Let’s have a look at the facts: It currently has a score of 94 on www.metacritic.com , it sold 4.7 million copies in its first 24 hours making it the highest grossing entertainment product ever released and it has been projected to gross over $800 million in the next year. How do you critique a game with such impressive stats? Now while I agree that ‘Might doesn’t make right’, in the case of Modern Warfare 2, it seems like the opposite is true, we all can’t be wrong in saying that this is one of the best shooters that has ever graced a console…ever.
If you looked at each individual component that makes up MW2, you wouldn’t think that it would all fit together in such a way to be labelled one of the best games ever made, but it does. The story is over the top, done a million times before, the mechanics and gameplay are so similar to the original Modern Warfare that you would think you’re playing the same game. But as it turns out, everything that exists in the world of Modern Warfare 2 is crafted with such attention to detail and such rewarding playability that all the thumbs up and publicity that this game has been getting has been deserved. It really is the best game I’ve played all year.
Infinity Ward knows what it takes to make a great game. The first game in the new Modern Warfare series broke preconceptions of what the studio is capable of and it does so again in the sequel by adding on new features on top of what is already a very slick and full package. The controls are perfectly mapped to the controller in your hands, (in our case the Xbox 360), the visuals are some of the finest you’ll come across this year and the frame rate, both online and offline, is superb to say the least. The weapons and explosions all carry a real weight and meatiness to them and the scenarios and story have been packed in so tightly, you can expect to find zero lulls in the action, or cheap and superfluous re-spawning enemies.
From beginning to end, the story and scope of the entire project are epic to say the least. You’ll walk in the shoes of several characters, some who return more war-savvy from the first game, and of course you can throw in the ‘controversy’ scene for good measure. MW2 has all the magic ingredients to make us shooter hounds smile, and enough longevity to keep us playing till MW3 is predictably released in the near future. Prepare to have your reflexes and senses tested, because there are plenty of over the top skirmishes and scenarios to make your head pound. It’s explosive, dramatic and at times nonsensical; but in a good way.
MW2 contains three separate modes. Campaign, Multiplayer and the new kid on the block, Spec Ops. The first two you probably already know exactly what to expect, so we’ll move right on to Spec Ops, one of my favourite additions to any long time franchise ever. It can be played both online and offline and by yourself or with a friend via co-op. It’s essentially a collection of missions and modes from the single player and multiplayer components and fuses them together to create different scenarios. For those that played World at War, you’ll remember the Nazi Zombie games, well, you’ll find that here too (minus the zombies of course) and have to defend your base, take out terrorists without harming civilians, race snow mobiles, it goes on. You’ll have points to earn, times to beat, leader boards to juggle and will have the time of your life doing it too.
I was listening to a podcast recently and they said that they were speaking to someone at Activision and DLC Spec Ops is definitely on the cards, if they can keep up the addictive nature that has been captured in these 23 missions, they have earned my cash, no questions asked.
Overall:
There are so many more things to say about MW2 but with the multiplayer, single player and ever so awesome Spec Ops mode available from the outset, this is a game that will spend more time in the 360 gamer’s drive more than any other title this year. It is one stylish piece of gaming, both in terms of playability and graphics and even though it might feel more of the same as the first Modern Warfare, I’m ok with that too. It offers an unmatched online experience and will satisfy the most harsh and hardcore FPS gamers out there. Beating this game on the hardest difficulty is no joke either and will have you coming back time and time again. Even if you complete absolutely everything, there is a joy to playing it as the controls and mechanics work so wonderfully together. Not since the first MW or Halo 3, for that matter, have we been given such a complete package that oozes style and substance in equal measures.
I’m hooked.
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