“Every year there is one major video game release that nearly every person in the world is waiting for, this year that honor goes to Modern Warfare 2, from publisher Activision and developer Infinity Ward. MW2 is part of the infamous and long-living Call of Duty franchise – which had its beginnings in World War 2 and has since moved onto current day conflict. The first Modern Warfare was one of the best all-around first-person shooters ever created, a game that still sits atop the Xbox LIVE charts each month, and number 2 looks to bring a whole new experience to Xbox 360 gamers. There are a number of different retail packages to choose from when you go to pick-up your copy of Modern Warfare 2 on November 10, 2009; don’t worry too much as they all include the bare-essentials, what I am calling the trifecta of gaming perfection. The first, and most important part of the experience is the single-player campaign; number two goes to a strong multiplayer showing; and last but not least is something completely new to the MW franchise, Spec-Ops mode.

Let’s start our journey through the awesomeness that is Modern Warfare 2 by looking in detail at the single-player campaign mode, what most would consider the meat-and-potatoes of any successful video game. The story revolves around many of the same characters you have come to know and love from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Soap, etc.) – as well as some all-new badass ones (see Ghost for best in-game personality ever). There is a large variety of level-locations in the game, taking players from sunny Brazil to the snow all the way to war-torn Washington D.C. in the United States. I don’t want to give any actual plot-elements away in this review but the one suggestion I will make it to start your first play-through on “Hardened” difficulty as you can always move it down during play if it becomes too difficult. The one and only gripe that you will hear about Modern Warfare 2 is the length of the campaign, clocking in around 7 hours on normal difficulty, however if you bump it up to the most realistic and enjoyable setting of “Veteran” the campaign takes much longer, well over ten hours on average. I believe it was for this reason that the developers decided to include my personal-favorite aspect of MW2: Spec-Ops mode.

There is no form of “story-mode” co-op in Modern Warfare 2, instead Infinity Ward decided to change the formula up a bit and include Spec-Ops (a form of challenge mode that can be played split-screen or via Xbox LIVE with a total of two players). There are five challenges per stage, each with three levels of difficulty and up to three stars to earn per result. The goal is to unlock all challenges and garner perfect three-star ratings in each and every one, the challenge are different from one to the next, even in the same grouping. A couple examples are sniper cover from the top of a building, running the “pit” challenge course, racing snow mobiles down a mountain, and covering your buddy via helicopter turret. Spec-Ops ads a great amount of re-playability to Modern Warfare 2 and helps ease the pain of not having story co-op (per COD: World at War). As we mentioned before players have the option of playing with their buddy locally or with one other player over the internet via Xbox LIVE; split-screen was an excellent addition and we are glad to see it make an appearance in the game.

Going back to the single-player story mode it has to be said that the writers at Infinity Ward have crafted one of, if not the single best, pieces of video game entertainment of all time. The story flows in and out of mission-orders and briefing tools, letting the player take over control for the major plot points. There are more twists and turns than some entire game franchises feature, oh and don’t get too attached to any specific character because this is a tragic story even Quentin Tarantino would be proud of. The gameplay that any gamer familiar with the first Modern Warfare will become instantly comfortable with is back in full force as the main building block of the sequel. For a first-person shooter it does everything right. Infinity Ward has mastered the techniques and Modern Warfare 2 is their shining glory, in the 40+ hours I have spent with the game I never once felt like I was cheated in some way by the control mechanics or computer AI. If the first Modern Warfare is something to trust it’s the multiplayer portion of this game that will truly set the world on fire and provide hundreds of hours of fun.

All the normal MP game modes (team deathmatch, capture the flag, etc.) are available in Modern Warfare 2 – as well as a couple unique additions such as third-person mode. The completely upgraded perk and killstreak systems (UAV, ammunition, AC-130, or even an atomic bomb), customization options, and redesigned level setup help complete what has to be the most complete multiplayer experience gamers will ever see. A lot of the new “challenge rewards” found in Modern Warfare 2 have something to do with the class system, and how the player uses their chosen class to help the team win each match. The ranking system is back and comes into play a lot more this time around, controlling exactly what upgrades a player can use at what time, helping give reasons to play online. There is so much amazing stuff jam-packed on this disc I have a hard time finding negative things to say about it, and every time I do it is followed quickly by a “but for” statement. For a more detailed breakdown of the multiplayer aspects of Modern Warfare 2 be sure to check out our hands-on impressions by clicking here.

Graphically Modern Warfare 2 sets a bar so high that our industry will look to it as a blueprint of what can be done on next-gen systems visually. The developers found a perfect balance between realistic and entertainment (just wait until you play-through the airport level) that there were points during our review period that we actually forgot we weren’t watching a HD movie. The lighting effects and character models have been upgraded from 2007’s outing, and the draw-distance is beyond incredible. MW2 campaign also features one of the greatest designed and looking levels seen to date; the Brazil “ghetto” level includes a color palate that will leave you drooling. As with so much else in the game the audio is near perfect; everything from the sound effects to the epic musical score just screams quality. At the end of the day Modern Warfare 2 is everything we were hoping it would be, from the “that did not just happen” moments to the refined gameplay mechanics, to the all-new Spec-Ops mode – it’s as near perfect as any video game has gotten up to this point. The reason the game didn’t score a perfect 10 is because there is always something better to develop, and the lack of a longer SP campaign and MP story co-op drops it a smidgen. To be honest this is the highest score that PlanetXbox360.com as ever given out and we are completely OK with it going to Modern Warfare 2 – if you own an Xbox 360 there is every reason to go buy it, right now.”

