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I've divided the following review into sections, based on the type of gameplay from Modern Warfare 2:
Single-Player Campaign:
Pros:
1) Action: The single-player campaign from Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most intense, white-knuckle, action-packed campaigns of any video game I have played EVER. The story is relatively good, and, except for one or two points (mentioned in cons), flows reasonably well. The missions themselves are adventures that will blow your mind. I don't want to spoil anything for prospective players, but as seen in the multiple trailers that preceded the game itself, snowmobiles, silenced snipers, heartbeat sensors, and steering television-guided missiles are among the many amazing things that come in this package. I have played the entire campaign through twice since the game's release midnight on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 the first time on regular difficulty and a second time on veteran difficulty and it definitely did not get old in between. Imagine a blockbuster action cinematic but you're the hero.
2) Challenge: The single-player campaign from Modern Warfare 2 is very challenging, more so than that from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Some might see this as a con, but I deem it otherwise. I would say that playing the campaign on regular is approximately equivalent to playing COD4's campaign on hardened. Regular to hardened represents a reasonable level of difficulty; veteran, however (and speaking from experience for the entire campaign) is, at some points, nigh impossible, and I'm NOT exaggerating. On two or three missions there were certain points where I died probably about two dozen times before managing to fight past the enemies or figure out a way to evade them. This, however frustrating, makes for all-the-greater amount of satisfaction when you beat the level, though.
Cons:
1) Storyline: Although the storyline flows reasonably well for the most part, there are one or two crucial turning points in the campaign that, simply put, just don't make too much sense to me. This is kind of jarring to a player who places emphasis on believability and cohesiveness. However, the fun of the campaign is damaged only slightly by this.
Campaign Overall Rankings:
Story: 3.5 stars
Action: 5 stars
Variety: 5 stars
Challenge: 5 stars
Replay Value: 4 stars
Overall: 4.5 stars
Special Ops Missions:
Background Info:
The special ops missions are additional content missions that, for the most part, resemble campaign missions from either Modern Warfare 2's single-player campaign or, on occasion, from that of Call of Duty 4. You can play the missions solo or with a friend on split screen or over Xbox Live, etc. The ops are divided into 5 categories of difficulty, Alpha through Echo. You unlock the higher levels by earning certain amounts of "stars" in the spec-ops missions. For most missions, the number of stars you earn (1-3) depends on the difficulty of the mission that you set (Regular-Veteran). There are 69 possible stars total, which means there are 23 spec-ops missions. I have unlocked all levels through Delta so far, and each has 5 missions, which presumably means that Echo category has only 3, albeit they are surely very challenging.
Pros:
1) Action: Spec-ops missions have several different determinants when determining how much action is in a given mission. Among these determinants are the mission type (more on that in just a second), difficulty, and playstyle. Some missions are definitely run-and-gun, others you will need to rely on stealth, and some the choice is really up to you. Personally, I like the ability to determine how to play a mission to some degree.
2) Variety: The Modern Warfare 2 Spec-ops missions have a lot to offer in terms of different playstyles and objectives. Each mission is categorized based on how it plays in general. Examples of categories include stealth, wave defense, race, assault, and timed assault. The environments also vary a lot, just like that in the campaign, which many of the environments are based off of. So, if you love sniping Ultranationalist dog patrols in the snow, there's something for you; same story if you want to run-and-gun through a marketplace in Rio de Janeiro defusing bombs before the clock runs out.
3) Challenge: Once again, Modern Warfare 2 comes up challenging, and once again I state this as a pro. Although there are slight variations based on the individual missions, the difficulty you set can make a huge difference. I have played through all of the Alpha and Bravo missions on veteran difficulty and the decisions a player makes, as well as how you work with your teammate in split-screen or online co-op, can make a huge difference. Players will also be forced to use good judgment, such as in the stealth missions when they decide whether they should engage or try to sneak past.
Cons:
I really can't think of anything I would genuinely change about the Spec-ops mode. The only thing I can think of that frustrates me is that I definitely pay for my mistakes on the harder difficulties but that's to be expected, right?
