Call to Arms
- April 27, 2018
- Digitalmindsoft
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Call to Arms" is a tactical shooter game that allows players to experience a cooperative campaign, play user-generated content, and engage in custom battles. The game features a wide range of customization options for the army, and the Deluxe Edition includes bonus content for expanded gameplay. The developers, with a multi-national team, encourage creating games instead of war.
Reviews
- story838 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of a cohesive narrative in the campaign, which consists mainly of loosely connected missions rather than a compelling storyline. While some missions are described as engaging and varied, others are criticized for being repetitive, poorly designed, or buggy, leading to frustration. Overall, players express a desire for more substantial story content and mission variety, particularly in single-player modes, as well as improvements in mission design and AI behavior.
“The campaign missions are very awesome! They provide plenty of content to learn the game with missions that feel unique and are genuinely challenging on higher difficulty levels.”
“The story campaigns, despite not being some triple-A odyssey, were ironically more engaging and drew me in; the voice acting was passable.”
“The missions are especially great, featuring modern world scenarios in mainly desert combat areas, putting you in command of either one of two factions with several linked missions for each in single player.”
“The campaign doesn't have a story; its missions are varied enough and have a mini-story in each one to not make it feel like you're just playing skirmishes.”
“The story is simple and straightforward with simple objectives, which is fine for some but might be disappointing for others. If you're getting this game for a story, then I'd look somewhere else because this game is more focused on the multiplayer battles and skirmishes.”
“The missions are mostly just really frustrating, and the campaign was meh.”
- gameplay715 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Call to Arms" is a blend of real-time strategy (RTS) and first-person shooter (FPS) mechanics, drawing heavily from the "Men of War" series while introducing modern elements. Players appreciate the unique direct control feature, allowing for immersive tactical gameplay, but many criticize the AI, bugs, and balance issues that detract from the overall experience. While the game offers engaging mechanics and potential for fun, it suffers from a steep learning curve and inconsistent execution, leading to mixed reviews on its playability and depth.
“Call to Arms enhances the gameplay initially brought to you in Soldiers: Heroes of World War II by allowing the player to select individual troops and play in first person from their perspective.”
“The gameplay mechanics of Call to Arms are both accessible and engaging.”
“The game has a fun, engaging, and challenging gameplay which goes from high-level third-person zoomed-out logistical and tactical management of dozens of units and vehicles down to individual soldiers' inventory management and FPS control.”
“Extremely poor tech demo, missing any features to make it an actually decent or playable tactical RTS. Cover mechanics are buggy, suppressing the enemy is impossible, and the men fight like AI snapping onto targets in milliseconds and taking shots.”
“Learning curve like a brick wall: the game's complex mechanics and unforgiving difficulty can be overwhelming for newcomers.”
“The gameplay is virtually the same as Men of War: Assault Squad 2, but it is focused on modern warfare. However, the gameplay feels sloppy and the UI doesn't behave as expected for some actions, nor does it help you manage a large group of soldiers.”
- graphics406 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the detailed environments and unit models, particularly at higher settings, while others note issues such as graphical bugs, dated visuals, and performance problems on lower-end systems. Some players appreciate the optimization that allows decent performance even on mid-tier PCs, but there are calls for further improvements in animations and overall graphical fidelity. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for a strategy game, they may not meet the expectations of players seeking next-gen visuals.
“The graphics & environments are beautifully rich in detail.”
“This game is incredibly well made and features great graphics and very good optimization allowing for massive battles with hundreds of units.”
“The graphics are astounding!”
“The graphics are noticeably bad when you enter control mode, which isn't a big issue but still takes a bit to get used to.”
“The game looks like it's in an alpha stage and needs a lot more polishing in the animations, graphics, and even the bland looking menu screen, and even if the graphics look well everything just feels bland and empty.”
“The graphics are washed-out and lacklustre.”
