Innovation in the battle royale genre from a classic franchise

Call of Duty: Warzone is Call of Duty's latest entry. It is their second effort at the popular Battle Royale genre. Warzone is a free-to-play game.

Concept CoD does Battle Royale - Again

Battle Royale games are often utterly free of story, and this one is no exception, and that makes sense. It's the shooting and socialization you came for, not an intricate plot. In Warzone, you choose from a variety of pre-customized characters and enter the match of your choosing.

The concept itself is a relatively standard one, but Call of Duty's entry into the popular Battle Royale Genre goes to show the pull and power of this genre. While the concept is nothing new, this game's prowess and success come as a result of its execution and the way the game twists the basics of the Battle Royale formula.

The Sharpness You'd Expect

The in-game play is sharp and immersive. Sound effects are realistic and frightening. Understandably Warzone does not offer the full Call of Duty experience as those seem to be reserved for their blockbuster franchise entries. For a free-to-play game, the graphics, music, and audio are pretty darn good, and more than enough to keep players itching for more.

Gameplay Phenomenal Twists on Old Formulas

The game features two game modes: Battle Royale and Plunder.

Battle Royale is exactly what you think it is: Loadout your character and shoot/explode everything in sight. The last man standing wins the match, but with a twist: If you die, you fall into a one-on-one with another dead player. Win that, and you're back in, and while you wait, you can still play a limited role in combat.

Plunder puts a new twist on the familiar formula. There is no permadeath: Instead, your team goal is to collect as much cash as possible. You can kill players with a lot of money - they are conveniently marked on the map. You can also bank your money instead of killing others.

Many players have noted that the game manages to avoid some of the standard pitfalls of the Battle Royale genre. There are no long periods of waiting, staring through a sniper scope. The gameplay and maps eliminate that possibility. Instead, you shoot and explode. "The game emphasizes tactics and gameplay over gadget collection and character classes. " The maps are tight, pressing you together and forcing combat and demanding quick reflexes to assure your success.

Widely Popular, Widely Played

Warzone is currently available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows. Of course, microtransactions are available in which players can purchase custom classes or other items. On March 15, five days after the game's release, Activision announced that players downloaded Warzone over 15 million times.

The unique nature of the game makes it a highly replayable experience, even for the most jaded player. Its unique features may eventually wear thin, and more maps are likely forthcoming, but for now, the game is a blast. Players can enjoy it for hours on end.

TL/DR

Warzone takes the standard Battle Royale features and turns them on their head, adding a variety of unique features that are sure to interest beginners or Battle Royale experts.