Of course, the mode most synonymous with the Call of Duty series is its multiplayer, and Infinity Ward has played it incredibly safe this year round. Rather than trying out something completely new and outlandish, the game adopts many of the systems already in place in Black Ops 3. Wallrunning and knee-sliding moves are back, the class loadout systems are the same (apart from the inclusion of Combat Rigs) and many of the Scorestreak options feel like its predecessor’s, just with a futuristic twist.

Combat Rigs and Mission Teams are the two most notable additions on top of last year’s offerings. The former are essentially preset classes that you must base your weapons loadout on. Each one has a unique trait and payload which are moves or abilities directly related to each rig’s forte. For example, Warfighter is an assault class rig outfitted for operating in a variety of situations, whereas the Merc class is all about heavy defense and suppressive fire. Rigs are far more than just another way to give players more variety, as they introduce a strategic element too. You’ll not only have to pick the Rig best suited to your own strengths, but work with your teammates to support one another with your combined traits and abilities. Working as a team feels far more effective when Combat Rig choices are varied in a team, and it makes for more interesting games.

Mission Teams, on the other hand, provide a range of challenges for players to work through as they play. As you complete these challenges and earn XP, you’ll level up your Mission Team. As this increases, you’ll then gain access to weapons exclusive to that particular team. It’s another fun way to keep gameplay varied, as the objectives on offer feel uncommon enough to have you changing the way you play, but not too far so that they hinder your overall performance.

As a whole, Infinite Warfare’s multiplayer is more or less what you’d expect it to be. A Call of Duty multiplayer with a unique futuristic twist to proceedings. Map locations are for the more part taken straight from campaign locations and are expertly designed to have players learning the layouts and wallrunning to their heart’s content in no time. That’s not the only multiplayer offering Infinite Warfare has, though.

Rounding off the package is Zombies in Spaceland – a 1980s twist on the traditional zombies gameplay that sees four actors thrown into a zombie-infested amusement park. While the basic gameplay fundamentals remain the same, Zombies in Spaceland tries to open the mode up to newcomers and those who want to run through it on their own. There are a bunch of tutorials to run you through literally every element of Spaceland, the map is easy to navigate, and it’s difficulty ramps up much later compared to previous titles.

Spaceland’s Fate and Fortune cards is a neat new addition allowing players to customize a selection of five cards each with a different ability that can be used one at a time throughout the duration of a game. These range from things like earning double money for a minute, or windows automatically barricading themselves again when damaged for a round. It’s a neat new twist that certainly comes in handy during the later rounds for sure. What’s important to remember about Spaceland is it’s still a zombies game and as such, it’s filled with fun little secrets and distractions to keep you occupied in between shooting zombies in the face. There’s a robot you can build that offers additional challenges, and a cameo appearance from David Hasselhoff.

As a complete package, Infinite Warfare is a good game. Though I wasn’t sold on the futuristic setting for the campaign, it still showed promise for the future of the franchise when it comes to storytelling and character development. And while its multiplayer feels far safer than the disappointing experience to be had in Ghosts, Zombies in Spaceland is one of the most enjoyable incarnations of the mode since its inception both when you’re playing with friends and alone. It’s not the quantum leap fans may have hoped for, but it’s a solid starting point for future expeditions.

Score: 3.5/5 – Fair