Special Ops Overall Rankings:
Story: N/A
Action: 5 stars
Variety: 5 stars
Challenge: 5 stars
Replay Value: 4 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Multiplayer:
Pros:
1) Maps: For the most part, the maps in Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode are very well-done. Most of them are larger than those in Call of Duty 4, although there are still some nice small ones like Rust that can be fun with as few as 2-6 people. The main thing I notice about the maps is the vast increase in dynamics. Nearly all the maps have many routes from point A to point B, whether that be across a street, along some back alleys, underneath in a tunnel, or over the rooftops. The environments themselves are quite interesting, and the graphics are, of course, exemplary. All the gametypes I have played (mainly Team Deathmatch, Sabotage, and Capture the Flag) work well in terms of where players start, where they spawn, and how they can approach the game.
2) Equipment: The sheer amount of STUFF you can acquire in Modern Warfare 2's leveling-up system will blow your mind. While the number of weapons is increased about a third to a half again that of Call of Duty 4 with additions of new firearms, some of which replace others that have been removed, as well as a number of new equipment and sidearm options the number of ways to customize said weapons has at least doubled. Whereas in COD4 one could only put one of three equipment attachments on a given weapon (four if you count the grenade launcher, the others being silencer, red-dot sight, and ACOG scope), there are at least 6 for pretty much every gun in Modern Warfare 2. Examples of new attachments include the heartbeat sensor, extended magazines, full-metal jacketed bullets, underslung shotgun, and holographic sight. This variety provides tons of fun when unlocking new attachments by completing challenges and experimenting with different customizations. On top of this, with the bling perk, one can put two attachments on the same weapon, allowing even greater possibilities when building your loadout with the class customization tool.
3) Other Variety: Some other aspects of multiplayer have also been expanded on in Modern Warfare 2 from Call of Duty 4. Some that bear particular mention include the killstreak bonuses, perks, and game modes.
A) Killstreaks: Whereas in COD4 there were three killstreak bonuses (UAV radar, Airstrike, and Attack Helicopter, given at 3, 5, and 7 kill streaks respectively), there are 15 in Modern Warfare 2. Some examples of new ones are predator missile strike, stealth bomber run, AC130, EMP, and (the one that scares me the most) Tactical Nuke, the description for which simply says "End the game with a bang." However, you don't gain them all at once (that would turn games into ridiculous streak-fests). Instead, at certain levels you are able to unlock another killstreak bonus, having started out with UAV, a new bonus called Care Package, and Predator Missile strike. Once a player has more than three bonuses unlocked, the player can choose, at any time prior to any game, which three to have active.
B) Perks: Perks, for those not familiar, are selected bonuses or abilities that a player selects as part of their class when playing multiplayer. There are several new perks in the game that confer interesting and useful, but not overpowered, abilities. Additionally, prolonged use of a perk now eventually allows the achievement and use of a "pro" version of the perk, that gives an additional bonus. A few examples of this are the Bling and Stopping Power perks. Bling "Pro" allows a player to extend the bonus of Bling (two attachments on primary weapon) to the player's secondary weapon or sidearm. Stopping Power "Pro" gives the player an additional damage bonus against vehicles.
C) Game Modes: I am very happy that there are a few new game modes in Modern Warfare 2, particularly with the inclusion of an all-time favorite, Capture the Flag. Other new additions include a gametype called demolition and several traditional game types that are played in third-person mode, similar to Gears of War.
4) Volume: Whereas Call of Duty 4 had 55 levels in any given progression, Modern Warfare 2 has 70. Add that to 14 different online playlists and 16 starting maps (and Activision has announced at least 2 DLC map packs will be on the way), there is a great deal of replay value in Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer.
Cons:
1) Party Chat: It's in practically every review, I know, but I should include it anyways: most playlists in Modern Warfare 2 (all except Mercenary Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All, Ground War, 3rd Person Teams, and 3rd Person Cage Match) require you to be in game chat mode no talking to friends who aren't in the game over a separate party. This isn't an extremely big problem in my opinion, but it can be slightly annoying, especially if there is someone else in the game who is being annoying. However, you always have the option of muting particular players. If you really wanted to, you could just mute everyone in the playlist except your friends, unless they're not playing with you.
2) Particular Maps: This is a purely subjective con, but I'll throw it in here anyway. One or two (and only one or two) of the multiplayer maps are not very well built for gameplay, in my opinion. If you buy the game, I personally would advise trying to avoid Wasteland, but maybe that's just me. For the most part, nearly all the maps are quite fun.
