The "Retro Game Reviews" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
This thread has been linked to the game 'Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'.
After what seems like forever, Modern Warfare 2 is finally here, yet the wait has in fact only been a year. The series predecessor, Treyarch’s World at War, while undoubtedly rather good, felt like a retread over the very familiar World War 2 backdrop, and the online maps were almost indistinguishable at points; the same architecture and shading occurred throughout, and it felt like they couldn’t quite cohere things together as well as series progenitors Infinity Ward managed. Another year has passed, though, and Infinity Ward has returned for the sequel to their hugely successful Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
It’s safe to say that we’re back on terra firma once again with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a jacked up, adrenaline-infused rollercoaster ride of a game that’s got just about everything that any FPS-nut could want, with plenty of returning characters from the last Modern Warfare game to satisfy the die-hards too. Not to mention, the best part of all – the multiplayer – is back with a beastly vengeance, serving up another tasty palette of insanely addictive online carnage.
Although the plot is only perfunctory, a decent attempt is made here; across 18 missions, you are pitted as both the U.S. Rangers and a special squad called Task Force 141, who have the same goal, that is, to take down Makarov, the Russian tyrant who stepped up the mantle when you offed Zakhaev at the close of the last game. This allows a wealth of frantic and brutal set pieces, each one generally becoming more bombastic than the one before it, allowing for a loony and downright breathtakingly cinematic final confrontation.
The press quickly got a hold of the controversial Moscow airport mission that occurs early on in the game, and while Infinity Ward and Activision are clearly enjoying courting this controversy, it’s worth mentioning that this mission neither adds nor particularly subtracts towards what is by its own merits a superb game. There is an option to skip the particular level, where you’re an undercover terrorist who helps other terrorists massacre an airport, but you’re allowed to simply walk through the airport and not fire at the civilians if you want also. As with the last Modern Warfare, there are frantic chase sequences – on a snowmobile and a speedboat this time – as well as some rather slick twists and turns, that’ll have fans of the original game tearing their hair out, I imagine.
It’s worth noting, though, that the game is plagued with the same flaw as the previous titles; the single-player offering is just too damn short. A leisurely run through this game clocked in at roughly five hours, and although Infinity Ward have protested that the game is more about the multiplayer experience than anything, it does feel undeveloped in a way, and really rushes about from thread to thread. Nevertheless, what you get is scintillating; things barely take a breather throughout, and it really is nearly non-stop action. I can’t imagine any FPS fan not liking this; it’s extremely well presented cinematically, and the mission designs allow for some jaw-dropping set pieces. Completion of the game also unlocks a special Spec Ops mode which presents an additional challenge, as you attempt to fight through several extra scenarios with a team of soldiers.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes of the game – the multiplayer. Sceptical isn’t even the word to describe how I felt about whether this game could top the deep and immersive multiplayer of the original Modern Warfare, but miraculously it has at least managed to compete with it. Although nostalgia is a blinding factor, given how well we all know the classic Modern Warfare maps now, there’s the genuine feeling that maps here, like Terminal (the airport level turned into your own personal playground), are near-enough instant classics in themselves. The reward system has also been tremendously overhauled; customisation is even deeper and more involved than before, and things like martyrdom have been changed to further balance things (it can only be used in a “death streak” situation now). If there’s any reason to buy the game, this is surely it.
Visually, Modern Warfare 2 is a real looker; it is presented with the flair and panache of a Hollywood film, and some of the lighting effects are phenomenal, but at the same time, there are some surprisingly flat and bland textures here and there, which are quite jarring. However, generally speaking, this is an impressive achievement given the ambitious cinematic presentation, and one can overlook a few minor flaws. Aurally, the film is also great; The Dark Knight composer Hans Zimmer composes the soundtrack, while cult film stars such as Keith David turn in some impressive voice work. Again, as usual, the gun effects are stunning, particularly if you have surround sound, in which case there’s nothing quite like it.
