It's back to the Second World War for the fifth installment of the Call of Duty series, which hit an all-time high with last year's chart-topping modern iteration. While creators Infinity Ward aren't back to develop this fifth game, the same engine is being used to run this surprisingly impressive shooter. Even if you're wary of the wartime setting, Call of Duty: World at War promises much more than generic Nazi-shooting action. Our hands-on with the game proves a lot of thought is going into crafting a worthwhile sequel.

Unlike the first three installments of the franchise that had you traversing the Western front in opposition to German forces, World at War spans both Pacific and European battlefields. The Pacific campaign opens on the beaches of Makin where American naval forces have begun assaulting Japanese-occupied isles in the southern seas. You play as a soldier that has been captured, forced to watch your buddy meet a bloody end after he refuses to divulge information to a Japanese officer. You're about to follow in his grisly demise when an American squad saves you from death, prompting you to pick up a rifle and start fighting.

Immediately noticeable is the change in setting. Sure, we know that the jungles of the Pacific isles are a dramatic departure from the bombed-out countryside of France, yet there's a more meaningful difference in the level design. Areas are wide open, letting you chart your own path through missions instead of being restricted to a specific, linear road. For example, equipping a flame thrower opens up the possibility of burning through thick jungle. Maybe this helps you flank a Japanese machine gun nest or bypass it altogether. Perhaps you'd rather just take on the machine gun head-on--it's your call.

The Japanese prove to be a distinct enemy, one that is markedly different from the German foe. Guerilla tactics play a larger role in their fighting style, which comes across quite vividly in the brutal action of World at War. Instead of openly defending a machine gun or taking cover behind a line of sandbags, Japanese forces will hide in bushes and take sniping positions up in trees. This is a more challenging game than any of the previous World War II installments of the series, falling more in line with the tough tactics of last year's game.