War. Not only can you take out your anger on other players, but you can also work alongside them in a new online co-op mode. We recently went a few rounds with a version of the game.
In competitive multiplayer, we played several matches in a beautiful Shanghai-like city, draped with beautiful tapestries, cobblestone structures and plenty of lethal opposition. We shot our fair share of enemy soldiers and dogs while also using our knives for up-close executions. If you successfully kill three enemies without dying, you receive a perk. This could be a lethal air strike or a temporary map that shows you enemy locations, depending on which side you're playing. The air strike is outstanding, letting you pummel unsuspecting team members from the heavens. (The camera replay is particularly sick, as you can track a bomb until it lands on your skull.)

Perks are a huge part of World At War. Just wait until you see what the Perk Three list, consisting of Iron Lungs, Reconnaissance and Martyrdom, have in store for you. Vehicular perks are here as well, and the ranking system will make a return. Each kill brings you closer to the next level of military excellence.

In co-op multiplayer, four soldiers work together as one cohesive unit. Real-time scores of the four teammates are kept on-screen, with the score going up for each kill. Points multiply depending on style and location of your kills, so headshots are the way to go. Stay alive long enough and they'll build in a hurry. You also earn points reviving fallen teammates, which only takes a few seconds but leaves you vulnerable to gunfire. (On a side note, it's awesome how you can shoot enemies with a pistol, even after you sustain an injury.)

We went through two separate maps in co-op. The first is a sandy battlefield, littered with both U.S. and Japanese tanks. Laying a well-placed C4 charge or picking up a bazooka allow you to destroy them.. One particular challenge, though, is the fortified bunker. It's hard to fire bullets inside because of the cover fire coming from both turrets. Fortunately, the flamethrower letsYou shoot inside the windows.

The second map takes place in a torn-apart German city. Throughout the stage, you and members of your unit will constantly go in and out of buildings, shooting enemies and finding cover. Constant bombing eventually leads you to an abandoned train station and water tunnel. You'll have to work your way through the train cars before moving into the tunnel, fighting soldiers as you go. It comes to a huge conclusion when the tunnel suddenly fills with water, engulfing both you and the bad guys.

What's cool about World At War is how the graphics and audio keep up with every step of the action. Even when the screen floods with enemies, there's no lack of detail. We didn't experience one single disconnection, glitches or lag. Soldiers constantly bark orders, weapons go off dramatically and the attention to detail is extraordinary. One striking moment came in a night time Capture the Flag village stage. After taking out several soldiers, we had to stop for a second and admire a nearby stream, with water shimmering in the moonlight.

Call of Duty: World At War ships November 11th and we're excited. Keep checking back with GameDaily for coverage, including our review.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/917/917349p1.html

October 8, 2008 - When everyone heard that Treyarch would be returning to helm development on the next installment in the heralded Call of Duty series, the gaming world let out a sigh of trepidation. Not to say that Call of Duty 3 (the last game in the series to be developed at Treyarch) was a bad game, it just wasn't up to the vaunted standards of Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

I recently got to spend some time with the four-player co-op campaign as well as the competitive multiplayer beta that is set to hit the Internet sometime before the game launches. Being a huge fan of Call of Duty 4, it was going to take something special to impress me. Luckily Treyarch had something on deck that would do exactly that.

The biggest problem with Call of Duty 3 was that it was too much like other games in the series. It was World War II, featured no real difference in core gameplay and was set in Europe. We had seen all of that before. World at War puts us in the Pacific Theater, a piece of World War II that has gone nearly untouched in the videogame world and gives us brand spankin' new four-player cooperative gameplay that follows the entire campaign mode. As if that wasn't enough, there's also a structure built around the competitive multiplayer that is reminiscent of COD4 while still changing it in a few important ways to keep things fresh.

The four-player co-op match that I hopped into started up without a hitch and presented my squad and I with a tree-shrouded river bed that we needed to progress along. An interesting touch to World at War's co-op gameplay is that it isn't just the four human-controlled soldiers venturing onto the field of battle, but instead you're with an entire squad of men. That's an important fact that ups the intensity when you get into some of the more serious standoffs, something that I was about to encounter.

