Published: Tuesday, 8th December, 2009 9:19am
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
by Steff ParryPC, XBox 360 and PS3
I'll save you some time: Yes, it is as good as the first one, you can relax. Although, is it better than 2007's Modern Warfare? That question takes a little longer to answer. Read on, my friend.
Certainly the single player campaign is everything you'd hoped for, a visceral explosion for the senses. Again you will take control of different characters as you battle enemies across the globe. The game imbues a real sense of the dramatic, particularly with the American levels. In this respect, Modern Warfare 2 harnesses the most potent sensations of epic combat- last felt when storming the Reichstag in Call of Duty 5: World at War. Then there is 'that' controversial mission. It is every bit as disturbing as you've heard. Yes, it's just pixels at the end of the day but it is rare that a video game requires you to commit such atrocities. You are given the option to skip this level but let's face it, who will? Debate will no doubt continue as to the validity of this mission.
Next, there is a lot to keep you playing, long after the campaign credits roll. Multiplayer is practically identical (thankfully) to the first outing, save with the addition of new Killstreak rewards and now 'Deathstreaks'. Die a certain number of times without scoring a kill and you'll be given a lifeline to jump start you, plus there are also plenty of new toys to play with. The big new inclusion though is 'Special Ops' mode, a series of challenges to be completed, like micro levels in themselves, for solo/splitscreen and online play. It's not the multiplayer campaign that we were hoping for but it's the next best thing and a welcome addition.
The graphics have improved slightly and, whilst the series was never best in class for this department, the game looks fantastic. Explosions rock the landscape, grenades blind and disorient you, whilst characters are convincing and well animated. Of course, some textures look pretty rough up close but these are small sacrifices to pay for a rock solid frame rate and extra visual candy.
However, the actual game mechanics remain largely unchanged in Modern Warfare 2 and whilst this is mainly a very good thing, it does also mean that the title lacks much in the way of innovation and even seems dated at times. The absence of a cover system feels quite anachronistic at this point and the lack of a blind firing ability limits your engagement tactics at times, especially annoying as your comrades and enemies can do both these things. Furthermore, like Modern Warfare, the blistering campaign here is over all too quickly, with only six hours play for most gamers. You'll want to complete this on at least 'Hardened' difficulty to be worthwhile. Finally, the ending itself, whilst enigmatic, is underwhelming and won't take your breath away like previous efforts have.
But that's really all the criticism I can levy at this excellent title. Infinity Ward has once again pushed the boat out. Not so much in terms of advancing the game mechanics but certainly with regards to player emotion and the overall experience. The title makes a lot of effort to impart a sense of history, of context in time and place. Politics and world affairs are swept over in the story but the real power comes from more subtle moments: the beauty found in fiery embers lighting a woodland scene before the realisation that an exploded tank is producing the flames, or the poignant tableau during the end credits.
Modern Warfare 2 is primarily an adrenaline fuelled, twitch trigger based, first person action shooter but the developers should be applauded for once again providing a deeper experience than that. The lack of genuine innovation is easily overshadowed by the strong sensations of enjoyment and catharsis that the title elicits. It's not better than Modern Warfare but it's every bit as good. Excellent, essential playing.
4.5 stars
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