In the first Modern Warfare, there's a mission in which the player sees through the eyes of a marine operating in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. After some harrowing firefights and a quick airborne escape, both you and he probably assume that the good guys will be able to wipe out the terrorists and save the day. Not quite. Instead, your helicopter nosedives, and your poor marine is suddenly left crawling on the ground as a nuclear weapon is detonated nearby.
This and other provocative images helped define the original Modern Warfare experience, and they're back in full force in its blockbuster sequel, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Odds are that you've already heard about the horrific "No Russian" airport sequence, and I don't wish to dwell on it. It remains difficult to sit through even when you know what's coming, but it's hardly the only memorable imagery contained in the short but brutal campaign. This virtual world war takes you to war-torn Afghanistan and our nation's capital, and you're often required to watch through the eyes of endangered soldiers. So with all of these stirring and occasionally disturbing sequences, why exactly did I feel so empty when the credits started to roll?
After four main contributions to the Call of Duty franchise, Infinity Ward has perfected the first-person action sequence. You'll scale icy mountain ranges, speed down the same mountain on a ski mobile, fall to your near-death a half dozen times and - inexplicably - rescue hostages by taking out their captors in "bullet-time." Though I still prefer Halo's guns/melee/grenade trinity, Modern Warfare 2 has its sci-fi peer beat in terms of sheer excitement. The game's variety of settings and set pieces result in a game that's more fun to play than its acclaimed predecessor too.
But like a bloated summer movie - I'd go with Terminator: Salvation, but any dumb flick will do - it's all style without narrative substance. Maybe Infinity Ward's trying to "say something" about the realities of war, but I'm straining to remember anything besides impressive pyrotechnics.
I'm sure that civilians would evacuate in times of global conflict, but the levels in Modern Warfare 2 still feel lifeless. Running around through a burned-out Washington D.C. should rile up the blood or at least make me feel a little uneasy, but the empty suburbs and nearby monuments are too sterile. There are exceptions, but the game never struck me as an honest portrayal of war, which I'm pretty sure was what Infinity War was trying to do.
They also need to figure out how to bring actual characters into the game. Sure, these guys have names. Soap, Price, Makarov...I know who they are and sometimes what their goals are. But because so much of the story is told through radio chatter and loading screen briefings, there's never any emotional attachment. Now, your mileage may vary on this point. I thought that the cast of the previous game was paper-thin and would feel right at home in a recent Tom Clancy novel. I know plenty of folks who disagreed with me then, and will disagree now. I would love for someone to explain to me what I'm missing.
Luckily, in the new cooperative mode, you'll find yourself actually caring about your brother in arms because he's controlled by a fellow human being. There's something quite stirring about carrying a wounded friend out of harm's way with bullets Swiss-cheesing your cover. So much so that I wish the campaign had allowed buddies to team up to hunt down Makarov together.
It's in this mode that differing perspectives take on significance. For instance, there's one mission in which a human pilot handles the AC130 gunship from the first Modern Warfare, while the other player is pursued by enemies in a fenced off field. While the first AC130 appearance was positively chilling thanks to the unflinching voice over work, you now effectively become the "older brother." For the guy on the ground, the gunship becomes god-like, raining down destruction from the heavens. It's a unique dynamic that hasn't been explored much before in other shooters, and a welcome change of pace.
Other scenarios include a sniper hunt through the snowy woods, a helicopter patrol through a D.C. suburb and a jog across a terrorist-filled suspension bridge. Though some are more familiar than others, all of them require communication between players. If both of you decide to aim for the patrolman on the left and leave the right one standing, the flesh-tearing attack dogs are sure to follow. And while there is an indicator to direct you to your fallen comrade, you'll need to keep talking if you want to keep track of each other in the chaos.
And if chaos is your thing, you'll want to dive into multiplayer immediately. With or without the Javelin cheaters, you're never safe for too long. Enemy helicopters, UAVs, turrets and other perks ensure that you'll take your fair share of bullets. But no matter how frustrating multiplayer can be - I die a lot - the leveling system always brings me back.
