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7-2-08: Metal Gear Solid 4 Review
by Brian LeTendre
Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) is the (alleged) final chapter in a 20+ year saga that began with Metal Gear on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game takes on the ambitious task of resolving all of the questions and storylines that have emerged over the series’ history. Overall the game succeeds, but players have to be willing to go along for the nostalgia-filled ride, sometimes as a mere observer.
MGS4’s story follows a prematurely aging Solid Snake trying to save the world one last time from the machinations of his nemesis, Liquid Ocelot. Along the way, Snake battles his way through the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe and even returns to Alaska and ShadowMosesIsland, the setting of the first Metal Gear Solid game. Liquid’s plan involved manipulating the system of nanomachines that are implanted in the soldiers of the Private Military Companies (PMCs) that constitute most of the fighting forces in the world.
The game has a lot to say about war profiteering and the use of private military forces to fight wars in the name of business. Whether or not that resonates with players will hinge on whether or not they can go along with the convoluted story that is woven around the core theme, which includes just about every character that has ever appeared in a Metal Gear game. The result is a narrative that is overflowing with exposition and is so ridiculous, that only hardcore fans will even attempt to follow it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an enjoyable ride, but one that I stopped taking seriously after about twenty minutes.
The gameplay in MGS4 is very flexible, allowing players to tackle each level in the way that fits their playing style. I, for example, play a lot of shooters, so early on I had a tendency to run through levels with guns blazing. The game encourages stealth play, however, and players who sneak around the battlefield and pick their fights will find things a bit easier. There are a ton of customizable weapons that Snake can either pick up on the battlefield, or buy from a weapons salesman. He also has plenty of gadgets at his disposal, from his robot sidekick to his camouflage suit, which mimics the background that Snake is touching.
You can’t sneak through the boss battles, however, which is a good thing as they are some of the high points of the game. The SNAKEHOUND unit consists of beautiful women who have been transformed by the horrors of war into the monstrous machines that Snake has to fight. Each of the bosses has a unique backstory that makes them more than just the barrier to the next level of the game. Unfortunately, those backstories are delivered via a monologue after you beat each of them, as opposed to from the women themselves. Nonetheless, the bosses are great.
Visually this game is a masterpiece. The cut scenes are of a quality that is only surpassed by the likes of Pixar and Dreamworks. Konami could probably pull the cut scenes out and put together a top-notch anime series with only some minor tweaks to the material they have in the game. The in-game sequences are equally beautiful, and I found myself on many occasions sticking around an area that was devoid of enemies so that I could take in all of the visual details. It’s by far the best looking game I’ve ever seen on a console.
Much has been made about the length of the cut scenes in MGS4. Of the 20 hours it took me to finish the game, at least eight of them consisted of cut scenes. That’s right, I said eight hours of cut scenes. Seriously. There are long stretches of time where you will be passively watching the story unfold. During some of the coolest sequences in the game you will be watching instead of playing, which can be frustrating at times. And if you’ve checked out of the story like I did, you may find yourself fast forwarding or skipping many of the cut scenes altogether.
In reviewing MGS4, it’s almost unfair to separate the active and passive parts of the game, as they combine to make a truly unique experience that we will likely never see again in a game. MGS4 is the game that Hideo Kojima wanted to make, his epic conclusion to a story he created so many years ago. No other developer would even be able to get a game like MGS4 greenlit, and that fact alone makes the game worth playing. The scope of the game is epic, and whether you’re a fan of the Metal Gear universe or not, it’s a fun ride that stands out from every other game of this generation. The Playstation 3 finally has its system-seller.
5 out of 5 Solid Snakes
6-28-08: The Continuum Beta Review
by Max Saltonstall
The Continuum cleverly mixes RPG, CCG, and tactical strategy elements into one web-based multiplayer game that is quite fun, but perhaps a bit too much for some to chew.
