Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360, PS3, PC. Out November 5
Contrary to the boisterous firefights for which the series is best known, the latest Call of Duty instalment centres on a band of elite covert soldiers called the Ghosts who choose stealth tactics over blazing guns.It's set in the near future when the US has lost its status as a world superpower after a war with a South American alliance. The Ghosts must creep through an apocalyptic landscape which, with its crumbling highways and dense foliage, allows for some downright glorious visuals.
The Ghosts wage a quiet war with an unseen enemy, creeping through the brush and shadows with silenced weapons.
Unexpectedly, the star of the show is Riley, a dog that works with the American soldiers. Described by developers Infinity Ward as "an integral part of the action", Riley is based on real Navy SEAL dogs.
He wears a special earpiece that allows his master to give him instructions such as bark or attack, while a camera on his back allows the Ghosts to see the world from his point of view.
His collar also features motorised pieces that buzz to send him in set directions. This leads to some interesting gameplay opportunities, as control switches to the dog and you guide him towards enemy targets remotely.
Of course, this being Call of Duty, there's also the usual wide array of set pieces and spectacle.
In one mission we saw at E3, the Ghosts had to infiltrate a skyscraper to take down a high-value target.
After using a zip line to attach themselves to the side of the building from afar, three Ghosts burst in through the glass and fight their way towards their objective.
But an explosion shakes the skyscraper into a deadly topple, and players must then escape as the building collapses around them.
It's impressive stuff that shows off the new engine and, played on Microsoft's forthcoming Xbox One console, demonstrates the graphical power of the next generation of video-game systems.
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