"Modern Warfare 2" improves upon the original in just about every way imaginable, which is quite a feat in itself considering the near-universal appeal that "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" was met with. The latest iteration of "Call of Duty" isn't just the must-have game of the year, it's the pre-eminent FPS experience of this generation.
Unless you've been locked in a fallout shelter, you've probably heard of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2." With a massive ad campaign across practically every form of media known to man, Activision has positioned developer Infinity Ward's latest as the must-have game of the holiday season.
But despite all of the attention "Modern Warfare 2" has received -- both good and bad -- one question remains: Does the game live up to the hype? In a word, absolutely.
"Modern Warfare 2" improves upon the original in just about every way imaginable, which is quite a feat in itself considering the near-universal appeal that "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" was met with. The latest iteration of "Call of Duty" isn't just the must-have game of the year, it's the pre-eminent FPS experience of this generation.
For the sequel, Infinity Ward took a three-pronged approach to the first-person shooter, combining an action-packed single-player campaign, superb adversarial multiplayer and a new mode devoted solely to co-op players.
Let's start with the campaign. "Modern Warfare 2" takes place five years after the events in first game, and you quickly realize that the steps you took to ensure the world's safety have been for naught. A new threat has emerged and it's up to you to save the day again. But whereas the events in the original story were fairly grounded and within the realm of possibility, things soon take a turn for the ridiculous in the sequel. It's a small nitpick, but I really enjoyed the campaign in "Modern Warfare" more.
The campaign, which can be completed in under 10 hours on Veteran difficulty, is still filled with the unforgettable set pieces that the "Call of Duty" franchise is famous for, but a couple of notable changes have been made to the classic formula. Gone are the days of infinitely spawning enemies and brain-dead teammate AI. Your squad mates will now identify threats and call out bogeys with incredible accuracy, pointing out bad guys hiding behind cars and in windows. Despite this help, it's still up to the player to eliminate the majority of threats as the AI continues to have trouble shooting straight at times.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention a certain aspect of the campaign mode that has come under fire, the airport scene titled "No Russian." Yes, it is uncomfortable walking slowly through the terminal while murdering unarmed civilians, but that is the point. It is supposed to be uncomfortable. The purpose of the airport level is to show the despicable nature of the main antagonist and "No Russian" succeeds. Still, the level can be skipped altogether if you prefer.
If playing with others is your thing, "Modern Warfare 2" offers two separate modes to keep you busy. Multiplayer remains the most enticing portion of "MW2" as all of the popular game types in the original return. Overall, the new multiplayer maps are good, with a couple being true standouts. I'm partial to Favela, Estate and Derailed, but each map offers plenty of options regardless if you prefer to snipe or play more aggressively. I'm already looking forward to seeing what Infinity Ward has in store for downloadable maps. In addition to new weapons (like a riot shield) and perks (Ninja, anyone?), you now have the option to pick and choose your Killstreak rewards though I'm not sure I'll ever be good enough to warrant equipping anything above 10 kills. While I'd like to reel off 25 straight kills to get a game-ending tactical nuke, I know that's probably not going to happen. Thankfully the earlier rewards like the Predator missile strike and Harrier are quite effective.
Unless you've been locked in a fallout shelter, you've probably heard of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2." With a massive ad campaign across practically every form of media known to man, Activision has positioned developer Infinity Ward's latest as the must-have game of the holiday season.
But despite all of the attention "Modern Warfare 2" has received -- both good and bad -- one question remains: Does the game live up to the hype? In a word, absolutely.
"Modern Warfare 2" improves upon the original in just about every way imaginable, which is quite a feat in itself considering the near-universal appeal that "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" was met with. The latest iteration of "Call of Duty" isn't just the must-have game of the year, it's the pre-eminent FPS experience of this generation.
For the sequel, Infinity Ward took a three-pronged approach to the first-person shooter, combining an action-packed single-player campaign, superb adversarial multiplayer and a new mode devoted solely to co-op players.
Let's start with the campaign. "Modern Warfare 2" takes place five years after the events in first game, and you quickly realize that the steps you took to ensure the world's safety have been for naught. A new threat has emerged and it's up to you to save the day again. But whereas the events in the original story were fairly grounded and within the realm of possibility, things soon take a turn for the ridiculous in the sequel. It's a small nitpick, but I really enjoyed the campaign in "Modern Warfare" more.
The campaign, which can be completed in under 10 hours on Veteran difficulty, is still filled with the unforgettable set pieces that the "Call of Duty" franchise is famous for, but a couple of notable changes have been made to the classic formula. Gone are the days of infinitely spawning enemies and brain-dead teammate AI. Your squad mates will now identify threats and call out bogeys with incredible accuracy, pointing out bad guys hiding behind cars and in windows. Despite this help, it's still up to the player to eliminate the majority of threats as the AI continues to have trouble shooting straight at times.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention a certain aspect of the campaign mode that has come under fire, the airport scene titled "No Russian." Yes, it is uncomfortable walking slowly through the terminal while murdering unarmed civilians, but that is the point. It is supposed to be uncomfortable. The purpose of the airport level is to show the despicable nature of the main antagonist and "No Russian" succeeds. Still, the level can be skipped altogether if you prefer.
If playing with others is your thing, "Modern Warfare 2" offers two separate modes to keep you busy. Multiplayer remains the most enticing portion of "MW2" as all of the popular game types in the original return. Overall, the new multiplayer maps are good, with a couple being true standouts. I'm partial to Favela, Estate and Derailed, but each map offers plenty of options regardless if you prefer to snipe or play more aggressively. I'm already looking forward to seeing what Infinity Ward has in store for downloadable maps. In addition to new weapons (like a riot shield) and perks (Ninja, anyone?), you now have the option to pick and choose your Killstreak rewards though I'm not sure I'll ever be good enough to warrant equipping anything above 10 kills. While I'd like to reel off 25 straight kills to get a game-ending tactical nuke, I know that's probably not going to happen. Thankfully the earlier rewards like the Predator missile strike and Harrier are quite effective.
The big new addition to "Modern Warfare 2" is the Special Ops mode. Designed to be played co-operatively with a friend, Special Ops fits nicely between the structure found in the campaign and the frenetic nature of multiplayer. There's a nice variety to the missions, which range from challenges like eliminating a specific number of enemies to racing snowmobiles, and completing missions earns you stars which in turn unlock additional levels. There's several hours worth of gameplay to be had in this mode alone, and it's one of the more enjoyable co-op experiences available. "Modern Warfare 2" would have been terrific even without Special Ops, and its inclusion is icing on the cake.
The original "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and garnered countless Game of the Year honors, including my own. Those are some sizable combat boots to fill, but "Modern Warfare 2" delivers the goods. Infinity Ward has once again raised the bar for both first-person shooters and multiplayer gaming. "Modern Warfare 2" doesn't just live up to its lofty expectations, it exceeds them by miles.
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2"
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Available for: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($59.99)
Rating: M for mature
Score: 10/10
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