Before long the river gave way to a huge, dirt-ridden battlefield with enemy tanks and troops that needed to be taken out. Vehicles pay an important role in the multiplayer in COD: World at War as you'll now be able to hop into them while playing competitively. Sadly I had to play the part of demolition man while in co-op mode. Before long my men and I made our way to a multi-tiered structure with gun placements and soldiers firing down on us. It was a standoff that had to be waded through, not rushed as I learned through several deaths of my own.

When you die in World at War's co-op play you're alive for a certain amount of time until you bleed. It's in that window that your friendly soldiers can revive you, but doing so usually means putting themselves in harm's way.

It was on my third or fourth life that I realized I just needed to hang back with my crew and pick off soldiers one by one. I'd just leave it to the peon AI controlled soldiers to run out and get killed. And so they did. Not in a dumb way, but in a way that made it obvious that their intention was to push our frontline forward and push the enemy back. Sadly that didn't exactly work. It's that feeling of watching your comrades run to their death while three actual people are screaming into your ear about how they're being pinned down by mortar and tank shells, that really sells the co-op play in World at War.
Oh, and did I forget to mention that a latter part of the mission had us sticking the end of the new M2 Flamethrower into a bunker a flaming the Japanese soldiers inside? Yeah, it was cool. Or was it hot?

Not to be outdone, the competitive multiplayer has also made a few additions to the tried and true formula that worked so well in COD4. You can still level up your character and unlock new perks and you can still earn prestige several times over (though this time you get a reward for doing so), but there are a few important differences. First of all, perks now include the ability to sprint while crawling, climb trees faster, play dead, and swim faster among others.

Not only that, but in-game rewards have changed a bit as well. Now instead of getting a UAV for three kills in a row, an airstrike for five and a gunship for seven, you'll get a recon plane for three, an artillery barrage for five, and a pack of wild rabid dogs for seven. Yes, you read that right, you'll actually be able to unleash a pack of dogs that go around looking for enemy soldiers to devour. You'll also no longer have the opportunity to stab those suckers in the neck when they pounce on you, making your tracking ability important when trying to gun them down on the fly.

The other two rewards performed exactly as you remember despite their different names. Oh, and having both Keifer Sutherland and Gary Oldman in your ear at all times yelling out things like, "Release the dogs!" and "Our Recon Plane'll find 'em!" is truly awesome. It's like a scene from 24 and Air Force One all wrapped in one!

Tanks are a big change to the multiplayer that should provide some help to those put off by the twitch-oriented nature of the COD gameplay. Two players can hop into the massive machine, one at the gunner and one in the main driver's seat. Interestingly enough, the man sitting on top at the gunner seat can actually take cover if things get too hot.

Yes, the multiplayer gameplay of Call of Duty: World at War <http> was a pleasant surprise. While it certainly felt similar to Modern Warfare, it did what appears to be enough to keep it near the top of the pack. The co-op is fast and even more intense than the single-player campaign promises to be and the competitive multiplayer packs a similar punch as I remember, but this time with the excitement of vehicles thrown in. World War II might be a familiar battleground for some gamers, but Call of Duty: World at War looks like it could show it off in a whole new light.

Call of Duty: World at War is set to release on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC on November 11.

BRAND NEW INFO ON CALL OF DUTY:WORLD AT WAR

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/call-of-duty-5/917198p1.html

Man down!"

I risk a glance over the uprooted tree that I'm using as cover while a hail of bullets peels off splinters and bark. One of our guys is down on the other side of the channel, calling out for help in the mud. He desperately fires a pistol at the Imperial Japanese forces rushing down the ravine, their bayonets gleaming in the hot Pacific sun. I swear under my breath. "What part of 'We're all going to the right' didn't you understand?" I cry. Head down, I sprint across the mud to rescue my comrade...

Call of Duty: World at War is the anticipated follow-up to GameSpy's 2007 Game of the Year, so we're holding this title up to a high standard. And after a couple hours of multiplayer hands-on time, we're excited to report that World at War just might live up to its potential. The rock-solid graphics and smooth multiplayer gameplay of Call of Duty 4 are intact, and Treyarch has added a few new twists to advance the state of the art.

