One of the things we firmly believe in around here is that gaming is a subjective experience. No two gamers are going to interpret a gaming experience as complex as a current-gen console game the same way. To that end, we sent Blake Grundman and Jennifer Allen a copy of Modern Warfare 2, one of the most talked about and purchased games of this year, and asked them to both help review it from their own, personal, point of view. With that in mind, please do enjoy another Evil Duel Review.
Game: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Publisher:Activision
Platform: 360, PS3, PC
Verdict:Great all round package but its story lacks soul
Pros:Multiplayer is phenomenal and will provide many hours of enjoyment.
Cons: The storyline is a mess
Acquired via Publisher
Jen Allen: Unless you’ve been living in a cave lately, you’ve probably noticed the ‘subtle’ launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 henceforth referred to as MW2. Arguably the most anticipated game of the year, it’s got a lot to live up to after the huge success of its predecessor. There’s no doubt that MW2 is a blockbuster of gargantuan proportions, but for me, it didn’t quite hit the spot as strongly as expected.
Blake Grundman: Say what you will about Activison, there is one thing that they do better than anyone else in the games industry, generating hype. Mimicking the high profile launches of such notable first party franchises as Halo and Killzone, it has been nearly impossible to avoid the market blitz that has been permeating the world’s pop culture psyche. Suddenly we live in an age where detonation of a nuclear weapon is not a terrorist attack; it is a perk for good performance. As disturbing as these realizations can be, nearly five million people pulled the trigger to purchase the game within 24 hours of its launch. Very rarely does something of this magnitude live up to the expectations that have set, but there is a first time for everything.
JA: There’s no denying that the game is a tour de force of high octane action. Barraging you with set piece after set piece of explosions and drama, there’s a lot to take in. One minute you might be sneaking through a snowy enemy base, the next you’re saving the Washington monument from impending destruction. Infinity Ward has certainly packed in as many ideas as possible and most of the individual levels are great fun. The downside of these isolated set pieces are that they make the story feel rather disjointed. At times I wondered if the developers at Infinity Ward had decided to throw literally every idea that occurred to them in the hope that the more explosions, the better the game. Compared to the plotline of MW1, which encapsulated a fairly plausible story, plenty of explosions and memorable set pieces, MW2 felt a little lacking. It seemed a little too desperate to be noticed, much like a huge Blockbuster film. This doesn’t stop the game from being fun, but at times it did feel like I was spectating rather than being an active participant to the show.
The storyline is also ridiculously unlikely. I don’t mean in the way that it’s still easy to suspend your disbelief; No, this is in a more criminal fashion, in a way that simply makes you see a scene unfold and think ‘what the hell?!’ The plot is tricky to discuss without spoiling too much, so look away now if you haven’t got that far, but basically Russia invades the USA. Oh and the International Space Station gets wiped out. Sure, it’s ‘just’ a game, but by using a contemporary setting, Infinity Ward almost suggest this is a ‘What if’ scenario, rather than an alternate reality. It’s all just very odd and downright ridiculous. Most of all it meant that it was impossible to feel any true empathy to the characters as was the case with MW1, especially when proceedings go so fast that at times it’s almost impossible to keep up with the pace.
BG: If there is one thing that Infinity Ward has perfected, it is the art of telling an emotionally gripping story from the first person perspective. Sure, their past Call of Duty games may be notoriously short, limited to only a single player, and a bit unrealistic, but they are always a fun rollercoaster ride that will leave you gasping for air as the credits roll. Employing the patented patchwork quilt storytelling methods, players will find themselves scouring the globe looking for terrorists, hostages and everything in-between, all in the name of protecting liberty… right?
Probably the most distracting aspect of the plot is how infeasible the subject matter seems to be. It is one thing to be hunting down some of the most dangerous men in the world, but all of the constant shifting of locations seems to be a desperate attempt draw your attention away from the fact that the story doesn’t seem as cohesive as past installments. Another mild irritation revolves around the constant need to have something detonating on screen. Is it really necessary to make a point by punctuating the intricately subtle and well thought out interactions between soldiers with an explosion and a hail of gunfire? Once again this proves to prey on those with a short attention span and little care for details. In short, it felt like the developers were just trying way too hard to recreate the thrills of the original Modern Warfare, instead of making MW2 its own unique experience.
JA: During the game there is the now notorious ‘No Russian’ level. By now there is no doubt that everyone has seen this, thanks to a leaked video. This could have been a fantastic example of how games can show the true horror of terrorist attacks, but instead it just comes across as deliberately controversial, while achieving nothing besides column inches in trashy newspapers that love to complain about games. The level puts you in the position of an undercover CIA agent, posing as a terrorist during an attack on an airport. It had the potential to put you in various moral quandaries, maybe a moment where the terrorist leader Makarov demands you kill a woman and her child and if you refuse, he kills you. But instead it’s simply a level where all you can really do is watch. Sure, you can join in with the killing, but it accomplishes nothing. There is just no emotion shown throughout the piece. All it really achieves is a load of newspaper headlines suggesting that MW2 trains children to kill innocent people and a ban in Russia for making them look bad. Ultimately, that one level is a huge missed opportunity, but as it stands, it could have been easily replaced by a cut scene showing similar destruction.
