Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review

Kid Friendly: Low                 Game Quality: Very High

Genre: First- Person Shooter

            (This game is seen from the viewpoint of a soldier, looking down the barrel of a gun.)

Internet Requirements: High

            (This game features little offline content and an internet connection and usage is necessary to

 fully enjoy this title.)

Story Summary: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 features an extensive, complex story reminiscent of a

  summer Block Buster movie. It is largely broken into two sections; the first story

  following a regiment of Army Rangers initially fighting in the Middle East and

  later in Washington D.C. The second story follows a group of hand-picked Special

  Forces named Task Force 141 fighting around the world doing top-secret Black Ops. As

  the story unfolds, a terrorist master-mind frames an American undercover operative as

  having initiated a massacre in crowded Russian airport; leading to a full-blown invasion

  of the United States by Russian forces. Meanwhile, Task Force 141, while working to

  thwart the terrorist, is betrayed by the General in charge of Task Force 141.

Kid Safe: Low

-          Foul Language: Moderate

o   This game features a fair amount of foul language in multiple languages including English, Spanish, and Russian. This game features most all terminology that is accepted as foul language. However, the usage of foul language is believable and is generally only used in anger rather than the language replacing most words in a given sentence.

-          Violence and Gore: Very High - Not recommended for Children

o   This game features an excessive amount of gratuitous violence, blood, and gore to a point that is disturbing. The game features realistic wartime violence and does not cut anything out. In one scene, while in a jeep, your driver is shot in the head and sprays bits of skull and brain across you and the dashboard. Another scene features you grabbing a man from behind and stabbing him in the chest; holding him while his eyes roll into his head. Yet another scene features you being shot in the chest, being thrown into a shallow grave, covered in gasoline, and burnt to death.

o   SPECIAL NOTE: This game contains one mission where you are playing as a terrorist walking through a crowded Russian airport gunning down innocent, unarmed civilians with heavy machine-guns. People cry, begging for their lives, only to be answered with bullets. Others slowly crawl along the floor in a pool of their own blood, slowly coughing and dying before your eyes. The game does allow you to skip the level, informing you that the level contains disturbing content, but does not specify as to what the level contains. It seems highly likely that a child playing this game would not consider the gravity of this warning and play it anyway. Finally, it should be noted that this level seems to be for shock value more than anything as it does little to carry the story.

-          Sexually-Related Content: Very Low

o   This game features almost no sexually-related content on the exception of a blow-up sex doll found in the bathroom of one of the buildings that you explore.

Game Quality: Very High

-          Graphics / Visuals: Very High

o   The graphics and visuals of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 are absolutely beautiful. The game features highly realistic depictions of people, buildings, environments, and vehicles. Everything from faces and body language to helicopter movements and vehicles reacting with the world around is shown with almost absolute precision. Notably, this does lend towards some of the more graphic and violent details to the game; adding a very visceral sense to the blood and gore that is sprayed in multiple scenes. However, if this fact is acceptable, the visuals are a real treat.

-          Audio: Very High

o   On par with the graphics, the audio in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is superb. The voice actors did an excellent job in playing their roles; adding the proper amount of emotion for every scene. Likewise, many well-known individuals lend their talent to these roles including recognized actors Keith David and Lance Henrikson as well as rapper 50 Cent. Voice acting aside, this game also features crystal clear quality sound for just about everything. Different guns, based on their size, caliber, make, and model will resonate differently. Running across different terrain will feature different sounds including snow crunching beneath your boots or soft impact while running across dirt. Finally, if you have surround sound available, it is highly recommended you make use of it as this game features 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound.

-          Dollar Value: High

o   This game is by far one of the best made games to date. It features a well polished appearance that lends to the realism and immersive experience. It also features a solid and complex story that rivals many summer Block Buster movies. The only downfall this game has is it lacks an extensive amount of offline gameplay and requires internet for you to make the most out of this title. The story of the game is approximately 6 - 8 hours long depending on the skill of the individual playing and the extra challenge levels (called Spec. Ops.) will only boast another 2 - 4 hours of gameplay. The meat of this title is located in the online multiplayer experience which features millions of people from around the world; and, as such, the experience you have is dependent on the individuals you play with. Therefore, if you are a large fan of multiplayer, you will be able to get a great deal of replay-ability out of this title. If these terms are acceptable, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is worth every penny.