Against tremendous expectations and insurmountable hype, Infinity Ward have crafted a game that lives up not only to this hype, but to the high standard set by the previous Modern Warfare game. Here we are left with a plot that yearns for another sequel, and gamers are left with a cinematic, if too brief single-player, and breathtakingly deep multiplayer offering that’ll make sure that this is one game you’ll be playing well into 2010. You owe it to yourself to buy this game.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
It’s safe to say that we’re back on terra firma once again with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a jacked up, adrenaline-infused rollercoaster ride of a game that’s got just about everything that any FPS-nut could want, with plenty of returning characters from the last Modern Warfare game to satisfy the die-hards too. Not to mention, the best part of all – the multiplayer – is back with a beastly vengeance, serving up another tasty palette of insanely addictive online carnage.
Although the plot is only perfunctory, a decent attempt is made here; across 18 missions, you are pitted as both the U.S. Rangers and a special squad called Task Force 141, who have the same goal, that is, to take down Makarov, the Russian tyrant who stepped up the mantle when you offed Zakhaev at the close of the last game. This allows a wealth of frantic and brutal set pieces, each one generally becoming more bombastic than the one before it, allowing for a loony and downright breathtakingly cinematic final confrontation.
The press quickly got a hold of the controversial Moscow airport mission that occurs early on in the game, and while Infinity Ward and Activision are clearly enjoying courting this controversy, it’s worth mentioning that this mission neither adds nor particularly subtracts towards what is by its own merits a superb game. There is an option to skip the particular level, where you’re an undercover terrorist who helps other terrorists massacre an airport, but you’re allowed to simply walk through the airport and not fire at the civilians if you want also. As with the last Modern Warfare, there are frantic chase sequences – on a snowmobile and a speedboat this time – as well as some rather slick twists and turns, that’ll have fans of the original game tearing their hair out, I imagine.
It’s worth noting, though, that the game is plagued with the same flaw as the previous titles; the single-player offering is just too damn short. A leisurely run through this game clocked in at roughly five hours, and although Infinity Ward have protested that the game is more about the multiplayer experience than anything, it does feel undeveloped in a way, and really rushes about from thread to thread. Nevertheless, what you get is scintillating; things barely take a breather throughout, and it really is nearly non-stop action. I can’t imagine any FPS fan not liking this; it’s extremely well presented cinematically, and the mission designs allow for some jaw-dropping set pieces. Completion of the game also unlocks a special Spec Ops mode which presents an additional challenge, as you attempt to fight through several extra scenarios with a team of soldiers.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes of the game – the multiplayer. Sceptical isn’t even the word to describe how I felt about whether this game could top the deep and immersive multiplayer of the original Modern Warfare, but miraculously it has at least managed to compete with it. Although nostalgia is a blinding factor, given how well we all know the classic Modern Warfare maps now, there’s the genuine feeling that maps here, like Terminal (the airport level turned into your own personal playground), are near-enough instant classics in themselves. The reward system has also been tremendously overhauled; customisation is even deeper and more involved than before, and things like martyrdom have been changed to further balance things (it can only be used in a “death streak” situation now). If there’s any reason to buy the game, this is surely it.
Visually, Modern Warfare 2 is a real looker; it is presented with the flair and panache of a Hollywood film, and some of the lighting effects are phenomenal, but at the same time, there are some surprisingly flat and bland textures here and there, which are quite jarring. However, generally speaking, this is an impressive achievement given the ambitious cinematic presentation, and one can overlook a few minor flaws. Aurally, the film is also great; The Dark Knight composer Hans Zimmer composes the soundtrack, while cult film stars such as Keith David turn in some impressive voice work. Again, as usual, the gun effects are stunning, particularly if you have surround sound, in which case there’s nothing quite like it.
