This is the first PS3 game I've played. Yay!
Grade: A-
Pros
Cinematic Single-player. Great Multiplayer.
Cons
Single-Player is short.
Introduction
After the disappointment of Call of Duty 3, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare breathes new life into the series. Apparently people are tired of WWII themed games, hence the reason for going ?modern.?
This installment tries to focuses an equal amount on multiplayer and single-player. This is why the single-player campaign is so short, about 5 hours, and why the multi-player contains more content. But don?t think the developers gave it a mediocre effort. Bother single-player and multi-player have been given just attention. The single-player is cinematic, and provides a variety of entertaining situations to play through. The multi-player isn?t just a typical deathmatch add-on either. I?ll explain more later.
Story
The main story is told in the loading screens with a very fast and rough briefing, which fits the game?s atmosphere, but this makes it hard to get all the details. However, since the game is so short and fun, one could play it again to get a second look at the story, and still have as much fun as the first time.
In the beginning, I had no idea that I was playing with two different characters. They didn?t exactly go out of their way to point it out to you. The only relation they have to each other is that accomplish key battles in the same war. I think I found out about half way through the game.
Gameplay
The game is more cinematic and tries to focus on telling a story as well as shooting. It is may be for this reason that it doesn?t have the fast paced action of Call of Duty 2. But the experience as a whole seems of a higher quality. The graphical detail is more believable, with debris and explosions appearing very realistic. The friendly AI actually helps you. Sometimes, the developers give you time to take in the eeriness of a level, which can also says something that I?ll get into later.
The game starts out a little confusing with me having no idea what I was doing. I just followed the friendly AI. I was always very eager to get ahead of them and got lost sometimes. But the compass helped me find my way back.
You?re not always just shooting people in first person, or just shooting for that matter. Every once in a while the developers throw in a gameplay twist to make you do something different; and they succeed at creating an amazing experience. The only problem is that it?s over too soon.
A Bug Note: I had difficulty moving in one level of the game using the left analog stick. It felt like I was colliding into things that weren?t there. Later on, in another level, it happened again. But this time it was worse and it caused me to die many times. I couldn?t run, and I moved slower than usual. It may be a bug that occurs when you ?Resume? the game. Whatever it is; it isn?t cool.
Attitude
This particular game has an interesting attitude. It?s like a mesh of things, almost like a person who has a variety of emotions that seems to add to the game?s realism. I don?t think I?ve ever encountered something like this in a game.
You are put in a war-like atmosphere with no single-heroes in war. Therefore, you are never alone, always fighting alongside someone, whether it?s an entire team or just one other. There are always people shouting things and you try to make them out. The chaos of the instruction that may not get to the next person makes it feel like war. The game even has a sense of humor. This makes me think of those people in war who are horrified, but make jokes to make themselves feel better.
This game also has a theme. Generally, I don?t think games have a theme, but it is clear in this one. War is bad. The story shows you, first-hand, the destruction and pain of war in a variety of ways.
Mutliplayer
This isn?t your regular Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch. The developers adopted a ranking system similar to what Battlefield 2 has, but the they don?t stop there.
The Multiplayer is a bunch of unlockable content. Whenever you play, you gain experience to boost you to the next rank that will unlock: modes of play, performance enhancers, and weapon upgrades. You can also unlock things by completing Objectives, such as killing a certain amount of people. There is a big list with things to unlock.
On top of those long-term bonuses, the multiplayer also gives you short-term bonuses when you get a kill streak. With three kills, you get to see all the enemies on the map. With two more, you get to launch an air-strike anywhere on the map. And there are a few more bonuses, such as getting a helicopter to help you. These 3rd party attacks count towards your killing streak as well, which makes it easier to go even further, until you die.
Conclusion
Call of Duty 4 strikes an impressive balance between a single-player and multiplayer. They deliver above the expected: a cinematic single-player with attitude, and a multiplayer with a new style of gamplay and fun unlockables. Together, they provide a unique experience and hours of fun.