You're rewarded for doing everything. Do you die constantly? Well, at least you can steal your killer's class and earn some end-of-round experience as consolations. Do you find yourself constantly running from tough fights? Equip the Marathon skill and use that footwork to build towards something. The constant upgrades encourage endless experimentation, whether you're a pro or a private (like me).
So do I have fun whenever I boot up Modern Warfare 2? Absolutely! The online stuff has even more hooks than the first game, and the moment-to-moment gun-play of the campaign is always intense. But in the end, they are just moments, explosive vignettes that never feel cohesive. If Infinity Ward can figure out how to make me care about these soldiers in their next game, then they will have a masterpiece on their hands. But Modern Warfare 2 is the video game equivalent of a flashbang - it leaves your senses overwhelmed for a little while, but it's never able to make the kill.
--Reviewed by Justin Hemenway
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This game. Freakin' awesome! My only complaint is that the single-player campaign does appear to be way too short. I think game developers should go back and start to focus more on a longer single-player and co-op campaign experience. To keep things short there is still plenty of meat to keep me satisfied between the Spec. Ops., Campaign and Multiplayer modes. I actually picked up the "Hardened Edition" but wanted to post my opinion here because I see only 4 out of 5 stars and this game needs to be 5 out 5 stars for sure. It was well worth the wait and my hard earned dough.
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This is a great game. It's my favorite in the COD series and I recommend it for any COD fan!
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The single player game is fun, but the real bonus is the multiplayer and Special ops missions which are definitely more fun with a friend.
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I bought it for my son..... and he says its awesome.......... priced better than even a used one @ game stop!! The shipping time was longer than it should take although.
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It is a tough game to master, but it presents interesting scenarios where war-like situations are recreated. If you enjoy some stress with your fun, this game is for you. Intense, fast paced and challenging.
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fun gsme it was my first call of duty game great graphics and i would recommend to any call of duty fan!
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I'm going to keep this short and to the point. Yes this is the second edition of MW however you really don't need to have played the first one in order to enjoy MW2. I really enjoyed the campaign, although it is somewhat short(like the first MW). I work full time and am going to school, yet had time to beat the campaign mode the 2nd day after it arrived at my house. The special ops is very fun, since MW2 doesn't seem to allow to LIVE players to play online( on the same console) in multiplayer the special ops was the only way to play with someone on the same console. Multiplayer is very good also, it is very challenging due to the skill level and perks that the higher ranked players have attained.
This game is well worth the purchase and I would highly recommend it.
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What is not to love with this game? If your a fan of fun, you owe it to yourself to pick up this awesome game. Well done Infinity Ward. I am eagerly awaiting MW3!
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I caught this item @ a very good price. Fast shipping. It's the only game my son plays live.
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Campaign was way to short/easy but they did leave it open for a sequel or expansion pack.
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I was wondering if they could top the last COD 4: Modern Warfare, and I think they have. Gameplay is great, the Special Ops feature is cool, and of course, the multiplayer is always amazing. Great new maps, weapons, perks, and all the other additions make it entertaining for days, months, years!
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I am a big fan of the Ghost Recon series, so the COD have been like a Vin Diesel movie in comparison so far, but this one does an excellent job at making the multiplayer fun again. I genuinely disliked the MW1 multiplayer set up, while enjoying the campaign a great deal. I have found the campaign in this one to be fun (though a bit sketchy and lose at times) but the multiplayer is where this game makes its money. Fantastic online experience be it from the coop Spec Ops missions to the general ground war/slayer type games. The servers all seem to be excellent and that is probably the real success of this game, its ability to link you to games where lag won't be an issue of ruin the experience. Solid hits result in solid kills and the bonus items make the game exponentially more fun than its older brother. Remote guns, guiding in a Hellfire from a drone, actually firing the guns on a gunship in the middle of the multiplayer chaos...its all brilliant. Not nearly as in depth or authentic as Dragon Rising or GRAW 2 (still my favorite military shooters of all time) but VERY fun, very addicting, and a beautifully created environment to play in.
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Been playing nonstop since November. Multiplayer is the best on the market. Buy it, you won't regret it.
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I have to say that this game is awesome. The multiplayer aspect of it is unbelieveable and the single player is like being in a movie.
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