Related posts:

1. Modern Warfare 2 Review from GamingBolt
2. Modern Warfare 2 Review from Yahoo Games
3. Modern Warfare 2 Review from CSMonitor.com

After you complete the Modern Warfare 2 singleplayer campaign you will be shown a real funny and creative ending credits. But if you (like many others) jumped directly into multiplayer and haven’t touched the singleplayer campaign, check it out.

The Museum is actually a level you can play. Once you’ve completed the MW2 singleplayer campaign you can go to “mission select” and select  “Museum” from the list. You better grab some guns when you’re sightseeing, because when you press the “DO NOT PRESS” at the front desk everyone comes alive – and let’s just say they’re not happy to see you… I’ve tried it on veteran myself and it’s not easy, I tell you that.

After fighting them off you can hear an unlock-sound (like when you get an UAV) but I haven’t been able to figure out what it is you unlock… When you walk into the room again everyone is back at their original spot.

Thanks to everyone for making fun of me that I actually didn’t see that bell before ; )

Original Source: ModernWarfare247.com

Related posts:

1. Full MW2 Achievement List
2. Modern Warfare 2’s Custom Killstreaks Detailed
3. Modern Warfare 2 Review from CSMonitor.com

“As one of the most critically acclaimed shooters of all time, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a prime example of a tough act to follow. Yet, amidst a raging storm of anticipation and expectation, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has done it. The new campaign is chock-full of intense action and dramatic moments, and though it is more muddled than its predecessor (in more ways than one), it’s still an absolute blast. The new Special Ops mode allows you to experience some campaign-inspired thrills with a friend and it’s an engaging challenge to coordinate your maneuvers and tackle the varied objectives. Last but not least, the competitive multiplayer that took the online shooter community by storm two years ago is back and better than ever. Though the addictive action remains the same at its core, there are a host of new elements that make it more accessible, more strategic, and more rewarding. This all adds up to a thoroughly excellent package that is sure to thrill shooter fans and deprive them of sleep for months to come.

The campaign picks up where its predecessor left off, and there’s a new violent ultranationalist terrorist on the scene. Once again, you play as a few different soldiers who are part of the effort to make the world a safer place. Your missions take you around the world to a number of exotic locations and engage you in a variety of different conflicts, ranging from stealthy and silenced to crowded and cacophonous. The action is smooth and exhilarating, thanks to sharp shooting and movement mechanics that allow you to be as quick and deadly as your skills permit. Environments are well-designed and detailed, though many textures don’t look particularly good upon close inspection. Modern Warfare 2 isn’t a beautiful game, but it looks great in action. The diverse levels not only provide varied sights, but they are cleverly designed to allow the action to flow at an exciting pace. Opportunities for cover and flanking present themselves naturally, allowing you to move through the battlefield in a variety of fluid ways. The aggressive enemy AI will keep you on your toes, and success is hard-earned and satisfying.

Modern Warfare 2’s campaign, like that of its predecessor, is quite short, and you’ll likely finish it in about five hours. Though it is disappointing that there isn’t more of it, what you do get is a relentless barrage of tight combat and thrilling set pieces. In one early level, you man the turret of a Humvee patrolling the claustrophobic streets of a Middle Eastern city. Enemies seem to be behind every corner, but you are ordered not to fire until fired upon. The tension builds, and once you are engaged by the enemy, all hell breaks loose. After a hectic (and unsuccessful) flight from danger, you end up fighting door-to-door in the streets and ruined buildings. This frantic combat ratchets up when you head to the slums of Rio de Janeiro, and reaches a whole new level when you find yourself engaged in similarly intense firefights on the grassy lawns and paved driveways of suburban America. The fight on the homefront has some very cool moments, but it doesn’t mean you’re done adventuring abroad. A dramatic prison rescue, a marine infiltration, and a snowmobile chase are just some of the other exhilarating moments that make this campaign so enjoyable.

Though completing the campaign is an intensely satisfying and exciting endeavor, you may not feel very triumphant when all is said and done. Modern Warfare 2 features some dark plot turns, and your missions sometimes have drastic unintended consequences. In one mission in particular, you infiltrate a terrorist cell and are called upon to do the kind of things that terrorists do. What follows is a neutered attempt at portraying the grim reality of terrorism, and concessions are put in place here and elsewhere to keep the plot from getting too dark. Despite these limits, the scene in question is undeniably disturbing and it undermines your sense of having the moral high ground. The game gives you the option to skip this particular level entirely, but the shocking consequences of this grim mission ripple throughout the game, making it difficult to feel like a hero. Subsequent developments further muddle your overall objective, and it doesn’t help that many of the subtleties and connecting threads are mumbled during voice-overs between missions. The plot ends up being a bit disorienting, and you may get the feeling that, rather than being the tip of the spear, you are just along for the ride.

