The most anticipated game of 2009 is upon us, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is finally here gracing our consoles and PC engines.
Modern Warfare 2 has had a lot of criticism and controversies throughout its marketing campaign this year. Leaks and spoilers were constantly finding their way onto the internet, and there was little the developers could do about it. We finally have the game in our hand, and we can tell you whether or not the hype has been worth it.
Let’s take a look on the HOTs and the NOTs of Activision’s Modern Warfare 2.
HOT
Presentation
When it comes to realism, the Call of Duty franchise has never failed to deliver. The graphics in Modern Warfare 2 are phenomenal, and the animations are top notch. The game takes place several years after the first one. Terrorist attacks are all over the United States and it’s up to “Soap” McTavish and the rest of the soldier to stop it. (NOTE: “Soap” is not a playable. He is only there to guide you.). You’ll play as American soldiers, from the Army (Pvt Allen, etc), and your mission is to maintain peace and keep the terrorist attacks from happening.
The effects and sounds of everything you hear from the game is very realistic and the voices behind the characters adds the realism in the game. The graphics are much sharper than in the original and each location is beautifully detailed. While the game won’t beat out exclusives like Uncharted 2, its graphics are still some of the best you’ll find in an FPS.
Ability to Skip Offending Gameplay
There are several missions in Modern Warfare 2 that can be skipped due to offending content. One of the most talked about mission in Modern Warfare 2 in which the player controls a terrorist. The ability to play as terrorist in an airport while shooting those innocent civilians can and most likely will offend some, but it can be skipped if you so desire.
When I played this mission, I felt awkward. I know that this is only a video game but we’ve seen in the past that parts like this in a game can affect younger generations. As with any M rated game, parents should take precaution before purchasing this for their younger children.
Spec Ops Mode
I am sure everyone wants some extra challenge and the Spec Ops mode offers plenty of it. With Spec Ops mode, you can challenge yourself with time trials or you can replay missions and kill the hostiles in a specific amount of time. Spec Ops mode is divided into five different categories, Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo, each of them will give you a specific task. Get those tasks done and you will earn Golden Stars that you can use to unlock other modes.
Very Intense
This is to be expected, but Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most intense games I’ve ever played. The enemy AI is very well done, the enemies are pretty smart. You can’t hide in one spot for very long because trust me, they WILL find you. Similar to past Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare 2 offers several different difficulty settings from normal to veteran, all of which can be very intense at times.
New Additions in the Multiplayer Mode
The most popular feature in the Modern Warfare series is the multiplayer. Fans of the multiplayer of Modern Warfare can expect a much better experience this time around. There are new perks, awards, and several new additions that will help enhance the gameplay of the original and bring a fresh feel to the franchise. There are 16 new maps, each map is from the campaign mode and I highly advised you play the campaign mode first before playing online to avoid potential spoilers.
The great customization options make a return along with some new features. The “accolades” are a new addition to the multipayer. It is similar to achievements because in order to unlock something from the accolades section, you will have to meet certain criteria such as; Kill/death ratio over 10, or the most airstrikes. As for the rankings, they are still there, along with prestige mode.
NOT
Short Campaign
Under Veteran mode, I finished the game in less than 6 hours. The game offers three acts and each contain five different missions. When it comes to regular mode, expect the game to be easier; you can complete it in less than 5 hours. It is not a long game and it seems Infinity Ward focused more on the multiplayer and spec ops mode rather than giving us a lengthy campaign. Even though the campaign is short, expect every act to be very intense.
Glitches
There are some minor graphical glitches in the game, however none take away from the overall experience or ruin the gameplay
VERDICT
Modern Warfare 2 delivers one of the best gaming expriences for this year. It is indeed a Game of the Year contender, and is clearly the best shooter of 2009. With that being said, Modern Warfare 2 is not a perfect game, but many improvements were made and it is better than its predecessor. If you love the Call of Duty series, there is no reason for you not to get this game.
Played through the PlayStation 3 version of the game. Finished Campaign mode in 6 hours and spent several matches on Multiplayer.
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November 9th, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Good read – can’t wait for my copy to be shipped; I hope they decide to release some single-player DLC, as well as multi-player/spec-ops DLC in the future – I’d love to have some more campaign missions if the game is that short.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:33 AM
i played the game tonight at one of my friend house and i felt i was playing some new mode in COD4, nothing more…
November 9th, 2009 at 8:11 PM
COD:MW2 still spawns endless enemies until you reach a certain point in a level. I can’t believe that this is not fixed. It sucked in every COD single player campaign. Graphic is not a huge step forward compared to COD:MW1 but it looks good. Anyway, game is fun. A must buy title for every shooter fan.
November 10th, 2009 at 12:13 AM
All I want to know is if players just fall over when killed by a grenade like they did in the original MW. I found that extremely annoying in multiplayer.
