Review: Modern Warfare 2

by Thomas Worthington - November 26, 2009

Comments (1)

The original Modern Warfare reinvented the Call of Duty series beyond expectation. It was a rollercoaster ride that tore the series from its traditional World War II themed roots adding new story-telling elements and a solid multiplayer component that still holds a tight spot as one of the most popular titles on Xbox Live.

The pressure is on for the successor Modern Warfare 2 to maintain the high standards of the original all the while introducing some new features.

Picking up five years after the original Modern Warfare, returning hero Soap MacTavish and his team Task Force 141 are trying to track down Russian terrorist Vladimir Makarov who is causing trouble for both Russia and the U.S. It’s not long before Makarov’s actions form the catalyst for an all out conflict between the two countries. It’s an action-packed if not tediously predictable and Hollywood inspired narrative told in short, 15-30 minute, bursts of explosive goodness the likes of which would have Michael Bay taking notes.

These short bite-sized pieces of blockbuster mayhem are delivered in style but the mission structure that precedes them can be repetitive; move from point A to point B, hold point B ECT. It’s stuff that has already exhausted by the genre let alone the Call of Duty series itself. There are exceptions. Cliff Hanger, for example is a compelling scenario where you’ll climb dizzying heights, sneak through the snowy storms and escape in a stylish snowmobile chase. There are more thrilling missions like this to be had but there are two basic and often boring missions sandwiching them.

Thank Modern Warfare’s gameplay for saving the day even when the objectives do become tiresome. Infinity Ward has strived for gameplay that provides a sense of realism unlike any FPS titles out there. Every moment in game is a test of your accuracy and reflexes. Each weapon you carry has a genuine feel and weight to them and provides a hell of a kick when you’re popping in and out of cover taking out targets with split second precision. The controls are comfortably mapped to the controller allowing the snap target system to be pulled off with the triggers with much ease.

Of course, one of the biggest games of the year couldn’t come without great presentation. This latest effort looks good but it’s nothing that will have you picking up your jaw from the floor. That said, the visuals rarely falter. The character movements and reactions of spot on and the frame rate remains consistently solid even when things get busy onscreen which they will more than often.

The quality of level design shines through in the games stunning environments from the snowy peaks of Russia to the dark thundering skies of Washington even the soon to be infamous airport scene which have a vast appearance have a fluent flow and make for terrific set pieces that outdo those previously seen in the series.

These set pieces wouldn’t be the same without Hans Zimmer triumphant score that shines through even during the games epic and at times over dramatic twists. Even the voice actors do a stand up job reprising their roles and delivering lines both encouraging and cheesy at the same time.

Modern Warfare 2’s rip roaring campaign is a short but sweet endeavour lasting around six hours even if you’re not familiar with the series but Call of Duty vets will know that the meat of this game can be found elsewhere.

 Gallery

Whilst we sidestep the obvious, let’s talk about a little bit about Spec Ops. When you’re done with the campaign, Spec Ops allows you to challenge yourself exercising the skills you’ve honed in a series of mini objectives where you’ll be ranked on your performance. Almost all of these locations have been plucked from the campaign although the objectives don’t directly correspond to those from the campaign but they share similar themes.

Spec Ops also makes up the co-operative portion of Modern Warfare 2. It’s 23 missions make for a sizable chunk of replay value and while it’s a shame co-op play didn’t make its way into the main campaign but Spec-Ops is a perfectly good substitute for this.

Now on to the prime cutlet of Infinity Wards magnum opus, the multiplayer which carries with it, the levelling system pioneered by Call of Duty 4. Packed with additional weapons and an impressive 16 maps, multiplayer is a lot of fun whether you’re playing on Xbox live, system linked or even split screen.

It’s similar to the original Modern Warfare multiplayer but the new additions serve as a great incentive for veteran players to join the fun in Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer including customizable kill streaks which test your skills and reward generously. To balance this, Death Streaks have been implemented to give the loosing side a fighting chance at a comeback such as pain kill giving you a health boost to help throw you back into the action.

Even the introduction of a Winning Kill Cam that highlights the winning kill of the match makes for a welcomed addition and at time a hilarious way to end a round as Youtube will soon play host to a vast amount of impressive kills and hilarious deaths.

The only problem with the online portion of the multiplayer is it’s difficult to approach as a newcomer. Being brutally honest, if you haven’t invested hours already into the Call of Duty 4 multiplayer then going anywhere near the online multiplayer element can be off-putting. The levelling system should help you settle in but when it comes to playing with the big boys, you might want to proceed with caution.

At times Modern Warfare 2 can be infuriatingly pretentious. Whether or not the hype has gone to Infinity Ward’s head can be attributed to the modest use of ‘war quotes’ ranging from popular sayings from the likes of Albert Einstein to Dick Cheney when you drop dead in the campaign. Even in the campaign, the plot twists and cut throat ending feel a little clichéd instead of being in any way inventive.

Its stunning set pieces and high-octane gameplay overshadows the game’s biggest weakness; it’s lack of originality. It’s a shame that Modern Warfare 2 chooses to pass up opportunities rather than use its influence as a chance to be creative, to pioneer.

Still, Infinity Ward has delivered a well-polished sequel upholding all the high standards of the series that make it worthy of the Modern Warfare name. It’s not the juggernaut it’s cracked up to be but it’s still a terrific game in its own right.