Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, originally released in 2009, is a first-person shooter that takes places five years after the end of Call of Duty 4's campaign. Created by Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare 2 which branched off the Call of Duty series is one of the most profitable games in history. It's intense campaign and exciting multiplayer have made it unique to the gaming industry.

The game follows a series of characters Cpt. Price and Cpt. "Soap" MacTavish who are both in the Task Force 141, an elite group of chosen warriors. The game also follows two Privates in the 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment. The game takes place in Afghanistan in a U.S Army Rangers military base. Shepherd, a general in the U.S Army Rangers and the leader of the TF141 goes crazy after he lost 11,000 Marines in a nuclear explosion five years ago. In the campaign, your character switches between Private Ramirez and Sgt. Gary Roach. In the beginning, Private Allen takes the fight to Taliban insurgeons in the central city of Afghanistan There he was recruited by General Shepherd for an undercover assignment. The first TF-141 mission was started in the Russian mountains. Soap and Roach nearly gather intel and destroy a whole entire Russian base by blowing up their fuel barrels with C4. Through the campaign, Private Allen dies in an undercover CIA mission. The mission was to gain the trust of Makarov, a Russian Terrorist. Makarov knew Allen was an American operative and he used his corpse for the Russians to find. After this incident, the Russian Spetnaz attacked America using a computer virus that made satellites and sensors unusable. The next thing the DoD knew was that there was C-130s flying over I-95. Roach takes several hardships during his missions, but Captain MacTavish helps him and truly saves his life a couple of times. After they trail a suspect in South America searching for a common bullet manufacturer recovered from the report associating with Private Allen. They led the counterstrike against the Russians with the help of the NAVY by securing oil rigs across the west coast in the Pacific. For more intel that would lead to Makarov the team hit an old prisoner base after the counterstrike. It turns out to be Cpt. MacTavish’'s British SAS Captain. In the mean time, the U.S Army Rangers took a pretty good beating against the opposing force. Private Ramirez under the command of Sgt. Foley took the fight into Washington D.C. The 75th Ranger Regiment and other U.S forces were overthrown and started to retreat the evac site. In Russia, Roach under Captain Price attacked a Russian sub base in order to stop a nuke from being activated. The team was successful getting there in time, but Captain Price didn't deactivate the nuclear device in time because he really wanted to end the war between Russia and America.

The nuclear missile went up into space and blew up near the east coast. This caused a shockwave creating an EMP(Electromagnetic Pulse) making all electronics worthless. This truly saved Sgt. Foley's team from being killed after their helicopter crashed near the Washington Monument. Roach under the command of Ghost invade an estate in Russia for intelligence and General Shepherd after a job well done murdered Roach and Ghost. Cpt. Price wasn't surprised at his actions, but there was nothing Soap or he could do about it. The old squad Captain's Price and MacTavish were lone wolfs and they only help they had were one last TF141 soldier named "Rook" and Nikolai, a former informant saved by the SAS. Their escape took place in the Afghanistan Boneyard where a huge war broke out against Makarov's remaining forces and General Shepherd's Shadow Company. Nikolai's airplane slightly landed still going a high speed. After Rook got killed while driving the car, Price takes the wheel driving the vehicle onto the ramp making a clean getaway. The Rangers making their last push towards the opposing force and the pressure really starts to get real after they took the white house. The whole area was going to be carpet bombed by the U.S Airforce. Sgt. Foley taking point pushs the squad up the building barely in time to pop green flares redirecting the fighter jets. This marks the end of the Rangers Campaign. Price and McTavish collected intel from Makarov for Shepherd's location. Price knew this wouldn't end well for the world if he didn't kill Shepherd. They found themselves in a Desert base using stealth sniper tactics to gain access to the base. You become compromised by a breaching squad and you find yourself in a huge firefight. General Shepherd becomes nervous because he knows its Price so he blows up his whole base just to kill Price. After eliminating the opposing forces, you chase Shepherd's escape boat dodging helicopter missiles and other enemy vehicles. Shepherd almost escapes in a Pave Low, but right when you and Price are about to run into the waterfall Price shoots the Pave Low neutralizing the helicopter. Still recovering from the crash you catch your breath following Shepherd who is also hurt. He takes your knife and stabs you in the chest. Getting ready to murder you with his .44 Magnum, Price quickly tackles him. Fight fiercely with hand to hand combat they both take a beating. Soap gradually thinks of using the knife in his chest as a projectile. He takes it out and throws it at Shepherd's eye brutally killing him. Price recovers from his wounds and carries you to Nikolai's chopper marking the end to MW2's campaign.

I think the insane reality of the new weapons and vehicles in this game makes it unique to the industry. The use of the Special Combat Assault Rifle (FN-SCAR) and the new vehicle introduced like the BTR-80 made the Rangers Campaign unique. Also the character's connection to their commanding officer was also important to the intense campaign. Sgt. Foley even at the verge of death kept courage and strength inside his squad's heart. He used great leadership skills when under pressure in the heat of combat. In the TF-141, I think truly Roach represented a young McTavish under the orders of Price. I also love that Ghost reminded me of Gaz so there were great comparisons there. Features like Special Ops made MW2 a little more exciting. You get to replay missions in different realities. Also you get to operate an AC-130H Spectre Gunship and ride in snow vehicles and boats. The features in the Multiplayer like more kill and the new death streak rewards create a new look to the game. More attachments, challenges, gametypes and camoflauge make you enjoy the creativity a lot more. I think a lot of gamers are frustrated because the game isn't competitive as much as in the other CODs. Players in my opinion enjoy the game much more when in bigger parties. Overall, Modern Warfare 2 sold more than any other game in history besides Halo 3 so far. They are big competition to other big gaming companies and are a huge step for success in Infinity Ward's company. I give MW2 a four and half out of five stars.

By Quickatrigger

Date: April 8, 2010