'Call of Duty: Ghosts' Review: Critics Split, But Will GTA V Boost Sales?

Will a German shepherd, a story-line written by former Oscar winner Steven Gaghan ("Traffic"), and a decade of success be enough to push "Call of Duty: Ghosts" beyond the incoming shadow of PlayStation 4 and X-Box One (set to be released later this month)?

Opinions are mixed on the recently released game. According to analyst P.J. McNealy of Digital World Research, Call of Duty's latest version will thrive on its reputation and the recent success of "GTA V," which sold nearly 30 million copies, according to USA Today.

"This franchise has been the biggest and best franchise in this console cycle," McNealy said. "The huge sell-in numbers for (GTA) bodes well for (Ghosts) coming in north of 25 million units."

Analyst P.J. McNealy of Digital World Research believes the impending release of PS4 (Nov. 15) and X-Box One (Nov. 22) might initially supplant potential buyers who wish to save their money for the new consoles, USA Today reported. He predicts sales could dip as much as 10 percent.

Whatever happens, "Ghosts" will satisfy COD fans looking for fresh story lines and characters, according to USA Today. Set sometime in the recent future after a disastrous attack on the United States, the game follows what's left of the Special Forces and the main character from previous versions, Logan. A "strong family element" was added with the presence of Logan's brother, Hesh, and his father, a commander. Players will also be able to access the unit's canine, Riley.

"We added a very strong family element," said COD's executive producer Mark Rubin. "That experience of how that plays out for you as a player really adds a new story depth."

"You always have to take risks to avoid franchise fatigue, and new stories are needed," said McNealy of the game's family ties.

For the first time ever, COD players will be able to build a female solider in the super popular online multi-player mode, an addition meant to satisfy the growing base of female players, according to USA Today. Online players can build their characters based on 20,000 different physical combinations.

Two new scenarios were created for online play. In one version, players face the computer in order to build their online skills, USA Today reported. In another, four players join together to fight off an alien invasion -- a semi-spin off from COD's last version in which users worked together to stave a zombie invasion.