Against tremendous expectations and insurmountable hype, Infinity Ward have crafted a game that lives up not only to this hype, but to the high standard set by the previous Modern Warfare game. Here we are left with a plot that yearns for another sequel, and gamers are left with a cinematic, if too brief single-player, and breathtakingly deep multiplayer offering that’ll make sure that this is one game you’ll be playing well into 2010. You owe it to yourself to buy this game.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
Page:
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
After what seems like forever, Modern Warfare 2 is finally here, yet the wait has in fact only been a year. The series predecessor, Treyarch’s World at War, while undoubtedly rather good, felt like a retread over the very familiar World War 2 backdrop, and the online maps were almost indistinguishable at points; the same architecture and shading occurred throughout, and it felt like they couldn’t quite cohere things together as well as series progenitors Infinity Ward managed. Another year has passed, though, and Infinity Ward has returned for the sequel to their hugely successful Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
It’s safe to say that we’re back on terra firma once again with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a jacked up, adrenaline-infused rollercoaster ride of a game that’s got just about everything that any FPS-nut could want, with plenty of returning characters from the last Modern Warfare game to satisfy the die-hards too. Not to mention, the best part of all – the multiplayer – is back with a beastly vengeance, serving up another tasty palette of insanely addictive online carnage.
Although the plot is only perfunctory, a decent attempt is made here; across 18 missions, you are pitted as both the U.S. Rangers and a special squad called Task Force 141, who have the same goal, that is, to take down Makarov, the Russian tyrant who stepped up the mantle when you offed Zakhaev at the close of the last game. This allows a wealth of frantic and brutal set pieces, each one generally becoming more bombastic than the one before it, allowing for a loony and downright breathtakingly cinematic final confrontation.
The press quickly got a hold of the controversial Moscow airport mission that occurs early on in the game, and while Infinity Ward and Activision are clearly enjoying courting this controversy, it’s worth mentioning that this mission neither adds nor particularly subtracts towards what is by its own merits a superb game. There is an option to skip the particular level, where you’re an undercover terrorist who helps other terrorists massacre an airport, but you’re allowed to simply walk through the airport and not fire at the civilians if you want also. As with the last Modern Warfare, there are frantic chase sequences – on a snowmobile and a speedboat this time – as well as some rather slick twists and turns, that’ll have fans of the original game tearing their hair out, I imagine.
It’s worth noting, though, that the game is plagued with the same flaw as the previous titles; the single-player offering is just too damn short. A leisurely run through this game clocked in at roughly five hours, and although Infinity Ward have protested that the game is more about the multiplayer experience than anything, it does feel undeveloped in a way, and really rushes about from thread to thread. Nevertheless, what you get is scintillating; things barely take a breather throughout, and it really is nearly non-stop action. I can’t imagine any FPS fan not liking this; it’s extremely well presented cinematically, and the mission designs allow for some jaw-dropping set pieces. Completion of the game also unlocks a special Spec Ops mode which presents an additional challenge, as you attempt to fight through several extra scenarios with a team of soldiers.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes of the game – the multiplayer. Sceptical isn’t even the word to describe how I felt about whether this game could top the deep and immersive multiplayer of the original Modern Warfare, but miraculously it has at least managed to compete with it. Although nostalgia is a blinding factor, given how well we all know the classic Modern Warfare maps now, there’s the genuine feeling that maps here, like Terminal (the airport level turned into your own personal playground), are near-enough instant classics in themselves. The reward system has also been tremendously overhauled; customisation is even deeper and more involved than before, and things like martyrdom have been changed to further balance things (it can only be used in a “death streak” situation now). If there’s any reason to buy the game, this is surely it.
Visually, Modern Warfare 2 is a real looker; it is presented with the flair and panache of a Hollywood film, and some of the lighting effects are phenomenal, but at the same time, there are some surprisingly flat and bland textures here and there, which are quite jarring. However, generally speaking, this is an impressive achievement given the ambitious cinematic presentation, and one can overlook a few minor flaws. Aurally, the film is also great; The Dark Knight composer Hans Zimmer composes the soundtrack, while cult film stars such as Keith David turn in some impressive voice work. Again, as usual, the gun effects are stunning, particularly if you have surround sound, in which case there’s nothing quite like it.
