Call of Duty: Mobile is an upcoming first-person, free-to-play game from Activision and Tencent. Registered beta users are already checking out the game and helping developers with feedback. For those who are new to the game, or for those looking to know more before they start playing, here is a quick guide to get you started.
Right off the bat, the menu screen has options to choose the preferred mode of play – Zombies, Multiplayer and Battle Royale. Players may choose one of two firing modes – Simple Mode that allows automatic fire whenever your crosshair is pointed on an enemy. This may seem intuitive, but it eats up ammunition. There is a range limit option for hip-firing so that bullets don't go flying at enemies that are too far to get hit.
Advanced Mode has the classic tap-to-shoot element. Additionally, it allows players to tweak the default way to handle specific weapons, so you may choose to hip fire with shotguns or aim down the sights with assault rifles.
Read: How to download Call of Duty Mobile on Android?
Classes
You will be asked to choose a class to suit your playstyle. Six distinct classes offer special abilities such as sensor darts, grappling guns and toy bombs, which can be crucial for each game. The classes are Scout, Clown, Mechanic, Medic, Defender and Ninja. Players are free to change their class even in the lobby before the match starts.
| Class | Tech/Ability | Description |
| Scout | Sensor Darts;Tracker | Sensor darts mark the precise location of enemies within a specified range for a limited period of time. The tracker ability allows users to see the footprints of enemies to track them. |
| Clown | Toy bomb;Anti-zombie | Toy bombs can be used to distract hostiles by summoning zombies that will only attack them. The anti-zombie ability reduces the aggression distance of opponents' zombies. |
| Mechanic | EMP Drone;Engineer | EMP Drones create electromagnetic interference on hostile forces, disabling their tech. The engineer ability highlights vehicles, hostile traps, and other equipment. |
| Medic | Medic Station;Master Medic | Medic stations continuously heal teammates in the immediate vicinity. The Master Medic ability helps you heal more quickly and reduces the time it takes to revive allies. |
| Defender | Transform Shield;Reinforced | Transform Shields provide portable cover for three to four people. The Reinforced ability grants increased resistance to all damage, except for bullets. |
| Ninja | Grapple Gun;Dead Silence | Grapple Guns allow players to propel up and onto buildings across the landscape. The Dead Silence ability makes movements undetectable on the radar. |
Choosing the right class is vital, and a wholesome squad should ideally have members with distinct abilities to ensure a variety of support and offence manoeuvres. A Scout may use the sensor dart to mark enemies as a Clown summons zombies to keep them engaged while a Mechanic disables their equipment. A Ninja can then silently swoop in for a clean kill. Medics and Defenders can be a highly effective duo by enabling extended periods of firing while being healed.
Gameplay
The first thing you may notice is the sound of the weapons in-game. CoD: Mobile has more robust, genuine gun sounds than its counterparts. The graphics are decent. Weapons are highly detailed, but there is nothing to be held in awe. Hopefully, the final version of the game will be more graphically appealing.
Starting off in the battle-royale mode, you will find yourself in one of several dropships heading across the map. The same way as in PUBG: Mobile, players can choose when and where to drop. The game's environment features classic areas from the Modern Warfare and Black Ops series such as Estates, Nuketown and Sakura. These areas are scattered across the map, but the initial wingsuit jump is speedy enough to get you to your favourite spot in the very beginning.
From there, you can loot houses for supplies. The HUD is almost the same way as other mobile shooters – movement controls on the left and other commands on the right side. The game additionally has beacons to mark the locations of class ability upgrades. These upgrades also provide faster ability cooldowns.
Combat feels realistic with better camera movement than we have seen in previous mobile shooters. The character animations seem well fleshed-out and make the experience seem authentic. The way the gun moves as you dash will remind you of the original Call Of Duty experience. Call of Duty: Mobile brings more new mechanics into the scene with aerial vehicles.
Players can use helicopters to help their squad traverse large stretches in a short period of time and rain fire on unsuspecting enemies. These players should beware the lock-on rocket launchers that could spell doom even for masters. So if you're on the ground, make sure you stock those rocket launchers.
Multiplayer Mode
CoD: Mobile has a multiplayer mode with character customisation. You can change the outfit and backpack according to what you like. Players additionally have the ability to choose from one of six veterans in the Call of Duty franchise – Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish and John Price from the Modern Warfare series; Alex Mason and his son David "Section" Mason from Black Ops; and Thomas Merrick, the commander of the Ghosts from Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Like the special abilities in the battle-royale mode, this mode has Scorestreaks. Similar to other Call of Duty games, these grant items (such as UAVs, assault drones and remote-controlled missiles) as players score consecutive kills.
Furthermore, there are customizable loadouts so players can tweak the weapons and perks they start out with. Multiplayer features five playable modes:
- Free-For-All: Classic 8-player deathmatch without alliances.
- Team Deathmatch: Classic 10-player match with teams.
- Frontline: Defeat opposing teams from your base in a 10-player match.
- Hardpoint: 10-player mode where players hold a single position to score.
- Domination: Multiple points need to be captured in this 10-player mode.
Call of Duty: Mobile is published by Activision, the makers of the Call of Duty franchise. Its development is being done in association with Tencent, the creators of global sensation PUBG: Mobile. The game is expected to release for Android and iOS in the "coming months" according to the official website. Tests are ongoing in India.
