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Some franchises come and go, but there’s others that just never die. Consider, for instance, what the world would be like if we didn’t get annual releases of Chulip games. We’d be left without kissing-based adventure games to play, and what kind of life would that be? Indeed, what would we do without Chulip: Ghosts, the kissing simulator where you make out with the undead? How about Chulip: WW2, a more historic take on smoochventure? It’s a terrifying thought, but that’s the world we might have ended up in.
Oh, there’s Call of Duty as well. They come out basically every year, they’re multiplayer-focused and perfectly accessible to the average non-hardcore gamer, so they’ve become a representative for everything Reddit doesn’t like about modern gaming. Join me, the rest of the hobby and the industry writ large in not worrying about that. Instead, let’s take a look at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, the latest military shooter from Activision. It’s not quite a kissing adventure about bringing love and community to the world, but it’s a perfectly enjoyable experience in its own right.
via YouTubeEverybody talks about world peace, but let’s be real: that’d be pretty boring, huh? Certainly terrorist leader Hassan Zyani thinks so. He’s out for revenge after American forces take out an Iranian general, and he’s got the connections to shake up the geopolitical scene, particularly when it turns out he’s got access to American missiles. An international team consisting of fan favorite characters such as Soap, Ghost, Gaz and more will need to go on a globetrotting mission to stop Hassan, typically by stopping many of his subordinates on a permanent basis. Grab your firearm of choice and get to hunting.
What’s to say about the campaign in Modern Warfare II? It follows in the footsteps of 2019’s Modern Warfare reboot and does so in typically cinematic fashion. There’s action, adventure and setpieces galore to blast your way through, all presented with the finest graphics and audio that your platform of choice can serve up. There’s been a couple decades or thereabouts of this sort of game, after all, and that’s plenty of time for Infinity Ward to hone their craft to a pretty sharp edge. The production values alone make this the sort of game that’s worth a weekend rental from Redbox.
Naturally, that’s also not what most players come for. Modern Warfare II’s multiplayer is also more of the same sort of experience you’ve come to expect from the franchise. That means vets can enter the own zone and dominate lobbies right from the start, confident in the assurance that there’ll be plenty of newbie meat to feast upon. There’s a fair few maps to check out, particularly after a seasonal update or two, and new modes as well. These include a Prisoner Rescue mode akin to Rainbow Six: Siege and Knockout, which has a lot in common with Gunfight from the previous Modern Warfare.
They’re both interesting additions but it’s likely that hardcore CoD fans are going to stick to classics like TDM. As a pseudo-fan who checks these game out every year, I was happy to get slaughtered for a few hours in multiplayer and can assure you that the experience of dying horribly is just as present as ever.
Along with the various competitive multiplayer modes you know and love, you’re free to wrangle up a friend and check out Modern Warfare II’s new set of Special Ops coop missions to check out. Beyond that, you’ve got access to the Warzone 2.0 Battle Royale mode. The latter is unlikely to need any introduction, but it’s also very likely to be one the reasons you’d consider picking Modern Warfare II up…or not, since it’s also bound to be one of the biggest free-to-play shooters around. If you know it, you love it. If you don’t love it, you’re probably playing Fortnite instead.
As mentioned, one of the big sticking points of CoD is that it’s a great title for really bringing out the best of whatever platform it’s running on. That’s particularly true if you’re playing on a modern console platform or a fancy PC. Modern Warfare II looks absolutely fantastic when it’s got a little space to roam. It’s…somewhat less true on previous-gen platforms, meanwhile. PS4 soldiers are bound to have a good time, but if you’re still on a base Xbox One you might find the experience to be a tad less pleasant. In no case, though, is the game particularly unplayable, and if you’re still rocking last-gen hardware the odd framerate drop isn’t likely to ruin your experience.
All that said, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II offers pretty much exactly what you think it’s going to offer. No, that doesn’t mean a cutesy kissing adventure where you’re trying to work up the confidence to ask out the lady of your dreams. It means a rollicking military romp, blasting baddies all the way, before hopping online to show those noobs who’s boss. If you weren’t a CoD-ite before, this one’s not going to change your mind, but newcomers and old guard fans alike are bound to enjoy Modern Warfare II. Oh, and a personal note – here’s hoping we go back to the sci-fi take on the series next time. Black Ops III remains the high point of the series.