If you’re looking for some campaign-style action unburdened by any sort of plot, then Special Ops is the place to go. The timed missions are campaign excerpts from Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that you can play solo or with a friend, either split-screen or online. The missions cover a variety of objectives, which include surviving waves of enemies, moving from point A to point B stealthily (or not), eliminating a certain number of enemies, and racing snowmobiles. You earn a rating based on your completion time or difficulty level and unlock new missions as you progress. Though the missions will adjust to allow you to play solo, Special Ops missions are made to be played cooperatively. Two guns are better than one when clearing out a crowded slum full of enemy combatants, and coordinating a simultaneous sniper attack is much more fun when you are counting down with a buddy. There are also a few missions in which one player uses an airborne vehicle-mounted gun to clear the path for the other player on the ground, and these are frantic and explosively awesome. There is no matchmaking, however, so if you don’t have any friends online and need a teammate, you’ll have to go fishing in the multiplayer lobbies. As is the nature of cooperative play, missions can fall flat if teammates don’t communicate or go off on their own. It can be tough to find a communicative teammate who is willing to let one player take point, but it is certainly worth the effort. When you have a strong team assembled, cooperative play is uniquely fun, and Special Ops provides a great variety of engaging missions.

Of course, you could completely ignore both the campaign and cooperative modes and be perfectly happy with Modern Warfare 2. The insanely addictive, intensely exciting multiplayer formula pioneered by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is in full effect here. The action is even faster and deadlier than the campaign, and killing enemies, accomplishing objectives, and completing challenges earn you experience points. These points increase your level and unlock new guns, new equipment, and new skill-boosting perks. You can design different classes to highlight different skills and then switch between them to adjust for the ebb and flow of battle. The core action remains largely the same, and folks who didn’t enjoy it the first time around aren’t likely to have a change of heart. But what was great about it two years ago is still great today, and there are a number of tweaks and additions that make Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer substantially different and more excellent than its predecessor.

First off, weapon loadouts have been restructured. Guns you may have previously equipped as primary are now only available as secondary, so you can equip both an assault rifle and a shotgun if you so desire. This restructuring creates an intriguing array of gun combinations, and one of the new options isn’t even a gun. The bullet-resistant riot shield can be equipped in your primary slot and used to assault heavily contested positions. Having multiple-shielded teammates can change the battlefield significantly, and new equipment items deepen the strategic possibilities. The blast shield can protect you against grenade-happy opponents, while the tactical insertion flare (allows you to designate your next spawn point) can be a powerful asset in objective-based modes like Demolition and Domination.

The perk system has also been overhauled. Perks can now be upgraded through use and will eventually grant a secondary ability. These bonus abilities are often just as potent as the primary perk, though they aren’t a linear extension of the primary ability. Upgrading the perk that grants increased melee distance, for example, will cause you to take no fall damage (allowing you to perfect your drop-and-stab maneuver). The new death streak perks may seem familiar to those acquainted with the infamous martyrdom perk from COD4, but they also provide some welcome (and cleverly implemented) aid for new players. These perks kick in after you die a few times in a row without getting a kill. Painkiller grants you increased health for a short time upon respawning, making it easier to resist getting spawn killed. Copycat allows you to mimic the class of the last person that killed you, potentially granting you the guns, equipment, and perks of a much higher ranked opponent. Nothing mitigates the frustration of getting killed by a weapon you can’t access like getting your hands on that weapon and doing some killing of your own.

Customizable kill streak rewards are the other significant addition. In COD4, kill streaks of certain lengths would earn you rewards like airstrikes and attack helicopters. In Modern Warfare 2, there are a host of new rewards that you can unlock and then equip as you see fit. The rewards themselves range from tactical aids like unmanned aerial vehicles that reveal enemies on the radar (or counter UAVs that block the enemy’s radar) to powerful assaults like gunships, airstrikes, and the exceedingly fun laptop-guided predator missile. Each kill streak requires a certain amount of kills to activate, and you can only equip three at a time, so there’s a risk/reward mechanic at play. The chopper gunner reward is superpowerful, but if you aren’t confident you can score the required 11 kill streak, you’ll essentially be wasting a reward slot. Even if you can’t string together 11 kills, you can still get a chance to use some of the more powerful rewards courtesy of care packages. This reward drops a crate on to the battlefield that either contains an ammo resupply or a kill streak reward, like a precision air strike. Not only do these rewards add an engaging strategic dimension, they do so in a way that allows all players to enjoy them.

The result of all these multiplayer tweaks is a richer, more customizable experience and a busier battlefield. Fortunately, the action generally remains on the good side of hectic, and the stream of rewards is as satisfying as ever. Two new elements, title and emblem, are little graphics and titles that you earn through your match performance, and these range run the gamut from serious to totally goofy. While not exactly in keeping with the serious tone of the campaign, they add an amusing way to further customize your online presence. With a robust variety of playlists in which to ply your deadly trade, Modern Warfare 2’s competitive multiplayer is the best in the series and one of the best available on consoles. The inelegant campaign plot may make you feel like you’re just along for the ride, but it is such an intense, roaringly great ride that you will be glad just to have played it. The cooperative missions provide a uniquely fun angle on the action that rounds out the package superbly, making Modern Warfare 2 thoroughly entertaining, thoroughly rewarding, and thoroughly worth the wait.”