Neutral Comments:
This is a section where I'll mention just a few of the differences between Call of Duty 4 and Modern Warfare 2 that don't fall into pro or con in my opinion.
1) Death: Simply put, you die easier in Modern Warfare 2. Whether this is a move to reflect realism, a "consequence" of more advanced firearms, or just a change Infinity Ward happened to make, it is a reality. It took me an hour or so to get used to it, but it's just part of the game, and it's the same for everybody playing. I don't think this is a positive or negative change.
Multiplayer Overall Rankings:
Story: N/A
Action: 4.5 stars
Variety: 5 stars
Challenge: N/A (depends on other players)
Replay Value: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Total Game Overall Rankings:
Story: 3.5 stars
Action: 4.8 stars
Variety: 5 stars
Challenge: 5 stars
Replay Value: 4.3 stars
Overall: 4.8 stars
Would I recommend this game to a friend?: YES
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Wow. I came late to the party. I saw the mixed reviews and decided to wait. Instead, I picked up Battlefield 2: Bad Company, which early reviews were calling better than MW2. However, I came away feeling "meh" about it. Eventually, I traded it in and decided to get MW2 anyways. Even though I'm late to the game (and there's literally hundreds of other reviews for this game already), I'll at least add my 2 cents because I think this game has changed the landscape for EVER. This is literally the best game I've ever played. Ever. It's really that good. This is the game you can demo to all your friends who wonder if they should get an Xbox360.
I don't play multiplayer too much, so my review is focused on the campaign. I don't understand why so many people complain about it being too short. I don't think it's too short at all. The missions and locations are the best I've ever seen. There's maps in the snow, the desert, the forest, the ocean, urban ghettos, an airport, etc. You'll be running, driving snow mobiles & boats, jumping over roof-tops and cliffs. The story & special effects are truly amazing. There's rain, snow, blizzards, wind, fog, etc. It really seemed like every few missions I would see something so amazing I would think I'll never forget that moment. Then I'll play another mission and see something that topped it. Having just finished the game, one of the last missions had an EMP go off and helicopters falling from the sky and parts flying everywhere. Then all the electronics in your guns quits working. And as your running around shooting the bad guys, there's not only rain coming down, water flooding places, but all these red embers from the crash sites flying all over the place. I'll never forget it. Then after I finished the game, I was blown away by what they did with the credits. I won't ruin everything, but I'll reiterate that everything (and I mean everything) about this game is top-notch.
I'll also just throw in the quick comment about the co-op missions. I've played some of the COD games in the past and whenever I would have a friend over, I would never be able to play it with them because there was no real co-op. Either you had to jump online to play split-screen (which can be intimidating for new players) or you play 1-on-1 on an empty map. MW2 changes that. And by doing so simply adds to what was already the best game I've ever played. The co-op has a TON of 2-player missions. Some of them are even pretty dang tough. It's the variety of them that makes them so much fun too. It's not just 2 people trying to kill everything on the map. Some of them are speed races, beat the clocks, wave survivals, and my favorites: one person in the air and the other on the ground. And it's implemented flawlessly. Some of them will definitely make you say Wow.
Many people only rate products that they either really love, or really hate (unless they're just bored or completists). Add one to the Really Love column.
Well done Activision. Well done. I don't know if there will be another game that will amaze me like this one did.
Best Deals for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Xbox 360
I felt compelled to write a positive review for MW2 after buying black ops recently. Black ops just cannot be compared to this game, they are in two different leagues. This game is so smooth and realistic, the sound and the graphics really come together to give the player a truly immersive experience. This is an amazing game, one of my all-time favorites.
Honest reviews on Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Xbox 360
Read any of the other comments for a full review. This game sets the standard for all other FPS. Black Ops is fun and a good switch off but this is still the best on the market. I think it says something that even with newer games out and this one being on the market so long, it stil sells for $60 at Best Buy. An absolute 'must have' for any gamer.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - Xbox 360
I have been playing Modern Wafare 2 non-stop since release, and I absolutely love it. If you have any interest in shooters, this is the game for you. The overall package is unlike any other game this year, and is hands-down one of the best FPS's ever made. The graphics have improved significantly from the original, and I can tell Modern Warfare 2 was built from the ground-up. It's a great deal on Amazon, with the credit of $10. I received a $20 credit because I preordered.
