Modern Warfare 2 is going to be too much for some people. Chock full of augmentable weapons and classes with deep customization possibilities, topped off with a gripping storyline that's already mired in controversy, it's also one of the greatest shooters of the year, if not the decade.
Modern Warfare 2 -- not last year's Call of Duty: World at War -- is the true sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Where World at War was a WWII documentary, Modern Warfare 2 is the action-packed blockbuster movie, right down to the musical soundtrack by Dark Knight composer Hans Zimmer. Game-changing weapons and equipment plus the tried and true gameplay of this generation's best shooter -- it doesn't get any better than this.
Taking place five years after the events in the first game, Modern Warfare 2 follows the rise of Vladimir Makarov, the new leader of the Ultranationalist movement, an organization dedicated to restoring Russia to Communist glory. Like the first game, players hop between roles as the story unfolds, including an Army Ranger (who sees first-hand how far Makarov is willing to go) and the core playable character, Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson. Players will scale mountains to infiltrate a Russian base, only to escape via snowmobile after all hell breaks loose, and scuba-dive underneath an oil rig to save hostages before breaking into a Russian gulag to rescue a mysterious prisoner. Other missions task players with chasing down arms dealers through a dilapidated stretch of Rio de Janeiro, and searching a cave network in Afghanistan for an even larger threat to homeland security. If it sounds extreme, it's designed that way.
Story and mission design are superb, offering plenty of exhilarating moments, and the new improved AI system makes fighting off enemies less predictable than in the previous game, but honestly, not much else has changed. Other than select weapons and equipment, the game plays virtually identically to Modern Warfare, a sore spot for those looking for the Next Big Thing (TM) in first-person shooters.
"Modern Warfare 2 is not a perfect game... but it's still one of the best we've ever played."
The single player campaign should yield anywhere from 6-10 hours of gameplay, but thankfully the experience doesn't end there. New to the Call of Duty series is Special Ops, a set of one-off missions that can be tackled solo or with a friend. Missions include objectives where players must neutralize terrorists or advance through an enemy-filled map. The maps themselves are mostly slices from the Modern Warfare 2 campaign, but with a few exceptions: notably, the AC-130 escort mission from COD 4: MW returns, this time co-op enabled. As a solo experience, Special Ops is a bit of a snooze and feels like a tacked on afterthought, but when engaged with another player it can be quite compelling. It's also a lot easier: downed players can be revived by one another.
But single player and Spec Ops are Modern Warfare 2's side dishes, and the competitive multiplayer is the main course -- and on the surface, it tastes a lot like it did last year. All the classic modes are back, with the addition of Demolition, which plays like Search and Destroy but with respawning, alongside a new but familiar Capture the Flag option. What's changed extensively is the level of customization around the classes taken into battle.
Weapons can be fitted with a variety of attachments, some of which replace perks from previous games, like Full Metal Jacket and Rapid Fire, which replace Deep Impact and Double Tap respectively. Perks are still the core of any class, but now they can be upgraded through use; shoot enough enemies with Sleight of Hand's reloading perk and be on the way to Sleight of Hand Pro which makes aiming down the sights faster. Even better, players can now pick and choose which killstreaks they are awarded, including UAVs, deployable sentry guns, harrier jets and even a game-ending tactical nuke, if a lucky shooter can reach 25 kills without dying.
Aside from the short single player game play with no co-op and lackluster solo Special Ops mode, there's not much else to gripe about with Modern Warfare 2. PC gamers may balk at the "console-ification" of the game, but it's all been streamlined in an attempt to improve playability. And while veteran fans will be disappointed to see some of their perks removed or re-assigned, the new system works much better in balancing newbies and elite players alike.
Yes, we'll spoil the day; Modern Warfare 2 is not a perfect game... but it's still one of the best we've ever played. Between its revamped multiplayer game and a thrilling albeit short single player game experience, it's completely worthy of its hype. Whether you prefer to play solo or fight it out with friends, fans of shooters everywhere should find something to like in Modern Warfare 2.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Posted: 10 Nov 2009