Related posts:

1. Modern Warfare 2 Review from GamingBolt
2. Modern Warfare 2 Review from Kotaku
3. Modern Warfare 2 Review: The Best Headache Ever

“The hype of Modern Warfare 2 is really high considering the memories that everyone has of Call of Duty 4. Well, Infinity Ward and Activision come together once again to bring you the newest installment of the call of duty franchise called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

I’ll start off where fans of the game weren’t so fond of and that’s the single player campaign. There are three acts, and there are three to four chapters in each act. You will get about 6-7 hours of game play in Modern Warfare 2. One thing I did love about Call of Duty 4’s campaign is the pacing from stealth to fast to epic event and so forward. The pacing of Call of Duty 4 returns to Modern Warfare 2’s campaign. You play as two characters, a guy named Roach and Call of Duty 4’s main character Soap. When you’re playing as Roach he seems to get hurt in some overly exaggerative way when every chapter ends and it makes me wonder how he’s still alive. After a while, it begins to get too predictable and boring although the ending does some what make up for it. The single player is a bit disappointing considering how epic Call of Duty 4 story was. However, the single player campaign is still worth a play through.

The game play of Modern Warfare 2 is more of the same but just modified a bit. The control set up is the same as COD 4, so you will feel right at home with Modern Warfare 2. The enemy A.I is smart even on an easy difficulty setting. Your enemies will take cover, shoot, call for back up, and react as a real person would. One thing that is different from the last installment is that when you get shot at, you will see some kind of blood mixed with water come on your screen indicating that you have gotten shot. As the previous games, the more red the screen gets, the closer you are from dying. Modern Warfare 2 also has dual wielding weapons. There’s a new mode in Modern Warfare 2 called Special Ops. There are five different Spec Ops modes. You start off with Alpha’s Spec Ops and you will need four stars from Alpha to move on to Bravo and so forward. The good thing about Spec Ops is that you can do it split screen, two player co-op or solo. There are also about four to five chapters in each Spec Ops mode. Here are the five different Special Ops modes:

* Alpha – Alpha’s Spec Ops features predator drones, favela games, sniper riddles and stealth. Since it is the first Special Ops mode, you can expect them to be short and sweet.

* Bravo – Bravo’s Spec Ops features AC-130 gun ships snowmobile races and Vulcan mini guns with explosive ammo. Bravo’s Spec Ops mode is considered to have something for everyone.

* Charlie – Charlie’s Spec Ops features time trails, explosive breaches, bone yards and enemies in ghillie suits. In Charlie’s Spec Ops, things are expected to get tougher than previous.

* Delta – Delta’s Spec Ops features blizzards, airports, estates and bridges and there are five challenging modes in Delta’s Spec Ops.

* Echo – Echo’s Spec Ops features an oil rig and a favela full of Juggernauts. Echo’s Spec Ops which is the last one is defiantly the most brutal to go through but it’s also very fast to play through for experienced players.

Modern Warfare 2 runs at a very smooth at 60 frames per second. You will experience minor frame rate drops here and there but it’s nothing that will deter you from playing the game. Modern Warfare 2 looks a tiny bit better than Call of Duty 4. The lighting in Modern Warfare 2 is a whole lot better than Call of Duty 4’s. Also there is less texture pop-ins in Modern Warfare 2 than its predecessor. One thing that impressed me about Modern Warfare 2 is that the frame rate remains smooth while playing online and there is so much going on screen.

The thing that a lot of people enjoyed the most was Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer, and in Modern Warfare 2 people should enjoy just as much. A lot of stuff from Call of Duty 4 has been brought back to Modern Warfare 2. Also, for those who are curious, none of the maps from Call of Duty 4 were remade and put in Modern Warfare 2; there are sixteen brand new maps to play. To move on to the new features, there are now five new modes online. There is Capture the Flag, 3rd Person Teams, Hardcore Ricochet SD and 3rd person Cage matches.  I’ve played 3rd person view and it’s actually an interesting mode, but it seems to feel as if it was tacked on. Usually when you play a game in 3rd person, the character is set to the left or to the right of the screen. In Modern Warfare 2, the character is set in the middle of the screen. The game play of 3rd person mode isn’t on par with other 3rd person games such as Uncharted, Socom and GRAW.  Despite the fact that in 3rd person mode, the zoom in of the gun is practically broken, you should still give it a try.

You now have titles and emblems that you can unlock depending on your performance and ranking online. Another new feature in Modern Warfare 2 is one called Accolades, it basically keeps track of what you do online and gives you rewards for certain things you do. For instance, it gave me a reward called unstoppable, which means I had the longest kill streak in an online match.  One thing they did to the perk system in Modern Warfare 2 is that they cleared it up and only added what was necessary. So this time around there isn’t four or five good perks and eight unnecessary perks in the menu. Also, perks have a level up system, so when you use that perk enough it will level up and enhance the perk. They also took out Martyrdom and Juggernaut from regular perks and added a new perk called Death Streak. Death streak is activated when you die three-four times in a row. You have four death streak modes to choose from, they have Copy Cat, Painkiller (Juggernaut), Final Stand and Martyrdom. There are also a decent amount of customizable kill streak’s rewards which goes as following:

* 3 Kills – UAV
* 4 Kills – Care Package
* 4 Kills – Counter UAV
* 5 Kills – Sentry Gun
* 5 Kills – Predator Missile
* 6 Kills – Precision Air strike
* 7 Kills – Strike
* 7 Kills – Attack Helicopter
* 8 Kills – Emergency Airdrop
* 9 Kills – Pave Low
* 9 Kills – Stealth Bomber
* 11 Kills – Chopper Gunner
* 11 Kills – AC-130
* 15 Kills – EMP
* 25 Kills – Tactical Nuke

So at this point you could be asking me two questions. Will Modern Warfare 2 bring memories and be as addictive as Call of Duty 4? Does Modern Warfare 2 live up to the hype? Honestly, Modern Warfare 2 is just as addictive as Call of Duty 4. As far as living up to the hype, that depends on how hyped were for the game.

