Sunday, September 21, 2008

Late to the Party: Call of Duty 4

With their latest installment of the Call of Duty franchise, developer Infinity Ward has left behind the confines of World War II and entered the realm of modern warfare. Gone are the Nazis, the invasion of Normandy, and the battle of Stalingrad that we all know so well, replaced by current settings and familiar locations. It may be jarring to the gamer traditionally used to WWII, but by jumping 60 years into the future, Infinity Ward has effectively given new life to their acclaimed franchise.

Setting a war game in modern times opens up a can of worms for developers. The game needs to be entertaining and fun, but also respectful and mindful of the issues facing soldiers on the frontlines in real wars. Call of Duty 4 manages to straddle the fine line between staying true to currents events without completely romanticizing war (key word completely), though the not-so-fictional setting may prove to be too controversial to some. The premise of Call of Duty 4 is loosely based on several current political situations in the Middle East and Russia. A Soviet Union sympathizer and a Middle Eastern terrorist leader conspire to perform a coup in a nameless Middle Eastern nation (apparently Infinity Ward themselves felt pressured to not name the nation, even though it's obviously Saudi Arabia), which quickly snowballs into an world-threatening situation. The result is a plot more akin to the last season of 24 than current headlines, but it serves its job well and sets the stage for what's to come.

Like the previous Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare sets players in the shoes of multiple characters on different fronts of separate, yet related, conflicts. You begin the game as a new member of the British SAS, and your first mission is to infiltrate a cargo ship carrying a nuclear device. Soon after, you're playing as Sergeant Paul Jackson of the US Marine Corps, fighting terrorists in the post-coup nameless Middle Eastern country. Throughout the game, you'll switch between these two characters (as well as some others) in separate campaigns that eventually overlap and spiral together. This method of storytelling is nothing new for Call of Duty veterans, but the missions are wonderfully varied and set the game apart from previous entries in the series (as well as other "realistic" shooters). You'll perform everything from silent and stealthy sniper missions to balls-to-the-wall shoot-whatever-moves shooting galleries, and you'll be taken to several locations across the world.

Call of Duty 4 is a globetrotting experience. In one moment, you'll be fighting in the intimate close-quarters of a cargo ship, the next, you'll be running through a field dodging helicopter fire and tank shells in Eastern Europe. The wide range of locations prevents a tired, been-there-done-that feeling from occurring. One particular example happens near the middle of the game. Fresh from leading your SAS squad through an enemy-infested countryside amidst deafening gunfire and well-placed grenades, you're immediately placed in the relative comfort and safety of an AC-130 gunship, miles above the battlefield, nonchalantly clearing a path for the squad you were just in. The chatter of your gunship crew and the heat-scope you peer through completely remove you from the chaotic battles you were just fighting. It's the superbly designed and well-paced missions like these which set this game apart from other FPSs on the market today, though there is another, more obvious reason why the game continues to be so popular: online.

Even though great care was taken in the single-player experience, multiplayer is where Call of Duty 4 truly shines. The game uses a system in which you unlock more weapons the longer and better you play. Each weapon has multiple customizable parts to it. Want an underslung grenade-launcher attachment on your assault rifle? Or would you prefer a silencer so you can keep a low-profile? The choice is yours, and with dozens of guns to choose from, there's an almost endless possibility of weapons to suit your playing style. The customizable options carry over to your online character, as well. You can assign up to three "perks," basically physical modifications, to each custom class you create. The perks range from extra, albeit very limited, supply of tertiary weapons to abilities such as taking out your pistol when you "die," allowing you to kill as many enemies as you can before you finally succumb to your injuries. With the combination of perks and customizable weapons, you can easily create a class ideally suited for your specific playing style. In-game achievements, labeled "challenges," even further supplement the addictive online game. Good luck breaking the habit.

With a silky-smooth frame-rate that rarely dips under 60, thrilling single-player campaign, and an incredibly robust multiplayer, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is one of, if not the, best gaming experience you can get for $60.

Bottom line: buy it now!

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