The wait is finally over and Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2 has finally arrived. I was eagerly anticipating its release, so much so that I pre-ordered it the first day that it was available to do so. The original Modern Warfare and World at War are probably my 2 favourite games of all time, so would one of the most hyped up games of all time, live up to expectations ?
~~~ First Impressions ~~~
Right from the beginning I was impressed. The adverts before the actual game are again skippable, which means you're ready to start shooting in seconds. The first menu lets you go into whichever game mode you want and all in all the game looked excellent after the first minute or so.
~~~ Story ~~~
The game takes place 5 years after the original Modern Warfare. Despite your best attempts back then the Russians have begun a new reign of terror over Europe. Your task is to take down of the main Russians involved, Makarov.
The story was quite good and if it had been put into a movie I would have been more than happy to watch it. However, it is quite hard to follow. This is because the story is played out during the loading screens and of course when your playing, it can become quite confusing.
~~~ Gameplay ~~~
Virtually unchanged from the previous two games in the series. And why would you change what is already the easiest to play and most fun FPS (First Person Shooter) on the market.
Your character that you're controlling goes where you want without any unnecessary fiddling and there are not lots of different combinations of buttons, so everything is very simple.
As far as the computer enemies are concerned, they are clever. There's no hiding behind a wall for 5 minutes while you go to get a drink. You can only stay covered for so long before someone comes and finds you.
~~~ Graphics ~~~
Possibly the best graphics I've seen so far on the PS3. Everything is so extremely highly detailed you wonder how they managed to do anything else with the game.
I already thought the grpahics on COD4 and World at War were some of the best, but they are even sharper and more detailed this time round.
The buildings all look excellent and take realistic damage when you shoot at them. Computers fly across the room when you shoot them. Throw a grenade into a small area and rubbish and debris goes everywhere. The backgrounds on the game also look stunning.
The graphics become even more impressive though when some bad weather rolls in. A gust of wind causes dust to go everywhere and the rain splatters down on the surroundings giving everything a shiny gleam, which is even more apparent when there's lightening.
Even this is out shown however in the slow-motion scenes which occur every now and again throughout the game.
The soldiers in the game are also the closest thing I've seen to a game looking like it has real people in it. And if you look closely at a dead body you can see bones and teeth - unbelievable.
The graphics also help to make watching some of the cut-scenes, which you can't skip, more enjoyable.
One tiny little problem is that occasionally, and this is very rare, the picture will stick for millisecond then back to business as usual.
You really have to see it for yourself on a HDTV to fully appreciate how good this game is visually.
~~~ Sound ~~~
The sound maintains the high standard set by the rest of the game. Nearby bullets sound like they've just zoomed right past you and exploding grenades and cars fill the room with noise. This is all much more impressive while using surround sound, but normal output through the TV gives just the same effects, but to a lesser extent.
The voice acting in the game is also excellent. I never really knew what good or bad voice acting consisted of, but I'm sure this is it. Cries of "Get down" greet you when you're standing in the way of oncoming gunfire and "Hooah" regularly rings around the battlefield.
Both the voices of fellow soldiers and explosions all around you make this the most impressive sound I've heard in a game.
~~~ Campaign ~~~
I'm not a fan of FPS games and it's the multiplayer that makes me buy the Call of Duty games. However, I always make a point of completing the offline campaign before I dive in online.
On my first play-though I went for 'Regular' (2nd hardest out of 4 settings) difficulty. I managed to get through the campaign in 6 hours (it has a very short campaign) and enjoyed it a fair amount. The ease in which I completed it encouraged me to try to go through it again on 'Veteran' difficulty, which is the hardest setting.
Again I found the game to be fairly easy. I'm not that good at these kinds of games, so for me to complete it on the hardest difficulty setting shows how easy it was. The only difference was I had to go a lot slower; this time it took me 9 hours.
Despite it being reasonably easy I thought it was excellent this time round. You have to think a lot more about what you're doing and there's a sense of achievement once you're finished. I would definitely recommend playing on either 'Veteran' or the setting below - 'Hardened'.
You'll appreciate the game's AI much more and everything just seems more enjoyable.
