Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare takes place in (you guessed it) modern day, where players assume the identity of an elite British SAS solider and an American Marine traveling to numerous hotspots throughout the Middle East and Europe. CoD 4's plot revolves around a power grab by a group of rebels – known in the game as the 'Four Horsemen' – that players are tasked with subduing, and the story is told through a series of lengthy conflicts. The opening scene is witnessed in the first person and is effective in setting the tone of the game, and although the script is similar to something that could be seen in a Tom Clancy game, CoD 4 makes for a much grander experience.
The gameplay in CoD 4 is exactly the same as previous games in the franchise - to successfully complete a mission, players must move from cover to cover while dispatching enemies along the way. Whenever damage is taken, you must take cover and avoid being shot for a few moments while health regenerates. This is a system that is being used ever increasingly by developers, as it saves the headache of having to relying on the infamous health pack to get through the game.
Unlike other recent first-person shooters like Medal of Honor Airborne, CoD 4 takes the more traditional approach by not allowing players to shoot from behind cover. Nonetheless, Infinity Ward has added some variety to the game by including a few new features - players must fend off vicious dog attacks before they succumb to the jaws of the animal, control a machine gun aboard a helicopter, and in another level employ stealth to achieve the required goal. This particular stage, in which players are partnered with a fellow sniper, is extremely well executed and is perhaps the most compelling of the entire game. One of the earlier levels in CoD 4 puts players aboard an enormous gunship. This portion of the game requires you to control the various artillery pieces of the warplane and cover the escape of ground-based counterparts, all the while playing through a black and white heads-up display. While none of these elements are particularly groundbreaking in themselves, cumulatively they make for an engrossing and realistic gaming experience.
There are many weapons to choose from, including assault rifles and shotguns.
The weapons of CoD 4 are obviously unlike anything previously seen in the series and quite easily rival Rainbow Six. The anti-armour missile launcher used in the game are the same as those employed by our own army, and using it it really helps create the feeling of fighting on a modern battlefield. Another nifty feature is the ability to use night vision in certain missions. Though this is also nothing new, Infinity Ward has probably created the most interesting version of it yet, especially by allowing players to view the laser sights of their weapon at the same time.
CoD 4 does not allow players to use squad tactics, even though most missions are played with a team of grunts backing you up. Team mates are extremely effective, especially when storming small rooms, almost to the point that they can play the game on your behalf. In one particular scene, your squad leader storms a room and takes out all of the enemies inside before you even have a chance to react. Indeed, even in the larger skirmishes, players can count on the supporting AI to help them. Though the squad may seem a little too efficient at times, there aren't enough instances to make it a real problem, and it actually feels good to have some intelligent AI behind you. The enemy AI is also efficient and coordinated, though not really that difficult to best unless they are in great numbers. For the more skilled player it's probably a good idea to play the game on a higher difficulty setting.
The controls in the Xbox 360 version of CoD 4 are virtually identical to the previous two titles in the series on the console. The only noticeable difference is that players are given the ability to sprint by holding down the left thumbstick. This feature makes navigating bullet-heavy environments painless and saves the arduous walks between mission objectives.
The first level showcases the sort of graphics you can expect.
The graphics in CoD 4 are some of the best seen on the Xbox 360 to date. The game runs at a good framerate, and while there are one or two moments of slowdown, they thankfully do not occur during any of the important moments. The graphics are more comparable to Call of Duty 3 then Call of Duty 2, and feel very vibrant and lifelike. The environments, weapons, lighting and smoke effects are all very detailed and natural. Most importantly, the graphics convincingly portray the look and feel of a real environment, and the character models are also very realistically animated. The first level of CoD 4 gives an idea of what to expect throughout the game – the rain, sky and interiors are all extremely convincing, and this degree of fidelity continues until the closing credits.
The audio in CoD 4 is also good. All of the guns give off a distinct sound, and the noises generated by vehicles and explosions help capture the atmosphere of intense fighting. The voice acting is also top-notch – Captain Price's distinctive voice is always welcoming, and the tone of the malevolent Forth Horseman is very chilling. The soundtrack in CoD 4 is suited to the particular moments of gameplay, and helps pass the time in mission briefings.
The save system is exactly the same as the earlier Call of Duty games, with checkpoints conservatively littered throughout levels, meaning that if you die you will not have to replay anything more then the last few moments before your death. Thankfully, any checkpoint can also be saved to the hard drive and picked up again later. The menus are very slick, and the entertaining and informative mission briefings occupy the time taken for levels to load, while in-game loads are extremely quick.
How many of these guys can you pop in the shortest amount of time in Arcade Mode?
The only real gripe with CoD 4 is the time that it takes to get through the single-player portion of the game - it will take no longer then seven hours to complete the game on the normal difficulty setting, although this can obviously be extended if the difficulty setting is upped. Once the single-player campaign has been completed players can test their skills in Arcade mode, which allows you to earn points by killing as many enemies in the quickest time possible.
The multiplayer aspect of CoD 4 also makes for a thrilling ride, and can be just as intense as the single-player game. Players can create their own class of character, and as you earn points and gain ranks in matches, rewards such as improved weapons and gadgets are made available, which may compel fans to keep coming back for more. There are a total of 16 multiplayer maps and plenty of game modes to keep players entertained.
Infinity Ward's latest first-person shooter is brilliantly executed, and every major element of the game has been accomplished expertly and effectively. Shifting the series to the modern day and penning an effective script has given the game an extremely solid conceptual foundation. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the best in the series to date, and one of the finest first-person shooters currently on the market – a definite buy this Christmas.
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