Vortex and z4mbu Interviewed - Reacting to Battalion 1944

You've all heard what Paradigm6 has to say about the upcoming title of Battalion 1944, that is, on the 1st February. You can check that interview out right here. Following that interview, we decided to ask a few players about the game, and we've managed to do so with two formidable local competitors, each related in someway to COD2. Let's hear from those who could be potentially playing the title this year on a competitive level. We'll start with Cyril "Vortex" Coppini and his replies. 

To begin, we'll start with an introductory question to familiarise yourself with our readers. Please describe your history as an eSports player in Malta, having especial detail on your relationship with the title of Call of Duty 2.

It all started back in 2008 when I was just 15 years old. Some of my schoolmates were all talking about how CoD2 was such a fascinating game and of course I wanted to give it a go myself. By doing so I entered in the "esports" world and before you know it, I started playing more regularly and I also started trying out and  playing new games which caught my interest such as FIFA (which I still play competitively) , Battlefield , Overwatch, Pubg and so on. Although I personally love CoD2, there were some periods when I stopped playing it because no one was organizing LAN events (long before gamers.com.mt was even a thing) and also when there was a huge hype going on about Overwatch (so I decided to train Overwatch instead).

Going back to CoD2 after a year of constant practice in Overwatch, was not as easy as people might think. I was used to the fast gameplay that Overwatch offers, so it felt a bit strange to play CoD2 again as it is quite a slow paced game especially in comparison with Overwatch, however I was delighted with the turn of events because I had the opportunity to try and win a major CoD2 competition!

2.) Call of Duty 2 was resurrected in the community last year; as Gamers.com.mt re-introduced the game in the Malta Cyber Series #3 and the largest event of the year - the GO MESF 2017. What was your initial reaction to this inclusion? Looking back now, reveal your thoughts on Call of Duty 2 in 2017.

Well, to tell you the truth I was not that surprised about the inclusion of CoD2 because my friend Vexin created a poll on the gamers.com.mt CoD2 facebook page and there was a very good response, hence CoD2 was re-introduced to the Malta Cyber Series #3. Since Battalion 1944 was announced long before the Malta Cyber Series #3, CoD2 players considered these two events as a stepping stone to prepare for the new title which is going to be released in February.

3.) Gamers.com.mt is clearly eyeing Battalion 1944; the apparent successor to Call of Duty 2 in terms of gameplay and community feedback. Bringing it to our shores would definitely be interesting and relevant. What are your impressions of the new title, especially after the beta recently? Have you had the chance to play the game yet?

Yes, I played Battalion 1944 and I have to say that things are looking very sharp and promising regarding the overall gameplay. It is true that the game needs some tweaking in some aspects but in my humble opinion, Battalion 1944 has all the requirements needed to be one of the top titles in the eSports scene (dedicated servers, balanced weapons, map design etc).

4.) Our last question. Bringing back Call of Duty 2 last year wasn't too attractive for youngsters starting out as individual competitors due to reason of aged mechanics and a fast-moving modern selection of games which would rather be played - but Battalion 1944 looks to change that with contemporary graphics alongside refurbished content. What potential do you see in the title for Malta?

Battalion 1944 can be that game that attracts both old school gamers and new gamers to play the same game. I think that if us Maltese gamers put enough effort in this game and train hard, we can compete with any foreign top tier clan.

Let's turn the page to see what Mike "z4mbu" Saliba had to say in response to the same questions.