Grade: A-
Pros
Cinematic Single-player. Great Multiplayer.
Cons
Single-Player is short.
Introduction
After the disappointment of Call of Duty 3, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare breathes new life into the series. Apparently people are tired of WWII themed games, hence the reason for going ?modern.?
This installment tries to focuses an equal amount on multiplayer and single-player. This is why the single-player campaign is so short, about 5 hours, and why the multi-player contains more content. But don?t think the developers gave it a mediocre effort. Bother single-player and multi-player have been given just attention. The single-player is cinematic, and provides a variety of entertaining situations to play through. The multi-player isn?t just a typical deathmatch add-on either. I?ll explain more later.
Story
The main story is told in the loading screens with a very fast and rough briefing, which fits the game?s atmosphere, but this makes it hard to get all the details. However, since the game is so short and fun, one could play it again to get a second look at the story, and still have as much fun as the first time.
In the beginning, I had no idea that I was playing with two different characters. They didn?t exactly go out of their way to point it out to you. The only relation they have to each other is that accomplish key battles in the same war. I think I found out about half way through the game.
Gameplay
The game is more cinematic and tries to focus on telling a story as well as shooting. It is may be for this reason that it doesn?t have the fast paced action of Call of Duty 2. But the experience as a whole seems of a higher quality. The graphical detail is more believable, with debris and explosions appearing very realistic. The friendly AI actually helps you. Sometimes, the developers give you time to take in the eeriness of a level, which can also says something that I?ll get into later.
The game starts out a little confusing with me having no idea what I was doing. I just followed the friendly AI. I was always very eager to get ahead of them and got lost sometimes. But the compass helped me find my way back.
You?re not always just shooting people in first person, or just shooting for that matter. Every once in a while the developers throw in a gameplay twist to make you do something different; and they succeed at creating an amazing experience. The only problem is that it?s over too soon.
A Bug Note: I had difficulty moving in one level of the game using the left analog stick. It felt like I was colliding into things that weren?t there. Later on, in another level, it happened again. But this time it was worse and it caused me to die many times. I couldn?t run, and I moved slower than usual. It may be a bug that occurs when you ?Resume? the game. Whatever it is; it isn?t cool.
Attitude
This particular game has an interesting attitude. It?s like a mesh of things, almost like a person who has a variety of emotions that seems to add to the game?s realism. I don?t think I?ve ever encountered something like this in a game.
You are put in a war-like atmosphere with no single-heroes in war. Therefore, you are never alone, always fighting alongside someone, whether it?s an entire team or just one other. There are always people shouting things and you try to make them out. The chaos of the instruction that may not get to the next person makes it feel like war. The game even has a sense of humor. This makes me think of those people in war who are horrified, but make jokes to make themselves feel better.
This game also has a theme. Generally, I don?t think games have a theme, but it is clear in this one. War is bad. The story shows you, first-hand, the destruction and pain of war in a variety of ways.
Mutliplayer
This isn?t your regular Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch. The developers adopted a ranking system similar to what Battlefield 2 has, but the they don?t stop there.
The Multiplayer is a bunch of unlockable content. Whenever you play, you gain experience to boost you to the next rank that will unlock: modes of play, performance enhancers, and weapon upgrades. You can also unlock things by completing Objectives, such as killing a certain amount of people. There is a big list with things to unlock.
On top of those long-term bonuses, the multiplayer also gives you short-term bonuses when you get a kill streak. With three kills, you get to see all the enemies on the map. With two more, you get to launch an air-strike anywhere on the map. And there are a few more bonuses, such as getting a helicopter to help you. These 3rd party attacks count towards your killing streak as well, which makes it easier to go even further, until you die.
Conclusion
Call of Duty 4 strikes an impressive balance between a single-player and multiplayer. They deliver above the expected: a cinematic single-player with attitude, and a multiplayer with a new style of gamplay and fun unlockables. Together, they provide a unique experience and hours of fun.
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