Pros:

* Addictive multiplayer
* Addictive in Depth Spec Ops
* 60 FPS
* Customizable Kill streaks
* Perks level ups
* Host Migration

Cons:

* Damage makes things hard to see at times
* Disappointing story
* Annoying Riot Shields and Dual Wielding online

Overall: 4.5/5

PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers will have tons of fun with Spec Ops and the multiplayer. Also, for some people, the campaign might be enjoyable. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is probably the most addictive multiplayer and co-op game of this year and will defiantly give you your money’s worth.”

Related posts:

1. Modern Warfare 2 Review from GamingBolt
2. Modern Warfare 2 Review from PlanetXBOX360.com
3. Modern Warfare 2 Review from Kotaku

“The original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a huge success and received rave reviews from everybody. Modern Warfare 2 has a lot to live up to!

The build up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been ongoing for many months now helped along by controversial scenes that have been the talk of the internet (more on that later).

The original Modern Warfare ended with the demise of Imran Zakhaev. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 introduces his associate, Vladimir Makarov, the head of a Russian terrorist group. Makarov is hell bent on causing world wide chaos and is organising attacks to provoke global conflict.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is set fives years ahead of where the original game left of and is centred around a group setup to deal with Makarov called Task Force 141. You play a member of the Task Force 141 team and your aim is to bring an end to Makarov’s reign of terror.

The game has an engrossing storey line that flows perfectly. Very few games make you feel more part of the action then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. There are times when you forget that you are sat in your living room, it is that good.

Whilst we’re on the storey line we best cover the controversial element of the game that has been much talked about on the net. The US Entertainment Software Rating Board released a report about the scene which involves gunning down civilians.

The report describes the airport terror mission as “the most intense depiction of violence” in the game. The level involves gunning down “several civilians” with the player “given a choice to participate in the killings (e.g. players can shoot a wounded civilian that is crawling on the ground), or walk by and observe without opening fire.”

The ESRB report goes on to reveals that whatever you select “civilians scream and emit pools of blood as they are shot to death.” This level of sheer violence is no doubt the reason for Infinity Ward’s decision to allow players to simply opt out of playing the level entirely.

Having played the level I think it will cross the line for what many think is acceptable even if it is only a game but ultimately it is down to the individual to decide as you do have the option.

The graphics in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are based on the IW 4.0 engine which is the same as in the previous game. There have been some tweaks to improve a few things but these aren’t really noticeable.

The graphics are very similar to the original game but the original was pretty top notch so needless to say Modern Warfare 2 looks awesome!

To accompany good graphics you need good sound. Connect this bad boy up to a surround sound system and prepare to be blown away. The bullets whip past; the bombs make you duck in your seat. It all adds together to make you feel like you are out there with gun in hand.

As with the previous Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 gives you access to a variety of weaponry to play with. Every weapon has been carefully detailed and it is a joy to use them, as it should be for any first person shooter.

I’ve played many FPS games but Modern Warfare 2 has set the bench mark much higher. It is so easy and enjoyable to play that all other FPS games pale by comparison.

There are fast bits and stealthy bits, bits that get your heart racing and bits where you have to use your head.

Combine the ease of play with amazing weapons, great sound and graphics, and storey line that keeps you on the edge of your seat and you know you are onto a winner

If I had any bad point to say about Modern Warfare 2 it would be the time it takes to complete it. You can be easily finished with the game within a days playing, which, when you consider the cost seems a bit poor. I don’t think it is just Modern Warfare 2 that suffers from this though as nearly every other FPS I’ve played is the same.

On the bright side the game includes good multiplayer modes as well though that should allow for many hours of quality gaming.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the new benchmark. The original was very good and quite simply this is better. If you buy any game this Christmas make it this one.

9.5/10“

Related posts:

1. User Review: An In-depth review of Modern Warfare 2
2. Modern Warfare 2 Review from TotalVideoGames.com
3. Modern Warfare 2 Review: The Best Headache Ever

“By the last count, Infinity Ward’s original Modern Warfare had racked up an impressive 13 million unit sales. That’s according to Activision figures at least, for a game that’s remained in the UK Top 40 chart consistently over the last two years since its release in November 2007. The game’s addictive online multiplayer is one of the main reasons for this, with a community so dedicated that the leader on its Xbox Live rankings board is verging on one billion total kills in the game. The player has racked up so many hours on the multiplayer that they’ve actually broken the system (it’s now showing the amount of time they’ve played the game in negative minutes).

This is the strength with which Modern Warfare has called players to duty, and we’ve no doubt that Modern Warfare 2 will successfully convert this momentum into mesmerising sales figures over the coming months (this year’s Christmas number one is a foregone conclusion really – you may as well place your bets now). But there’s a hefty question mark over the content in MW2 at this point. An elephant was placed into a very crowded room with the leaked footage of a controversial level from the game last month. Even the near-unilaterally unflappable TVG editorial team was slightly shocked by this at the time, but we’ll save our thoughts on this until the end of the review.

