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The most helpful favorable review
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56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
Review of HARDENED EDITION contents
I wont bother reviewing the game itself as there are plenty of reivews up for it. Needless to say, it is phenomenal. The $20 credit on Amazon is awesome, and the main reason I buy games from Amazon.
For an additional $20 over the regular addition of the game, the Hardened Edition contains:
The game packaged in a Steelbook case with a very...
Published 10 months ago by Eric Carr
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929 of 1,034 people found the following review helpful:
DO NOT BUY!
Do not buy this game. It is a total waste of your hard earned money. Just read some of the reviews and you will see this is nothing more than a gimped console port. Everything that makes this game a PC game is missing.
I would recommend waiting for Battlefield Bad Company 2 for the PC instead. It retains much of what is still desirable in a PC game...
Published 10 months ago by Nathan Risto
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929 of 1,034 people found the following review helpful:
DO NOT BUY!, November 10, 2009
Fun:
Do not buy this game. It is a total waste of your hard earned money. Just read some of the reviews and you will see this is nothing more than a gimped console port. Everything that makes this game a PC game is missing.
I would recommend waiting for Battlefield Bad Company 2 for the PC instead. It retains much of what is still desirable in a PC game.
Here is a break down of the differences between Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Take notice that almost everything is a downgrade for a higher price.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Networking: Client/Server
Avg Ping: 25-40ms
Console Commands: Yes
Lean: Yes
Custom Maps: Yes
Number of Players: up to 64
Competitive Mods: Yes
Mod Tools: Yes
Ability to Record: Yes
Kick/Ban Hackers Immediately: Yes
Profiles Saved Online: No
Manually Select Server to Join: Yes
Control Bad Language: Yes
0 ping Advantage for Host: No
Lan Play: Yes
Free Demo: Yes
Price: $50
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
Networking: Peer 2 Peer (downgrade)
Avg Ping: 100ms+ (downgrade)
Console Commands: No (downgrade)
Lean: No (downgrade)
Custom Maps: No (downgrade)
Number of Players: up to 18 (downgrade)
Competitive Mods: No (downgrade)
Mod Tools: No (downgrade)
Ability to Record: No (downgrade)
Kick/Ban Hackers Immediately: No (downgrade)
Profiles Saved Online: Yes
Manually Select Server to Join: No (downgrade)
Control Bad Language: No (downgrade)
0 ping Advantage for Host: Yes (downgrade)
Lan Play: Yes
Free Demo: No (downgrade)
Price: $60 (downgrade)
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917 of 1,021 people found the following review helpful:
Disappointing, November 10, 2009
Fun:
The perks of buying the PC version according to Infinity Ward (IW):
1. Text chatting. Now you can text chat to your buddies in-game while online, what fantastic innovation.
2. Adjustable graphics setting -- gotta give them points for adding that feature, while console users are stuck with their 720/1080 resolution, you can max it up all the way depending on your hardware. Amazing stuff...although every game has had this feature since the beginning of PC gaming.
3. The ability to use your mouse and keyboard. Now you can unplug your xbox controller and use your computer accessories for a more accurate FPS experience(!).
4. You'll have a fantastic smooth time connecting to IWNet; its so perfect, it'll even give you XBox Live error messages.
Now, the negatives:
1. You're paying more for an inferior product. $60 vs $50. The consoles have a valid excuse for charging more -- $10.00 goes to the console manufacturer (Sony or Microsoft), Activision is just being greedy here; really quite unacceptable, especially in today's economy.
2. Dedicated servers removed -- don't even get me started; I'm sure you've heard of the petition which is nearing 200,000 signatures to re-include dedicated servers. We're left with a terrible online experience. I played the first Modern Warfare (MW) on the PS3 which had peer to peer online play and it was disastrous. Expect drop outs and poor performance. The host of the game will always have the advantage because they have the better latency.
3. No mods. This is surprising because so many other popular games were developed from mods including -- Counterstrike, Team-fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead. The only reason I can think of why IW/Activision would want to do such a thing would be to charge for content later on. I remember paying for 3 maps for the first MW -- and to tell you the truth, it really wasn't worth it.
4. Steam required. When you install the game you are required to install the Steam platform and link it to an e-mail address, and your Steam username. This makes reselling the game next to impossible.