Producer Dan Bunting described the title as "six games in one," with modes to cater to every taste. You've got your single-player campaign, your co-op campaign (co-op play is new to the franchise), an interesting spin called "competitive co-op" (where you're racing to contribute more than your allies), and a handful of competitive online multiplayer modes. In addition, there's something called "Death Cards," collectable items that allow players to customize their co-op play. And finally there's a sixth mode Bunting told us was "super top-secret," which no amount of prying could reveal. We're expecting an announcement on that front soon.

Banding With Your Brothers

We were greeted with a short demo video showing off the co-op play in action. Experience points you earn in co-op play carry over through all the multiplayer modes, so it represents another way to unlock the impressive arsenal of perks and equipment that are available. Achievements like "Bartender" (kill 25 enemies with molotov cocktails) or "Hat Trick" (score 3 headshots in a row three times during a single mission) will definitely encourage a lot of repeat play. We're also dying to know what you do to obtain the "Cluster Chuck" achievement.

But the highlight of the recent Activision press event was a chance to play through the co-op mode. We'd tinkered around with this earlier (see our August preview for details), but extensive hands-on time reveals just how differently you play the game with friends. For one thing, the mission ends if anyone dies, so you never leave a man behind. Fortunately when players are shot they'll stay in "last stand" mode for a few moments giving you a chance to rescue them. The only way to succeed against the extra enemies the game throws at you is to stick together as a group -- but not too close, because we discovered that the enemy loves to chuck grenades.

Downed players can be revived if you can stay next to them for a few seconds without getting shot. It's worth a lot of experience to resurrect a comrade, and once players realized this, everyone started rushing in to play battlefield medic. Of course you're no good to your friend if a grenade or machine gun takes you out while you're trying to heal him, so it pays to clear the area first or have a friend provide cover.

The first map we played was "Hard Landing," the mission near a downed glider that we wrote about in our earlier preview. That was a cakewalk compared to the next map, "Relentless," which was new. The mission started off with us and our fellow soldiers riding on the tops of tanks in an armored column. When the ambush hit us, we were flung to the ground, our vision disoriented for several seconds while shouts echoed around us and the tanks disintegrated into balls of fire and inky black smoke. The jungle foliage was thick on either end of a mud-choked ravine, presided over by a fortified Japanese emplacement. We found it almost impossible to keep each other alive amidst the rain of grenades, the continual gunfire, and worst of all the charging soldiers who would come screaming out of the underbrush to engage us at bayonet-point.

Activision is making it clear that this game is going to explore the real grittiness of World War II's most brutal conflicts, and when I looked down at the severed arm of a Japanese soldier still clutching his rifle, I believed it. Ultimately, the only way we were able to fight our way through the "Relentless" map was by having all four soldiers concentrate on one approach, but not clustering together because of the continual grenades. Every inch of ground was a slaughter as we made our way up the ravine, over a bunker, and ultimately through a network of tunnels. This game isn't easy, but that makes the eventual victory all the more satisfying.

Axis of Awesome

Among the highlights of Call of Duty 4 were the tremendous graphics and the spectacle of big, scripted events. Call of Duty: World at War delivers on this front, as well. The maps are rich in detail, supported by some of the industry's best audio. During the "Hard Landing" map, you're forced to defend an occupied Japanese position against a determined counterattack. The best way to do this is by turning the anti-aircraft guns toward the ground, where you can mow down a line of incoming tanks and light vehicles. Trucks roll over and burst into flames while soldiers go whirling off into the sky. Flames race across the ground as fuel tanks explode. Then the bombers come tearing out of the sky to finish the job -- the visuals are epic. On the "Relentless" map we watched Allied soldiers desperately grabbing charging Japanese infantry and throwing them to the ground. The flamethrower deserves special mention. Graphically the flames are cool, but the accompanying animations -- the startling reactions of soldiers engulfed in flames -- really give the experience some power.

