Cal of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

It not often that a game is released and right up to the day that the sequel is launched that thousands of gamers all over the world are still playing it as devoted as they were when they first bought it. Its also not very often a game commands such a high retail price for such a long period of time but such was the success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare that gamers just couldn’t get enough of Infinity Wards critically acclaimed shooter. The much anticipated sequel has finally arrived and amidst some controversy as well as the launch events in London and the USA its finally time to get our hands on the game and let you know our thoughts on what has been tipped to be the game of a console generation.

The single player campaign continues exactly where the first Modern Warfare left off only 5 years in the future and with Zakhaev dead, Russian ultranationalists have siezed control of Russia and as with all break away factions they announce that Zakhaev is a hero and his death is to be avenged. Taking this literally a former lieutenant of Zakhaev named Vladamir Markhov stages a series of terror campaigns against targets in the U.S. and Europe. Playing several character roles you are part of Task Force 141 the name of the multinational special forces deployment group who have the unhealthy job of trying to track down Markhov and stop him in his tracks or at least that’s the plan.

The campaign begins much as it did with the first Modern Warfare but this time set in Afghanistan, however the general idea is the same and this time the ‘Killing House’ is replaced by ‘The Pit’ and serves to show you the game controls and then through a timed obstacle course to shoot various targets and get out. Its a necessity for the newcomers but never the less the spin that has been put on it is effective and although the Call of Duty veterans know whats coming its still fun. From there on in the story starts to unfold and after a few skirmishes the pace begins to build but its not until you are about halfway through the campaign that the game really seems to come to life from a story point of view but the game itself is played from start to finish at a very fast pace. You barely get time to breath and it almost feels like you are being pulled through the game rather than being in control of the speed yourself. Modern Warfare 2 is more about action and the gaming experience is more like an action movie that Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger would all be proud of playing the lead role. Its a hailstorm of bullets that never relent mixed with action sequences that have never been attempted before in the Call of Duty series. I am not for one minute saying its not an enjoyable experience but its so much different than anything the franchise has seen before and not what you might be expecting, although what I would say is that the story is typical of an American blockbuster movie, totally unrealistic, totally over the top but makes you want to see it through to the end.

The other very noticeable aspect of the game play is the endless spawning of the enemies that has become a trademark of all Call of Duty games, only the difference here seems to be that the invisible lines that existed in previous Call of Duty games are less apparent although enemies do seem to spawn from areas you have already cleared which for some reason feels rather odd and can be annoying at times. The is also the now notorious airport scene which can be opted out at the beginning of the campaign and whilst it is meant to show the evil side of the story’s main protagonist it really doesn’t serve any purpose. It would have been quite easy for Infinity Ward to make the start of the level immediately after the lift opens as a cut scene and then once the armed forces show up go into the interactive element. I suppose what has been attempted here is a game defining moment but really it only serves to act as an opening scene to the level and from a gaming challenge point of view you don’t even have to fire a bullet and the game will drag you through the area which I would suspect in the real world would have your terrorist buddies feeling rather suspicious of your motives.

The single player campaign is going to take around 6 hours to complete depending on your skill but lovers of single player gaming can continue with the Special Ops missions. Small bite size chunks of the campaign have been adapted with either offensive or defensive objectives where stars are awarded based on the skill level chosen and the outcome of the mission. Winning more stars will unlock more missions which are catergorised as Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo and each level will not only increase in difficulty but also provide different styles of challenges. Their is also the ability to play cooperatively and to be honest this is the best way to play. Special Ops mode is a welcome addition and one which has been added after so many gamers enjoyed the ‘Mile High Club’ level which ended the previous Modern Warfare title.

With all the single player gaming out the way its time to move onto multiplayer and this is where the game excels in every department and its fair to say that before I go into detail it is the best FPS multiplayer console game to date. The online experience is simply brilliant and Infinity Ward have tweeked and honed what they already had and listened to the fan base via feedback and delivered an awesome gaming experience. The style of the game is much as the first with the increase in rank unlocking further weapons, perks and challenges but the depth of unlockable features is unbelievable.

Deathstreak’s and rewards have been added to give you that leg up when your not doing so well and after four deaths you will be awarded a one off use of martydom, following this you can then steal your killer’s Class abilities during the Killcam sequences and if your still keen to progress your skills at dying then you will eventually be awarded more health for a short period of time. The opposite of this of course is Killstreaks and the rewards that go with them and there is 15 in total from UAV assistance to Turret placement and even Airstrikes and again they are all very well thought out and balanced so careful use can change the course of the battle.

As for game modes its all the usual suspects with the addition of Capture the Flag to the Modern Warfare series as well as Demolition which see’s the offensive team trying to plant a bombs at two different sites simultaneously whilst the defenders are obviously trying to prevent it. For those that advance through the ranks their is also the ability to play game types in 3rd person perspective and whilst it’s not going to appeal to everyone its a sign that Infinity Ward are looking at new possibilities. With 16 maps, customisable loadouts, challenges, perks and the way its all been brought together its clear to see how much effort that has been put into designing the multiplayer aspect of Modern Warfare 2. Even the matchmaking facility has been improved with the game searching for the lowest ping and putting you in the best possible game with and then monitoring this during play and if required moving you to a more suitable game without dumping you back to the menu screen. Its a great idea and one which on a personal level has been needed in online gaming for sometime, hopefully others will take note.

In summary Modern Warfare 2 is an extremely enjoyable game and the single player campaign although short does show signs of a change of direction with its movie like action sequences which deviate from the norm, the airport scene although very graphic remains a mystery as to why it even exists as a gameplay moment and as I said it could have been done via a cut scene. The multiplayer cannot be praised enough and its this that raises the bar and sets a new standard for the FPS genre and will provide gamers with enough to keep them going until Infinity Ward offer their next game to the masses, will it be Modern Warfare 3, wait and see.

Lost Gamer Verdict: 9/10