Gameplay

The game itself is broken up into 3 parts; for those that want to head right into the story you have the single-player, those that want to jump online have the groundbreaking multiplayer and those that want to have some fun with co-op via locally or online have Spec Ops mode. Each mode is kept track through percentage completion and certainly plays a part in replay ability. At its core, Modern Warfare 2 remains largely the same from its predecessor. With a few added tweaks and polish it becomes an even finer first person shooter experience. Throughout the single player campaign you’ll fee like your playing through an action movie and you’re the main character fighting for every inch through each checkpoint. The game clocks in at a short 5 hours on regular difficulty but add another hour or so on top of that for Hardened mode and so on. The game gets quite chaotic and the plot itself is quite interesting as well.

Modern Warfare 2 picks up 5 years after the first game and brings you up to speed with a montage of events as you begin. You’ll be introduced to old favorites like “Soap” McTavish who’s now a Captain, Nikolai and Captain Price. You will also have most of your encounters under the character Sergeant “Roach” Sanderson. Another thing to remember is that you’ll also still embody the roles of different characters throughout the game in different situations as you did in the first Modern Warfare. You will be taken on a trip throughout the world to many locales including but not limited too Washington D.C., Virginia and Kazakhstan. It’s the start of a global full scale war brought on by the madness of a terrorist attack. Modern Warfare 2 is certainly a spectacle to be witnessed.

To continue about the terrorist attack, the developers thankfully respected the views of the people and placed warnings throughout the game reminding you if you really want to play that section of the game. I decided to go through it myself and to tell you the truth it really wasn’t enough to affect my viewpoint on the game. It’s a short section that doesn’t last long enough to have any substantial effect on my thoughts. There were other parts in the game that had more of an impact on my mind then that. If you do decide to skip it you won’t be penalized. You’ll still be able to get achievements or trophies so don’t be afraid if you say no. The only thing you’ll miss is the story element it adds to the game, but a quick montage cinematic catches you up anyway, so nothing to worry about there. However, if you are offended by such events, thankfully there is that option to look out for.

 There are many twists and turns in the plot that to describe them here would ruin the fun for everyone. They are much more exciting to discover on your one anyway. There are many spots during the game that will be jaw dropping, and moments that are quite hectic as well. What struck me the most was being able to invade an enemy base barely being detected in a snow storm in Russia. Looking back there is a lot of times where you will feel claustrophobic and almost helpless during certain missions. Alley ways are tight and there isn’t much room to strategize as you could later in the game. Other times are when you are given vehicle use, such as driving a snowmobile or even a speed boat. These times can get a little wild and if you don’t keep track of what you’re doing then you could lose it completely.

Moving on let’s talk about the online play. Unlike the first game where its only online play was multiplayer, we now have Spec Ops. Here you can pair up with a friend either online or off for some co-op. There are various missions and objectives each of you can play. In total, there are five levels of difficulty and you earn stars based on the difficulty level you play at and allows you to continue on to the next level. You can choose your difficulty before each mission and unfortunately this is the only way to earn more stars by playing on veteran or hardened.

The groundbreaking multiplayer of the first game is back with quite a few tweaks and polish. Level design is much improved with more weather effects and terrain differences. Also of note, instead of seeing a bright red screen when you are hit there is actual blood splatter indicating you better get to cover before you are taken out. In the beginning you are given 5 play types to start with and in order to unlock the rest you have reach certain levels by experience points. There is an option for Xbox Live Party Chat in some areas of the game, but otherwise this feature is shut off. Infinity Ward has certainly put a lot of effort into making the multiplayer experience as frantic and exciting as the single player campaign. You’ll be able to use various perks and special abilities earned with skill. The multiplayer could almost consider itself to be a full game. Just a warning, make sure you gather a group of friends together as its no fun when dealing with the public out there on Xbox Live.

Graphics

Infinity Ward has done an excellent job crafting a more realistic Modern Warfare world. The terrain and weather effects mix together nicely and provide a more realistic point of view of the world. The character models themselves are quite intuitively drawn and almost make you think twice if you’re playing the game or watching a movie. There are especially certain scenes that as I mentioned will make your jaw drop. For instance once you make your way through Washington D.C it’ll feel like you’ll certainly want revenge for what was done to it. The level design may feel a little linear but the big action set pieces help mix for an adventure. The camera thankfully doesn’t get in the way much and is quite stationary throughout your play through. 

Sound

 The production values for Modern Warfare 2 are impressive and the sounds of the game are a step up. Battle sounds and gun fire is all top notch and makes you feel like you’re in the middle of the battlefield. You’ll hear all sorts of radio chatter throughout your squad mates and voice acting is about as perfect as you can get. Just remember not too get too sucked into the game as you can get completely distracted from the real world when playing. The Dolby Digital enhancement brings everything to life and you wont’ go wrong hooking this game into your home stereo system. Every weapon in the game comes to life and, from the infamous AK-47 to your Stinger you used to shoot down the enemy Hilo. The game also boasts a score by the famous composer Hans Zimmer and is cinematic in every respect much like the game itself.

Plasma Factor

Where would this game be without its multiplayer? If the game was sold on a single-player basis it would probably make about half of the profits its raking in now. The groundbreaking multiplayer from Modern Warfare returns with plenty of new updates to the perks and bonuses of the first game. You’ll encounter plenty of scenarios and new maps with DLC along the way to keep you playing. There are plenty of new addictive match types and rule sets. Matchmaking has been improved to allow for quicker games and faster load times. Obviously everything depends on your internet connection to play online via Xbox Live or the Playstation Network. 

The one drawback that has a lot of console gamers debating about is the limited use of Xbox Live Party chat in certain matches. You wont’ be able to use Party Chat in a lot of matches for what seems to be an unknown reason. It’s the only drawback on the multiplayer, so don’t let that steer you away from enjoying this new experience.

Conclusion

To recap, Modern Warfare 2 is certainly an exciting time for gamers, Infinity Ward has returned with a sequel to one of the biggest and fastest selling games in the Call of Duty franchise. The game boasts an exciting multiplayer with new updates and perks as well as environments. The story while not exactly the games biggest plus, it still manage to keep players interested and in pace with what was started in Modern Warfare. Overall, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a game that you don’t want to miss, if you’re an FPS player then you’ll certainly want to get your hands on it.