After playing co-op on the PC, it was over to the Xbox 360 to enjoy some good old-fashioned multiplayer deathmatch. There are no real surprises here; if you loved the pacing and rewards of Call of Duty 4, then World at War won't disappoint. Instead you're getting more of everything. More weapons, more perks, more types of grenades (the Bouncing Betty is particularly horrific), and an insane number of different leaderboards to compete in. There are more "create a soldier" slots to fill and some unique ways to customize them. You can even wear sunglasses as a perk.

Vehicles can now play a role in multiplayer games. Driving a tank in deathmatch sounds like a blast, although in reality you merely become the biggest target on the map. Players can choose from a series of vehicle perks, such as faster acceleration or bonus armor. Where vehicles will really come in handy is in the team-based modes, where players can protect your flanks.

Speaking of team play, "Capture the Flag" is also making a comeback. Maybe old-fashioned CTF gameplay doesn't fit into the gritty World War II theme, but the classic mix of offense and defense should make for great gameplay. A new "momentum meter" makes capture-and-hold maps more interesting by allowing the winning side to more quickly conquer the next point.

Two multiplayer maps showed the diversity of environments. A bombed-out European trainyard featured more rubble than solid ground, where the ruined buildings and overturned freight cars provided ample cover for hit-and-run submachinegunning. Contrast that with an open Japanese terrace level, where multiple levels of mazelike gardens provided a surreal backdrop to all the flame-throwing action within.

But we've saved the best for last. As with Call of Duty 4, players are rewarded for long kill streaks by being able to activate radar, call in artillery, and other bonuses. This time, however, if you scored enough kills you could release... war dogs. These terrible mutts would race across the map, bundles of barking teeth and claws tearing toward the throats of enemy players. After a few multiplayer maps we learned to fear and dread the sound of howling and barking that accompanied the release of the dogs. Fun stuff!

Call of Duty: World at War may not break innovative new ground, but when you're building off of the Game of the Year it pays to stick with what works. This title looks to give us more of everything we loved about Call of Duty 4, along with several new ways to play. Getting our hands on it only solidified our high expectations -- we'll be watching this one closely as it nears its November 11 release.

hands on review of beta!!:

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/919/919839p1.html

October 14, 2008 - The Call of Duty: World at War Xbox 360 beta is up and running with a limited number of players given access, and I was lucky enough to be a part of the "in" crowd. Built on the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, World at War has a lot in common with last year's release. This being my first time getting my hands on the game, I quickly found out that Treyarch has put its own stamp on the gameplay to set it apart from Infinity Ward's 2007 smash hit without deviating from what made Call of Duty 4 such a monster success.

Public betas are primarily designed for testing purposes and this one is no different. The developers use them for testing servers, net code, and to help put the last finishing touches on the game in advance of its release. What this means for you and I is that the beta experience is not totally indicative of the final release and that the number of modes, maps and weapons made available is limited. Even so, there is quite a bit here to mess around with.

There are five modes to try out in this beta: War, Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, Pick Up TDM, and Free for All. Team Deathmatch and Pick Up TDM are identical, though one allows parties and the other is for solo players that would like to be matched up with other similar individuals. Free for All and Capture the Flag are self-explanatory. War is a territories type game where each team tries to take control of each checkpoint, but only one is up for grabs at a time to concentrate the action. It's a push and pull sort of game that sometimes ends in a sudden death. Here, the team that was losing when time ran out is penalized and the first team to capture one flag wins.

The beta has three maps to play on. My favorite is Makin, a level set in the jungles of the Pacific on Japanese controlled territory. It's dark, a storm has caused much of the area to become a swampy river, and there are plenty of huts and weeds to hide in. You can also play in Castle, another Japanese controlled area that is a great area for sniping. There are plenty of indoor areas and towers to perch on with a few wide open areas that you should most definitely not venture out into without covering fire. Last is Roundhouse. This looks to be a Russian industrial area that has been laid to waste by war. Crumbling brick structures in a ringed layout dominate the landscape almost as much as the two tanks players can hop into do.

It's been a while since I've played Call of Duty 4. Perhaps too long. I quickly remembered what had me so hooked on that game. The perks, barracks, and support bonuses for playing well are all back and as sweet as ever. A lot of the boot camp and weapon challenges have been recycled, but with new weapons, maps and perks they still feel fun. The addition of vehicles adds a whole new set of perks and challenges, but I think reaching level 65 will be the point where you really get to let loose with the game. Not only does that give you access to prestige mode. It also gives you the M2 Flamethrower perk. If that isn't incentive to keep playing, I don't know what is.