5. Feels and plays more like a Modern Warfare 1.5 then a Modern Warfare 2.0; the graphics are alright for todays standard, but I was expecting a lot more from IW for a two year development cycle.
6. Short single player. Since they've gimped the multiplayer aspect, and the single player can roughly be finished in 6-7 hours, I suggest you rent this on the console if you have one.
7. Multiplayer only allows 9 vs 9 (18 player) matches. MW1 allows up to 64 -- does more mean more enjoyable? No, not necessarily, but at least there is choice and server admins were able to set it to their liking.
Infinity Ward have really let their fans down. The multi-player made the original spectacular; with the removal of dedicated servers, competitive and fair play is dead.
Business schools should take note because this would make a wonderful case study on how a company has ruined one of the most anticipated franchise in such a short amount of time. MW2 was literally a license to print money for Activison/IW. With such a terrible management decision, reinstating dedicated servers will be the only hope to redeem themselves in the eyes of their consumers -- however I think this fiasco will not be easily forgotten.
*** Update 11/18/09
Theres hope yet! Hackers have released a patch so you can start/join a dedicated server; its disgusting that this has to come from the underground scene and not Activision/IW. It seems that the hacked copies "freely" available over the Internet is now the superior version.
Hackers have also found hidden modes via the console -- Global Thermonuclear War, One Flag CTF and VIP mode -- future downloadable content already in the game? How low you've fallen Activision/IW.
*** Update 04/16/10
I've given up on this game and probably this series for good -- The 'impenetrable' IWNet is plagued with hacks and cheats. I suggest you all save your money and get Battlefield Bad Company 2 instead; I've been enjoying the experience so far, its a game that involves more strategy and not your standard Modern Warfare, run and gun. Even the NY Times agrees that Bad Company 2 is a better game than Modern Warfare 2. [...]
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458 of 511 people found the following review helpful:
Fun game, but shame on Activision and Infinity Ward, November 10, 2009
Fun:
I actually bought this game even though it will be the last Infinity Ward game I support by purchasing. I've been a huge fan of said developer since Call of Duty 1, a PC exclusive, since day one. I've purchased every single Call of Duty game developed by Infinity Ward over the years (including the expansion for CoD1 which wasn't developed by them). I never had a problem purchasing their products. Until now. This is the first time I've ever felt like a total tool and a moron for purchasing their "PC game".
The game IS phenomenal. The graphics are noticeably improved over Modern Warfare 1, despite using the same graphics engine. The overhaul is there, but a lot of current gen games have better visuals. Sound design is great as always. There's a lot of recycled sounds and some new ones. Multiplayer is more of the same which isn't a bad thing, and the new co-op mode, from what I've played so far, seems fun. That's where my positive review ends. So basically you get more of the same, with slightly upgraded graphics.
Here's where things turn bad. For starters, Activision is charging $60 for this game, a move that completely goes against the grain of PC game pricing trends. Why? Because they can. It's a business move, yes, but it's completely immoral and greedy. Corporate greed rears its ugly head. Activision are the new EA. You would think for $10 you would get, oh I don't know, a longer than average single player campaign right? Well you don't. If you thought Modern Warfare's campaign was short prepare to get slapped in the face with a campaign that can easily be completed in one session. Bigger price, smaller experience.
But most people are probably buying it for multiplayer anyway, so let's discuss that. Basically it's all been said before. This is a console port, right down to being limited to 9v9. Want to get your clan together for some 32 vs. 32? Nope. 16 vs 16? Nope. Oh come on then....at least give me some 12 v 12. Sorry Charlie. You get 9v9, just like the console. And just like the console you can't sort servers and pick where you want to play, you can't tweak game parameters via a developer console (another PC industry standard that Infinity Ward think's it's too good to implement), and, OH, no dedicated server support.
Frankly, I'm surprised the PC port even allowed me to play with a mouse and keyboard....
It's painfully obvious that Infinity Ward prefer console development at this point (particularly the 360, which gets exclusive content before anybody else for the second game in row now), and it's even clearer that Activsion are greedy jerks.
It was a good run, Infinity Ward, but just like real life I won't associate with conceited, big-headed people. You won't get any more of my money. MW2 gets one star for actually being a fun game, but insulting PC gamers by lying about features that never made it to the game (dedicated servers, more people per server than the console versions, etc), and the fact that your publisher is price gouging, keeps it from scoring higher.