Against tremendous expectations and insurmountable hype, Infinity Ward have crafted a game that lives up not only to this hype, but to the high standard set by the previous Modern Warfare game. Here we are left with a plot that yearns for another sequel, and gamers are left with a cinematic, if too brief single-player, and breathtakingly deep multiplayer offering that’ll make sure that this is one game you’ll be playing well into 2010. You owe it to yourself to buy this game.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
It’s safe to say that we’re back on terra firma once again with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a jacked up, adrenaline-infused rollercoaster ride of a game that’s got just about everything that any FPS-nut could want, with plenty of returning characters from the last Modern Warfare game to satisfy the die-hards too. Not to mention, the best part of all – the multiplayer – is back with a beastly vengeance, serving up another tasty palette of insanely addictive online carnage.
Although the plot is only perfunctory, a decent attempt is made here; across 18 missions, you are pitted as both the U.S. Rangers and a special squad called Task Force 141, who have the same goal, that is, to take down Makarov, the Russian tyrant who stepped up the mantle when you offed Zakhaev at the close of the last game. This allows a wealth of frantic and brutal set pieces, each one generally becoming more bombastic than the one before it, allowing for a loony and downright breathtakingly cinematic final confrontation.
The press quickly got a hold of the controversial Moscow airport mission that occurs early on in the game, and while Infinity Ward and Activision are clearly enjoying courting this controversy, it’s worth mentioning that this mission neither adds nor particularly subtracts towards what is by its own merits a superb game. There is an option to skip the particular level, where you’re an undercover terrorist who helps other terrorists massacre an airport, but you’re allowed to simply walk through the airport and not fire at the civilians if you want also. As with the last Modern Warfare, there are frantic chase sequences – on a snowmobile and a speedboat this time – as well as some rather slick twists and turns, that’ll have fans of the original game tearing their hair out, I imagine.
It’s worth noting, though, that the game is plagued with the same flaw as the previous titles; the single-player offering is just too damn short. A leisurely run through this game clocked in at roughly five hours, and although Infinity Ward have protested that the game is more about the multiplayer experience than anything, it does feel undeveloped in a way, and really rushes about from thread to thread. Nevertheless, what you get is scintillating; things barely take a breather throughout, and it really is nearly non-stop action. I can’t imagine any FPS fan not liking this; it’s extremely well presented cinematically, and the mission designs allow for some jaw-dropping set pieces. Completion of the game also unlocks a special Spec Ops mode which presents an additional challenge, as you attempt to fight through several extra scenarios with a team of soldiers.
Now, onto the meat and potatoes of the game – the multiplayer. Sceptical isn’t even the word to describe how I felt about whether this game could top the deep and immersive multiplayer of the original Modern Warfare, but miraculously it has at least managed to compete with it. Although nostalgia is a blinding factor, given how well we all know the classic Modern Warfare maps now, there’s the genuine feeling that maps here, like Terminal (the airport level turned into your own personal playground), are near-enough instant classics in themselves. The reward system has also been tremendously overhauled; customisation is even deeper and more involved than before, and things like martyrdom have been changed to further balance things (it can only be used in a “death streak” situation now). If there’s any reason to buy the game, this is surely it.
Visually, Modern Warfare 2 is a real looker; it is presented with the flair and panache of a Hollywood film, and some of the lighting effects are phenomenal, but at the same time, there are some surprisingly flat and bland textures here and there, which are quite jarring. However, generally speaking, this is an impressive achievement given the ambitious cinematic presentation, and one can overlook a few minor flaws. Aurally, the film is also great; The Dark Knight composer Hans Zimmer composes the soundtrack, while cult film stars such as Keith David turn in some impressive voice work. Again, as usual, the gun effects are stunning, particularly if you have surround sound, in which case there’s nothing quite like it.
Against tremendous expectations and insurmountable hype, Infinity Ward have crafted a game that lives up not only to this hype, but to the high standard set by the previous Modern Warfare game. Here we are left with a plot that yearns for another sequel, and gamers are left with a cinematic, if too brief single-player, and breathtakingly deep multiplayer offering that’ll make sure that this is one game you’ll be playing well into 2010. You owe it to yourself to buy this game.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
Page: