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Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
If you are not a fan of first-person shooters, this game will make you rethink your position.
November 7, 2007 | 8:30 PM PSTAMN's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What's the Game About
Infinity Ward made their name in the industry by recreating the scope and horror of the Second World War. The original Call of Duty stormed onto the scene just as the WWII sub-genre was starting to get overcrowded and immediately established itself as the brand to beat. Years later, Call of Duty 2 stood tall amid an oversaturated market as the definitive World War II shooter, which it remains to this day. Call of Duty 4 marks a major turning point for the franchise, as Infinity Ward has dragged it kicking-and-screaming into the modern age and in doing so has left most of their former competition looking very behind-the-times. The contemporary setting is far more than a new coat of paint, as new battlegrounds, new technology and new tactics have all changed the face of combat and the action in Call of Duty 4 reflects those changes. An unbelievably well-executed multiplayer component and the most impressive presentation values ever seen complete Infinity Ward's best game to date.
What's Hot
All the hallmarks of Infinity Ward's design are obvious throughout the single-player campaign; honed to a science, delivering maximum gratification. The actual shooting feels incredibly visceral thanks to the feeling of heft and power imparted by each of the weapons. Players are funneled down what amount to wide corridors, a necessary restriction to ensure that the game maintains its break-neck pace, but the corridors are designed and decorated so well as to give the illusion of being completely open environments. Alternate pathways line the major routes through each area, offering ample opportunity for flanking the enemy and repositioning when the action gets too hot. Cover is plentiful and making intelligent use of it is absolutely essential to survival, especially on the higher difficulty settings. A liberal application of scripted events in the background surrounds and envelops the player in the chaos of war, while their use in the foreground sets the stage for insanely intense set-piece battles and copious 'Holy ****!' moments. The game's pacing is absolutely brilliant, as it keeps tossing out new objectives over the course of each mission to keep players on their toes and ensure they never get too comfortable with any given activity.
War today is obviously very different than it was over half a century ago. Call of Duty 4 reflects those changes and is both a fresher experience and a more satisfying game as a result. The military has way cooler toys to play with these days. Sniper rifles shoot further, assault rifles fire faster and more accurately, weapons cut through soft cover like butter and there's a grenade for every occasion. The effectiveness of these new weapons demand new tactics to complement and counter-act them and the AI on both sides is more than capable. They use cover effectively, put the different grenade types to good use, flank the opposition, clear rooms with brutal efficiency, and are generally a lot more deadly than the Nazis were. They also adapt their tactics and behaviors based on the environment, of which there is a far greater variety this time out, a reflection of the ease at which troops can be deployed in this day and age. The confined bowels of a tanker at open sea, the vast fields of tall grass of the Eastern European country-side, the snow-covered streets and stone buildings of Russian cities, and the disheveled slums of bombed-out Middle Eastern towns are just a few of the stops on Infinity Ward's bullet-riddled world tour. There's also a wider range of objectives this time out, including clandestine infiltration, assassination, and rescue missions among others.
As intense and satisfying as the single-player campaign is, the multiplayer component is even better. It's also benefited from the move from WWII to modern warfare in many of the same ways as the single-player campaign: new weapons, new tactics, and more locales. All of the intensity found in the single-player campaign has made the transition and been further enhanced by the competitive edge that comes with facing off against other human beings. The multiplayer feels a lot faster than the single-player does thanks in large part to very quick respawns, and the addition of a kill cam. In the campaign players are free to find a great sniping spot and stay there until the area is cleared of enemy forces, but in multiplayer the victims know exactly where to look for their killers and often do come looking for revenge. The game offers a bevy of game-modes, including standbys like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Domination, as well as more creative objective-based gametypes like Headquarters, Search and Destroy and Sabotage.
Call of Duty 4 is a class-based affair, but the definitions of the classes aren't as rigid as they are in games like Team Fortress 2. Each of the pre-determined classes comes with a unique loadout of weapons, but players can swap and edit their gear to suit their play-style and create their own custom classes. The genius of the multiplayer component is the experience system and the way it feeds back into the class system. Players rank up by earning experience points, which the game dolls out for kills, assists, streaks, using earned abilities, winning matches and completing challenges. Earning progressively higher ranks unlocks new weapons as well as new abilities call perks. Players can assign up to three of these perks, which can grant improved stats like increased bullet penetration, greater armor, greater endurance for longer sprints, as well as some nifty abilities like UAV jamming and our favorite, the 'last stand'. Infinity Ward has basically taken the Xbox Live achievement system of rewarding players for their effort and playtime but instead of awarding meaningless points ('nerd cred' notwithstanding) they compensate players with tangible in-game rewards. Unlocking all of the upgrades will take any player a long time, especially if they're the type of player that prefers to specialize instead of trying out every weapon type, but the satisfaction of earning that new weapon, upgrade or ability can quickly turn the experience system into a powerful addiction.