The in-game support bonuses are nothing to scoff at either. In War, if you play well you'll get momentum that allows you to capture flags faster. The coolest bonus you can get, though, is the attack dogs. Get seven consecutive kills and you can unleash the hounds. They'll run around the map, attacking and killing your enemies. Of course, those enemies can always just shoot them if they see the dogs coming. Kill a dog and you'll save your own tail and get a few experience points for the trouble.

The beta still does have a few hitches. Spawning directly into a fight and dying instantly happens a little too often and the animations on the dogs need a bit of work. But hey, this a beta after all and the experience is pretty darn smooth. A lot of people may have written this Call of Duty game off since it isn't being made by Infinity Ward, the developers who made last year's release. I think those people are going to be surprised. The winning formula from Modern Warfare has largely been kept intact and the new additions all fit like a shirt fresh out of the dryer. Keep an eye on this one.

videos:

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14222038/call-of-duty-5/videos/X360_codwowbeta_roundhouse_.html

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14222038/call-of-duty-5/videos/X360_codwowbeta_makinwar_10.html

http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/14222038/call-of-duty-5/videos/X360_codwowbeta_castle_1014.html

http://www.gamedaily.com/games/call-of-duty-world-at-war/xbox-360/game-features/impressions-call-of-duty-world-at-war-beta/ (http://www.gamedaily.com/games/call-of-duty-world-at-war/xbox-360/game-features/impressions-call-of-duty-world-at-war-beta/)

Recently we gave you brief impressions of Call of Duty: World At War's new four-player co-op and the details about each mission. This week, we fragged several unfortunate souls through a pre-release beta to get a better idea how multiplayer works. Man, it works.

Some features are similar to Modern Warfare's. The class upgrade system is back in action, bumping up your ranking with each successful performance. Perks are also intact, giving you prompt rewards depending on how many enemy soldiers you take out. Most of the modes also make a return, including Deathmatch, Free For All, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. Considering that World At War uses the same engine, we weren't surprised.

Aside from that, World At War is almost completely different. The three maps chosen for the beta —Roundhouse, Makin and Castle – are exquisite. The terrain on each of these levels is rugged, torn apart from the hardships of war. There are plenty of ideal spots to camp, whether you're a lower-class rifleman or an expert marksman. Snipers will automatically want to find a good high point, such as an abandoned shed in the Castle level, to get a jump on enemies. Others can hide behind walls and take out someone from behind with a shot to the head or a slash with a knife.

If you're not one for the up close and personal knife strike, various weapons are available. We spent some quality time with the Thompson M1A1, a precise but slow-loading weapon. There's also the oddly configured Type 100 Submachine Gun, which resembles an old-school film projector but packs a bigger punch. What's nice about World At War is that there are different weapons and explosives for each army division. Japanese soldiers get to use a bayonet and katana, while German soldiers rely on the P08 Luger and Kar98 (scoped and unscoped). Good ol' U.S. boys get a variety of toys, from the Springfield M1903 (scoped and unscoped) to the effective flamethrower, which, unfortunately, isn't readily available in the beta. You'll have to wait for the full retail release to set fire to stuff.

With the perk system, your team receives rewards depending on how it does. If you score three successful kills, you receive a temporary radar upgrade that displays enemy positions. Take out five soldiers and you'll earn a thunderous aerial strike. Nail seven in a row and you can release a pack of wild dogs to chase (and maul) your opponents. Other perks will be available in the full game, including Martyrdom, which lets you drop a live grenade before succumbing to death.

War, a modified version of the Domination mode, gets you and your team to chase after randomly selected checkpoints. After successfully taking one, another pops up and you have to conquer it before the other team. Each round has an unmatched amount of intensity, even if you're on the losing end.

Call of Duty: World At War's beta will go on for a while, so keep an eye open for our beta key giveaways. Be patient – you won't be waiting long. In the meantime, check out our previous impressions and media, and prepare yourself for war when the game ships November 14.

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