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CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE XBOX 360 REVIEW |
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Infinity
Ward returns to reclaim its throne in the
shooter genre with Call of Duty 4: Modern
Warfare for the Xbox 360. In a departure from
past entries in the series, the game takes place
in the modern day, and pits American USMC and
British SAS forces against ultranationalists in
Russia and the Middle East. The single-player
game unfolds like an action movie. Each mission
is accompanied by a cutscene introducing the
player with the general goal and locale of the
mission from a bird’s-eye perspective, which is
quite interesting to watch while the game loads.
Combat in single-player is considerably
straightforward; while that maybe the case,
Infinity Ward is able to turn the warfare into a
very entertaining experience.
The general gameplay flow is much like past
entries in the series – you spot your targets,
find a hunk of cover to hide behind, aim down
the sights and start to fire away at your foes.
There are a number of grenades in this game as
well, and plenty of heart-pumping reasons to use
them, too. Along with the change in locale and
time, Infinity Ward is able to bring a larger
variety of weapons and technology to use, such
as night vision, portable anti-tank guided
missile launchers, AK-47s, M4A1’s, etc. Call of
Duty 4 also takes into account bullet
penetration, so you’re able to pierce and shoot
through thin sheets of metal or wood. Players
who love their guns will find plenty to love,
especially with the new bullet penetration
feature.
Online and offline, the multiplayer in Call of
Duty 4 is where the game truly shines. There is
no shortage of excitement as well suspense, and
being able to build a kind of virtual kinship
amongst social orders. During the multiplayer
battles, you’ll soon discover that knives are
just as brutal as playing catch with the
grenades, thanks to the dramatic sequence that
provides some exhilarating moments; not to
mention surprise attack through thin walls make
victims a target of ridicule. The game’s
increbile depth challenges many shooters of its
time, including Counter-Strike and Halo, thanks
to the customizable class system featured in the
game, which lets you select your weapon load-out
upon spawn, along with perks. |
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PRODUCT
OVERALL RATING: 9.5 OUT OF 10 |
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The "perks"
are an innovative new feature in the latest
installment of Call of Duty, which seem
unnecessary at first, but they are actually
useful, fun, and are definite necessities in
combat. They are special abilities that you can
choose for your player, such as a faster running
speed, the ability to throw grenades on death,
and the ability to get a chance to get a few
shots in at your killer before you die. Bullet
penetration also plays a critical role here –
players must differentiate between cover and
concealment – what will keep them hidden, and
what will keep them safe. These additions change
the way Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer is played
tremendously, and makes for unlimited variation
and a rudiment for non-stop action.
The multiplayer aspect takes a simple system and
makes it the most exciting it could possibly be.
Simply put, Call of Duty 4 is one of the best
online shooters of all time. Infinity Ward
didn’t stop with the showcasing of its
“modern-day warfare” gameplay, however. They
also polished their game engine and added
features to fully bring out the best aspects of
the technology they were working with.
Characters now cast shadows on themselves, dust
motes shine in the light, and lights affect the
environment in real time. Rim lighting has also
been added, which is vital in creating a
realistic image. This allows characters and
objects to have that “glow” of lighting around
their silhouette, or the rim of the object. To
put it in perspective, this means the
silhouettes of enemies and players will be
clearly visible against light.
Depth of field is also added, which blurs your
surroundings when aiming down the sight, making
target spotting much more difficult but
realistic. The deaths of enemies are now
governed by a blend of a predefined animation
and physics, which means that foes will now
topple over in a realistic manner. This resolves
the technical glitches and other several other
issues some games have with rag-doll physics in
their corpses. Unfortunately, even with the
newly implemented physics engine in Call of Duty
4, the environment is not completely
interactive. You won’t be able to shoot lamps
off desks, or knock shelves over. This just a
minor concern, but it can be easily overlooked,
as it could have some adverse effects to the
gameplay.
A wonderful musical score has been incorporated
into the game, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams
(the man behind the Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3
soundtracks) and Stephen Barton. The voiceover
work is top-notch and full of energy, and the
best part is that it doesn’t overdo it to the
point where it becomes “forced” or cheesy. The
sounds effects of guns firing in the distance
and in the face of radicals couldn’t be more
satisfying, and so are the sounds of explosions
going off left and right in the background.
Overall, Call of Duty 4 is a shooter fan’s
dream. Hell, it’s a gamer’s dream. It’s simply
the best the series has yet to offer, and while
it doesn’t deviate from standard shooter far too
much, it seems to have perfected its craft to
such a point that several other shooters are
unable to compare. A perfect shooter! |
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