Reviewer: David Lee
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the latest game to hit retail from renowned developer Infinity Ward and is the first Call of Duty edition to be released on Sony’s powerhouse PlayStation 3. With the huge success of its previous Call of Duty offering (Call of Duty 2) across various formats, Infinity Ward’s newest bullet-fuelled incarnation certainly has a lot to live up to. So, does Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare manage to live up to expectations and take the PlayStation 3 by storm?
As you can tell by its title, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare delivers a content deviation from past Call of Duty games and is set well away from the chronological confines of World War II – this time being set in the present. With an abundance of World War II first-person shooter already on the market, Modern Warfare arrives as a welcome addition to the hit FPS series and allows fans to put more modern weaponry through its paces in a tried and tested format.
As with previous Call of Duty releases, Modern Warfare sees the player stepping into the blood-encrusted army boots of various squad characters from different armed forces: this time we visit the ranks of the US Marines and the British SAS (Special Air Service). By assuming the roles offered through these different characters, the player is subsequently thrown right into the thick of Modern Warfare’s potentially cataclysmic storyline.
The game’s layered narrative basically revolves around a fictional conflict in the Middle East (evil dictator wants to blow up the world, etc., etc.,) and it’s up to you and your squad to stop him. By seeing the battle through more than one character as the game progresses, players are able to engage in a wealth of missions throughout varied environments, which range from the dark forests of Eastern Europe to the dusty and sun-baked streets of the Middle East. Mission objectives remain interesting too, with the player tasked with the likes of rescuing a downed squad mate from his Russian captors, rushing against the clock to disarm nuclear warheads in heavily armed underground bunkers, and even carrying out stealthy ranged assassinations.
During these missions the player will encounter many enemies, which include the Russians, Middle Eastern Militia… and even ferocious attack dogs. One slight gripe concerning the in-game enemies (and this occurs in most Call of Duty titles) is that, from scenario to scenario, there seems to be an almost endless supply of onrushing cannon fodder to dispatch. The only way to cap this enemy onslaught is to push on, push on, and push on until a gameplay checkpoint has been reached – after which enemies miraculously stop spawning. Such scripted routines, while forcing the player to advance their position, can make the game frustrating as strategic placement tends to be abandoned in favour of a more ‘Rambo’ approach through the maps in order to quickly quell the endless supply of bloodthirsty enemies. On the flip side however, the A.I. of those enemies is second to none, not least because they will attempt flanking tactics, throw grenades to flush out positions, and take cover when under heavy fire, etc.
The core campaign mode, although always involving and diverse, is a relatively short affair and shouldn’t take casual fans any longer than around 6 to 8 hours to complete on the game’s default difficulty setting. That being said, the gameplay hours soon hit double figures when shifting the difficulty up a notch or two – which seasoned FPS players would be well advised to do. Fortunately the relative brevity isn’t the end of the world as Modern Warware’s online multiplayer mode is just as impressive. Capable of supporting up to 18 players online and offering 16 multiplayer maps to pit your skills against your buddies, gamers are offered several play modes ranging from standard ‘Team Deathmatch’ and ‘Free For All’ matches to the more tactical ‘Search and Destroy’ and ‘Sabotage’ modes. These game modes only become available as you start to pad out your online stats, as does additional weaponry and equipment.
There is also an Arcade mode to be unlocked via the single-player campaign, which allows the player to replay missions – only this time points are awarded for each successful kill in the field.
As with Infinity Ward’s previous incarnation in the Call of Duty series, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a technical masterpiece in terms of gameplay, visuals and sound. From the outset, it’s clear you’re in for a real treat after being immediately plunged into the rain-battered opening mission, which unfolds on a rough sea and is set inside a freighter ship full of terrorist sailors. Visually, this quick set-up mission is stunning insofar as it’s peppered with great graphical effects, such as the monsoon-like weather effects, and the constantly swaying inertial disorientation cast by the ship’s hull – it’s all so realistic it almost brings on seasickness. This first mission ably establishes the quality and tone for the rest of the game, in both aesthetics and narrative, and Infinity Ward strives to uphold that quality until the final bullet has been discharged.
Something worth mentioning in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is its level of authenticity and the huge arsenal of weaponry placed at the player’s disposal in both campaign mode and multiplayer mode. These weapons include the usual array of assault rifles, light and heavy machine guns, and sniper rifles. But, also thrown in for good measure are RPGs and rifle-slung grenade launchers too. And, for those white-knuckle moments when facing even bigger targets, players will also be given access to the pure destructive joy of Stinger anti-air and Javelin anti-tank missiles. As if that weren’t enough (and it never is – ED) you also get to try out the AC-130 Spectre Gunship’s various weapon pods, including the wickedly powerful 105mm cannons. Wait, there’s more, because players will also have the intermittent ability to call in tactical air strikes from screaming jet fighters or drop napalm from supporting helicopter gunships. There’s also a trusty knife… just in case. This is Modern Warfare after all.
The impressive arsenal of present day weaponry is complemented by the game’s intuitive control system, whereby an auto-aim function is used as default with the player forced to hit the gamepad’s left shoulder button to ‘lock’ onto the next enemy target. This has the effect of making the player kind of think they’re doing all the work. However, it’s worth noting that auto-aim can be turned off via the options menu, which both removes computer assistance and further ramps up authenticity levels – and really does mean the player has to do all the work.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is without doubt a showpiece for the PlayStation 3. Playing the game in its full 1080p glory is a visual treat and, coupled with the huge range of weapons and the wealth of multiplayer options, fans of the series won’t be in any way disappointed. Infinity Ward has delivered a slice of hard-hitting excellence with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and has clearly set the standard for further action shooters. What’s more, for faithful PS3 fans still looking for FPS satiation, Modern Warfare arrives as the next-gen gaming experience that Resistance: Fall of Man should have been.
92%
Your Talkback on this Story