We’re sure that you’re much more concerned by whether or not MW2 engages players like the original did in 2007; whether it’s lost any of its charm in the hype and build-up surrounding the title. Thankfully, Infinity Ward’s Midas touch is in good working order. We can say with confidence that if you liked the original game, then you certainly won’t be disappointed by the sequel. If, on the other hand, you’ve been completely oblivious to all things Modern Warfare up until now, then your FPS horizons are about to expand significantly. The MW series is by no means a milestone in the genre, although it’s certainly the benchmark for first-person shooters on the current crop of consoles.

Like all good FPS developers such as Valve and DICE, Infinity Ward has a distinctive style that not only sets itself apart from others, but has subsequently been imitated in many games since the studio came to light with the original Call of Duty in 2003. Everything from the developer’s trademark tutorial levels (traditionally set in military obstacle courses or training runs), to its ‘feathering’ system that subtly auto-locks onto nearby targets and encourages players to constantly pop in and out of the ‘down the barrel’ view, are all present and accounted for in Modern Warfare 2. Likewise, the innovative multiplayer setup of perks, custom classes, and killstreak rewards from the studio’s last game have been loyally implemented once again in MW2, although this time with considerable expansions in all the key areas (e.g. many more killstreak rewards, such as a tactical nuke after 25 kills).

In terms of the adversarial multiplayer and campaign though, the bricks and mortar of both modes remain largely intact in MW2 from what they were two years ago. Infinity Ward hasn’t made any radical changes here, although it has certainly upped the ante where appropriate. This gives gamers a challenge that may well be very familiar but is nonetheless injected with a large dose of adrenalin to keep the action ticking along at the lightning pace and rock-solid framerate that Infinity Ward demands of its games. MW2’s story, for example, retains the kind of plot twists and superb characters that its predecessor boasted, although this time it’s decidedly more Hollywood in its presentation. Perhaps this is partly down to the employment of Hans Zimmer for the game’s musical score and Keith Davis as one of the voice parts, or perhaps not. Either way, where the first MW presented a believable depiction of our near future, MW2 takes these story threads to excesses that encourage players to simply munch more popcorn and enjoy the ride rather than analyse it too much.

There’s still a firm point to the story though – denoted by its ‘For The Record’ title – which makes a stark point about the harsh reality of warfare (another Infinity Ward trademark) and what really goes on behind the moronic news reports that we digest on a daily basis. Brilliant characters such as ‘Soap’ MacTavish are integral to this (who gamers played as in MW1 and now play next to in MW2 – how’s that for subversion of the FPS genre?), although we were left very uncertain about the motivations behind a newcomer to the scene called General Shepherd. Without spoiling anything, the reasoning behind his actions towards the end of the game isn’t made entirely clear and does sully an otherwise sterling performance from the MW2 cast, made believable by the skilled penmanship of Infinity Ward scribe, Jesse Stern.

Of course, it’s not only characters and storyline that make MW2 stand out from all the FPS pap out there. Visuals are once again superbly depicted by Infinity Ward, demonstrating the same kind of technical ability that was present in the last game, although through a list of new locations that keep you marvelling throughout (everything from a Russian Gulag to blizzard blasted mountain tops). Gameplay is similarly varied throughout the campaign, serving up a rollercoaster ride that blends effortlessly between overclocked set-pieces, novel scene setters, and well orchestrated vehicles sections. Fighting militia through civilian infested Rio de Janeiro favelas, mountain climbing with ice axes, and motor boating down a white water river are but a few examples of this kind of variation.

However, another trademark of Infinity Ward’s games is that they’re quite short for titles that are so highly rated. The first Modern Warfare clocks in at about 6 hours on the regular difficulty setting and this sequel is no different. A strong argument in defence of this is that the MW campaigns provide the finest six hours you’re likely to experience in a modern FPS and, if Infinity Ward were to stretch out the campaign’s length just to bolster content, then it would dilute the experience and make it less gratifying. We’re inclined to agree with this to an extent and if the studio keeps up this level of gameplay in future, then we’ll continue to forgive the short lengths of its campaigns. After all, we know countless gamers who’ve replayed the campaign on the two hardest difficulty settings because they like it so much, so perhaps the high quality and replay value of MW2’s single-player compensates for depriving gamers of four or five more hours.

If that isn’t adequate compensation, then the new Spec Ops mode should ease the criticisms a bit. The mode corals over 20 missions for players to run through either by going solo, or co-operatively via split-screen or online. Most of these ‘Ops’ have been drawn from sections of levels from the main MW2 campaign, although you’ll also find some asset recycling in the form of levels from the original MW too. When a team/player completes one of these levels, they’re rated on their performance with a three star system (depending on the time taken and difficulty setting etc.), which opens up an addictive level of replay value to the gameplay. Similarly to the main campaign, there’s no lack of variation in these mission types as well, whether you’re racing snowmobiles or attempting to get through a misty, snow covered forest without being seen by dog handling patrols of Russian soldiers.

