Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Preview
Ehm... weren't there supposed to be Nazi's in this game?
by Sergio Brinkhuis
previewed on PC
Multi-realism
The Realism Mode is also available in Multiplayer games which should make for some interesting gameplay. How long will you be able to hold on while lying on the ground, trying to hold your position? When this happens, the game switches to a special mode called ‘Last Stand’. In this mode your character automatically draws his gun and it is up to you whether you use it on your own head and deny your enemy some points, or to try a lucky shot and finish them off.
Next to the Heavy Gunner and Assault classes, the game will also feature the new Spec Op class and it will even be possible to create a custom class using the in-game class generator. You’ll have to play a certain number of hours before you have access to this feature, until then it is locked. How this will work out is hard to tell at this time but if there is one thing for certain, it is that in times of war, specialists are needed and those are already being provided by the game itself.
Strategic points
Conquering strategic points can give a team a distinct edge. One of the coolest examples of this can be found when capturing a Radio Tower. The team that has possession of this tower will see their minimap lit up like a Christmas tree, with every light indicating an enemy soldier. With advantages like this I predict that the strategic points will become hot-zones for combat.
You will need to think twice about hiding behind static objects. Almost every object can be shot right through depending on both distance and density of the material.
Infinity Ward jumps on the ‘buy additional content after release’ bandwagon. I guess there is no stopping this particular development in the world of gaming but it bugs me nonetheless. In this case it will mean that if all your friends are playing on ‘purchased map A’, you will have to as well. For many European players this will mean they are left out of the game. Credit Cards are not as widely accepted as they are in the US and the vast majority of Euro gamers simply don’t have one.
Unpredictable
The ambiance in the game is fantastic. Whether you are in the Middle Eastern desert or trampling through Russia, the game pulls in you so deep that it feels as if you are there. The amount of chaos on the battlefield is staggering at times, making it hard to concentrate on staying alive, but that only adds to overall feeling of realism.
The game will keep you sitting at the edge of your chair while your heart pumps around adrenaline at full speed. The game still doesn’t allow you to stray too far from your intended path but you will have more freedom to roam than you have ever had in a Call of Duty game before. Its lack of freedom is easily justified by the well scripted events that have worked so fantastically for the series in the past. The unpredictable nature of warfare seeps through everywhere. You can creep up behind an unsuspecting enemy and while you –know– he can turn around any moment, it still leaves your heart pounding when he finally does. Few other games have managed to build up –this– much tension.