In the game you have units (the card equivalent) that are acquired randomly in various sized sets and have different rarities. Each of these units is a single combat character, and they can advance as they gain XP. The advancement increases overall power but also opens up options for customization to let you tune your units to different specialties, similar to Diablo or World of Warcraft.
Using these characters you build up armies, which are made of one or more squads of 1 - 20 units each. The simplest army tends to be one squad, usually of 20 units. Big battles can involve armies with 100-200 units on a side. My preference tends towards armies with 20-60 units, since each unit could potentially have special abilities you can optionally activate.
There are multiple different maps you can fight on, supporting variously sizes matches. Some are quite large with lots of room to maneuver, some have lots of power-ups you can pick up to boost your squads, and some are small and direct skirmishes. Maps can also contain items you can grab to then equip to your characters.
This game has been a bunch of fun in the month or so of Beta I was involved in. It hooked me in cleverly with the RPG advancement elements, and the customization of armies around different themes (a feature of CCGs and the like that I have always found fun) didn't hurt. The various elements fit together well, instead of pulling in different directions. They have a logical sequence, so they do not overload each other. You customize units, then you customize armies, then you customize strategy as you learn about an opponent and choose your actions in a fight.
While testing the developers have been good at both listening and motivating. Various quests and task checklists were given to stimulate different kinds of gameplay and to challenge players with odd circumstances, all with rewards from the game staff for completion.
This game has gone live, and I'll be playing for at least a few weeks to see how things have been tweaked, to see the new content they are releasing (theoretically on a steady basis) and to keep exploring new strategies for my fights. I'd love to join anyone and give you an introduction to the elements at play. I'm not sure if this game has long term staying power, but I am liking it as my summer addiction.
To check the game out for yourself, head over to www.thecontinuum.com.
5-15-08: Pop (Wii) Review
by Brian LeTendre
True to its title, Pop is all about one thing: popping bubbles. Players use the Wiimote to guide their cursor over the bubbles that are streaming across the screen, and the push of a button pops the bubbles. The simple premise assures that even the most casual gamer will be able to jump right in and play, and once they do, they'll find that Pop has a surprising amount of depth.
The basic game format find players popping bubbles to both score points and stave off a timer that is counting down. Large bubbles offer more points, but small bubbles add more time, meaning players will have to decide what is more important at different points in the game. Bubbles come in different shapes as well, and there are even bubbles that have certain positive or negative effects, like slowing the timer down or popping all of the bubbles in a particular area. There are different levels of difficulty, including a “chill” mode, where players can pop bubbles with no timer or consequences for missing, making it a great mode for kids or anyone just picking up the game.
Aesthetically, the game is reminiscent of the PS3's Flow, with the transparent bubbles of differing colors laid over a solid background. Bubbles come in different shapes and colors, and the ones that contain effects are marked with symbols or numbers. The game features badges that are awarded for milestones reached in the game, similar to Xbox Achievements. Up to four players can play at a time, and online leaderboards allow players to compare their scores against the rest of the world.
Pop is a simple, fun and addictive game that is great for gamers of all ages. It's a great launch title for WiiWare, and the $7 price tag is well worth it.
4 out of 5 Scrubbing Bubbles
4-25-08: Hands-On Preview--Monster Madness: Grave Danger (PS3)
by Brian LeTendre
SouthPeak was among the handful of developers showing their wares at New York comic Con 2008. In checking out their booth, I noticed a title that I had heard of before: Monster Madness. The basic premise of the game is that a group of friends battles their way through a town crawling with undead. Each of the four main characters is an archetype (nerd, cheerleader, goth girl, skate punk), and each has their own unique weapons and attacks.
The original Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia was released for the Xbox 360 and PC in June of 2007, to less than stellar reviews. While the game showed promise as an old-school beat ‘em up powered by the Unreal 3 engine, gameplay issues and the lack of a full-featured online mode led to the game being somewhat of a disappointment.