** APPENDED MULTIPLAYER INFO **
Okay so I've put in a few hours of multiplayer over the last few days and my worst fears were confirmed consistently. Horrible latency just ruins the experience. The game measures latency by a 4 bar system, similar to a mobile phone's signal strength. So rather than seeing what your latency is as measured by miliseconds, you will see 1-4 bars. Usually 3. Very rarely in my time playing MP did I ever have 4 bars, unless I was hosting the game. I kept a close eye on other player's latencys(using the TAB button) and probably 70% of the players had 3 bars as well, with usually just 1 or 2 people having 4 bars - one of which was the player hosting the game - and a couple unfortunate fools who were somehow getting by with 2 bars or less. The person who hosts a game enjoys a SIGNIFICANT advantage over even those with 3 bars. The killcam proves it. Time after time after time I would get killed and, through the eyes of my opponent thanks to killcam, notice that there was about a half second difference between what I saw and what actually happened. Then I'd hit the TAB button and sure enough, that guy has 4 bars and I only have 3. Ridiculous. I have a fast enough internet connection (2 MB up), and don't notice these latency disadvantages with other shooters, so I have to put the blame solely on IWNET.
It's really unfortunate and it's just the way it is which is sad as the multiplayer seems really fun and the levels are well thought out. The reality is if you want to play Multiplayer you're going to have to put up with a LOT of frustrating deaths, even if you get the drop on somebody, because he is enjoying a significant latency advantage.
The matchmaking is also broken. It's supposed to match you based on latency (therefore location) and skill, so why was I constantly in matches with people with 1-2 bars of latency, versus lieutenants and generals when I was only a lowly specialist?
Bottom line is if you have either console and a PC, just get the console version because that's all you're getting on the PC. The PC version has no right disgracing the other games on your hard drive by pretending to be a PC game itself. This game fails utterly. I would rate it half a star if I could.
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56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
Review of HARDENED EDITION contents, November 13, 2009
Fun:
This review is from: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Hardened Edition (Video Game)
I wont bother reviewing the game itself as there are plenty of reivews up for it. Needless to say, it is phenomenal. The $20 credit on Amazon is awesome, and the main reason I buy games from Amazon.
For an additional $20 over the regular addition of the game, the Hardened Edition contains:
The game packaged in a Steelbook case with a very short, black and white manual
An art book
A card/token for a free download of the original Call of Duty
+The original Call of Duty was previously only available on PC. I havent seen a price for it yet, but I'm guessing it will sell for $15 on XBLA and PSN. There is a lengthy single player campaign, as well as 24 player multi-player. The value of the Hardened Edition completly depends on if you're interested in playing Call of Duty 1. I beat the game for PC years ago, and it's great. It will remind you of the old Medal of Honor games, and after playing it on my XBOX 360, it seems the graphics, sound effects, and the story have held up relatively well. I think most Call of Duty fans will enjoy the original and will be glad they played it.
+The art book is about 38 pages, and it's interesting. It actually has commentary from the developers at Infinity Ward, not just pictures. I am really enjoying Modern Warfare 2, so for me it was worth checking out the art book and getting some additional insight into the game. For example, it looks like Infinity Ward originally planned a motorcycle chase through the streets of Washington DC (or possibly Brazil), but it didnt make the final game.
+I love the steelbook. It is the coolest steelbook I have seen, possibly only rivaled by the Gears of War 2 steelbook in the limited edition. It combines colors like gunmetal and black, with a gold and green Modern Warfare 2 logo on the front. The picture on the front is of a soldier, kind of like the regular version of the game, but with cooler colors. The back of the Steelbook is a picture of the White House. If you have never seen a Steelbook before, it is about the same size as a normal XBOX 360 game case, but instead of plastic it is metal. The hinges are heavy duty, the inside is made of very nice and thick plastic, and the case closes perfectly. A Steelbook alone isn't enough to justify much of an additional cost to a game, but when combined with other items in a "special edition" is a cool and collectable item for fans of the game.
-The only thing I would have liked to see in addition to what is in the Hardened Edition is a dvd with some extra content. This could have included some documentary-style "making of..." videos detailing the development of Modern Warfare 2, in addition to some music, concept art, and so on. I think a dvd like that would have added much more value for your extra $20, but unfortunately is not included.
Thank you for reading!
