If you're a fan of first-person shooters, then the No. 1 game on your radar for the past few months has most likely been Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. When the game landed on shelves last week, it set a new record for first-day sales and probably was responsible for thousands of "sick days" worldwide. It seems safe to say that the gaming world has Call of Duty fever and the guys at Infinity Ward will be rolling in dough for years to come - but just how well does MW2 stack up to the competition and its own predecessors?
In the single-player mode, you find yourself in the shoes of several different soldiers around the world loosely working together toward the same larger goal. Call of Duty games have always been about fast-paced action and set-piece events that make you feel like you're in an action movie, but this time around, it has really been worked out to a science. From the opening sequence to the ending credits, the game grabs your attention and does not let go.
Without giving too much away, I can say that there are parts of this game that will shock you, make you uncomfortable and maybe even make you angry. One thing it will not do, however, is make you want to stop playing; and, it is a sign of just how much video games have grown as a medium in recent years that a game can tackle serious subject matter without it feeling forced or disrespectful. There will certainly be some controversy. Some sources have already claimed that MW2 will turn any impressionable child who gets within 10 feet of it into a hardened terrorist. Do not let this dissuade you, though. Video games and controversy have been dancing partners for quite a while now and regardless of what you might hear, MW2 is not going to lead to the downfall of polite society any time soon.
In terms of plot and action, the single-player game can hang with the best of them, but as good as it may be, it is done far too quickly. My first run through clocked in at just more than five hours, and I was genuinely surprised when the credits came up. Maybe I have been spoiled by some of the recent 20-plus hour games that have come out, but five hours seems downright stingy for a single-player experience.
Fortunately after the story mode is complete there's still a monster of an online mode waiting for your attention. Not much has changed from the multi-player mode of MW1, but in this case, "more of the same" is analogous to someone winning the lottery twice. Infinity Ward must subscribe to the philosophy of, "If it ain't broke don't fix it," because aside from some minor tweaks and aesthetic changes, the multi-player here is just as solid and compelling as it's ever been. That said, if you didn't like it before, then you probably won't like it now.
There was almost no noticeable lag even with record numbers of gamers flooding the servers, and graphically the multi-player is more or less on par with the solid single-player visuals. The audio is pretty standard fare, but I won't deny that it got my blood pumping on more than one occasion.
The takeaway: If you're a member of the relative minority that's only interested in the single-player experience, I can't honestly recommend a full purchase. As good as the story mode is, it's short enough that a rental should suffice. If you intend to play MW2 online, though, rest assured that it will be time and money well spent. I don't see any shooter dethroning this game until the next Call of Duty comes out.
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