I will break this out into three categories: Campaign, Spec-Ops, and Multiplayer
Campaign:
The campaign for Modern Warfare 2 is similar in play style, length, and quality to the original Modern Warfare. Infinity Ward has sacrificed overall length and storytelling to focus on fast-paced, white-knuckle action and suspense. It is defeinitely worth playing for anyone that has Modern Warfare 2.
Pros
+The action is great. Their are tons of terrorists to kill, and plenty of realistic and fun military weapons and gear to use. I thought it was a blast to play around with Predators, and order an APC to attack a certain area. I really appreciate the time and effort Infinity Ward puts into the weapons and gear because I am a nerd for military video games, and I have actually seen many of the weapons in the game.
+You visit plenty of real-world locations throughout the campaign. This makes for a lot of diversity in the missions and environments. Many shooters tack on repetitive hallways and areas just to say their games takes X hours to beat, but Infinity Ward obviously puts some tender loving care into their mission design.
+A few notable missions in the campaign are some of the best I have ever played in any video game. They are just stunning in the presentation. I dont want to spoil them for players that havent experienced the campaing, so I will leave it at that.
Cons
-The story of the campaign has plot holes all over the place. By the time you finish the campaign, you wont have much of an idea as to what you have just done. It seems like the scripting and plotline is measurably worse than the first Modern Warfare. It is still the typical "hunt down and kill the bad guy" type story, but told with less cohesiveness. It is almost as if Infinity Ward thought of a bunch of awesome missions for the player to experience, requiring him to travel all over the world to complete them, and then forced in this ridiculous and way over-the-top story to blend it all together.
-I finished the campaign on hardened difficulty in 7 hours. If you are a veteran of Call of Duty, I recommend you play on hardened your first time through. This is a fairly short campaign, but with a lot of attention payed to details. I dont think a short, but well done campaign is a bad thing. However, the story is not great this time around and really leaves something to be desired in terms of to what context the player's actions should be framed.
Spec-Ops
Spec-Ops is the cooperative segment of Modern Warfare 2. It is a series of 23 missions, broken into groups of 5, that will remind you of the "Mile High Club" mission after the credits rolled in Modern Warfare 1. You can play these split screen or online with one other person. Spec-Ops are great fun when played cooperatively, and are a surprisingly good addition to a Call of Duty game. I dont have many complaints about Spec-Ops
Pros
+The missions are a lot of fun. You can tell that some of these missions are ideas that Infinity Ward thought of for the campaign, but didnt quite fit in to what they wanted to do. Their isnt necessarily a story in any of the Spec-Ops missions, they are just there for the challenge and fun. Infinity Ward got pretty creative with some of these missions, like a mission in an AC-130. Most of the missions are based on missions in Modern Warfare 2, and I've noticed a couple based on Modern Warfare 1.
+Their is plenty of challenge and replayability to Spec-Ops. Each mission has 3 difficulties corresponding to "stars". 1 star is regular, 2 is hardened, and 3 is veteran. Almost every mission seems to be beatable on regular by yourself, but for some you're required to play with someone else. I dont think anyone would be able to finish any of the Spec-Ops missions by themself on Veteran, except maybe some of the early ones. This goes to show how much cooperation is required.
Cons
-I would like to be able to play some of these missions with more than 2 total players. How awesome would it be for you and 5 of your friends to be in several AC-130's, shooting terrorists and completing objectives? Resistance 2 has 8-player cooperative missions, but they arent as exciting and creative as Modern Warfare 2's Spec-Ops.
Multiplayer
Their is so much to say about Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer that I could write an entire separate review for it. I think most people that buy Modern Warfare 2 are primarily looking for multiplayer, and their purchase will be justified. If you liked the multiplayer in Modern Warfare 1, you will like it in the sequel. Their can be up to 18 players in one game at a time, although this is only in the "Ground War" playlist that just has team deathmatch and domination (a capture points mode). Most of the games are 12 player affairs, which I think is fitting for this game This is not Battlefield, it's Call of Duty. You earn experience for a variety of things like: kills, winning the game, assisting your teammates with a kill, completing general "challenges" or challenges pertaining specifically to a certain weapon, perk, or equipment, completing objectives like planting a bomb or capping a flag, etc. As you can see, Infinity Ward has thought of a plethora of ways to reward the player for their accomplishments. Your experience will accumulate, and you will "rank up" at certain intervals. Each level will earn you new weapons, perks, equipment, and challenges that you can use and pursue while playing the multiplayer. You can also customize your killstreaks now. This means you can unlock and "equip" 3 killstreaks, and when you get that killstreak in a game you reap the rewards. Finally, there are deathstreak rewards that work much like the killstreak rewards. It can help a struggling player to get back into the game. It is a blast to play with friends, and I highly recommend that you do. Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer is some of the best I have ever played on a console, and I think most people will love it.
