Modern Warfare 2

With 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward announced itself on the global stage as a force to be reckoned with in the gaming mass market. They unleashed a product which radically changed the impact First Person Shooters would have on gaming as a whole, reinvented the very ideals put forth in gaming as a medium and indeed became an unerring monster in the process.

Modern Warfare lifted the lid off the tradition FPS genre by introducing gameplay elements which made the overall gaming experience one to appreciate. Whilst there were standard AI mistakes, cover issues and fragmented story points, the overall package felt so polished and engaging that millions felt the need to invest in the product, realising just how much of a step up the title was in a landscape full of disheartened and under-invested FPSs.

Alongside the engrossing but disappointingly short single player experience, Modern Warfare boasted a multiplayer mode which yet another proved dominant amongst a crowded FPS market. Dropping a perks and XP system into the mix, the online mode became Xbox Live’s most popular game over the 2007 Christmas period and millions have enjoyed it since.

Roll on November 10th 2009, a date which several million people had earmarked in their diaries. With PR ‘leaks’ and gradual previews being unleashed onto the gaming radar, those who had marvelled at MW1 knew what to expect this time round. With news of a controversial and morally questionable mission making its way into the campaign mode, gamers prepared with baited breath for what has now been estimated as the biggest gaming launch in history. But does commercial success translate into a favourable gameplay experience?

From the outset, Modern Warfare 2 presents itself as an over-exaggerated extravaganza, a mess of ammunition, missiles and constant wall-to-wall violence. Infinity Ward set out to make a blockbuster and they certainly managed it; the only problem being that like many equivalent films, it suffers from a lack of depth and substance.

A cliché-ridden introductory movie sets the game up, letting the gamer know that something big going to happen, whether they like it or not, a recap of MW1 played out in case there really was anyone who had missed the previous MW title. With missions ranging from the point of view of British SAS, US military force fighters and the controversial Russian 141 Militia operation, it is not a case of sticking with any particular regime, as was also the case with the previous title. It should be noted that the controversial mission involves clearing an airport full of civilians and US policemen and riot police, a particularly hard-hitting but eerily poignant set of events. Whilst it doesn’t actually require the gamer to carry out any killings themselves, the style in which said mission is presented; a slight suavity to proceedings and unflinching air of brutal and cold almost inhuman behaviour makes it an unnerving experience but also one which serves as a means of understanding the callous and distant nature of terrorism.

Aside from this one-off controversy and much maligned perspective, the rest of the game offers a multitude of locales, each and every one looking stunning for the most part. The game certainly looks fantastic and the lighting effects in Whiskey Hotel are of special mention, though truth be told the game looks rather bland when stationery or indeed when it comes to wildlife.

Looks aside, while gameplay seems largely unchanged from MW1, the writing and story elements seem to have been overlooked completely, with plot points and certain mission objectives being hopelessly ignored or just incredibly random in their nature and relevance to anything associated with the normal story path. As such, it all seems convoluted and almost an after thought in respect to the multiplayer. The ending in particular will have many scratching their heads, pondering just what the game actually achieved, what exactly happened and what’s next.

Those looking for respite will have the multiplayer to look forward to, should they feel the need for competitive and intense battles. With MW1’s online aspects being as smooth, accessible and addictive as they were, the folks at Infinity Ward knew they had a task on their hands to come anywhere near close to emulating the success. The big new addition here is the updated killstreaks – and deathstreaks – feature, whereby killstreaks can be customised to fully maximise one’s enjoyment of the online modes and reflect individuals’ abilities to achieve specific milestones in order to make the most of the multiplayer maps. Areas are much bigger this time round too, and different level heights mean the methods of killing are now more varied than ever before, though it seems a lot easier to kill or be killed than in the previous title which to many will prove frustrating.

In Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward and Activision have created a monolith, a monster of a release which will no doubt keep gamers occupied til the next Call of Duty game, whenever that may be. There are still plenty of flaws, and areas of improvement for the development team to try and master in the coming years, should there be a follow-up title, and whilst the story mode lacks a certain something, the multiplayer seems a reasonable counterpoint. As a package, it still feels somewhat rough around the edges and often leaves one feeling empty or underwhelmed but there is no doubting that this will be a title which will dominant the gaming landscape for years to come.

8/10