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231 of 257 people found the following review helpful:
I want a divorce., November 10, 2009
Fun:
When Call of Duty arrived on the PC scene, we were given an intense World War 2 first person shooter that blew away all other similar shooters at that time. For once, Medal of Honor had been matched and beaten at its own game. The sequel to Call of Duty, United Offensive, brought one of the best multiplayer World War 2 experiences ever seen in a game to the PC platform. Both titles were only
on PC, I would like to emphasize.
Then came Call of Duty 2 and the Xbox 360. Since that point in time, Call of Duty on PC has never been the same. We were handed a game that looked better than the original but was lacking in multiplayer content and had minimally improved single-player. By the time the developers had stuck a "3" to the end of the title, the PC platform was nowhere to be found. Completely abandoned. Left to dry.
But PC gamers were thrown a couple bones with the releases of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and the most recent PC Call of Duty game, World at War. Finally, we had the games back on our platform. They weren't the best in the world, but they were solid experiences all around. Again, the single player had dimwitted respawning A.I. foes and did little to give us an innovative experience, but the multiplayer in each games provided solid, replay-value-packed shooting that could hardly be looked down upon.
And now, here we are again, going through rough times. She and I just aren't making ends meet anymore, if you know what I mean. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a complete disgrace to the PC platform. Yes, unlike several years ago in the case of Call of Duty 3, we actually have a Call of Duty game on our platform and for that we perhaps should be grateful; but even with that being said, it's difficult to cope with what exactly is happening here. There are so many negative points surrounding Modern Warfare 2, I would probably be sprouting grey hairs on my head by the time I was finished pointing out each of them. Instead, I'll get straight to the points. And there are many of them, so bare with me.
What should normally be a $50 game at launch is now $60. Suddenly, we're being charged as much as the console kids for this game. What should normally be a PC-optimized port with support for dedicated servers, mods to change player limits and gameplay experiences, and more, is instead one in which we have no dedicated servers, no modification tools, no ability to extend the maximum amount of players in a server, no ability to record demos for the sake of footage and server moderation and administration, and even no unique PC features other than mouse control, text chat, and the ability to change graphical options. Yes, most of which were present in Wolfenstein 3D in 1992. And now, the icing on the cake: When we're not struggling to play the online portion of the game while leeching off another bum's connection, we can instead feast on a handful-of-hours, rinse-&-repeat single-player experience that features little to no replay value due to its linear, scripted gameplay.
When it's all said and done, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the last straw for us PC gamers. We deserve more, because Call of Duty originated on our platform and if not for us, Modern Warfare 2 would not exist today. The heart and soul of Call of Duty should still remain embedded in PCs all over the world, but instead Infinity Ward has taken the path of ignorance and downright disrespect towards those who helped make their franchise possible. For these deeds, they can shove their money being horded from console gamers where the sun doesn't shine.
I want a divorce.
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146 of 161 people found the following review helpful:
Disappointing, November 10, 2009
Fun:
I beat the game already. Its pretty disappointing to have paid 60 dollars for 6 hours of fun. As there is a crappy multiplayer system for this game, there is 0 replay value. You'll get better bang for your buck by going to the movie theater 5 times instead of playing this overpriced game.
Infinity Ward, you can do better. Your multiplayer system is a joke. Lack of Modding capabilities is a step back. Blatant contempt for a fan base is pretty lame as well. I never thought that I would dislike a company more than EA, but congrats, you've done it.
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257 of 288 people found the following review helpful:
Comprehensive Review, November 13, 2009
Fun:
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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107 of 118 people found the following review helpful:
disappointment, November 10, 2009
Fun:
I am a huge fan of the original Modern Warfare. I purchased it for Windows and then for the Mac when it was released. I've been playing the Multiplayer for several years now and I've even gotten several of my friends to purchase a copy so we could play online. I was excited to see the new MW2 and preordered. I should have waited. The multiplayer is a complete disappointment. No dedicated servers, no control at all for the user base. If you liked the original MW multiplayer experience, do yourself a favor and save your money on this one.
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112 of 124 people found the following review helpful:
Short Story...An Eternity of Gaming!, November 16, 2009
Fun:
Just like its most recent predecessors, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: World at War, the campaign portion of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a really fun game with extremely intense battle sequences. The downfall is that it's very very short. So let me start by saying that if you're not set up to, or you just don't intend to, play the online co-op or multiplayer modes, you really want to think twice before paying full price for this game. Single players either need to rent this or wait for an inexpensive used copy to go on sale.
