Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review

"Infinity Ward sticks with the winning formula to deliver another great online experience, but sadly ignores the single player once again."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Developer: Infinity Ward

Publisher: Activision

Release Date: November 10, 2009

Platforms: PS3, 360, PC

Genre: Modern First-Person Shooter

 

Lets not beat around the bush, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most anticipated games of 2009... and its finally here. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the predecessor of this year's release, was probably the most popular shooter since its release. The hype of the release has been massive, but does it live up to it's huge expectations. As expected, the graphics are top of the notch and the controls are as solid as ever.

 

The single player campaign takes you all over the world playing different characters in different situations. At one moment you might be escaping the Brazilian Militia, and the next moment you find yourself in a Siberian snowstorm, racing on snowmobiles. The biggest issue the original Modern Warfare had was that the campaign was the length. The whole game could be finished in about four to seven hours on regular settings. This doesn't change in the new Modern Warfare, which is a major disappointment to me. It has been crystal clear that the length of the single player mode was the biggest flaw the first game suffered. Infinity Ward went with a different approach. Instead of working on the length of the story, the developers focused on creating a story changing event in every mission in the game. The story resembles a high budget action flick, with a few plot twists and revenge around the corner. Its easy to say that the story mode is shallow, for lack of a better word. You will get a rush from the four hours of the campaign, but you will be left confused and wanting for more when its all said and done.

 

"Blasting through the snowy tundra proves to be both fun and challenging."

 

A new feature that Modern Warfare 2 offers is the Special Ops, which is the equivalent of a co-op mode. It is a little disappointing that there still is no co-op single player campaign, but this more than makes up for it. Specials Ops is a mode where you can go in by yourself, or with friends via LAN or Xbox Live/PSN. There are a variety of missions including survival and stealth based gameplay. Going in alone will burn some extra time once your done with the campaign, but the real meat of this mode is going in with a friend. Simply said, this is a very fun mode when your shooting bad guys and having a laugh or two with a close friend. Special Ops is a great installment, and I see great potential for this mode.

 

Of course, the thing that everyone is interested about is the multiplayer segment. To this date, Call of Duty 4's multiplayer is among one of the best online shooters created in terms of innovation and fun. The new online mode carries over the things we loved about the old game, and adds TONS of new content that will keep you busy. The core mechanics of the game are the same, giving you a sense of familiarity, but adding enough new content to mix up the gameplay. There are new maps, a whole new arsenal of weapons, secondary weapons, new equipment, new perks, new.... everything! If you think that Call of Duty 4 had a lot of challenges, your in a for a surprise. There are at least 15 times more challenges and accolades in this game.... and there is also 15 times more things to do online. I honestly can not see anyone getting all of the challenges and bonuses on the online mode. Speaking of challenges there are 3 new features small features that give you bragging rights online. You earn different emblems and titles based on what you do online. Lets say you kill four bomb carriers in a match of Search and Destroy. Preforming that task might give you a title or a new image called an emblem. You can choose which title and emblem you wish to display, and players can see your title and emblem in a lobby. This is a small tweak that goes a long way.

 

"If you enjoyed the first Modern Warfare, you won't want to miss out on this amazing experience"

 

The maps on the multiplayer are balanced and huge. You can explore every square inch of a map without getting a sense that the map is too large. The only problem with some of the maps is that they are sniper and noobtube friendly, but this is not the case with most of the maps. There are some recycled perks and brand new perks. The perks system allows you to choose your advantages, and if you achieve a challenge for one of the perks, you get a “Pro” version of the perk, giving you an extra advantage. There is no more “Overkill” perk, because you now have a secondary weapon. You get a choose between a pistol, an automatic firearm, a shotgun, and a grenade/rocket launcher. This adds a whole new dimension to the online play. If you are playing headquarters, you might want to equip a shotgun to blast foes in small rooms, and if you are playing a stealth based match like Search and Destroy you might want to pick up a rocket launcher to shoot down enemy UAVs, which can be vital.

There is also new equipment such as throwing knifes and sticky frags.

 

Overall the online gameplay is the headline of this game. Its nothing short of amazing, and I will guarantee you will never run out of things to do, and challenges to accomplish. It is one of the best online shooters to date, and this portion of the game certainly lives up to the hype.

 

You either love this game or you hate it. The single player falls flat on its face, but the multiplayer and Special Ops modes more than make up for it. If you are a fan of the franchise, or shooters in general, you won't want to miss out on this game. If you want a great story and single player focused game, you might want to look elsewhere.

 

Rating: 4.75/5