I want to start off by saying it has been a while since I last blogged. I've been busy with college lately, writing research papers among other things. I have more free time now so I'm hoping to blog more often now, at least until next semester.
Despite being the most popular video game in the world, Call of Duty receives a heavy amount of criticism year in and year out. The criticism stems from the fact that since 2007's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, each subsequent entry in the series has essentially been the "same game" with some minor features thrown in to make it new. So while the criticism is certainly warranted, I'm here to defend the franchise by arguing that it doesn't have to make any big changes in order to remain popular.
The main reason I feel that it is okay for Call of Duty to remain as is is because, despite not making any big changes in the past 6 years, it still remains a fun game to play. And that is why we play video games right? The campaign is always dumb fun with its exaggerated Michael Bay-esque set pieces and the multiplayer continues to provide hours upon hours of entertainment, especially with friends. It also controls great and runs smoothly, something it doesn't get enough credit for. Millions of people buy and enjoy Call of Duty every year, so it's unfair to chastise them buying the "same crap." As long as someone has fun playing it, the game has served its purpose.
Another thing I want to point out is that Call of Duty is a military shooter; a genre based on realism. There's not much room for creativity in this genre without crossing the boundaries of reality. Stuff like jetpacks and mechs would feel off in a game like Call of Duty or Battlefield, but would right at home in a sci-fi games like Halo or Killzone.
After six years of playing CoD, I still enjoy it on occasion, though not as much as before. I would certainly love it more if they made some bigger changes. It inevitably has to if it wants to stay on top. It would also be great if they stopped with the annual releases. But if it continues to remain a solid game, I'm sure I'll keep coming back for more.