Call of Duty: World at War [X360]

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 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.

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