Shooter de jour even beats the original
Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilers. You’ve been warned.
The nuke. The nuke" THE FREAKING NUKE!!!
Two years after playing the first Modern Warfare, I am still haunted by the nuke scene. Never before did I ever think I’d be playing a character who witnesses a nuclear explosion first hand. Even if he wasn’t near ground zero, we still noticed the aftermath before he died from fallout. It was a very shocking moment, one of many that made the first game so memorable.
But now, Modern Warfare 2 is out. And in the seven hours I spent playing the single player campaign, all I can say is that one single moment has been surpassed by another one that could be even more shocking. Yes, even more shocking than a nuke.
Modern Warfare takes place five years after the events of the first game. Former Ultranationalist leader Imram Zakhaev is now heralded as a martyr and the "Hero of the New Russia," and has a new protégé, Vladimir Makharov. In combating them, former playable character Soap McTavish has taken over Captain Price’s position, and alongside commanding officer General Sheppard, forms Task Force 141.
After a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan, Army Ranger PFC Joseph Allen is hand picked by Sheppard for 141 as part of a deep cover assignment: infiltrate Makarov’s army.
But to do so, he has one final challenge. Along with several other soldiers, Makarov included, he is to take part in a terrorist attack on Zakhaev International Airport in Moscow. With the only command being "remember, no Russian," the attack consists of a massacre. Police dead, tourists dead, employees dead. The airport is trashed. Fuel trucks are exploded, planes left burning. And in the end, PFC Allen is dead, killed by Makarov as the true message behind the attack. As a result, the attack is considered an act of war implemented by the US, and it leads to an invasion of the United States.
While the Americans are busy holding off the Russian invasion, Soap and his new colleague, Sergeant Gary "Roach" Sandersson, are assigned the task of uncovering the root of the attack, with events leading them through a crowded Brazilian favela, an offshore oil rig, a Russian gulag, and the caves of Afghanistan. While their main objective is to find Makarov by any means necessary, it ends up more difficult than it sounds, and leads to many shocking plot twists.
In all, the game takes place over 17 missions. However, one mission in particular has been the subject of much controversy. "No Russian" depicts Makarov’s terrorist attack on the airport described earlier, and you play as one of the attackers (despite being under deep CIA cover.) Taking part in the massacre, while it did not offend me personally, and some people I know actually enjoyed it, will cause some people to be deeply offended. Fortunately, Infinity Ward added an option to skip the mission altogether without any penalties.
But the rest of the story mode features some amazing firefights and scenarios that could have been ripped from various movies. While I consider "No Russian" to be reminiscent of the first Die Hard, there are missions that remind me of Red Dawn (ironically called "Wolverines!") The Rock, Broken Arrow, and even Die Hard 2.
The Wolverines mission is another impressive one, even though it hits close to home (seeing as how it takes place in Northern Virginia.) Right from the beginning we see Russian paratroopers dropping into a peaceful suburb which turns into a gun-happy warzone. John Milius must be proud of the result! The scenario hits even harder when the fight is taken to downtown DC, and at the front of the White House!
While the Army Rangers shootouts are as enjoyable as ever, some of the best missions take place with Soap and Roach. Most of them are the usual stealth strikes, but the most fun came when executing a breach and clear. After the breaching charge is planted and detonated, the game slows down allowing enemies to be picked off one at a time. Not since Army of Two has slow motion kills been this fun!
I claimed the original game was the equivalent of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. In the case of Modern Warfare 2, it rivals that of a GOOD Michael Bay movie. Maybe it makes sense that one mission is a dead ringer of The Rock movie. Needless to say the campaign, despite being short (it took me 7 hours on Regular to finish it) it is a satisfying experience that makes me want more.
Fortunately that’s not all the game has. The deepest multiplayer experience in a shooter returns and is now more accessible for newcomers. Right off the bat you can equip some competitive weapons and perks, and methods of increasing experience points have been added. As a result, leveling up is much easier. Even better, for those who are constantly attacked by cheap campers, additional perks such as increased health are available to help out. If only there was a perk that would officially ban campers, then I would be in heaven.
There is also a new mode, called Special Ops. Twenty three challenges are added to test even the Modern Warfare elite. Ranging from surviving waves of enemies, to racing snowmobiles, to even using an AC130 to protect your partner. Needless to say replay value is improved this time around.
One thing that doesn’t need improvement is the visuals. The first game, and its proprietary engine, was gorgeous and fast. Thankfully that’s not been changed. Modern Warfare 2 is still 60 frames per second and razor sharp. And as expected, the gorgeous visuals are matched by amazing voice acting. With Lance Henrikson voicing General Sheppard and Keith David as Army Ranger Sgt. Foley, the quality is top notch. Granted there is repetition in the troop dialogue at times, but it’s nowhere near the point of redundancy. However it is the musical score by Hans Zimmer that makes the experience worthwhile, and once again, adding to my belief that Modern Warfare 2 is a virtual Michael Bay movie.
Needless to say, Modern Warfare 2 is the most awaited game this holiday season, and once again, Infinity Ward went above and beyond. The inevitable MW3 is the only thing that might be able to beat this masterpiece. Now the only question is, will it get Game of the Year or not?
PROS: Amazing story that improves on the original. More shocking moments that the original. Gorgeous visuals. Breach+Clear=FUN! More balanced multiplayer, with death perks adding some balance. Spec Ops co-op modes for single and multiplayer adds replay value. THE NUKE HAS BEEN UPSTAGED!
CONS: The campaign is the same length as the original (about 7 hours.) "No Russian" mission might be too disturbing for some players (but can be skipped altogether.) Still too many cheap players online.