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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare - Supremacy
Score: 80%
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Sledgehammer Games
Media: Download/1
Players: 1 - 2; 2 - 18 (Online)
Genre: Action/First Person Shooter/Online

Three Down, One to Go:
If you’ve been following Sledgehammer Games’ fine solo debut since its release last year, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Supremacy. In my mind, I’ve been unfairly comparing each subsequent DLC pack to the ones from Call of Duty: Ghosts; it’s unfair because Advanced Warfare is a much better game than Ghosts, in terms of mechanics, innovation, and storytelling. So of course, these are more worthy of praise by default. On its own, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Supremacy is more (just a bit) of the same great stuff that you’ve come to expect; with a fresh helping of maps and another chapter of Exo Zombies. It’s very safe, but no less enjoyable for it.

Advanced Globetrotting:
Parliament is a fine set piece map set along (and on) the banks of the majestic river Thames. A cargo ship has made its berth dead smack in the middle, and it consumes a hearty portion of the map. This makes it one of the most white-knuckle close quarters maps since Call of Duty 4’s Shipment and Vacant. But if you want to play the distance game, you can head up to the top, which gives you a nice variety of vantage points.

Compound is set in an Atlas training facility. It’s a tiny map that features visuals and landmarks that you’re used to seeing, at least if you’ve completed Advanced Warfare’s campaign. This map is compact and intense, but doesn’t really add anything new to proceedings; it’s perhaps the most standard map of the three packs so far.

Kremlin is the map you go to when you want to go all Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on your foes. Set at the focus of the Russian Federation’s political scene, this is a gorgeous map, and the action that unfolds during each match is exhilarating. This is particularly true of the second half, when a dormant minefield suddenly goes live. Hilarity ensues. Every time.

I actually wasn’t too fond of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. I liked it just fine, but my shooter of choice during most of that year-long cycle was Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (a game that desperately, desperately needs a sequel). But if that installment still sits high on your list of best of's, you’ll be pleased to know that Rust has returned as Skyrise. If you still harbor fantasies of rapidly launching yourself from the ground into the industrial labyrinth to hunt down snipers, the Exo Grapple will make that dream come true.


Hail to the King:
Now that it’s finally happened, I’m wondering what took them so long. Call of Duty: World at War was released in 2008. Has it really taken seven years of zombie modes for the great Bruce Campbell to show up?

Carrier is the Exo Zombies episode du jour. It’s a solid addition, even though the zombies schtick has more than worn out its welcome. Campbell’s considerable voice talent is unfortunately squandered on a role that is not Ash Williams. Far from it, in fact. Whereas Ash is a wise-cracking alpha male killing machine, Captain Lennox is a joyless grunt. What a shame. It should have been Ash, or at least someone like Ash.

As the name implies, this episode takes place on an aircraft carrier that has been overrun with Exo Zombies. Speaking of the quick shamblers, they’ve got new tricks up their sleeves this time around, including a vexing teleportation maneuver that will have you frantically trying to figure out their new locations.


Value:
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Supremacy is quality downloadable content. There’s no denying that; the maps are good and Exo Zombies reaches a new high. But quality and value are not mutually exclusive; this has been proven over and over since this industry began. And none of these add-ons are a good value. Unless Activision inexplicably finds a reason to charge less for these add-ons or add enough content to justify these exorbitant prices, I will continue to take issue with how shamelessly these releases rip gamers off. Since they sell well regardless, I’ll just have to keep griping.

-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications
AKA Jon Carlos

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