BG: The ‘No Russian’ level has now spread across the internet like wildfire and proven one thing loud and clear: The media LOVES a juicy video game violence story. There have been people speaking out left and right about whether it was proper to even have this scene in a game. At the end of the day it really comes down to Infinity Ward’s right to tell a story as they see fit. Personally, the stage seemed to be fairly unnecessary, perhaps even out of place. It was very reminiscent of the opening stage of MW1, where the player lived out their own assassination. Under those circumstances it was very effective in setting the tone for the game. However, as you silently walk through the chaos that is the airplane terminal, watching atrocities unfold before your very eyes, it just feels numb. Shock and awe will only work in some scenarios, and here it just seemed to fall flat. Taking a page from the Rockstar book of public relations seems like an uncharacteristically tacky decision and one that Infinity Ward may ultimately live to regret.
JA: As critical as this seems, MW2′s Single Player mode isn’t terrible. It’s an enjoyable, but linear experience. It’s just not as good as it could or should have been. While MW1′s single player felt like a complete package, providing both explosive action and emotive storytelling that was actually plausible, MW2 feels incomplete. It’s great to see the return of some old allies from MW1 but nothing is ever truly developed to the extent that it was in its predecessor: it all just feels a little too rushed. Thanks to this, it doesn’t quite reach the heady heights of MW1 and instead leaves an empty feeling of disappointment.
BG: Don’t misconstrue criticism for dislike, because the single play campaign takes everything that you enjoyed from the first installment and adds another layer of polish. The character and plot development seemed fairly lackluster, but worked well enough to justify the actions and settings that were taking place in the game. As the credits roll, you couldn’t ask for nothing more in your first person shooter, as long as story is not a huge hang-up.
JA: Of course, MW2 wouldn’t be the same without multiplayer functionality, and this is where Infinity Ward has truly excelled itself. Multiplayer in MW1 was one of the best available on any platform and this has been ably built upon and improved. First off, the perks have been made beefier with additional Pro perks that are unlocked through completing challenges. Additionally, there’s the ability to ‘copy’ your killer’s character class, something that is particularly useful when you are leveling up. It’s the same MW1 multiplayer game at heart, but with an array of subtle and more obvious changes.
Other touches include gaining extra experience points by killing someone and ending a long death streak or the ability to acquire kill streaks. These kill streaks enable you to do more than just summon UAV recon or an airstrike, now you can summon care packages containing anything from a simple ammo refill to a game enhancing weapon. Acquire 5 kills in a row and you can control a predator missile, directing it at your foes. Much of this has to be unlocked through gaining experience, but this adds to the experience (excuse the pun). Much like the achievement or trophy systems, it’s great to be given a reward for playing in increasing amounts. Even when you hit the level cap of 70, you can go hit the prestige button and work your way back up, much like in MW1. Multiplayer is hectic at times but brilliant fun and certainly a game that people will be playing for months to come. Its longevity is infinitely more than the short single player mode, thanks to that urge to gain a little bit more experience at time.
BG: What can be said about the stellar Modern Warfare multiplayer system that hasn’t already been expounded upon at length? The first decided to take the online template made popular by the Halo franchise and take it to the next level. MW2 continues to support this growth of the genre, acting almost as what would be expected to be the natural progression of the platform. In short, it is everything you could ever want and more.
If there were one word to describe the second iteration of this engine it would be, “Mature.” Not mature in the aspect of subject matter as much as how it treats the player. It is assumed that you are familiar with the common conventions of the online first person shooter space. All of the perks and unlocks are mentioned in-between rounds, but it is up to the player to reset their load-outs to account for this additional content. Most of all, this just feels like an adult’s Halo, focusing of what makes gaming fun: the challenge and competition. If you are looking for that next game to steal your online soul, then look no further.
JA: Besides the competitive multiplayer side of things, the coup de triumph of Modern Warfare 2 is the Spec-Ops mode. It’s a change of direction for the series, offering co-operative play with a twist. Rather than the likes of World at War, Spec-Ops is a self contained mode, offering challenges somewhat like those offered in Batman: Arkham Asylum, but more varied. They can be played alone but they are much more enjoyable alongside a friend. Missions can be as simple as defending one area with nothing but some claymore mines and a sniper rifle, or taking on the world with a chopper. It’s a mode that, much like the multiplayer, extends the longevity of MW2 hugely.
BG: When it was announced that MW2 would not be shipping with the single player campaign playable in co-op, there was a collective roar of displeasure from the online community. Fortunately, the development team had something else in mind, something they call Spec-Ops mode. These stand alone missions are focused towards taking the fun of the single player and making it work in a multiplayer setting. This may very well be the hidden gem of the entire package and something that must be experienced to truly appreciate its mastery.
JA: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 may deserve its position as a huge blockbuster of a game but it’s not really one for the single gamer. It lacks much needed soul that the previous Call of Duty titles all had, despite offering more explosions and set pieces than seen before. It’s not that the game is bad; it’s just not as good as previous Call of Duty games. In terms of single player experience, there have been better titles out this year such as Uncharted 2 and Batman: Arkham Asylum. However for those who adore multiplayer and co-operative gaming, it is the perfect package. The fantastic multiplayer mode offers a nearly overwhelming array of choices, while Spec-Ops is ideal to play alongside a friend and will no doubt provide many hours of entertainment.
BG: To say that Modern Warfare 2 is a value may very well be the understatement of the century. Combining a compelling, though limited, single player campaign, a robustly polished multiplayer mode and even a separate series co-op missions, makes this one of the strongest releases of this console generation. This is a must own for any gamer, bar none. So hit the trenches, there are millions of others out there waiting to set you in their crosshairs.
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