Finally, we couldn't close out the 'What's Hot' section on without mentioning the game's presentation values. Holy ****. It's taken awhile, but Gears of War has finally been unseated as the best looking game on the Xbox 360. Call of Duty 4 is damn near photorealistic, with bar none the best textures, lighting and particle effects we've ever seen on any platform, ever. The standout feature is the animation though. Every character moves so smoothly and so unbelievably life-like, that at times it's hard to believe we're not watching real war footage. The sound design is equally spectacular, especially on a 5.1 surround sound setup. Explosions thunder through the environments, bullets crack as they burst from barrels and scream as they pass through the air. All of the voice acting is well-done, specifically the lines delivered by soldiers in the heat of battle. The Henry-Gregson Williams score is every bit as good as you would expect from the man that scored The Rock and Metal Gear Solid 2. On the right home theater setup, Call of Duty 4 is almost a religious experience.
What's Not
There's really not that many negative things to say about Call of Duty 4. As far as the campaign is concerned, we wish the story was developed a little more beyond the simple black-and-white world-view that the game delivers, but then again we are still dealing with an entertainment medium that's afraid to admit there's a war going on in the Middle East. None of the characters are developed beyond simple archetypes, especially the antagonists, both of which were one extended cackle away from being cartoon characters. As far as political intrigue and the context for the action are concerned, the story does its job, but it's not good enough that we'll remember any of the character's names by this time next year. Some may also lament the length of the single-player campaign, but the sheer intensity of the action and the satisfaction garnered from completing it on the progressively higher difficulty levels certainly warrants multiple play-throughs. Furthermore, even if a player isn't riveted enough by the campaign to play through it a second time, the multiplayer mode is so deep and addictive that it more than makes up for a short single-player experience. We would have killed for a co-op mode though.
The multiplayer is almost flawless save for a few nit-picks. Having put several hours into multiplayer we still don't know if the ranking system actually works, and that's a pretty bad sign. At level 18 we were being matched up with players at level 5 and at level 30 in the same rooms. Some of that was definitely a result of mixed parties which it appears the game doesn't do much to compensate for, but in many cases everyone in the room was flying solo. Hopefully the ranking system will start to work better as the pool of players to draw on grows, because right now it's pretty much useless. The lobby system is also a bit of a disappointment, particularly in terms of creating and joining parties. Say, for example, a team has a great game and wants to create a party. It's not possible to just highlight their gamertag in the lobby and join up with them – the players have to exit to the main multiplayer menu and form a party from there.
Final Word
Call of Duty 4 is Infinity Ward's best game to date, the best military shooter ever made, and one of the best games of the year. If you are not a fan of first-person shooters, this game will make you rethink your position.
What's the Game About
Infinity Ward made their name in the industry by recreating the scope and horror of the Second World War. The original Call of Duty stormed onto the scene just as the WWII sub-genre was starting to get overcrowded and immediately established itself as the brand to beat. Years later, Call of Duty 2 stood tall amid an oversaturated market as the definitive World War II shooter, which it remains to this day. Call of Duty 4 marks a major turning point for the franchise, as Infinity Ward has dragged it kicking-and-screaming into the modern age and in doing so has left most of their former competition looking very behind-the-times. The contemporary setting is far more than a new coat of paint, as new battlegrounds, new technology and new tactics have all changed the face of combat and the action in Call of Duty 4 reflects those changes. An unbelievably well-executed multiplayer component and the most impressive presentation values ever seen complete Infinity Ward's best game to date.
What's Hot
All the hallmarks of Infinity Ward's design are obvious throughout the single-player campaign; honed to a science, delivering maximum gratification. The actual shooting feels incredibly visceral thanks to the feeling of heft and power imparted by each of the weapons. Players are funneled down what amount to wide corridors, a necessary restriction to ensure that the game maintains its break-neck pace, but the corridors are designed and decorated so well as to give the illusion of being completely open environments. Alternate pathways line the major routes through each area, offering ample opportunity for flanking the enemy and repositioning when the action gets too hot. Cover is plentiful and making intelligent use of it is absolutely essential to survival, especially on the higher difficulty settings. A liberal application of scripted events in the background surrounds and envelops the player in the chaos of war, while their use in the foreground sets the stage for insanely intense set-piece battles and copious 'Holy ****!' moments. The game's pacing is absolutely brilliant, as it keeps tossing out new objectives over the course of each mission to keep players on their toes and ensure they never get too comfortable with any given activity.
War today is obviously very different than it was over half a century ago. Call of Duty 4 reflects those changes and is both a fresher experience and a more satisfying game as a result. The military has way cooler toys to play with these days. Sniper rifles shoot further, assault rifles fire faster and more accurately, weapons cut through soft cover like butter and there's a grenade for every occasion. The effectiveness of these new weapons demand new tactics to complement and counter-act them and the AI on both sides is more than capable. They use cover effectively, put the different grenade types to good use, flank the opposition, clear rooms with brutal efficiency, and are generally a lot more deadly than the Nazis were. They also adapt their tactics and behaviors based on the environment, of which there is a far greater variety this time out, a reflection of the ease at which troops can be deployed in this day and age. The confined bowels of a tanker at open sea, the vast fields of tall grass of the Eastern European country-side, the snow-covered streets and stone buildings of Russian cities, and the disheveled slums of bombed-out Middle Eastern towns are just a few of the stops on Infinity Ward's bullet-riddled world tour. There's also a wider range of objectives this time out, including clandestine infiltration, assassination, and rescue missions among others.
