Set in the context of a global economic crisis, several South American oil producing states band together to form the Federation, a new superpower that will use its dominant position to turn against the United States. Call of Duty: Ghosts clumsily tries to strike a chord using this plot line by telling the story of two brothers and their German Shepherd who find themselves engaged in a battle to reclaim their homeland, despite themselves.

A pretty uninteresting solo campaign

Like its predecessors, the single player campaign in Call of Duty: Ghosts gets its cues from the cinematic extravaganza that hits viewers between the eyes in the first few minutes of play. It really does explode in all directions: bullets fly, blood spurts, and it's a real assault on the senses, with no time to catch your breath. The single player campaign leaves very little room for interaction, which is pretty strange for a video game.

If it ain't broke...

Trigger addicts can rest assured, Call of Duty: Ghosts doesn't drastically change their beloved multiplayer mode.

Among the new features, there are 14 new maps, the ability to slide on the ground, a new customization system with nearly 20,000 different options, female avatars, 7 new game modes, and 20 new Killstreaks (bonuses that reward the number of enemies killed) one of which is the war dogs.

As is common for the series, Call of Duty: Ghosts doesn't leave much room for tactics. Rather, the player's reflexes, memory, and skills will be rewarded.

Visible strings

I tested Call of Duty: Ghosts on Playstation 3 and I must admit I wasn't especially impressed by the graphics of the game. With its low resolution textures and fixed facial animations, Call of Duty: Ghosts is not best suited to current generation consoles. Fortunately, the particle effects, the distorted maps, and Riley the dog's animations come together to raise its game to some extent.

Verdict: Ghostly pallor

With Call of Duty: Ghosts, Infinity Ward delivers a mess of disparate experiences with pretty patchy quality. The multiplayer mode, the major asset of the saga, is enhanced with subtle improvements that come together to perfect a game mechanic that has already proven itself, without taking enough risk to make a long term impression.