Modern Warfare 2 continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. An entirely new game play mode which supports 2-player co-operative play online that is unique from the single player story campaign. Special Ops pits players into a gauntlet of time-trial and objective-based missions. Rank-up as players unlock new Special Ops missions, each more difficult. Missions include highlights from the single player campaign, fan favourites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and all new, exclusive missions...

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 sees the same topnotch game play that made Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare such an instant hit but adds so much more. Firstly there's another complex story for the campaign, with many cross references to the previous game which sees you meet up with familiar characters such as Soap and Nikolai.

There is plenty to do offline, with two different modes to play. There's the large campaign and also a new mode called Spec Ops where you are given tasks to complete which are assigned in five difficulties. More levels are unlocked as you complete each level satisfactorily.

In the campaign you have four difficulty settings to attempt. The hardest setting (Veteran) is almost impossible to complete and is designed for the hardcore first person shooters out there. However, most of the achievements are unlocked by completing tasks in the Veteran mode. There is also the return of "Intels". this time you have to find 45 of them hidden around the levels. This will mean sometimes going off and exploring parts of the level you wouldn't normally go to.

In the new story you no longer play as Soap from the old game, instead you play as a character called Roach - Soap is now your captain, much like Captain Price from the old game. Throughout the game you are tutored by Soap and another character called Ghost, who is masked and cannot be seen - yet he has exactly the same voice as Gaz from the old game and also does the same sort of tasks that Gaz did (such as hacking into networks to open electronics doors and such.

The Spec Ops game is a new addition to Call of Duty. Here you have various missions to complete. Each one requires a certain amount of stars to unlock them depending on which difficulty you decide to attempt.

On each level there are three conditions - one being the easiest and three being the hardest. After you obtain a certain amount of stars the next stage is unlocked and you get more missions to play.

Some of the mission available are from the actual campaign such as using the AC 130 to guard your teammate as he runs through an old level from COD 4. There is also a mission where you play a game similar to the old Ghillies in the Mist level where you are in a ghillie suit and have to crawl through an old Russian radiation ridden level, having to spot hidden snipers and avoid armed patrols. One of the best things about Spec Ops is the fact that you can play it as one or two player game on and off line. In fact, some levels actually require you to use two players.

As far as the online game play is concerned... well, quite a lot has been changed. One of the main difference involves the "create a class" system. This has been seriously revamped. You now also get challenges for each perk, which turns your perk into a pro perk giving it an additional ability on top of your current one.

There are also many more new perks which include for perk 1:

Marathon: This allows you to gain unlimited sprint.

Scavenger: Which allows you to pick up ammo for your gun from any dead body. This also turns into the old perk bandolier when pro perk is gained.

Bling: This give you the ability to use two attachments on your gun at the same time.

One Man Army: The ability to change your class half way through the game but you have to give up your second weapon.

The new perks for perk 2 include:

Lightweight: This allows you to run faster.

Hardline: Killstreaks require one less kill.

Cold Blooded: You are invisible to UAV, thermal, sentry guns and air support.

Danger Close: You are able to do more explosive damage.

And the new perks for perk 3 include:

Commando: Increases distance you can melee.

Scrambler: Jams enemies radar when they are near you.

Ninja: Makes you invisible to enemies heart beat sensor.

Sit Rep: Reveals enemies claymores and C4 etc. It also detects enemy tactical insertions.

Along with all of these new perks you also get a fourth perk called Death Streaks which are activated in the opposite way to Killstreaks. Basically when you die enough times they are activated. These new perks include:

Copycat: The ability to mimic an enemies entire class. When you die, watch the Kill Cam and if you like your killer's class you can use it when you respawn.

Martyrdom: You'll drop a grenade when you next die.

Painkiller: Allows you to sustain insane amounts of damage when you spawn. However only for the first 10 seconds.

Final Stand: When killed you drop to the floor and use anything available to you. If you can stay alive until it finishes you can get back up without dying.

Another major change to the new Create a Class is the secondary weapons, which are now numerous.

You can choose between four different types, which include handguns, machine pistols, launchers, and shotguns. The best thing about this is that you are able to mix long and short range weapons together and also able to have a much more varied class.

There are also many more main weapons to choose from. There are five sections which include assault rifles, sub machine guns, light machine guns, sniper rifles and the riot shield. The amount of weapons in each sections is assault 9, smg's 5, lmg's 5, sniper rifles 4 and just the riot shield.

There are more challenges for each of these weapons, including the return of camouflages for guns ranging all the way up to 250 head shots, which has increased from 150 from the old game.

The way attachments are unlocked for guns in this game is a bit more complex. You start of with your basic marksmen challenges for unlocking attachments but after you have unlocked an attachment you have to get a certain amount of kills with that attachment to unlock a new one or an improved version of it.

There are also many more types of equipment to use such as grenades. One of the things that is included in this category are claymores and C4, which replace your grenade, but you are still allowed your flash bangs etc.

Some of the new equipment includes tactical insertion which lets you respawn wherever you place it. Also there is Semtex, which is pretty much a sticky grenade that clings on to anything that it touch, whether wall, person, or riot shield. It can even stick to a team mate to get a sneaky kill when they enter a room.

As with the previous game, there are multiple matches online in various game modes, ranging from general Team Deathmatch to Capture the Flag, there will always be something different for you to play depending on your mood.

A couple of new game modes have been added, which include your general Capture the Flag, in which you have to get the enemies flag back to your own base. There is also Demolition which is a mode where the defenders have two places they have to defend at once and the attackers have to press the attack and plant a bomb on each of the objectives. You do not have to pick up the bomb in this mode, unlike Sabotage. Once you have planted the bomb you have to wait and defend the bomb until it explodes. You have to destroy both bombs to win the game.

There is a new way for you to express yourself instead of just Clan Tags in this game. There are two new things that are visible to everyone: Titles and Emblems. As you start levelling up throughout the online game you will start to unlock more and more titles and emblems each one shows how you like to play the game. For example having a title called "back stabber" indicates that you like to sneak around knifing people in the back and also if you choose an emblem with a knife on it, it means you prefer to use a knife over a gun.

One other aspect which has been changed is the actually hosting of the game. Previously the servers would chose the person with the strongest connection to host the game. However, if they quit out of the game, or their connection lagged, then the game would end and you'd have to start again. In this game if this happens the servers pause the onscreen action and let you know that they are migrating to a new host.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 represents a massive jump in online game play taking all of the elements that made the last game a number one online game and improving almost everything. With so many different things to customize and also lots to unlock this is a game that could keep you busy for months and months... and most probably will until the next Call of Duty game.

10

Carl Simpson