Modern Warfare 2 Guide
Modern Warfare 2 does not live up to the hype that surrounded it before the release date and to the standard set by its predecessor, which was released in late 2007. It ticks all the points on the list: there are better graphics, there’s a bigger “What the Hell?” moment, there are tougher characters, bigger firefights and more controversies. It’s a fun, quick, at times tough shooter that satisfies the urge to redeem by wielding a firearm and has superb level design.
But the soul of the experience seems not to be there anymore. Activision, a company led by someone who stated that one of his goals was taking the fun out of (making) videogames, seems to have left a print on Modern Warfare 2, a game, which might actually sell millions of copies, making videogaming one of the most active segments of entertainment, but which forgot its heart somewhere in 2007.
Story
The original Modern Warfare was so successful because of two things: the complex multiplayer element, which is still being played by gamers all over the world, and the finely tuned single player campaign, which delivers a lot of corridor solid shooting intertwined with off beat sequences like the AC-10 assault, the brilliant Ghillie Suit missions, the first person execution of an Arab head of state and the nuclear detonation that kills, early on, one of the supposed main characters of the story. These elements had an impact on the very conscience of the player, offering some food for thought, as well as delivering awesome first person shooter experiences. As a gamer, I felt connected to what happened, I felt that something important about war, violence, history, trust and nationalism was being said while bullets were whizzing around your head and you were lobbing grenades back at your enemies.
Modern Warfare 2 tries to take the emotional impact of the first game and to turn everything way, way up on the “crazy” dial. It all starts tame enough, with a romp through Afghanistan and a trip to icy southern Russia. And then all Hell breaks loose (turn away now if you are afraid of mild story spoilers). You assault an airport as a terrorist, kill civilians and get shot in the face. America is invaded by a Russian armada, which goes past all lines of defense and targets the President of the United States. No one sees it coming. A nuke is again launched, this time heading towards American soil. Zarchaev, the main villain of the first game, is described as a hero of Russia. A shadowy organization is revealed to be more than it seems. Captain Price, the old friend from the first game, makes an appearance, and a big betrayal happens before the insanity overwhelming the game that I’m not even sure that the next iteration in the series could be called Modern Warfare again. The single player campaign can be completed in about ten hours tops so most players will likely get to see the pretty incredible ending.
Right-click here to download PDF version
