Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Action
Release Date: 11/6/2007
Console: Xbox 360
This may well be the first game I’ve ever encountered whose vague genre is actually accurate. This is the most action-packed game ever. Period. High praise? Well worth it, says I. From start to finish, the polish in this game shines. The one-player game is lengthy, packed with story, and full of action, from crawling through the grass wearing a Ghillie suit to avoid detection as the enemy walks within mere paces of you, to watching a nuclear explosion–from up close.
You play from two different perspectives: First as the SAS agent Sergeant Soap” MacTavish and then in the US Marines as Sergeant Paul Jackson. These two perspectives do not occur in a vacuum, and besides one small flashback, the two perspectives happen in tandem. I won’t give anything away for the story, because you can easily find that out from Wikipedia or the like. Suffice it to say that the story is, actually, one of the selling points.
Calls of Duty 1, 2, and 3 all were set in WWII, in the European theater. This one deals with Russians and Arabs in the modern era (hence ‘Modern Warfare’ in the title). This departure was, initially, something I was concerned about. However, within a few minutes of playing (after the hour or two of just staring at the absolute beauty of the game), my concerns were completely mollified. The modern era is just fine to fight in, says I.
The real beauty of the game, however, comes out in the multiplayer games. First, Infinity Ward developed the idea of a “party” so you can go from game to game with the same group of people, rather than leaving it up to the luck of the draw, or reserving spots in your multiplayer game for your friends. This allows for a camaraderie that, actually, makes the gaming experience that much more intense. This innovation is something I hope to see in all future multiplayer games on the 360 but, to be honest, I’m not holding my breath.
The multiplayer games are, in a word, awesome. By creating a leveling system (gaining XP for kills, completing innovative challenges related to weapons and special kill tactics, et al), Infinity Ward gives the player the chance to actually invest in the character s/he is playing. You want to level up to get new guns, new perks, and new camouflage patterns to make your “class” if not unique than at least something you’re comfortable fighting with.
Lots and lots of innovation in the multiplayer. Lots and lots of polish in the main campaign.
One can only hope/wish/pray that COD5, due Fall of 2008, learns from the amazing victories of this game, and doesn’t repeat the mistakes the developers made in COD3.