Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox 360, PS3

     Everyone's pain can finally end, Modern Warfare 2 is finally here! I believe it set a new entertainment industry record for sales in it's release week. They sure do deserve it.

Gameplay

+ It's still the same as Call of Duty 4. I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it. They DID however polish it much much more this time. The guns all feel very unique and purpose-built. They added a map onto the HUD so you can see enemies as red dots when they attack you. I didn't have anywhere near as much trouble with the grenade indicator as I did in the last game. It still could be improved upon but it didn't burn me as much as before. The AI finally helps you on the harder difficulties. They fixed a whole lot in this game to just give it a better feel. I can say at least I appreciated it. A lot.

+ The level design was wonderful! It had a feeling of every level being an open environment when in reality, it was extremely linear. I never had the feeling that I was lost. The game feels a bit easier but I think that it's because the level design had more thought put into it and mission objectives had more clarity this time around.

+ Every level in the campaign felt like it's own set piece. Every scripted event felt more natural, not like it's something forced. There are tons of moments to remember for years to come. In some of the AAA games that I play today, they seem to go for the whole "the action never stops!" deal and it actually makes me tired of the rinse and repeat gameplay they use. MW2, however, knows exactly how to pace the game to make it all feel refreshing and new all the time. Way to go guys! 


+ Multiplayer is back. It's the same affair that it was before. It's still just as addictive. Every weapon has it's own unlocks and attachments. There are challenges for every weapon and action in the game which helps extend it's replay value a TON. There are new killstreak rewards. Depending on how many kills you score without dying, you'll be rewarded with some helpful equipment such as radar upgrades, supply drops, AC130 kills, HINDs, tactical nukes, and plenty more where that came from. And from as much as I played, I don't think you need to worry about killstreak rewards harming the experience. I never felt like it decided the game when someone got a killstreak. It did make it much more interesting though. There are also titles and avatars to unlock to go next to your gamertag to brag about something you've done or just to give that little touch of personality to your name. Expect to spend weeks on this.


+Spec Ops is a new and VERY welcome addition. Spec Ops is a set of, well, special operations that range from races, to demolitions, eliminations, score attacks and more. All of them are quite exciting, just delivering that perfect bit of rush to make you feel like you're the hardest soldier out there. You can also play these ops with a friend for some added help. I had a lot of trouble finding people to play this with simply because all of my friends were already done with the ops, other people were too hooked on multiplayer, and some people just had no patience or communication skills to finish the missions. I finally found someone who stuck with me the whole way through and it was a blast to do. Either playing by yourself or with a friend, it's fun.


=  There's no co-op campaign to go through. It's not too big of an issue for me but I know some people were really looking forward to this feature. I don't feel like it really has an impact on the overall experience that's already here though.



- The infamous No Russian level was kind of lacking for me. I found it boring and I didn't feel like it was executed as well as it could have been. I'm sure there could have been a way to make it a much more emotional experience but I just wasn't feeling it with the way it is now.

- There's no matchmaking in Spec Ops. When a mode emphasizes team work as much as Spec Ops does, it doesn't really make sense when there's no matchmaking.

Graphics

= Just like Call of Duty 4 before it, Modern Warfare 2 is also just normal looking. The textures, while vastly improved, still look blocky and pixelated up close. The special effects still look just as mediocre as they used to. The character models however have been totally revamped with lots of detail. Otherwise, the graphics, while still an improvement over it's predecessor, still don't rise above mediocrity.

Sound

+ The music score in this game is very emotional and heartfelt. The themes throughout this game can really stir something sentimental in you. They also help liven up the battles you encounter by adding pressure or anxiety to what's already a fast-paced action-fest.

+ Sound effects are still going strong in this series. The guns sound unique from one another. You'll be freaked out every time you hear a ghillie snipe you. Explosions pack a mighty punch. It's all very high quality.

- Sometimes it's really important to listen for enemies in your surroundings and that can be very hard to do when the music in the background won't stop playing. Unfortunately, you can't toggle with the sound settings to turn the music down or off so you'll have to rely on your sight instead.

Story

= I wouldn't expect too much in this dept. It only does what it needs to when it comes to supporting the action but not much beyond that. It does have some cool references to the first Modern Warfare but I wouldn't say you need to play it to enjoy this game. It still managed to make me care about what was going on. I also felt like this game really introduces the horror of warfare on our own land which I think is something this generation needs. Wars don't need to be glorified, they need to be shown for what they really are. This game happens to execute that very well. So once again, it did more than it's predecessor, but not much more than what was required of it. 


Should you buy it?

     YES! Stop being that person who ignores these kinds of games and play it now. It lives up to the hype that proceeds it. Not to mention, you could play this game for months and it'd still be just as addictive. The campaign is worth a couple revisits, Spec Ops is a good test of your mettle with time attacks to boot, and then you have the multiplayer which is completely solid and always fun. It's worth the full retail value. You'll be glad you bought it.