Related Articles

Modern Warfare brought the present-day to gamers: new weapons, locations and a threat like no other greeted eager fans. It marked a shift in the way the company made a game; prior versions by Infinity Ward heavily focused on the story, providing a cinematic experience for those who played. Modern Warfare preserved that approach but developed the multiplayer mechanics to meet the needs of the fans, bringing about one of the biggest shifts in popularity for the Call of Duty franchise, conquering PC and Xbox Live popularity.

Modern Warfare 2 celebrates online in new ways; the game uses the streaming engine to the max. Objects fly, buildings are vulnerable to attack and even grenades have random movement. Multiplayer has taken a step from using standard rules to random chance: if a user strafes from a grenade, for example, it can roll over to that safe spot and blow. Players will live by using this mechanic to their advantage, as well as making tactical use of a level -- when even a bazooka is an unsure means to take on an enemy, it changes the feel of a fight. The final icing to the cake is how damage appears: bloody goggles with vibrant color distracting from the enemy.

We were able to play on the Xbox 360 at Activision's preview -- maps such as High-Rise and Favela provided intense combat, and the new mechanics and perks provide players with the ability to do more over larger expanses. Those wondering if Modern Warfare maps will make it into the sequel should know the team regards MW2 as a stand alone game. A downside to the new maps is they are small and unbalanced, and the rules of multiplayer have changed so much in Modern Warfare 2 that it would much time and effort to make them work. Perks have evolved in the game; Marathon, for example, makes it impossible to have a balanced fight in a map such as Crash because of incredible speed and endurance. In short, MW2 has taken what players knew in MW and grown it into a new beast.

Battle mechanics have changed in the sequel: players are able to choose the order in which they unlock killing streak perks. To illustrate, you're able to focus on special strikes like the AC130 from the start, giving you full control of the way the game plays for you. Building on that, MW2 thrives in offering new ways to individualize with awards and achievements based on combat selections and methods up for grabs. Balance has become a theme for the game: default classes now have perks most commonly used by experienced players. Care packages reward players knee-deep in kills, offering them chances to use the AC130, portable turrets or other combat perks.

The online portion of the game almost has a life of its own, using ranking ladders, unlocks, achievements, badges and so much more to entice players to stay around. Further, the whole game has tailored itself to giving each player the ability to play as their own special operative in battle, and offers those dying constantly to pick their killers combat kit, giving them a taste of their perk selections and weapons for a one life round.

There is a ton to explore with the new depth of the game, particularly with the online bit. The team worked to reinvent the online experience; they had the chance to build on Modern Warfare, but opted to take it to another level. On the technical side, the engine is enough to bring any player back to the battle and the graphics will keep them there wanting more: the game takes a step away from the franchise formula -- now dull and muddy color has been replaced by HDR lighting and vibrant world color. As for gameplay, maps are full of obstacles, and movement is even harder to detect when light is a new challenge.

Infinity Ward has made use of every facet of the new game engine; they’ve considered so many choices in the design and exploited them to their potential. Being able to crawl and have the opposition miss the mark because of sunlight, having shots missed due to the some particularly intense shadows in an alley -- these are just a couple of pieces of evidence. All in all, everything works at a higher level and the game has a polished feel that brings it on par with current FPS titles.

We look forward to seeing Modern Warfare 2 again this November; the release date is closing fast with less than 2 months to go.