The new iteration of the game, titled Monster Madness: Grave Danger, is a revamped version of the original slated to hit the Playstation 3 on May 20, 2008. The PS3 version has addressed some of the control and camera issues from the 360 version, and also sports a host of new features. The game now has a fully realized online campaign mode, which allows up to 4 players to jump in and out of the campaign at will. There are also new levels, new options for customizing your character, a slew of new minigames in which to challenge your fellow players.
I played through a level as Carrie (the goth girl), who wields a sword as her weapon of choice. The level consisted of a house that was being overrun by zombies. The controls were easy to figure out, and the melee combat was satisfying. I was able to pick up object from the environment and toss them at enemies, and Carrie had a special attack that reminded me of Wolverine’s berserker rage, where she slices and dices at a hyper fast rate. I also engaged in a boss battle, where I had to take down a witch doctor as the zombie home invasion raged on. The pace was frantic as I was trying to keep the zombies at bay while avoiding the more powerful attacks of the boss.
The game conjured up memories of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Streets of Rage, and it should be a good fit for the PS3, which does not have an abundance of beat ‘em up titles. The $39.99 price tag could also make it an attractive title for PS3 owners looking to get their rock ‘em sock ‘em fix.
4-23-08: Hands-On Preview--Deca Sports (Wii)
by Brian LeTendre
At New York Comic Con 2008, I got to spend some time with Deca Sports, the new Wii title from Hudson Entertainment. You might recognize Hudson as one of the longest running publishers in the videogame business. The AdventureIsland publisher has a history with Nintendo, and it’s great to see them publishing for the Wii.
Deca Sports is a spiritual successor to Wii Sports. There are ten Olympic-style events to compete in: Badminton, Beach Volleyball, Figure Skating, Supercross, Snowboarding, Archery, Basketball, Soccer, Kart Racing and Curling. Instead of using Mii’s, players put together a team of players based on physical attributes. Teams will compete in all ten events, so players will want to have a balanced team. For example, creating a team of powerful but slow characters will become a hindrance when playing badminton, where quickness is key.
I got a chance to spend some time with curling and badminton. Curling is a great fit for the Wiimote, as the sweeping motion is intuitive and fun. Badminton plays much like the tennis game in Wii Sports, however there is an added smash mechanic that is very satisfying.
The controls were tight and very easy to grasp, something that casual gamers and younger children will appreciate. All in all, the game is shaping up to be a hit with the Wii Sports crowd. Look for a full review when the game hits shelves on May 13th.
3-10-08: Musings on D&D 4e--Part 1
by Max Saltonstall
With about a week of digesting our previews from DDXP, I'm still very positive about 4th Edition D&D.
The cooperative aspects to the characters, the more fluid rules, and the increase focus on usefulness are all making me very keen to try this game out. I'm probably even going to try GMing before June, before I have any books in my hands.
If you've ever enjoyed an awesome chase scene in Spycraft or an extended conflict using Dogs in the Vineyard you know how compelling a non-combat challenge can be in a story-based RPG. What we saw of 4th Edition suggests that creative use of spells, skills, abilities and surrounding environment are very much encouraged, and characters will have fewer problems with suffering from poor skill selection or incorrect
spell preparation.
I'm always going to be the kind of gamer who likes different games, varied choices and a variety of experiences when I play. Even so, when I can find a game that offers consistent, accessible fun and a long-lasting spigot of stories, I'll stick around and drink for years. I think 4th Edition D&D has the potential to become a substantial and tasty part of my gaming consumption.
2-29-08: DDXP Report
by Brian LeTendre
I have seen the future of D&D, and it is good.
Hi all, Brian here, reporting from day one of the Dungeons and Dragons Experience (DDXP) in Arlington, Virginia. The big news at DDXP this year us that Wizards of the Coast will be launching a new edition (4th) of D&D this June, and DDXP is the first place to get a sneak peek at what 4e is all about. I’ve been having a blast talking to fans and developers alike, so I thought I’d check in with some of the highlights of the day.