November 11th, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Editors choice and then there is another post on your site saying how the PS3 multiplayer is broken. Come on you guys need to hold IW responsible for this crap. This game should not have received universal acclaim if it is freakin broken,
November 12th, 2009 at 10:44 PM
EA should pay someone to walk through an airport and butcher civilians and when they are taken down they can blame Activision for releasing Modern Warfare 2. Brilliant!
Wanted… mass murderer to commit corporate sabotage.
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:19 PM
OMG! I have the game and I think it’s amasing! Afew of my friends own the game, and through a vote we all said ‘Soap’ MacTavish was the hottest of the charaters.
I heard he told the low life at the airport the Pt. Allen was an agent from the U.S. But hey he brought that war on himself.
We didn’t like some of the charaters though, and I would like to say this… “SHEPARD SUCKS!”
Give me a HeartBeat sencer and he’ll be down before you can say ‘Nap Time.’
January 3rd, 2010 at 7:29 PM
My friends played the game once and could make a list of the cutest charaters!
1 ‘Soap’ MacTavish
2 Ghost
3 St. Foley
4 Nicoli
5 Price
This list goes on for a bit but the bottem is Shepard because HE STABBED SOAP IN THE DAMN CHEST!
January 5th, 2010 at 8:15 PM
We also made other lists to. The most nerotic or funny characters.
1 Ghost
2 Cpl. Dunn
3 Nicoli
4 Price
5 ‘Soap’ MacTavish
We said Ghost was the most nerotic because in the level where you play as Roach and Price goes in the submarine and the silo dorrs start to open, Ghost is in a panic and then came the nuke.
” Nuclear missile in the air! Code Black! Code Black!”
We were probly going to laugh our butts off.
January 5th, 2010 at 8:31 PM
Another list we made the the most talkative characters.
1 ‘Soap’ MacTavish
2 Ghost
3 St. Foley
4 Shepard
5 Nicoli
If I’m wrong that ‘Soap’ isn’t the character that talks the most in the entire game then I will say this “DAMN” He talks alot and gives very persice instuctions.
” Ah Ghost you openned the wrong door!”
This was in the gulag where they were trying to find prisoner 627 and Ghost was the one to open locked doors over a computer. He messed open and opened the next door after the requested one.
January 11th, 2010 at 6:33 PM
Sorry for not posting for a bit, but we made a new list. The funnist lines in the game.
1 Ghost in the continey level Price lauches a nuke and he shouts, “What? Price no! Niclear missile in the air! Code black! Code black!”
2 Nicoli in the final level after Shepard’s death he comes and Price notes the they need to get Ghost out of there so Nicoli says, “Da I know a place.”
3 Worm in the gulag level after price realises tat ‘Soap’ is next to him ‘Soap hands him his gun and Worm asked, “Who Soap?”
4 Shepard in the final level when ‘Soap’ is about to kill him if you wait then Shepard will say, “You know what they say about revenge? You better be ready to dig two graves.”
5 ‘Soap’ in the Cliffhanger level if you get by the guards after you plant the C4 on the fueling station then you come in and ‘Soap’ says, “Took the seanic route eh?”
I don’t know why one of Shepards lines are in the top 5 anyways I guess my friends thought it was funny.
January 21st, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Guess what… we made a new new list today. Top 3 Charaters and their funnies moments.
1 Ghost in the level coninuey Ghost nowistes the silo dorrs on the submerine open and starts shouting at price who is inside that there are.
“Price their opening the silo doors on the sub.”
“Price the silo doors are opening.”
silo doors finish opening…
“Price the silo doors are open do you copy.”
“Good.”
“What? Wait Price no!”
“We have a nuclear missile in the air code black code black!”
2 Price in the level after loose ends ‘Soap’ and Price are attacked by Separds troops and so Nicoli comes to save their butts. He notifes Price that the situation isn’t under control and it is unsafe to land.
“Captain Price, I see you do not have situation under control. Very unsafe to land, it reminds me when I was in Afganatan with the soviets…”
“Nicoli just shut up and fly the bloody plane.”
3 Macove He somewhere says “Revenge is like a Ghost.”
I guess my friends liked that one.
March 7th, 2010 at 1:06 PM
I am soooo sorry for not posting in over a month but I was replay all the missions again to find other things I could post about. It turned out that I missed a level and never played it before…
So I started playing and it surpised me that no one was attacking me so I started killing some people and unlike the first time I played the Macorvoe scene with him alive, one Russian comes walking out and pulls up his gun as if he were going to shoot someone then froze. The same happened when you kill Cpt. Dunn, Sgt. Foley walks out and the turns then freezes just outside his place. I am still trying to find anyone else this happens to though.
Speaking of how they react I found the using the same gernade launcher but aim at Shepards dick and they all go flying but you will normally find shepard ontop of enother guy face down making it look like he’s trying to do stuff with the guy. He is so gay.
I also experemented with gernade launchers and in the Brazil scene I found that ‘Soap’ never really reacts to it but falling over while ghost goes airborn.