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Admit it – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been on most gamers' lists of must-have titles for quite some time now. Ever since the first trailer debuted earlier this year, there's been nothing but anticipation for Infinity Ward's sequel to its 2007 best-seller. As gameplay videos and tidbits were revealed, there was nothing Infinity Ward didn't reveal that didn't strengthen gamers' desire for Modern Warfare 2. Now, with months of the hype machine working overtime and with Modern Warfare 2 finally upon us, one question remains—does it measure up to gamers' expectations?
When a title as well put together as Modern Warfare 2 comes along, it should come as no surprise when the critics sing its praises. And while there is a lot to justifiably fall in love with here, one aspect which could have used a little more attention is the story. Modern Warfare 2's plot revolves around the US Army Rangers and Task Force 141 during what just might be the world's most devastating war. Picking up five years after the events of Modern Warfare, Captain 'Soap' McTavish (yes, he's a captain now) and informant Nikolai return to quell the impending threat from a Russian terrorist organization. You spend most of your play time as Sergeant "Roach" Sanderson, switching off as other characters as the story unfolds. The narrative is exciting and dramatic after a fashion, but it just isn't executed too well.
While Infinity Ward manages to capture the magnitude of the global conflict and includes a lot of elements to remind you that many lives are indeed at stake, it all just feels a bit rushed and underdeveloped at times, lacking the overall fluidity and pacing of its predecessor. Combine this with a rather abrupt ending and Modern Warfare 2's story seems like a bit of a missed opportunity. The good news is, that in spite of the plot's shortcomings, Infinity Ward has crafted a near-perfect FPS experience.
Graphically, Modern Warfare 2 is pure eye candy and you will not find a title with more attention to detail. Real-world locales such as Washington D.C., Moscow, and Rio de Janeiro (to name a few) are all beautifully rendered and are crafted with lush exterior environments and impressive interior design. Everything from the inventory of weapons to the photo-realistic blood effects are nothing short of gorgeous. But pretty graphics aren't all that make Modern Warfare 2 an engrossing experience; the voice acting is also superbly done. Quality work by professionals like Glenn Morshower and Keith David makes for a stylish and dramatic single-player experience. Infinity Ward has definitely gone to great lengths to make the single-player campaign as enjoyable as possible. In addition to stunning artwork and grade-A sound, the developers effectively create the fear that comes with acts of terrorism. Without giving away too many details, there are moments in this game which really push the video game medium to terrifying and frightfully realistic places.
Gameplay contributes to this by making the game a rollercoaster ride of bullets and adrenaline. Once the action takes hold of you, it simply refuses to let go. Missions are extremely engaging and varied, leaving little room for a break; one moment you'll be attacking a convoy in Afghanistan, the next you'll be escaping Brazil without so much as a gun to defend yourself. The AI has seen an obvious upgrade as enemy soldiers will act and react with nothing but survival in mind. Luckily, there's an arsenal of weaponry to dispose of such riff-raff. As far as overall mechanics go, a lot has remained unchanged aside from some streamlining. A refined HUD, for example, consolidates all the information you need to know and confines it to the lower right-hand portion of the screen.
When Infinity Ward set out to create Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer, they dedicated a separate team solely to improving the multiplayer experience. This team took into account both what previously worked and what didn't work so well – building upon the game's strengths and trimming the fat. The result of this is that the amount of available guns and attachments has nearly doubled since the last Modern Warfare, creating a nearly limitless number of combat options. Other positive effects are seen in the Killstreak and Perk systems.
Killstreaks have returned and with Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward's refined the entire system. Killstreak rewards can now be entirely customized, allowing you to set the order in which the abilities are executed as you mow down opposing players. Along with old favorites like UAV and Airstrike comes a whole new batch of abilities to play with. Care Package and Emergency Airdrop deliver packages onto the battlefield which can be picked by anyone, including the enemy. Package recipients are then rewarded with a random Killstreak attack unit (regardless of their current streak of kills) or a supply of ammunition. Further, you can call upon Stealth Bombers to carpet bomb a targeted area and use a Tactical Nuke, granting your team an instant victory – that is if you are skilled enough to get 25 kills without dying. Both sides can also now call in airborne vehicles at the same time, once again reinforcing the intensity of the game's real-world approach. With 10 Killstreaks in total, there's a tangible sense of excitement as every online player scrambles to put these abilities to use. In addition to the Killstreak improvements, MW2 introduces Deathstreaks, a feature which rewards those who have been killed too many times in a row. It sounds like a pity feature but it goes a long way to helping newcomers feel a little less intimidated.
Perks, the meat and potatoes of Modern Warfare's multiplayer gameplay, can now be upgraded, adding a new level of depth to the multiplayer fun. With these upgrades comes a new batch of options to experiment with, allowing you to create the most efficient military soldier. For instance, Marathon leads to Marathon Pro, granting you an unlimited sprint and allowing you to get over obstacles faster, and Lightweight/Lightweight Pro allow you to move quickly/quickly aim your weapon after sprinting. Other perks include Ninja/Ninja Pro for those who wish to move around undetected and SitRep/SitRep Pro which reveals enemy explosives and Tactical Insertions.
If you think this sounds like a lot of multiplayer changes, you're right. You'll be constantly surprised by how much content Infinity Ward has tossed into the game's online component. Even little details such as tags can be customized with unlockable icons, adding a bit of that personal touch to your profile. A Winning Kill Camera has also been added to Deathmatches, highlighting the round's final kill in slow motion, which is especially fun if the last kill is something like getting a knife in the face from across an empty courtyard. With such a robust and versatile experience, expect multiplayer to consume a great deal of your free time – when you're not playing co-op Special Ops, that is.
Special Ops is a fantastic addition to the franchise – just don't expect it to be anywhere near as addictive as Call of Duty: World at War's Zombie Mode. In this co-op mode, you have the choice of enlisting the help of a friend, via online play or split-screen, or going at it solo. While the difficulty is toned down if you decide to try it all by yourself, the missions are geared for cooperative play and are much more enjoyable if played with a friend. Whereas World at War's Zombie Mode was about mindless fun, Special Ops is more cerebral and relies heavily on communication between you and your teammate. There are 23 missions to tackle and the difficulty escalates to insane levels as you proceed. If you like a challenge, then Special Ops will keep you and a determined friend busy for a while.
Modern Warfare 2 is a marvel of a gaming experience. This sequel takes what was great about the original masterpiece and improves on it in almost every way possible. Infinity Ward has started a real revolution here by creating Modern Warfare 2—a game that while not perfect, is as close to gaming perfection as anyone can get.
Fun Factor: Varied missions and weaponry make for some of the best military combat this generation has ever seen.
Difficulty: Even on the standard setting, you will find the advanced AI to be a bit on the devious side.
Length: The single-player campaign can be completed in about 10-15 hours.
On the Negative Side: Story is a tad underdeveloped. Some favored weapons from the original are absent.
Bang for your Buck: The multiplayer alone is worth both your time and money. The single-player and co-op modes are insanely fun and easily live up to the hype.
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