Can you really have too much of a good thing?
When Call of Duty 4 came out, I was stunned at just how amazing it looked and handled. It was near-perfect with excellent missions, a multiplayer that toppled Halo 3 and knocked us all off our feet. We all knew it was going to be good, but I don’t think any of us expected it to be as good as it was. 2 years later and we now have the proper sequel to Modern Warfare. But is this a perfect example that too much of a good thing can be bad?
What a load of rubbish. Modern Warfare 2 is perhaps the greatest FPS ever created with missions that shock and amaze, a gripping (yet, silly) story, the amazing spec ops mode and the multiplayer from COD 4 remains intact with some lovely new additions. It is the definitive package and Infinity Ward has mastered the series to the point where it’s hard to see where it can go from here.
The story picks up 5 years after the events of Modern Warfare and a Russian by the name of Makarov takes the reins as the villain who becomes instantly hated thanks to a very dramatic airport level which left me jaw-dropped…I simply could not believe what was happening and what I was doing. Those of you who have already done it will know what I’m talking about, but for the rest of you…prepare to be shocked.
Through the campaign you play as several characters and run into some familiar faces, which I won’t spoil for you…but chances are that someone has told you already. The missions are shorter than in the first game, but there are more of them and it keeps the game consistent and enjoyable. There are 45 Intel items to find and the difficult task of going through the game on Veteran. Having said that, I found the game to be a lot easier than the first game and breezed through Veteran in about 7-8 hours and only really struggling on one of the latter missions.
There are some great weapons in MW2 and they seriously pack a punch. I personally love the Predator drone gadget which shows you an overview of the area and allows you to fly in rockets to anywhere you can see, it’s great and definitely gives you the upper hand…on the flip side, enemies also get their hands on these for a spec ops mission…making things quite tricky! There’s also riot shields which can withstand a lot of bullets, but enemies using them are also very tough to defeat.
The campaign is brilliant and has many memorable moments that I will carry with me, probably forever. While the plot twist is a bit on the daft side, it doesn’t do anything to destroy what is a good campaign. Now, onto Spec Ops…
Spec Ops is a collection of 23 missions than can be tackled co-op or solo (although you would have to be insane to try these on solo!) and these can vary from sneaking through a level, killing a number of enemies and avoiding civilian deaths, stealing intel and wiping out locations of enemies. Stars are awarded for completing these with the maximum being 3 for each mission and that can usually be earned by doing it on Veteran. The trouble is that there are NO checkpoints in these missions, so if you die…game over.
I’m about half-way through the spec ops missions and have struggled even getting that far. The hardest thing has to be taking on the dreaded Juggernaut enemies which take roughly 4 sniper shots to defeat…they rush you and can kill you incredibly quickly. There are a few easy spec ops missions like the first stealth one and the few snowmobile driving ones…apart from that, they will drive you batty. But you will keep coming back, even if you wasted 15 minutes doing a level and died so close to the end…you will come back. It’s impossible to put down.
Multiplayer feels more like an evolution than a revolution, but that shows just how good COD 4’s multiplayer was. CTF and some new modes make an appearance on the 15 new maps. If you are lucky enough to have the 360 version, then you’ll be able to get the exclusive DLC maps coming in the near future.
In terms of visuals, Modern Warfare 2 is as breathtaking as the first game. It looks absolutely amazing apart from pixelated shadows, there is nothing to fault. The game runs smoothly despite the chaos going on around you and every little detail is noticed. It’s simply beautiful. Voice-acting is brilliant also, but what did you expect? The music is truly epic and matches the dramatic nature of the game’s high points.
The Verdict
Modern Warfare 2 feels more of the same, but that’s a good thing since the first game was so good. It’s hard to fault its great campaign for anything else than being a tad short, but then there’s the addition of spec ops and the multiplayer that will keep us all hooked to our consoles for quite some time…
this game is a joke! i feel like i have been robbed. For months i have eagerly awaited its release and went to a midnight launch where i queued with hundreds of others in the cold to get my hands on this game. When playing the online multiplayer…omg dont get me started i shoot at someone and whilst i am shooting them in the head or noob tubing them they continue to run at me and be able to knife me…what a piss take. It is also full of cheats who lag switch and microsoft and xbox live do nothin about these cheaters. i have had the game since its release.. i think the story line isnt anything special..definitley not what it was made out to be.. the guns and perks are…crap and i will happily trade it in for any game. i really dont get what people are harping on about theres nothing realistic and it is totally aimed at those that cheat so they can prestige and look good. what a let down.
I agree with the above poster, This games multiplayer looks nice but its way overkill. You shoot at people and they knife you from running at you from a 10 foot distance. The spawning is annoying, People being spawned right behind you without using the tactical insertion perk… And Im not a noob either, I was in the top of the leaderboards for the 360 Modern Warfare title.. Im attually considering trading it away already for Assasins creed 2
There will probably never be a game better than the modern warfare series. I have played this game since the first one was released. It will only getting better! Long live the XBOX 360!