Those of us residing in that green and pleasant land of Xbox 360 are living in a post-Halo 3 world and whether you loved or hated it is irrelevant; since that particular bomb was dropped, the landscape of the first-person shooter (FPS) has been changed forever. Right or wrong, it will persist as a benchmark against which all others will be measured. One of the first to be judged is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. While not carrying the necessary firepower to topple the Master Chief quite yet, it is a hopeful contender, providing a refreshing shotgun blast to the face for anyone with FPS blues.
One thing to note is that familiarity with earlier Call of Duty (COD) titles is in no way necessary. The narrative structure of COD4 (like each previous title) stands independently and, as the name implies, there has been a major temporal shift forward from COD predecessors all taking place during WWII. In addition to allowing the inclusion of much niftier gadgets and guns, a story set in the modern day has the advantage of not being ‘restricted’ by pesky historical accuracy. This allows it to incorporate an unknown element which will always serve to empower the player and heighten the experience no end.
It is the experience that has clearly become of primary concern for the developers at Infinity Ward. They have taken the time to craft this game into something more than yet another lifeless shooter to join the already bulging ranks.
To begin, a well-rounded training mission perfectly introduces the major characters and basic controls that will accompany you throughout. Following that, a brief but explosive first mission gives some idea of how a more cinematic structure has been expertly interwoven into the gameplay. That is not to say that you can expect to be bombarded with as many cut-scenes as grenades. In fact the closest thing COD4 has to a cut-scene occurs early on as the credits roll, where you occupy the perspective of the recently deposed Middle Eastern president, Yasir Al-Fulani. While unable to move, you can change your view; a helpless observer of the chaos around you as you witness a city tearing itself apart on the way to your own execution. This is perhaps a message which, given the subject matter, would be better interpreted on a larger scale.
In this regard, Infinity Ward has pulled no punches; the threat of nuclear annihilation does exist today and with COD4 they offer an unapologetic, unglamorous representation of it. The futility of the scenario is illustrated in chilling detail during a later scene where you briefly stumble through the remaining wasteland in agonising slow motion with no clear purpose or objective before finally expiring in sight of the giant mushroom cloud looming overhead.
Certain elements are necessary in order to uphold such cinematic style and it is a pleasure to report that they exist here. Graphics are pleasing and thoughtful, generally adding to the atmosphere with fantastic lighting/smoke effects and the emphasis placed on key elements and close-up visuals. It is a shame that in some of the more enigmatic sections of the campaign (such as racing back to a chopper for evacuation while under heavy fire), the lines of basic texturing are clearly visible in the sprawling landscapes. With the notable exception of what can only be assumed is intended to be a Scottish accent (seriously, why can developers not get this right?) the sound effects and voices are bang on, which is important given the literal barrage of gunfire, shouts and explosions you can expect to hear ringing in your ears for days to come. Likewise, the music is successfully used to provide pace and tension at key points during a mission. Often bold choices pay off, but none so successfully as the rousing taiko drumbeats heard at the climax of a two-man mission to survive a seemingly endless wave of enemies within an abandoned Chernobyl fairground. It is, in every respect, a masterstroke of game design.
The reason the game is so successful at keeping you rooted in the story and action is the sublime use of AI, both for enemy and allies. Some of the allied NPCs have distinct personalities apparent from the outset and, besides their consistent presence around you, their behaviour beautifully reinforces the sense of teamwork. In some instances, the enemy AI often appears to spawn endlessly until you push forward as a unit to choke their point of origin. With this depth of gameplay, rather than the annoying ‘corridor’ effect of some shooters, you often feel that you have unlimited options when playing. The intensity of the action is something like being swept along in a movie such as Black Hawk Down – at times a truly terrifying experience.
There has been some criticism of the game for its formulaic approach and similarity to previous COD titles. A disappointingly short-lived single player campaign has led some to criticise the game for seeming more like an update than a stand-alone release. If this were all the game provided then that may have been a valid complaint. However, with the excellent multiplayer element, this game can offer an almost entirely brand new experience for any player hungry for more after a finished campaign.
You can expect to find the usual multiplayer staple of Capture The Flag (CTF) and deathmatch games playable on a handful of good maps here. But what really sets this apart from the campaign, and most other multiplayer FPSs, is the excellent addition of an RPG-style levelling system for your character. Starting off with a lowly rank and a limited choice from some of the weapons used in the campaign, you will earn XP for every kill, with bonuses for head shots, streaks and so on. As you gain XP, you will advance in rank and gain access to better weapons and ‘perks’ that include basic attribute boosts to health or speed, or more provocatively named skills such as ‘deep penetration’, allowing you to shoot through certain types of cover at your cowering opponents behind. As you raise levels, you can also attempt objective-based challenges to unlock specific item upgrades. Best of all, rather than building your player from scratch each time you play, the game allows you to save your custom-made characters and select them like any of the default character classes!
To debrief then, a shooter that manages to rise head and shoulders above the rest in what has become a much-abused genre on the 360 of late. A smooth control system, sublime graphics and sound, all wrapped up in an intense and gripping single player experience. Plus the added bonus of a multiplayer mode that is different and rewarding enough to keep you coming back time and again. Since you probably already own Halo 3, you really have no excuse for not seeing how the other half lives. Sign up now and be all you can be.