So you get three game options: Special Ops (online isn't necessary, but at least two players are required for some of the missions), Multiplayer (designed to be played online; this is no fun split-screen with a max of 4 players), and the single player Campaign that took me less than 6 hours to finish.
In single player Campaign mode, you're a first person shooter (soldier) on the frontlines, and this time the frontlines aren't limited to overseas territories. Primarily you're playing separate, interlacing missions all over the world as two different characters. The story takes place several years after CoD 4 ended. And just as in CoD 4 you're with a team of characters that are truly your band of Artificial Intelligence brothers. On easier settings the AI soldiers can do practically all of the work for you on some missions; the help you might get from your team is based on the difficulty setting you've chosen. So unless you want to just glide through the game, definitely don't pick the Recruit difficulty (the other difficulty options are Regular, Hardened and Vet).
I could take away a star from the overall score of this game for how short the single player mode is, but I won't....All of a sudden it's not so short when you go back and try to play on the Vet setting and spend the time looking for all of the Intel items.
You arrive in single player boot camp just like in all of the previous CoDs, and you get a brief tutorial on how to maneuver around, shoot your weapons & throw grenades. After boot camp you get to choose the difficulty setting, then you're immediately strewn into various battles. (Once you've completed the game on any setting you can go back to various chapters to clean up any items or trophies missed, and at the start of each chapter you can choose to attempt on the higher difficulties.)
You fight your way through some intense chapters....really intense. In fact, when you first start off, there's even a warning that you'll be in for some VERY disturbing sequences, and you have the option to tell the game to skip "offensive material". Ummm...no thanks. I think that this is the first game that I've played that offers the option to censor itself if you choose the option. The story is a bit choppy at times, but the battles are wild. The graphics are out of this world, and some of the "familiar territory" scenes will just blow you away with how much it really looks like your own back yard.
The weapons are plentiful and sophisticated. You're shooting whichever modern-day weapon you happen to have picked up along your objective route. Objectives that guide you along are updated regularly as you complete each task throughout each chapter. And some of those tasks are brutal. There are frequent checkpoints (I think I remember even reaching new checkpoints without firing a single shot) in the campaign, so no need to worry about respawning back before what seemed to take an eternity to complete. On the other hand....
....There is the Special Ops portion of the game. I think that there are 23 different missions for you here, and you can play each one by trying to earn 1, 2 or 3 stars in each mission. Some of these are darn hard, especially the final 3-star unlocks. You will be frustrated by playing some of these a few times before you beat the levels to earn your stars. And there are no checkpoints in these missions, so if you fail in the final moments of a mission, you start over from the beginning of that mission.
Special Ops is most fun with a partner. It's best online so that you get to play full screen, but if you have a guest over you can play split screen offline. For all you World at War players looking for Zombies, you're out of luck here. You get Special Ops instead. There was a silly rumor that MW2 would have an "Alien Invaders" mode that would rival the Zombie mode of WaW, but that indeed was just a silly rumor.
Online Multiplayer is where you'll get addicted. No AI brothers here...just your fellow gamers. You'd better have your FPS skills honed if you think that you'll score better than some of the MW2 online players. A very high percentage of the online players have been honing their skills online for years now with CoD4 and World at War.
The concept with Multiplayer is certainly not new. The more you play, the higher you rank allowing you to unlock more (fine tuned) weapons. The game sets you up in matches with people at your level and rank, but that ain't gonna help you if you're new (you will be fondly referred to as a noob by your swell fellow online players) and you're up against the CoD4 or WaW vets.
What makes MW2 Multiplayer more than just a new map pack for CoD4 is that the Multiplayer weapons and perk system are vastly improved. And so is connectivity (so it seems in the initial week of play after a few day one and two glitches). You get 10 times the amount of points for the kills and captures that you're used to getting only 5 or 10 points for in CoD4 and WaW. You also now get points for not just killing and capturing, but for taking out enemy air support, coming back from deathstreaks, killing your nemesis, breaking an enemy's streak and other stuff. Yeah, Multiplayer is good fun, habitual and bad for a marriage.
So all in all Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is major fun. The only drawbacks to this awesome game are that the campaign is really short and the multiplayer action is a bit familiar. But the MW2 Multiplayer improvements over its predecessors far out weigh the familiarity.