- stability205 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, crashes, and poor AI behavior that significantly detracts from the overall experience. Many players describe it as a "buggy mess" and express frustration over the lack of optimization and support from developers, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. While some acknowledge the game's potential and enjoy certain aspects, the overwhelming consensus is that it requires substantial fixes to become a more stable and enjoyable title.
“Runs great, I'm able to easily get over 120fps using a 1080ti, zero issues so far, other than the sound which appears to be scratchy to a degree.”
“Game looks good for early beta, hope the devs don't ruin it by simplifying the gameplay. It runs great as it is.”
“Honestly, this game is a buggy mess and it does punish you big time.”
“We got so frustrated by the bugs (crashing, stuttering, AI being buggy, strong units seemingly spawning infinitely on normal) it was just not fun.”
“This game is buggy, has poor optimization, and lags a lot.”
- optimization167 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates, crashes, and lag, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users noted improvements in graphics and stability on mid-tier systems, others experienced severe drops in performance even on high-end machines, leading to frustration with AI pathfinding and overall gameplay experience. Overall, there is a consensus that the game requires further optimization to enhance user experience and stability.
“The game features an interesting single-player campaign, conquest mode (my absolute favorite part of the game), and is well-optimized with good graphics.”
“Great game, fun to play, a bit rough on optimization but it's a game I love. Hope to see more content soon.”
“What an improvement! They have added more content, better optimization, more mechanics, real 3rd person and 1st person.”
“The optimization is so awful that my computer, which meets almost all the recommended specs, still crashes.”
“This game is buggy, has poor optimization, and lags a lot.”
“Unplayable multiplayer with multiple crashes, freezes, lag, stuttering, and desyncs.”
- monetization77 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 56 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, who describe it as a blatant cash grab characterized by excessive microtransactions, paywalls for content, and a reliance on loot boxes. Many players express disappointment over the shift from a free-to-play model to one laden with costly DLCs and cosmetic purchases, arguing that it detracts from the overall gaming experience and undermines the game's potential. Overall, the sentiment is that the monetization practices are exploitative and diminish the game's integrity.
“I can support microtransactions here and there, especially when you are getting a certain thing (i.e., not loot boxes).”
“However, looking past those gripes means that you have a campaign that is completely reworked to be unit centralized rather than command centralized, and microtransactions that are benign to gameplay, only affecting cosmetics.”
“So far, items included in these microtransactions are cosmetic things like emblems or logos for profiles, and some XP boost items.”
“Seriously developers... no... no... big no no remove them, remove all microtransactions, you don't need them they ruin the game!”
“It's a rip-off of MOW2 and the devs use the scummiest cash grab techniques.”
“The monetization around the game is pretty bizarre with the loot boxes and stuff like that but I just got the ultimate edition and ignore the multiplayer part of the game.”
- replayability54 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, particularly due to its dynamic campaign modes, extensive modding community, and varied gameplay options. However, some players express concerns about limited content, such as a lack of diverse campaigns and maps, which can lead to a quicker sense of stagnation. While multiplayer offers additional replay value, its effectiveness is heavily dependent on community engagement.
“The game is a lot of fun and has tons of replayability with mods, multiplayer campaigns, and so on.”
“The dynamic campaign mode (conquest) gives an enormous amount of replayability.”
“There are so many ways you can do a single task that it really gives the game serious replay value, making the game go stale in an extremely slow fashion.”
“There is not enough replay value.”
“I really want to like this game but with the AI being so abysmal and the lack of replayability due to the fact that there are maybe 10 maps, it gets old quick.”
“Edit: decided to give this a thumbs down, simply because it has not done a good job of keeping me interested in playing it, and the gaming style got very boring and not enough replayability.”
- music35 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as beautiful and immersive, while others criticize it as generic, repetitive, and uninspired. Many feel that the music fails to enhance the gaming experience, with some suggesting that it detracts from the overall immersion. Overall, while there are positive notes about specific tracks, the consensus leans towards disappointment in the game's musical offerings.
“Best game ever fighting the enemy while listening to songs 10/10”
“Overall not a bad game with great music and interesting mechanics.”
