QJ reviews: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Activision and Infinity Ward have finally released Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare to the market and we gave the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and PC versions a quick run-through. From what we’ve seen, it’s safe to say that all of them were equally mind-blowing. If you were skeptical about the merits of bringing the Call of Duty franchise to the new millennium, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find here. A late contender for Game of the Year? It may very well be!

Read on to see our in-depth review.

When Activision and Infinity Ward announced some years back that the Call of Duty franchise is moving to the terrorist-infested battlefields of the new millennium, a lot of series fans were apprehensive as to what to make of the development. The Call of Duty franchise is recognized by many as pixel-for-pixel one of the best World War II game experiences of all time, and deviating from the core theme inspired mixed reactions.

The anxiety about how Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was justifiable, but as we watched the development process come into full bloom, it was easy to tell that Infinity Ward would strike gold one more time.We got the sense from the many trailers we’ve seen that the devs were prepping up something special, and with the November 5 launch, sweet vindication was in the air for Activision and Infinity Ward.

We completed our run-through on the Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360 and PC versions of CoD4: Modern Warfare and we must say that this shooter is a Grade-A powder keg of gaming pleasure which rivals some of the year’s best titles in the genre. It’s not perfect, but it sure as heck comes close.

Obey and play first, complain later

The premise in CoD4: Modern Warfare is pretty straightforward: A Marxist zealot by the name of Zakhaev is obsessed with bringing his beloved Mother Russia back to its Cold War hardline communist form. Realizing that the United States would never allow this to happen, he sets out on an ambitious plan to throw the Western allies off their feet with a series of clever diversion tactics. Zakhaev contacts his Arab pal Al-Assad and the two agree to spark a Middle-Eastern coup that will serve as a decoy to cover Zakhaev’s Russian agenda. What the two antagonists don’t realize is that US intelligence is already in on their plans and an elaborate chess match ensues.

You’ll see the events of CoD4: Modern Warfare unfold in the eyes of a British SAS operative and an American Force Recon Marine. While some may say that the story here is simple enough to be written by an average highschool student,Activision does do a good job with the micro-aspects of plot development. Most people probably won’t play CoD4: Modern Warfare for some combat melodrama, but players will find it cool to be taken in gradual progression through the events and be endeared with the game’s characters at the same time.With that said, you’ll be cracking down on terrorists and tracking stolen nuclear armaments in distinct hard-hitting missions that will have your ears ringing and your eyes popping. Get ready for one hell of a ride.

As real as it gets

If you ever wanted to be a commando and fight for your country but you didn’t exactly get excited with the idea of possibly losing a limb or two, this is  your safest bet to get as close to the battlefield without actually being in it. CoD4: Modern Warfare‘s visuals are truly amazing with some of the nicest detailing touches we’ve seen in this gaming generation. The Sony PlayStation 3’s hardware muscles are flexed further, while the Microsoft Xbox 360 version  looks almost exactly the same, proving that there are still hardware resources in the system left to be explored.

While most games in this console cycle look very good, Infinity Ward really outdid itself this time by putting in all the extra effort that makes CoD4:  Modern Warfare transcend the adjective “pretty” and make the word “gorgeous” more than appropriate. Lighting is impeccable every step of the way, and particle  effects are so awe-inspiring that they almost distract your attention away from the actual firefights. There’s never any slowdown no matter how many moving objects go onscreen, taking you for a breakneck 60fps ride to the bitter end.

CoD4: Modern Warfare‘s visuals are easily in the same league as that of other current FPS greats like 2K Boston’s BioShock and Bungie’s Halo 3. Even when the  visuals are toned down a little for the sake of performance in the multiplayer mode, the game still looks better than most of what’s out in the market today. If you haven’t seen CoD4: Modern Warfare trailers or screenshots, it’s high time you did.

Nicely complimenting the impeccable graphics is the strong audio presentation that Infinity Ward prepared. You’re going to get all the 5.1 sound standards here: Full surround explosions that will make your speakers shudder, nicely done voice acting, killer sound effects right down to vehicle metal clanking when objects are hit. Some may say that a bit of the sounds that emanate from the rear is weak, but in a game where high-tension combat almost never stops, few would really care or notice.

No boring moment

To say that CoD4: Modern Warfare is intense is like describing Russia as “fairly large.” This is probably the biggest dose of gaming intensity you’ll ever  get out of your US$ 59.99 in years to come, so don’t hesitate to pour those hard-earned pennies on it.

The level design here is a mix of new and old blood as expansive locations allow for truly massive battles.Multiple vehicles, dozens of soldiers, helicopter gunships and more can enter the fray all at once. Thankfully, old elements like friendly units leading you to objectives and a nice HUD to keep track of where you are are amidst the chaos are there.

Each mission takes around half an hour for the average player to complete, and maybe a bit more for newer participants. The execution of events is done in a semi-seamless manner, so you don’t have to worry about dead air giving the gripping journey any hiccups.

The weapons are up-to-date and authentic in CoD4: Modern Warfare. Assault rifles, explosives, mounted machine guns and vehicle-based weapons all work realistically here. Similar to its predecessors, CoD4: Modern Warfare gives premium to gun sight users. Action is still firmly grounded on bobbing and leaning, all the while running around seeking cover to protect you from slugs whizzing by.

A lot of the onscreen objects are destructible, meaning that you can’t troll in one spot and expect a barrier to take all the abuse while you peek-a-boo your way to victory.Enemies will catch on to what you’re doing with their improved AI, and before you know it, they’ll be all over your cheap hide to pump you full of lead.

The AI, however, isn’t the biggest worry if you want to know about what makes CoD4: Modern Warfare‘s campaign so challenging. The enemy soldiers aren’t diabolically smart per se. There’s just so many of them at times that battles can get really thick and nasty. Still, it’s nothing that some tactics and flanking can’t take care of, so don’t sweat it.

The only thing really insane is how well the AI throws grenades. We’re talking about 100-yard tosses here that land accurately at your feet to send you to the sickbay faster than you can say “I hope it’s a dud.” Matter of fact, we’ve never had so many grenade deaths in a game ever, but when you get used to it, this shouldn’t be an issue.

And while the single player mode is as solid as an FPS can get, the real deal here is of course the multiplayer aspect. Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 3‘s multiplayer  online skirmishes have left an indelible mark in the shooting game genre with some of the most well-balanced skill-based shooting we’ve ever experienced while playing with other people. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare‘s core multiplayer spirit is no different, if not totally better than ever.

For the first time in franchise history, you can customize the special skills that the unit class you choose can carry into war. These are called Perks, which are essentially extra abilities which can be used strategically to suit a map’s demands. There are 16 multiplayer maps currently in CoD4: Modern Warfare, and Infinity Ward made sure that the use of all skill types is nicely distributed across all of them. Some maps require stealth, others demand more firepower. You’ll be free to choose what’s best to get an edge against opponents in the six different game types.

Another successful invasion

Needless to say, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is an extremely well-designed and well-polished gaming experience that every casual and hardcore shooting fan will enjoy no matter which platform they prefer. The realism, intensity, presentation and replayability far overshadow the little shortcomings that some may notice. Infinity Ward and Activision definitely cooked up an early Holiday treat, and if you’re smart, you’ll get your share of it.