Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

[Dark_Chris]

Who said it was the best game ever created?.

creators, I read interview with producer on PSU some time ago

Archelon: 'course I should......

[Stu]

Archelon: 'course I should

So...erm...have you?

[Archelon]

Anyhoo, as expected, it looks like it's between Modern Warfare 2 and Uncharted 2 for Game of the Year at most media outlets. Uncharted 2 will undoubtedly be PS3 Game of the Year, and I imagine Modern Warfare 2 will be the multiplatform GotY, and probably 360 GotY, as well. But for overall? I'd say it's anyone's guess at this point.

[Dark_Chris]

Stu: I guess you already knew the answer.

Archelon: exactly!!! well I'm PS3/Sony fanboy

[GuardhouseMusic]

It's Lance Henrikson, who did do a voice in Mass Effect.

I spent the whole time thinking it was the guy who does Optimus Prime haha

Wait, what? It's Keith David, the dude who was in, among other films, The Thing.

I disagree about the campaign being average, I'm nowhere near done and I haven't played the MW1 main game. I'm enjoying the hell out of it, the scenarios are fun and the maps are even better.

Plus on the whole the multiplayer is pretty much COD coming into its own, with all of the presentational party-like bric a brac (accolades, kill types, all of the various insignias etc) it harkens back to games such as Perfect Dark. Hardcore gameplay is still as rigid as ever, which covers all bases.

[Stu]

Archelon, i'd agree with those. Uncharted 2 is nailed on for the PS3's GOTY. For the 360, i'd said this or L4D2, will need to see next week though obviously.

Stu: I guess you already knew the answer.

Archelon: exactly!!! well I'm PS3/Sony fanboy

So you actually haven't? Thus, your 6/10 means nothing.

[Alexia_Ashford]

I'd like to ask fans at this point what is actually so great about this game to warrant a GOTY title. MW1, I found boring and didn't pull me in at all. The online, found it really difficult to get into because I always seemed to be playing with people who played non-stop and before I knew it, I was dead. To fans new to the series, it's almost impossible to break into the online multiplayer. It's alright, but I don't get the massive hype for it.

[Dark_Chris]

Stu: actually my PERSONAL review means nothing even if I finished the game

[Stu]

I don't see how COD's multiplayer is any different to any other games. Evidently you're going to struggle playing against the likes of people who play all the time. But in my first game earlier once i'd get into the stride of things i was able to hang with the guys 15-20 levels above me.

Obviously it's a slog at first, but you need to expect that. These guys destroying everything in sight didn't become that good overnight, they were all bad at one point.

[Alexia_Ashford]

Well, for example, like Halo 3. When I first started that game, it was in the Christmas rush in 2007 so when I first started online, with the ranking system, most people I played with were people who'd just got the game as well, so I adjusted to the game well. With COD4, even though it has a ranking system as well, when I first played it didn't seem to match me up to other similar-skilled players too well and I found myself getting frustrated at being killed all the time as opposed to enjoying it, and didn't feel very interested in the campaign at all. It's probably a lot of fun for people who want something similar to reality, but I personally prefer the not-so-realistic Halo 3.

[GuardhouseMusic]

I don't think it's GOTY for two reasons, one objective (yeah right) and the other personal.

It's a great game but nothing that does or says anything new or transcendent, if that's what you're looking for. It piles together tried and true elements of earlier FPSes (multiplayer aspects, challenges, an awkward balance of fun and drama), and it expands upon its own formula; it does both of these particularly well.

Plus wouldn't your argument about the online multiplayer convince you to try it NOW?? Heh, just kidding. Different strokes.

[Alexia_Ashford]

I don't think it's GOTY for two reasons, one objective (yeah right) and the other personal.

It's a great game but nothing that does or says anything new or transcendent, if that's what you're looking for. It piles together tried and true elements of earlier FPSes (multiplayer aspects, challenges, an awkward balance of fun and drama), and it expands upon its own formula; it does both of these particularly well.

Plus wouldn't your argument about the online multiplayer convince you to try it NOW?? Heh, just kidding. Different strokes.

Not really, 'cause it's likely the people who have it are people who've already played MW1 quite a bit already. Didn't think a lot of the first game so I'm not gonna waste my money on a game I probably won't like. I already have L4D2, AC2, and Mass Effect 2 to buy, so my wallet is sufficiently raped from games.

[Vector]

I did not struggle with COD4 whatsoever when I first started playing, and I never really was an FPS fan before that. I got about halfway through the campaign, jumped online and went 10-1 in my first game and it was off to the races. I held a 2.00 K/D ratio for a while, but it's tough to keep up. You need to play the game a lot and learn the maps...just like any other game. Granted, I racked up over 14 days worth of hours in COD4, so I knew what I was doing. Even if you do struggle at first, you should keep playing.

COD4 is one of the most incredibly noob-friendly games I've ever played and I expect more of the same from MW2. I honestly cannot figure out how people could struggle online. If you have any shred of hand-eye coordination, the gameplay is a cinch. The controls are the best, most tightest in a FPS that I've ever seen, and that's why the game is so incredibly easy to jump into. Although, I will say that the matchmaking is very fucked up and uneven, that I can vouch for. They really don't attempt to match you up with people around the same level as you, so you need to jump online quickly and start leveling up to unlock all the weapons, perks and killstreaks.

I'm leaving in about 20 minutes to go get the game and I cannot friggin' wait.

[Alexia_Ashford]

Well I'm not the only person who thinks like that. Quote from the Kotaku review of MW2:

Abandon All Hope Ye Noobs: Call of Duty fans new to the multiplayer landscape of Modern Warfare 2 may want to find some skilled, friendly teammates to play with. Public multiplayer matches can be a bloodbath for the low-ranking noob, a frustrating, sharp learning curve that's made more punishing by some of the game's killstreak rewards and higher-level unlocks. Spending much of a round being liquefied by AC-130 rounds, Predator missiles or Pave Low fire from above is not uncommon, something that may sour one's enjoyment while playing online. Players may be rightfully concerned about the balance of the game's killstreaks, which, if you're not well-versed in Modern Warfare multiplayer, can be intimidating. Fortunately, options for setting up private matches that disable killstreaks and perks, are easy to access. New users may find it similarly frustrating to not have total access to all of the game's multiplayer modes from the get-go.

Couldn't agree with this more.

[GuardhouseMusic]

Oh I mostly sucked at COD4, never really knew how to cover and get kill streaks. While I'm still getting killed as much as I used to, my own kills are racking up. Hopefully improvement will follow, that FAMAS is a nice gun.