A couple of weeks ago,Call of Dutyfans on PlayStation had exclusive access to theCall of Duty: Vanguardbeta, giving them the chance to try out new modes like Champion Hill and play on a few ofVanguard’s traditional multiplayer maps. While there were certainly some fan complaints, it seemed as though theCall of Duty: Vanguardbeta was well-received on PlayStation, for the most part. For the past five days or so, PC and Xbox players were also given the opportunity to try theCall of Duty: Vanguardbeta, and while it seemed a little more rough around the edges, it should leave fans feeling optimistic about the game.
TheCall of Duty: Vanguardbeta on Xbox started off with some troubles, specifically for those who were trying to play the game in 120Hz. Since 120Hz is one of the selling points of the next-generation consoles, it makes sense that someone with an Xbox Series X would want to playCall of Duty: Vanguardat 120Hz if given the option, but this resulted in a slew of graphical defects that made some matches virtually unplayable.
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TheCall of Duty: Vanguardgraphical defects on Xboxwere present when playing in 60Hz mode as well, though not nearly as prevalent. There were some other graphical problems encountered in the Xbox beta that we didn’t notice in the PlayStation version, particularly when it came to the new Champion Hill game mode.
While playing theCall of Duty: VanguardXbox beta, some fans encountered an issue on the Champion Hill mode that essentially allowed them to see through walls in specific parts of the map. One section of Champion Hill, where the hangars are, lets players climb a small watchtower to get a free life token. This provides a decent vantage point so players can see snipe enemies or get the drop on them, but the problem was that sometimes the rocks and objects players were using for cover would simply disappear.
This problem did not occur in everyCall of Duty: VanguardChampion Hill beta match, but it happened enough that it would be understandable if some fans were concerned about it. However, it seems likely that this is exactly the kind of problem thatdeveloper Sledgehammer Gameswould be looking for in a beta test like this, and so it would be surprising to see if it was still an issue onceCall of Duty: Vanguardlaunches in a couple of months.
Despite the technical issues that theCall of Duty: VanguardXbox beta experienced, it still delivered an entertaining time for fans, with fun game modes and well-designed maps. It’s clear thatCall of Duty: Vanguardstands a decent shot at delivering one of the more compellingCall of Dutymultiplayer experiencesin recent years, though the jury is still out as to whether or not it will match or surpass the 2019Modern Warfaregame.
Call of Duty: Vanguard Champion Hill
There are some other issues with Champion Hill that don’t apply strictly to the Xbox version that may need to be addressed before launch as well. While we didn’t run into nearly as many technical issues or graphical defects while playing theCall of Duty: VanguardPlayStation beta, Champion Hill itself has a fundamental flaw that may keep it from reaching its full potential, and that is its use of scorestreaks.
For those unfamiliar with theCall of Duty: VanguardChampion Hill mode, it plays somewhat like an evolution ofModern Warfare’s Gunfight, but uses a multi-match tournament structure and swaps the identical loadouts for customizable ones. Players start with a certain amount of cash and can get more money by performing well in matches, which they can then use to buy increasingly better weapons, perks, and scorestreaks.
Typically what happens is that, by the end of aCall of Duty: VanguardChampion Hill match, there is one team that is excessively overpowered when compared to all the others. So while all of the Champion Hill teams start out on an even-playing field, the balance starts to tip heavily to the point where the final matches are less about skill and far more about what the team can afford to purchase for the next round.
It seems like this balance issue could be fixed by removing some of the more egregiousCall of Duty: Vanguardscorestreaksthat players can purchase in Champion Hill. For example, theVanguardFlamenaut scorestreak gives an incredibly unfair advantage to whatever team manages to wield it, resulting in a lopsided fight where those opposing it basically have to hide until the Flamenaut disappears or else repeatedly march to their deaths, with little chance at effectively fighting back against it, especially when needing to focus on its teammates as well.
Betas like this are an opportunity for developers like Sledgehammer Games to figure out what works and what doesn’t, applying that feedback to improve the final release once launch day rolls around. So while the Xbox Series X version of theCall of Duty: Vanguardwas arguably less impressive than the PS5 version, chances are good that both versions will be up to snuff come November, with the bigger issues ironed out. ManyCall of Dutyfans have left theVanguardbeta feeling optimistic about this year’s game, so it will be interesting to see how it all turns out.
Call of Duty: Vanguardlaunches November 5 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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