It would be with no hint of hyperbole to say that 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was my favourite game of all time. By combining the greatest ever online experience with an immensely immersive campaign, CoD4 drained away the precious hours of my life. Buying the game gave you personalised access to your own black hole, where you would be sucked in, spun around, and spat out at some indiscernible point in the future, leaving you to get yelled at by friends/family/partners for missing birthdays/Christmases/weddings. When 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War came along, my anticipation was at a peak, despite the change in developers from Infinity Ward to Treyarch. To my dismay, World at War merely recreated the previous year’s effort, forcing it into the uncomfortable mould of a Second World War setting; the result was less than adequate. Since then, I’ve unsuccessfully tried to contain my expectancy of Modern Warfare 2 (I just don’t want to get hurt again) failing in almost every way, as my ‘I heart Modern Warfare’ tattoo displays.
The real benchmark for Modern Warfare 2 is its two year predecessor CoD4. It was this game that introduced aspects to multiplayer that no one had previously thought of. All the subtle elements boiled-down to produce a perfectly balanced, and highly addictive, team experience. The campaign, meanwhile, escorted you through a series of varied missions as you hunted down a Russian genocidal dictator named Zachaev- these ranged from storming enemy strongholds, to piloting a gunship, to covertly assassinating said tyrant using subterfuge and espionage in Ukraine. The overall praise for CoD4 was stratospherically high, so with Modern Warfare 2- produced, once more by Infinity Ward- they had to pull something pretty spectacular out the hat. It’s safe to say that the only time a bar was higher was on Keith Richards’ private Jet.
So what’s it like? Well a whole is only as good as its parts. Modern Warfare 2 is a streamlined affair, with three main modes of play: Special Ops, Campaign, and Multiplayer.
Special Ops
This new addition to the franchise is simply a way to play the game cooperatively. Two people can play online or locally and compete in 23 coop challenges, in order to earn a star rating. Most of the challenges are based on completing specific areas of the main campaign, others are completely unique experiences, and there are even a few mini-games thrown in for good measure. Even after completing the campaign, Special Ops is a great way to challenge your skills, whilst trying to earn the evasive three star rating.
Special Ops is the perfect addition if you just want to dip in and out of gameplay, without being hampered by a plot, and I can see this getting a lot of attention five minutes before I’m supposed to be anywhere. On the other hand, it’s disappointing to see Special Ops as a substitute for playing through the whole campaign cooperatively. The cooperative function is also useless if you don’t have any friends at hand, as a few of the levels are coop only, and there is no matchmaking option, for some unknown reason. For what it is, Special Ops is a decent additional piece of content, comparable to Nazi Zombies in World at War; although standing it next to its robust brothers – campaign and online multiplayer – it looks slightly puny in comparison.
Campaign
Two years ago, Infinity Ward made an almost perfect single player experience. The success came from using a series of atmospheric set-pieces to define each level and make sure that each stage in the story had a new experience to offer. Continuing with this ethos, Modern Warfare 2 has created another perfect array of set-pieces, once more providing a purpose for the edge of your seat. Whether the missions involve a rescue operation, chasing an enemy through a crowded Brazilian slum, or commandeering a snow-mobile and jumping over icy canyons, each level has its own exciting incidents and pivotal climax- not to mention some first class gun-slinging with a vast array of modern weaponry. With four modes of difficulty, there’s a challenge for everyone- the hardest being veteran, where military manoeuvres and tactical team-play are a must. The friendly AI is helpful and deadly, often forcing you to rely on them to save your arse, and removing the John Rambo approach to dealing with a situation. At other times, you’ll be on your own, and not having that army behind you provokes an ample sized brick into your pants. You also get a reinforced sense of camaraderie from the way you learn your allies’ names, creating an empathetic sense of attachment when someone bites the big one.
These are all standard Modern Warfare components, which have become staples in the series. What you’re really getting with this campaign mode is a new set of missions, tightly bound by an ambitious story; it’s certainly not evolution… but it sure is enjoyable.
With a dazzling array of set-pieces, implausibly good visuals, and a new arsenal of weaponry, the campaign is a joy to play throughout. Sure, it’s not as long as most games- taking about five or six hours to complete- but where other First-Person-Shooters are a litre bottle of cheap cider, Modern Warfare 2 is a shot of 25 year matured malt whisky: potent, enjoyable, and intoxicating.
Online
Western society has quickly become a nation of separation. With divorce figures sky-rocketing, I can’t help but feel that the original Modern Warfare was wholly responsible for this, providing an intense, competitive, varied yet balanced multiplayer experience with almost endless possibilities for levelling up- and if there’s one things we humans love to do, it’s level up. Well Infinity Ward have noticed the secret behind their previous success, and have added a tank load of new features. Firstly, players can now choose from a wealth of kill-streak rewards: from stealth bombers to helicopters, and from UAVs to a nuclear warhead- the latter of which, understandably, ends the game. Secondly, there are many new weapons- some tactical, like the excellent Riot Shield; others, like the Stinger Missile cause utter havoc. The newly improved perk system has been condensed, the challenges are now much more in depth, and the maps are the same kind of quality we have come to expect from the series. It’s annoying that they haven’t included more Hardcore options, for those who like our bullets to actually kill our enemies; It’s frustrating that getting shot by a team-mate punishes you, the victim; it’s disappointing that they have decided to omit party chat- the reason for this, in particular, is incomprehensible: most people are not nearly idealistic enough to think that it’ll promote friendship between people you otherwise might not have talked to. If Modern Warfare 2 is the Holy Grail of gaming, these flaws are nothing but a faint lipstick mark on the rim. With Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward have managed to succeed themselves with aplomb. More than that, they’ve provided me with a glimpse into the future; I know where I will be for the next two years: sat three inches from my screen.
5 Stars
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