Checking out: The dramatic prison break staged at a Russian gulag is exciting and tense as it takes cues from action movies like the Rock.

The wait is finally over for this year’s most hyped up game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

By CHONG JINN 'IN A BOTTLE' XIUNG

So big is the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that most other titles have been pushed back so as not to clash with the game’s release date.

Developer Infinity Ward certainly has a winning formula on its hands as it has managed to make its first Modern Warfare game as addictive as its staple World War II based Call of Duty games which it is famous for.

In fact, the company felt the game was so good that it could stand on its own and wanted to drop the Call of Duty label for MW2 but eventually didn’t.

Lock and load

The game’s single-player campaign starts off 5 years after the events of the first game with the imminent threat of a full-scale war on the horizon.

MW2 takes its story seriously, perhaps too seriously as it tries to build an elaborate and complex story that’s almost on the level of a Hollywood blockbuster.

A rather disturbing and controversial scene early on in the game has you go under cover and join the terrorist group, which requires you to kill hundreds of people in an airport.

The game kindly gives you the option to skip the scene if you find the act too disturbing though I highly doubt most players will do so.

Perhaps the only real fault there is to be found in MW2 is the execution of its story. The short, flashy briefing sessions in between missions simply don’t help the story flow along well.

Even worse, you’re expected to listen to radio chatter from other characters to take a hint on what’s going on. Most times it’s just too hectic to comprehend much as you are busy fighting for your life.

Also, the story’s pacing feels too rushed, as you are rushing from one scene to another and have little time to appreciate your surroundings.

It’s like being rushed through a series of firefights in rapid succession with the lead character acting as your tour guide.

Tour of duty

For the most part you will play the part of Sgt “Roach” Sanderson, an operative under the command of “Soap” MacTavish, the protagonist from the first game.

Like in any Call of Duty , you’ll play from the perspective of several different soldiers, often swapping between them during different missions. It provides a nice change in pace by throwing you into a completely different scenario from the last one you were in.

Missions are broken into small chapters that form an overall act. While the game’s campaign features more missions than the previous game, the length of the single-player game falls short of a typical first-person shooter.

Still that’s not to say that you won’t have lots of fun along the way. There’s barely a dull moment in the single-player campaign as the game takes you on a roller coaster ride from start to finish.

The game throws in some vehicular action to change the pace of the action and an outstanding example is the snow mobile chase in the Cliffhanger mission. MW2 sports a lot of improvements over the previous game, mainly in the looks department.

Need for speed: The snow mobile chase scene is one of the high points of Modern Warfare 2.

It is amazing how much detail Infinity Ward has managed to cram into the game as almost every environment has its own unique look and feel.

The improved lighting and particle effects such as glowing ambers that fall from a burning wreckage makes the game more immersive.

Another notable difference is the tons of high-tech weaponry at your disposal such as heart beat sensors, UAV drones and infrared sensors.

MW2 takes players to a wide variety of locales that aren’t common in military shooters — truly, no two locations feel a like.

The twisting mazes of shanty towns in Rio de Janeiro form an intricate level where any of the small alleys and streets could be an ambush point.

Dangerous streets: The shanty towns of Rio de Jeneiro can be a dangerous place to be as the twisted backlanes and alleys are perfect for ambushes.

Other exciting levels include the war torn streets of Washington DC with all the famous landmarks bombed out. It’s beyond cool to be able to fight your way through the front lawn of the White House and into the Oval office.

Though much of MW2’s campaign funnels players through a set path, the game does a remarkable job of giving you the illusion of freedom as you almost never realise that you’re boxed in.

We managed to finish the game within six hours on Regular difficulty, though opting for a harder difficulty would have extended play time.

Multiplayer mayhem

Possibly the mainstay of the MW2 is its exciting online multiplayer mode. Replacing the Arcade mode in the first game is Spec Ops which is meant to be played with friends.

The mode offers a variety of different missions (23 in total) that you can undertake either solo or (preferably) with a friend. Completing the missions will net you points that will unlock the next set of missions.

Some of the missions are similar to the scenarios you’ve encountered in the campaign such as the stealth mission that involves evading enemies patrols in the woods.

Naturally some missions are best tackled with a friend as it’s pretty challenging on the Hardened difficulty level.

Most of the missions are kept short and sweet as they last only a few minutes though there are several missions that last as along as 11 minutes.

Of course, the bulk of MW2’s multiplayer option consists of online competitive modes.

The robust matchmaking service is quick to identify open matches and we were never kept waiting for more than five minutes to join a public game.

The overall game experience was consistent and smooth though we experienced bouts of lag when playing against overseas players.

The game’s persistent levelling system is truly fun and addictive because it gives players lots option for customisation.

Also, they can choose their preferred weapon and perks before starting a game. Basically, playing the game will net you points which can be used to level up and unlock new weapons and perks to aid you in your game.

MW2 innovates the system by adding new perks that can be levelled up and killing streaks that go all the way up to 25.

Even if you’re performing poorly, players can gain an opportunity to level the playing field either by copying the perks of their killers or gaining a temporary health boost.

That said, the online multiplayer landscape can be pretty brutal for newbies as the bar is pretty high. If you’re new to the MW2 scene be prepared to face players who are as high as level 20 right off the bat.

Another sore point for the game’s otherwise excellent multiplayer mode is that not all modes are unlocked from the get-go, and you are forced to reach about level 20 before being able to access all of it.

But we are quite content with regular team deathmatch after spending several hours of playing the other modes.

Conclusion

All things considered, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a great FPS that simply shouldn’t be missed.

The single-player campaign offers an action-packed experience that takes you on a global terrorist hunt and shows off some amazing set pieces that you simply have to see to believe.

While the game’s story gets ahead of itself at times, the overall single-player campaign is a breath taking experience that will satisfy any action game fan.

It goes without saying that MW’s reputation is built upon its online multiplayer mode and the latest game doesn’t disappoint.

By fine tuning aspects of the first game while adding new perks, killing streaks and customisation options, Infinity Ward has created a game that’s hard to put down.

Sure, the initial barrier to entry for multiplayer game can be quite brutal but it’s possible to rise up the ranks with a little patience and skill.

With so many different modes of play and weapons to upgrade and customise, you’d be hard pressed to find a game with as much replay value as MW2.

If you’re a fan of the series or FPS games in general, you should definitely check out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Pros: Intense single-player campaign; superb multiplayer-mode with lots of replay value; cooperative Spec Ops mode is fun.

Cons: Campaign is too short; Most multiplayer modes needs to be unlocked; newbies face big learning curve for multiplaye mode.

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