Modern
Over the years the Call of Duty series has set the bar for intensive, action-packed, cinematic FPS gaming, and no matter what camp you’re from there’s absolutely no denying the franchise’s influence on the industry. When Infinity Ward moved from the classic World War II setting and blazed new ground with Modern Warfare we saw the first obvious split within the world of Call of Duty. The series dropped its historic focus, created a new cast of characters, and began treading on new ground by taking the first-person shooter genre to new locales, and pushing the boundaries of what military games are willing to show. With Modern Warfare 2, the sheer amount of hype has been practically inescapable, with preorders alone setting it up as one of the biggest selling games of all time, the addition of even more multiplayer modes and features, and the game’s new Special Operations mode has set Infinity Ward’s lastest up as the game to beat this year.
However the real question is: has it been worth the wait, and can Modern Warfare 2 live up to the precedent set by over half a decade of Call of Duty tradition?
Modern Warfare 2 is by far the least traditional of the series, with the core package broken up into three main parts of gameplay. Single-player fans have their main campaign, if you’re down for more co-op gameplay either locally or via online connection you’ve got the new Spec Ops mode, and Modern Warfare’s multiplayer is back, and truly better than ever. There’s an overwhelming amount of content to experience for gamers, however with each mode being 100% standalone in nature, you’re getting three completely different experiences all in one. That, however, also plays a huge factor into how your final opinion of Modern Warfare 2 as a whole turns out.
At the same time, the single-player campaign has its issues. For starters, it’s short. I’ve been playing Call of Duty 4 ever since its release, and my first completion of the Modern Warfare 2 campaign came in at just under five hours on regular difficulty. Playing through on hardened will add another hour and a half onto that. Modern Warfare 2 is definitely more chaotic this time around – partially due to the brand new visual effects and upped production values – and with the improved enemy AI bots and tough scenario design you’ll be fighting for every checkpoint. One of the larger visual changes to the game’s heads-up display this time around is the blood splatter system. In previous Call of Duty offerings you’d get damaged, the screen would start to shade red, and you’d be required to seek cover before your vision returned to normal. Modern Warfare 2 uses a new system, actually having a thicker blood layer added to up the realism. There’s been some discussion on whether the splatter is too distracting, and in my experience with the game it’s far from an issue. You’ll be able to take more hits on easier difficulty settings, so while a few well-placed shots will drop players on hardened or veteran modes the added splatter is an acceptable trade-off for more overall health.
Thankfully many of the issues stated above from last time around have fortunately been fixed. You won’t find unlimited enemy spawns in areas, there’s always a waypoint icon on-screen showing you where to go or who to follow, and the amount of in-game chatter from your team is simply astounding. It isn’t often in games that you’ll hear your squad call out specific areas on the map and have it mean anything. When your friend shouts, “Two tangos behind the yellow station wagon!” you’ll actually see two enemies behind a yellow station wagon. It’s a pretty engaging experience. You’ll still have random issues with friendly bots, specifically with blocking your movement or deciding to walk in front of you mid-firefight, but for the most part it’s a better experience than the first Modern Warfare.
Justin Cheng
Co-Founder and Head Tech Reviewer.
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