Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The wait is over; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is finally here.  If you pre-ordered the prestige version of this game for $150, then you’re one of the cool people that received the night vision goggles. However, the regular version of the game is only $60.

For those of you who don’t know Call of Duty, it is a first person shooter video game made for PC, PS 3, and Xbox 360.  The first installment of this game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, sold 13 million copies worldwide, inciting high expectations for the sequel. The setting of Modern Warfare 2 takes place five years after the first game, and a new counter-terrorist group, Task Force 141, fights a Russian ultra-nationalist terrorist organization to counter an invasion of the United States.

This game pulls you right in from the very first mission. Its stunning graphics and precise controls give it an addictive factor. Maps for Modern Warfare 2 include Afghanistan, Rio de Janeiro, Siberia, and Washington D.C. Yes that’s right, America gets invaded. It’s amazing to fight off enemies in the dead of night while trying to take protect the White House. 

What stands out most is the online multiplayer mode. This option is similar to that offered in the first Modern Warfare. You earn “experience points” and unlock rewards in game modes that include Free-For-All, Search & Destroy, Demolition, Domination, Team Death Match, and Capture the Flag. However, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 introduces several new features such as new weapons and equipment that can be upgraded to “pro” versions.

This new option also includes fifteen different kill streak rewards, which can be unlocked and selected by the player. The rewards include the ability to receive a supply drop after achieving four kills in a row, to order a Predator missile strike after five kills, and if you are skilled enough to make twenty-five kills in a row, you can call in a nuke. The nuke’s purpose is simple, it automatically wins the game.

Another new feature is the “in-game host migration.” If a match host leaves the game, the current game no longer has to end. Furthermore, Modern Warfare 2 features a cooperative mode entitled “Special Ops.” In this mode, the player goes through a series of missions that take place in various locations from the campaign mode, but are not related to the campaign itself. Most of the “Special Op” missions may be played alone but some require a partner.  These missions include: a snowmobile race between the two players, air support from an AC-130 while the other player conducts ground operations, capturing enemy compounds, and eliminating 40 or more enemies at a time. 

When buying Modern Warfare 2, you are not just getting a good game, but an amazing game that is well worth the $60 price tag.