As intense and satisfying as the single-player campaign is, the multiplayer component is even better. It's also benefited from the move from WWII to modern warfare in many of the same ways as the single-player campaign: new weapons, new tactics, and more locales. All of the intensity found in the single-player campaign has made the transition and been further enhanced by the competitive edge that comes with facing off against other human beings. The multiplayer feels a lot faster than the single-player does thanks in large part to very quick respawns, and the addition of a kill cam. In the campaign players are free to find a great sniping spot and stay there until the area is cleared of enemy forces, but in multiplayer the victims know exactly where to look for their killers and often do come looking for revenge. The game offers a bevy of game-modes, including standbys like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Domination, as well as more creative objective-based gametypes like Headquarters, Search and Destroy and Sabotage.
Call of Duty 4 is a class-based affair, but the definitions of the classes aren't as rigid as they are in games like Team Fortress 2. Each of the pre-determined classes comes with a unique loadout of weapons, but players can swap and edit their gear to suit their play-style and create their own custom classes. The genius of the multiplayer component is the experience system and the way it feeds back into the class system. Players rank up by earning experience points, which the game dolls out for kills, assists, streaks, using earned abilities, winning matches and completing challenges. Earning progressively higher ranks unlocks new weapons as well as new abilities call perks. Players can assign up to three of these perks, which can grant improved stats like increased bullet penetration, greater armor, greater endurance for longer sprints, as well as some nifty abilities like UAV jamming and our favorite, the 'last stand'. Infinity Ward has basically taken the Xbox Live achievement system of rewarding players for their effort and playtime but instead of awarding meaningless points ('nerd cred' notwithstanding) they compensate players with tangible in-game rewards. Unlocking all of the upgrades will take any player a long time, especially if they're the type of player that prefers to specialize instead of trying out every weapon type, but the satisfaction of earning that new weapon, upgrade or ability can quickly turn the experience system into a powerful addiction.
Finally, we couldn't close out the 'What's Hot' section on without mentioning the game's presentation values. Holy ****. It's taken awhile, but Gears of War has finally been unseated as the best looking game on the Xbox 360. Call of Duty 4 is damn near photorealistic, with bar none the best textures, lighting and particle effects we've ever seen on any platform, ever. The standout feature is the animation though. Every character moves so smoothly and so unbelievably life-like, that at times it's hard to believe we're not watching real war footage. The sound design is equally spectacular, especially on a 5.1 surround sound setup. Explosions thunder through the environments, bullets crack as they burst from barrels and scream as they pass through the air. All of the voice acting is well-done, specifically the lines delivered by soldiers in the heat of battle. The Henry-Gregson Williams score is every bit as good as you would expect from the man that scored The Rock and Metal Gear Solid 2. On the right home theater setup, Call of Duty 4 is almost a religious experience.
What's Not
There's really not that many negative things to say about Call of Duty 4. As far as the campaign is concerned, we wish the story was developed a little more beyond the simple black-and-white world-view that the game delivers, but then again we are still dealing with an entertainment medium that's afraid to admit there's a war going on in the Middle East. None of the characters are developed beyond simple archetypes, especially the antagonists, both of which were one extended cackle away from being cartoon characters. As far as political intrigue and the context for the action are concerned, the story does its job, but it's not good enough that we'll remember any of the character's names by this time next year. Some may also lament the length of the single-player campaign, but the sheer intensity of the action and the satisfaction garnered from completing it on the progressively higher difficulty levels certainly warrants multiple play-throughs. Furthermore, even if a player isn't riveted enough by the campaign to play through it a second time, the multiplayer mode is so deep and addictive that it more than makes up for a short single-player experience. We would have killed for a co-op mode though.
The multiplayer is almost flawless save for a few nit-picks. Having put several hours into multiplayer we still don't know if the ranking system actually works, and that's a pretty bad sign. At level 18 we were being matched up with players at level 5 and at level 30 in the same rooms. Some of that was definitely a result of mixed parties which it appears the game doesn't do much to compensate for, but in many cases everyone in the room was flying solo. Hopefully the ranking system will start to work better as the pool of players to draw on grows, because right now it's pretty much useless. The lobby system is also a bit of a disappointment, particularly in terms of creating and joining parties. Say, for example, a team has a great game and wants to create a party. It's not possible to just highlight their gamertag in the lobby and join up with them – the players have to exit to the main multiplayer menu and form a party from there.
Final Word
Call of Duty 4 is Infinity Ward's best game to date, the best military shooter ever made, and one of the best games of the year. If you are not a fan of first-person shooters, this game will make you rethink your position.
February 8, 2010