The range of places you visit is also impressive. Russia coated in snow, Afghanistan's dessert and below the Christ Redeemer in Rio are just some of the stunning locations you visit as you progress through the campaign.
Various missions have to be completed and there is some good variety. Clearing out buildings and driving snowmobiles are all included in the campaign mode.
Campaign mode is also where the infamous terrorist mission lies. You have the option to skip it before you start the campaign or you can skip during the mission. I chose to play through it and since it's just a game I didn't find it in any way disturbing.
There are also intel items scattered throughout the missions in the form of laptops. There are 45 in total for you to collect.
~~~ Spec-Ops ~~~
This is a new addition to the game since the original. It more or less directly replaces World at War's, 'Nazi Zombies' side game.
It isn't quite as good as 'Nazi Zombies', but it does add a bit of variety to the game.
In Spec-Ops you have to complete specific tasks, such as escaping a building in the quickest time possible, holding off waves of enemy attacks or by taking the more subtle approach and trying to get to a destination without being seen. You also complete races on the snowmobile, which is a nice change, but the handling is pretty basic.
My favourite though is an assault course. You have to run through a short course shooting wooden targets of bad guys and avoiding the civilians. Accuracy is rewarded and hitting civilians is penalised.
You earn stars for completing these challenges. The number of stars varies depending on the difficulty you completed the mission on or by how fast you completed the mission. You can earn a maximum of 3 stars per mssions and these unlock further missions with Spec-ops.
These missions can be played solo or in co-op either online or split-screen.
~~~ Online Multiplayer ~~~
Surely the biggest appeal for the majority of people buying the game. This year the game sticks to the usually layout, but with a wide range of small changes.
Game Modes - the usual games are back such as free-for-all, search & destroy, team death match and my favourite headquarters. All add something a little different and are excellent in there own way, usually involving capturing or blowing things up, while killing everyone in sight at the same time.
There is a new 3rd person option available. I've only played it briefly, but found it difficult to get the hang of, it's just not what COD's about.
Guns - There is a good variety of guns available. Whether you like hiding in the long grass with a sniper rifle or running about like a headless chicken with a machine gun, there's something for you.
There's now a lot more attachments you can add to your gun. Red dot sight, grenade launcher and a silencer are just a few options you can choose from.
Perks - There's been a slight shake up of the perk system. The perks you choose are upgraded by completing challenges, giving you an additional perk. All helping to create the perfect set-up for your playing style.
You also get to choose which kind of kill streak bonus you get, which is a very nice addition. No more just getting a bonus at 3,5 and 7, you can wait until 25 so you can call in a nuke if you're confident in your ability.
Maps - the maps are even more complicated than normal. Each building has about three ways in and most buildings are accessible. So far I've played 5 hours online and only know 1 of the 16 maps, due to what I think is over complexity.
They all seem to be quite similar at the moment, but I'm sure I'll begin to tell the difference more once I play it some more.
Overall the multiplayer experience is as fun and exciting as ever. It quickly becomes very addictive, with the rank up system only encouraging this. Add to this trying to improve your stats (kill to death ratio, win ration, accuracy) and attempting to complete challenges and you'll spend hours on end glues to the TV.
~~~ Game Controls ~~~
As I mentioned briefly earlier the controls are kept very simple. Most shooters have multiple different button combinations, which allow you to slide behind walls and peek out. You don't get any of this in COD, which I think is a massive positive.
L1 to aim
R1 to shoot
CIRCLE to crouch / go prone
X to jump
R3 to stab
L2 to throw special grenade
R2 to throw grenade
Directional buttons for perks & attachments
And the analogue sticks to control movement, that's all you need.
~~~ Final Thoughts ~~~
An exceptional game, which you simply must buy if you have a PS3. Some supermarkets are currently selling the game for under £30, so I'd recommend buying it before it goes up to it's normal price of £40-£45.
Combining three different game-modes with stunning visuals and sound make this an all-round experience un-matched by any other game.
Even some of the errors in the game, which included trophies not unlocking, and joining friends parties have been quickly solved via updates.
My expectations were met by the 'Game of the Year' - 10/10
Modern Warfare 2 