Pros
+The progression of ranks will keep you addicted to Modern Warfare 2 for months, possibly for over a year. Infinity Ward struck gold when they blended a first-person-shooter with great controls and an rpg-like progression system in Modern Warfare 1. Modern Warfare 2 takes the relatively "safe" approach and keeps the formula mostly the same while expanding on it.
+Infinity Ward has re-worked the perks and has added plenty of new weapons and attachments. Their is much more to play around with now. Each perk has a "pro" version that you unlock by completing challenges for the appropriate perk. For example, you unlock Scavenger Pro by using the Scavenger perk and running over 150 dead bodies to resupply yourself. The pro version gives you the same benefit as the base perk (resupply by running over corpses), and adds additional magazines for your primary and secondary weapons. The pro perks are a great idea, and the new weapons are excellent.
+There are 16 playlists currently. This makes for a lot of diversity in the types of games you play. I have not become the slightest bit bored of playing the multiplayer yet as there are so many different games to play.
+Infinity Ward's map design is so great you will find yourself just staring at things in the environment. Their is an incredible level of detail to each map these are some of the most detailed boards I have ever seen in a game. The maps are right up their, if not better than, those in Killzone 2, Battlefield: Bad Company, Halo 3, and any other popular shooter you can name.
Cons
-XBOX Live has had it's problems with potty-mouth children playing mature-rated games online, and Modern Warfare 2 is a poster child for it. You wont believe how young some of the players are, and the completely unacceptable and appalling language that comes out of their mouths. Get used to: racial and sexual slurs, swearing, obnoxious sounds, singing, and voices; and teenagers calling each other "noobs", bragging about "owning"...you get the picture. I dont know how a 13-yr.-old boy gets his hands on this game, but their are way too many kids online. This is not necessarily a knock exclusively on Modern Warfare 2, but with millions of players online, you will know exactly what I am talking about in your first hour of the game. This is a fair warning to brace yourself. I suggest you find yourself some adult gamers, add them to your friends list, and play with them as often as possible. Your Modern Warfare 2 experience will be INFINIT(el)Y better.
Get it? INFINITELY...Infinity Ward?...Get it? Ok, nevermind...
-You will get killed quickly and frequently if you spend all of your time on your own unless you like being a sniper. This is another reason to do as I said above find some other adult gamers and play with them. You will have a better time socializing with friends, and working together to complete objectives like capping a flag.
-Their seems to be more snipers in Modern Warfare 2 than in any other Call of Duty I have played. And I have played all of them. If you arent a sniper, it seems like you get killed much more frequently and easily, by enemies you cant even see. I have more frequent deathstreaks now than I ever have, and it gets frustrating. I am guessing the reason there are more snipers is the fact that killstreak rewards are enticing, and you die much less often when you are in the same window in a warehouse sniping the whole game. I try to focus on playing game modes where you have to move around, like domination and headquarters.
-I have a personal and subjective knock on the game: the perk stopping power is still in. Stopping power makes your bullets do more damage. In my opinion it messes up the balance of the game because if you choose to use any other red perk, you will get killed by people with stopping power all the time. 90% of the time I die, and I see the player that killed me, he was using stopping power. I am therefore forced to use stopping power to be competitive, which prevents myself and every other player from being able to use and enjoy the 5 other red perks. If it takes me 4 more bullets to kill someone as it takes them to kill me, I am at a huge disadvantage and my kill/death ratio will detetiorate to an embarassing level. I wish Infinity Ward would make stopping power a deathstreak reward like they did with juggernaut (extra health) and martyrdom (drop a grenade when you die).
Thank for reading!
