Going back to the single-player story mode it has to be said that the writers at Infinity Ward have crafted one of, if not the single best, pieces of video game entertainment of all time. The story flows in and out of mission-orders and briefing tools, letting the player take over control for the major plot points. There are more twists and turns than some entire game franchises feature, oh and don’t get too attached to any specific character because this is a tragic story even Quentin Tarantino would be proud of. The gameplay that any gamer familiar with the first Modern Warfare will become instantly comfortable with is back in full force as the main building block of the sequel. For a first-person shooter it does everything right. Infinity Ward has mastered the techniques and Modern Warfare 2 is their shining glory, in the 40+ hours I have spent with the game I never once felt like I was cheated in some way by the control mechanics or computer AI. If the first Modern Warfare is something to trust it’s the multiplayer portion of this game that will truly set the world on fire and provide hundreds of hours of fun.
All the normal MP game modes (team deathmatch, capture the flag, etc.) are available in Modern Warfare 2 - as well as a couple unique additions such as third-person mode. The completely upgraded perk and killstreak systems (UAV, ammunition, AC-130, or even an atomic bomb), customization options, and redesigned level setup help complete what has to be the most complete multiplayer experience gamers will ever see. A lot of the new “challenge rewards” found in Modern Warfare 2 have something to do with the class system, and how the player uses their chosen class to help the team win each match. The ranking system is back and comes into play a lot more this time around, controlling exactly what upgrades a player can use at what time, helping give reasons to play online. There is so much amazing stuff jam-packed on this disc I have a hard time finding negative things to say about it, and every time I do it is followed quickly by a “but for” statement. For a more detailed breakdown of the multiplayer aspects of Modern Warfare 2 be sure to check out our hands-on impressions by clicking here.
Graphically Modern Warfare 2 sets a bar so high that our industry will look to it as a blueprint of what can be done on next-gen systems visually. The developers found a perfect balance between realistic and entertainment (just wait until you play-through the airport level) that there were points during our review period that we actually forgot we weren’t watching a HD movie. The lighting effects and character models have been upgraded from 2007’s outing, and the draw-distance is beyond incredible. MW2 campaign also features one of the greatest designed and looking levels seen to date; the Brazil “ghetto” level includes a color palate that will leave you drooling. As with so much else in the game the audio is near perfect; everything from the sound effects to the epic musical score just screams quality. At the end of the day Modern Warfare 2 is everything we were hoping it would be, from the “that did not just happen” moments to the refined gameplay mechanics, to the all-new Spec-Ops mode – it’s as near perfect as any video game has gotten up to this point. The reason the game didn't score a perfect 10 is because there is always something better to develop, and the lack of a longer SP campaign and MP story co-op drops it a smidgen. To be honest this is the highest score that PlanetXbox360.com as ever given out and we are completely OK with it going to Modern Warfare 2 – if you own an Xbox 360 there is every reason to go buy it, right now.
