New Call of Duty: Vanguard gameplay footage was finally revealed during Gamescom 2021’s Opening Night Live, conducted by Geoff Keighley.
The trailer primarily showcased the battle of Stalingrad, with Polina Petrova as the main protagonist. Voice by Laura Bailey, Polina is a nurse turned soldier in the footage – who fights through waves of incoming German soldiers as the decor crumbles around her.
“What really grabbed me when I began playing Polina is that she is fearless,” Laura Bailey said when asked about the character she played. “She has nothing left to lose, so she’s able to commit herself completely to the mission at hand. Nothing can scare her. Nothing could make her turn away.” Polina Petrova then ends up taking arms to become “one of the deadliest snipers the war had seen.”
As expected, the Call of Duty: Vanguard gameplay trailer included some crisp graphical fidelity, as well as the usual feel-good gun impact we are accustomed to with these games. It still remains to be seen whether this iteration will bring in any significant gameplay tweaks, however. Activision was clearly flexing some financial muscle when showing off details related to a crumbling Stalingrad – when the bombing initially began. The flying debris and blood spillage, in particular, were a feast for the eyes.
Vanguard Gameplay Reveal: More Focused Stories
Call of Duty: Vanguard aims to bring attention to a different side of World War II: the stories related to special operations groups. While previous World War-related Call of Duty games focus on large-scale battles on the field, Vanguard seems to be a lot more intimate in its approach. The developers wish to bring forward stories of special ops veterans and integrate the nervousness of those war scenarios into the gameplay.
Once again, Activision’s logo and name were missing from the Vanguard Gamescom gameplay trailer, further underlining the publisher’s wish to distance itself from the release. With the company still in hot waters, it remains to be seen whether Call of Duty: Vanguard will be enough to up the company’s name in the eyes of the public.
Call of Duty: Vanguard is set to release on November 5, 2021 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