“The sounds are good, music is pretty neat, the graphical detail is pretty amazing, the way the dirt kicks up when your troops fire is satisfying and I'm sure other small details you will appreciate.”
“The music here is so boring and soulless.”
“They're soundtrack budget was 0, as with many strategy games.”
“Combined with the background music, which has never been anything special in previous titles either, but now it's even worse than before, makes this game have absolutely zero immersion besides hearing the same recycled death, hit, explosion, and gunshot noises over and over again.”
- humor30 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of the AI, quirky animations, and unexpected moments of chaos. Many reviews note that the game's janky mechanics and over-the-top scenarios lead to hilarious experiences, especially when playing with friends. While some criticisms exist regarding bugs and voice acting, the overall sentiment is that the humor adds significant enjoyment to the gameplay.
“The first mission made me feel like I was back in the sandbox, lmao... and the fact that you can take direct control over your little guys and just punish people is hilarious and amazing.”
“Sure, anything is fun with friends, but even when the game gets janky, it's the funny kind of jank as opposed to the infuriating type that just wears you down over time.”
“There's room for improvement, there's a couple glitches here and there (donkeys walk backwards and funny sometimes :p) but the overall experience is great fun and entertaining, this is the main reason why I play video games.”
“I was really hoping for a game that would deliver some clever humor, but instead, I found it to be a dull and unfunny experience.”
“The jokes fell flat and the attempts at humor felt forced, making the game more frustrating than entertaining.”
“I expected a witty and engaging narrative, but the humor was so lacking that it made the gameplay feel tedious.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 66 % negative mentions
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive effort to unlock units and progress through missions. While some appreciate the mix of RTS and FPS mechanics, many feel that the micromanagement and repetitive tasks detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sentiment that the game could benefit from reducing the grind. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback, with some players suggesting it detracts from the game's potential fun.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“The story missions are filled with endless wave grinds that are more tedious than tactical.”
“Uninspired campaign missions that become insanely tedious thanks to aforementioned bullet sponges and crappy design.”
“The game now has a free-to-play option, but it requires grinding for units and lacks singleplayer.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive qualities reminiscent of war-torn settings, while others criticize it for lacking depth and clarity. While certain users find the audio and environmental design compelling, many express disappointment in the overall atmosphere, describing it as non-existent or diminished compared to previous installments. Overall, the game's atmosphere is seen as a significant factor that varies widely among players, impacting their enjoyment and engagement.
“Very atmospheric, like the gates of hell.”
“In general, CTA has a great atmosphere going for it, very much akin to Arma 2 BAF's Takistan with a mix of the Second Chechen War and the Middle East.”
“CTA is a very contemporary game; the atmosphere is relevant, the tech is modern, it’s faster-paced than its ancestor games, and it plays well. It retains a modified version of the ‘direct-control’ feature so beloved of the MOW franchise, and it is a very smooth-looking game all around.”
“Controls are clunky beyond belief, the vision of the game appears blurry at best, unit variety is very constricted, and the atmosphere is pretty much non-existent.”
“There is no atmosphere, no story, nothing.”
“I really love this game, just the atmosphere and audio for all of the guns makes this game an easy 9/10, but lowers drastically to a 3/10.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of humor and frustration regarding the emotional impact of the game. While some find joy in the gameplay mechanics, particularly in controlling characters, others feel disappointment and heartbreak over monetization issues and the emotional weight of certain missions, leading to a desire for catharsis. Overall, the emotional responses range from amusement to disillusionment, reflecting a complex relationship with the game's design and monetization strategies.
“I want to cry when I play the stealth missions.”
“Since Steam won't refund me, I looked into what could be done to help with my problems so I can achieve some sort of emotional catharsis and feel like my $15 was somewhat justified.”
“Coming all the way from Soldiers: Heroes of WW2 and Men of War, it's disappointing and heartbreaking to see entire factions paywalled by edition tiers, season passes, and the fact that loot boxes are present at all.”