Modern Warfare 2 is a must for FPS fans. Add it to your cart, soldier!
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64 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
Where are my dedicated servers?, November 10, 2009
Fun:
I've gotta echo many of the reviews here. Infinity Ward really dropped the ball here. I only wish I had come on here earlier today before I dropped $60 on this package. When there's a big hype for a game, you sort of expect the game not to live up to expectations, but this time around, it was almost as if the the developers purposed to fall far short.
Single player is pretty nice. The graphics and soundtrack are really top-of-the-line.
But 98% of the game time people look for in Call of Duty is the multi-player. The multiplayer game itself is just as stellar as past iterations of the series. IW again set the bar high on this. To summarize some of the changes, each class now has several new options. First is your primary weapon, as per usual. Second is your secondary weapon. This can be machine pistols of various sorts, handguns, shotguns, or launchers. I love this change, as it rearranges some of the old choices into means that make more sense. (Primary among these is that I no longer have to choose shotgun as my primary weapon!)
Now also, instead of grenades, you can opt for other equipment, such as throwing knives. An interesting twist, though I'm not sure how much I'll use these other options. One upside that I've noticed so far, however, is there are far few random grenades being bandied about.
Finally, there's the new perk system, which is a great improvement over the old system, as good as it was. There are new perks, tweaks to old perks, and some of the old perks are removed. In addition, the perk categories have all been rearranged in a more balanced manner. For example, 'Sleight of Hand' is now a blue perk, instead of a red one.
Additionally, there is the 'death streak' perk. The old overpowered perks (e.g., martyr) have been moved to this category. These perks are activated if you hit a certain death streak, in order to give you a slight advantage and get you a kill or two. So if Last Stand is your death streak perk, if you die four times in a row without getting a kill, the perk will be active for you until you get a kill. This nicely keeps some of those perks around, while keeping the game balanced, fun, and un-annoying.
Finally, you get to choose your own kill streak bonuses. Rather than the default UAV, Airstrike, Helo of COD4, there are a dozen or so bonuses that you can unlock and activate. If you don't like UAV, you can replace it with another similarly powered bonus, such as the new radar jammer. And the new kill streak bonuses are really fun to play with. Most are more interactive than the fire-and-forget bonuses of COD4.
Now the bad news...
Infinity Ward has completely stripped the multiplayer game of the usual client/server paradigm. Basically, what this means is you pick the game mode you want to play (e.g., Team Deathmatch) and you'll be automatched into a room with up to 18 players. Two obvious downsides to this: you don't get to pick which room you join, nor will you ever play more populated games, like 16-on-16 or larger. Clans are all but dead now. And you can forget about having a 'regular' server where can always join up with familiar players. Additionally, even the most minor tweaks that you could make on dedicated servers (e.g., disabling unpopular maps or hosting a single map 24/7) are not available.
Yes, I should mention that you can form up a team before the automatch, to ensure that you and your friends are in the same room, but this is no substitute. For one, it requires a great deal more effort to invite all your friends to the same team each time. But it also requires being actual 'friends' with someone, such that they would accept an invitation. My experience with online play of the COD series, was that I would have a large number of players who I would know, who would know me, who I'd see from time to time on certain servers, and who I know I'd always get a good game with. But this new game has been completely divested of this community feel.
The fact that these things have changed are enough to turn me off. But they have widespread effects on the multiplayer experience, as well. Because of the mandatory smaller room sizes, the game becomes more of a game of cat and mouse, where the person who can sneak around off the radar and knife people becomes the dominant player. Sorry, but that's not why I play COD. Because there's not a critical mass of players on the map, it's nearly impossible to monitor all the approaches and flanks. And gone are the days when there was a definite 'front line', so that you didn't have to check your rear every 2 seconds.
I never considered myself someone who valued dedicated servers. For example, I was never one who played mods all that much, if ever. But having actually played the new matching system, I must say, I greatly prefer the client/server system. I understand what the 'whining' is all about, even if I disagree with the whining itself.
All in all, the multiplayer aspect has great potential. I love all of the changes they've made to the multiplayer game: the new class customizations are really an improvement upon previous iterations. But until Infinity Ward fixes these problematic aspects of the PC online multi-player experience, I'll probably go back to playing other FPS games. I just don't find 9-on-9 games all that exciting. It's too bad that I paid $60 for this...
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