Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer has had quite a number of players hooked for the last couple months, myself included. So the thought of having new maps to freshen up some of the playlists is a certainly a welcome addition for most. The Stimulus Package which includes five new maps for MW2 released earlier this week adds some much needed variety to playlists, but at what cost? A steep cost in fact, weighing in at a lofty 1200 points ($15). So if you are reading this, you are most likely on the fence as to whether or not these maps are worth the asking price while most of the diehards have already dropped the $15 dollars on the maps. So for those of you thinking before pulling the trigger, let me offer my thoughts. There a five new maps to lay waste upon including Bailout, Crash, Overgrown, Salvage and Storm. Bailout, Salvage and Storm are three brand new maps whereas those of you who played MW1 know that Crash and Overgrown were two of the best maps in MW1, and this definitely remains true. However, I have a complaint with the returning maps. While they are great to be able to play in again, they haven’t been updated at all.
They are exactly as you remember them, which don’t get me wrong, they were excellent maps, but with the price tag associated with these maps it almost feels as if Infinity Ward could have tried a few changes here and there. Nevertheless, they are always a joy to play on. Bailout is probably my favorite map as it is extremely varied and seems to have received the most love and attention from IW. It is set in suburb warzone, surrounded by buildings and houses with a main road running through the middle. It is a great level for picking off the opposition with plenty of windows overlooking the middle road and long hallways within each building. The middle road is a great spot to get picked off in, so it’s best to stay within the confines of the balconies and indoors. Storm is also an excellent map in a large area filled with warehouses and shipping containers as rains pours down and lighting shoots across the sky. It has its fair share of perches great for overlooking an area with some open areas perfect for face to face shoot outs. I don’t really have any complaints about Storm other than the fact that it doesn’t feel fresh. It’s a great map, but I can’t help but have a sense of déjà vu whenever I play it.
Finally, Salvage tops of the map pack. Salvage features tight corridors perfect for chaotic shotgun fare. It is set in a Junkyard with crushed cars and piled tires creating small corridors, all while snow falls making it a winter wonderland. Salvage only features a few areas to fight from afar, often at the edges of the map. It is also an extremely fun map to get killstreaks on as cover is tough to find. So it is often useful to have an RPG in this map as choppers/harriers can be devastating. I really don’t have any complaints about the maps other than the fact that most of them seem like typical MW maps, but it is somewhat annoying how you go about playing them. There are only two playlists included with the pack, Stimulus and Stimulus Hardcore. Each playlist has varied game types shuffling at random, so I was excited when I got to play Team Deathmatch once every four to five games. The pack could certainly use a Team Deathmatch playlist for those who don’t enjoy objective based playlists. I often found myself playing with people who played each game deathmatch regardless of the play type which is common in MW2, but it seemed more prevalent in the Stimulus playlists. Also, where are the new perks, challenges, titles and emblems? It would be understandable if the pack was only $10, but its $15 so it would have helped ease the pain of the price if we had a few extras added besides maps.
All in all, the new maps are pretty good and definitely breathe fresh air into the game for a bit longer, but I’m not sure I can recommend them to casual MW2 players. By casual I mean those who are playing the game for less than 3 hours a week. For the rest of you, it’s tough to say that the price will go down anytime soon and considering how much the average person plays MW2, 1200 points is probably worth the 2 days total play time you will spend with them over the next month as you will most likely get your money’s worth. I enjoyed my time with the maps, and I know I will be playing them quite a bit for the next few weeks, so those of you heavily considering the purchase just do it already, you’ll only regret it for a few hours, I promise.
Final Recommendation: Buy