About That Elephant…

If you’re not up to date with the controversy surrounding Modern Warfare 2’s fourth level, then here’s a quick summary (Warning: potential spoilers):

The level starts with you, as a covert CIA operative, in a lift with four armed Russian dissidents (one of which is Makarov, a principal villain in MW2). This lift opens into the customs lobby of a Russian airport where the four gunmen open fire into a crowd of people. They continue on into the airport, indiscriminately killing civilians as they go, and eventually escape (after a tussle with armed police) via a dummy ambulance implanted in the terminal. You are shot and killed by Makarov as you get to the ambulance though (and left at the terminal), as he knows that you’re in the CIA and has been using you so that he can frame America for the terrorist attack.

It’s a gritty scene to say the least and you’d have to be psychopathic not to be disturbed, at least slightly, by the scenes. Some will compare these scenes to games such as GTA, arguing that it’s no different to going on a rampage in Liberty City and kill hordes of innocent civilians. However, the key difference here is that Rockstar never scripts the prescribed mass killing of innocents into its missions. Players have to choose to veer away from the scripted campaign in GTA games and perform these actions of their own accord.

Conversely, Infinity Ward is scripting these sorts of events into Modern Warfare 2. If you play the level, then non-playable characters will kill a large number of innocent civilians and infer that you should do the same. While Infinity Ward isn’t condoning these kinds of actions by any stretch of the imagination, it is nonetheless inviting you to partake in them virtually, which is a new watershed in videogames. You are warned at least three times before playing the level that you might be disturbed and the section can be skipped. Similarly, it’s possible to run through the level without shooting a single civilian (only armed police at the end), but the lowered watershed remains nonetheless – the game has obviously now been certified for distribution by the UK, US, and even notoriously harsh Australian classification boards (despite protests).

Whether or not this is morally correct is not for us, as games journalists, to decide. That is down to classification boards and ultimately the public. What we will say is that the level does put the game’s story into context. It’s a story that investigates how our view of history is ordained by the clandestine operations of military forces and organisations. Within that context, this controversial level is essentially the plot axis around which Modern Warfare 2’s story swings. Without it, the story makes very little sense whatsoever and so, viewed from this perspective, the level’s inclusion is warranted for the gravitas that it holds within the plot.”

Related posts:

1. Modern Warfare 2 Review from PlanetXBOX360.com
2. Modern Warfare 2 Review from GamingBolt
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“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” likely the biggest video game of the year, went on sale at midnight Tuesday. And hype has hit a fever pitch. Analysts expect the mature-rated title to become the most successful entertainment launch ever – demolishing sales records for movies and video games. Several Innovation commenters told us they plan to skip work today (or all week) to play the game. And finally, the embargo on reviews has lifted, letting loose a torrent of praise.

If you haven’t purchased the game yet – and its 96 percent Metacritic rating isn’t motivation enough – here’s what reviewers are saying about the blockbuster release.

Opening shot

While the story in the first Modern Warfare surprised many with its power and depth – moving deftly from explosive to disturbingly quiet moments – the game’s multiplayer was what made it a blockbuster. Jeff Gerstmann at Giant Bomb says that both aspects are back, even if the single-player parts try a little too hard.

Rather than taking a ton of huge big-budget risks, Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer carefully builds upon the developer’s previous success in ways that will astound people who have spent the last two years learning every corner of every map in the previous game. Instead, the risky stuff is saved for the single-player campaign, which offers tightly packed thrills and rock-solid gameplay, though the narrative is so wild it can get exhausting. [Giant Bomb, 5 out of 5]

The atmosphere

Many reviewers agree that the game’s action and pacing set Modern Warfare 2 apart from most other first-person shooters.

The player is both thrilled and disorientated by the constant pace of the action which comes so thick and fast that the player really does feel that death (or at least game over) could come at any second. It’s in this way that Modern Warfare 2, more than any other shooter in the market, both challenges the player’s reflexes and accuracy while at the same time engaging their primal need for survival. It all adds up to some of the best shooter action money can buy. [The Telegraph, 10 out of 10.]

Single-player story

If you’re not interested in playing this game online, be forewarned: IGN was far more excited about the game’s mulitplayer mode than its five-or-six-hour campaign.

For the strictly single player crowd, however, Modern Warfare 2 is surprisingly short, and doesn’t live up to the standard set by previous Call of Duty games. The campaign can be completed in as little as four and a half hours, and the missions make better scenarios and moment-to-moment adrenaline rushes than they do a cohesive, well-told story. [IGN, 9.5 out of 10]

Multiplayer

This is where the game really sparkles, according to most reviewers.

Multiplayer is every bit as good as you’d expect. Infinity Ward has refined rather than revolutionised the Call of Duty 4 formula, but the key here is customisation. You can create a personalised profile with your own emblem and call sign, unlock your own killstreaks and even unlock ‘pro’ versions of perks if you want to push your character as far as possible. It’s polished, smooth and leagues ahead of almost every other FPS on Xbox 360. [Offical Xbox Magazine UK, 10 out of 10]

New Spec-Ops cooperative mode

The new game adds two-player co-op scenarios. Much like another recent blockbuster, “Uncharted 2,” MW2 places these battles in familiar locations, but outside of the normal storyline.

You and a buddy can battle through a series of bite-sized challenges; borrowing scenarios and locations from the single-player story, each mission has you and a partner completing tasks together (like surviving an enemy onslaught in a shopping center or racing against one another in snowmobiles). Spec-Ops is more than the usual “battle against waves of enemies” but not quite a full, stand-alone story. Instead, it sits in a middle space that’s surprisingly fun and engaging. [1Up.com, A+]

Final words

To add a little “balance” to this applause, we turned to the publication that gave the game its lowest rating thus far: the thoughtful UK mag Edge, which gave the game a 9 out of 10. (That alone should say something about the caliber of Modern Warfare 2.)

As an experience, it is occasionally undone by a tension torn between being serious and being Clancy, being massmarket and being complex. War games aren’t funny, it says, then starts a war against ‘Ivan’ that’s straight from Red Dawn…. So which game is Modern Warfare 2? Is it that mechanic-defining, comprehensively structured and plainly excellent shooter with the best multiplayer in the genre, or a game that entirely fetishes its subject while being mock-serious about it, with the best multiplayer in the genre? We’re not sure it’s either, or neither. Modern Warfare 2 is brilliant, and just a little bit dumb. [Edge, 9 out of 10]

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1. Modern Warfare 2 Review from 1up.com
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“The single player story for Modern Warfare 2 is absolutely stunning.  Infinity Ward has kept true to their style of game development by once again making sure you never leave first person view.  I enjoy cinematic scenes, but the level of intensity that you get throughout the campaign whilst always being in first person view is great.   Modern Warfare 2 is a direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and picks up right where Call of Duty 4 left off.  Modern Warfare 2 adds a lot more to the campaign than Infinity Ward’s last title, including graphics as well as unique missions that you should definitely experience for yourself.  The graphics in Modern Warfare 2 are the best I have seen so far in a Call of Duty game while keeping it smooth with a constant 60 frames per second.  The detail of the environments and the character models are beautiful.  Some of the scenes throughout the campaign are really breathtaking as they are action packed, and keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.  To add to that, there are many surprises and twists throughout the game that no one will see coming, making this story an amazing action packed thriller.  Although the campaign is amazing, it was fairly brief, lasting around 6-8 hours depending on the difficulty.   And speaking of difficulty,  I would  add that the game was a lot easier on Veteran than any of the other Call of Duty games.

Spec-ops is a truly fun addition to the game that will let you and a friend try to complete different types of missions together.  You can play split-screen, online with a limit of 2 players, or just play by yourself.  There are over 20 missions that are very unique from anything you’ll find in other games.  Spec-ops will put you somewhere in the world of Modern Warfare 2 and give you certain objectives that can range from Assault, Wave Defense, Elimination, Stealth, Time Based and even a couple of snowmobile races.  Even the simple elimination missions can not be compared to modes like Gears of War 2’s Horde, Rainbow Six Vegas Terrorist Hunt or Halo 3: ODST’s Firefight because is feels very different and much more intense.  The enemy AI is completely dynamic throughout Spec-Ops and many parts of the campaign.  You never know where enemies will spawn or what they will do or what gun they will be using.  Although the campaign on Veteran might be easier than previous games, Specs-Ops is where it gets challenging as some of the missions are extremely difficult to attain the maximum rating of 3 stars.  Some missions even require you to have 2 people to play, which makes it a lot more fun and can make it easier to strategize the success of the mission.  Other missions will have you flying an AC-130 gunship while your partner is on the ground spotting targets for you, or they may require you to defuse bombs in a certain amount of time.

Now for the good stuff; multiplayer.  Multiplayer for Call of Duty 4 is mostly what made it so popular and in Modern Warfare 2 it gets even better.  The addition of many killstreaks and having the ability to customize which ones you want ,with a max of 3 available at once, is where this game’s multiplayer action really differs from Call of Duty 4.  Even in objective modes like Search and Destroy, you can gain killstreaks throughout the course of many rounds, granted you don’t die at the end of the round.  And if you try using you stealth class from Call of Duty 4 or World at War in this game you might not be safe with the addition of Heartbeat sensors as an attachment to certain weapons which detect movement.  Of course there is a perk to counter that though.  Many perks from Call of Duty 4 have been made into attachments or equipment.  There are many additions to the game that will really let you personalize your class to your liking, much more so than the previous Call of Duty games.  I saw a lot of people running around with many different class setups instead of seeing everyone with the same 5 as in the other games.  You can now unlock titles and emblems for yourself that show up in game.  Modern Warfare 2 has added more modes as well.  Here are the new additions to the game:

Demolition – Attack & Defend two bombsites (Similar to Sabotage with full re-spawns)
3rd Person Teams – Third Person Perspective with Team Deathmatch, Domination, CTF and Demoliton
Hardcore Ricochet Search and Destroy – Hardcore S&D where friendly fire will kill you
3rd Person Cage Match – 1v1 Deathmatch in Third Person

The added guns to the game are also cool, and the models for them are extremely detailed.  With all the additions to multiplayer, it can take a little getting used to but is extremely fun.  Nothing like killing an enemy and stealing his Care Package (random killstreak reward) only to find out it’s an AC-130… satisfaction.  For the fans of the original Modern Warfare, this game still maintains the same core gameplay mechanics as Call of Duty 4.  Modern Warfare 2 might just be the most fun I have ever had playing a game online.

This game truly earned a 10 out of 10 rating.  In fact, all the hype surrounding the game’s release was well deserved, and this is not a game you will want to miss.  Even if you are not a fan of first-person-shooters and/or not a fan of the Call of Duty franchise, you should check out Modern Warfare 2.  The single player campaign with leave you with a memorable experience, while the Spec-ops modes will challenge you and multiplayer will provide endless hours of fun.”

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