DDXP started with a bang at 10am, when the WoTC staff held an opening presentation to unveil new details about the fourth edition of Dungeons and Dragons.
Chris Perkins, Andy Collins and Scott Rouse spent about an hour getting going over the philosophy behind 4e, which includes not only making D&D simpler, faster and more fun, but also making it more accessible to new gamers, or gamers who are returning to D&D after being away from it.
The new core rulebooks (Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual and Dungeon Master’s Guide) will be launching in June of 2008. In August and September, the first campaign books for the Forgotten Realms will appear.
Also launching with the new edition is the D&D Insider, a suite of digital tools and enhancements to the tabletop version of the game. Inside will feature a character creation tool, a virtual gaming table, and a searchable database of the rules, as well as digital content from both Dungeon and Dragon magazines. There are three subscription options that will range from $9.95 a month (if you sign up for a year) to $14.95 a month (if you want to go month to month).
Over the course of the weekend, there will be several events that will feature previews of the fourth edition rules. Today, for example, I took part in the Dungeon Delve, a 30-minute scenario that is designed to highlight the new combat rules. You can go through the scenario multiple times, and you earn rewards for how far you get. I ran through three times, and I had an absolute blast. In fact, if I get time this weekend, I’ll write up my experience.
I also had the good fortune of sitting down with Chris Perkins and Sara Girard of WoTC, as well as the creator of Forgotten Realms himself, Mr. Ed Greenwood. You’ll hear those great interviews in upcoming episodes of the show.
Well, that’s it for today. It’s almost 11pm and I have to get up early for another day of gaming goodness. Expect to hear much more on the podcast and you may even get another post out of me this weekend.
For those of you who want more info on the upcoming rule changes, Wizards of the Coast has put together a quick overview of some 4th edition rules. You can download the pdf here.
For in-depth specifics of this morning’s presentation, you can check out www.enworld.com and www.critical-hits.com, both good sites that are dedicated to tabletop rpgs.
1-17-08: Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3) Review
by Brian LeTendre
While Ratchet and Clank Future is the fifth installment on the series by Insomniac games, it’s the first next gen iteration, and easily one of the best games to come along for Sony’s Playstation 3 console.
Ratchet and Clank future follows the further exploits of the title characters. Ratchet is a Lombax, the last of a species known for their technological inventions, both good and bad (they are the tinker gnomes of the future). Clank is Ratchet’s robot sidekick. Their nemesis in the game is Emperor Tachyon, ruler of the Cragmites, who hates Lombaxes and wants to conquer the universe. Ratchet and Clank are charged with trying to save the universe, and Ratchet wants to find out why he’s the only Lombax left. There is also a great supporting cast of characters, including Captain Qwark (think Zapp Brannigan from Futurama), Talwyn the girl who is searching for her missing father, and Cronk and Zephyr, two robots that are metaphors for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (they argue all the time about who is technically superior).
Overall the story is simple but well done, and the dialogue is downright hilarious in parts. The game looks beautiful, and it’s not a stretch to say that at times you feel as though you are playing through a Pixar movie. It’s that good. In terms of length and scope, I easily put twelve hours into finishing the game, and the universe you play in is huge, with a multitude of planets that you’ll hop between. There are even some space shooting levels thrown in for good measure.
The gameplay includes lots of platforming and shooter elements, with a good deal of rpg thrown in. The series is known for its outlandish weapons, and this entry is no different, with devices like the Groovitron, a disco ball that makes all of enemies break out in dance. All of the weapons are upgradeable, and you choice of what to purchase and upgrade will profoundly affect how combat situations play out. Despite all of your customization options, the controls are intuitive and never get overwhelming. In battle, you can bring up the weapons menu, which pauses combat, giving you time to collect your thoughts and ensure you have the right weapon for any given situation.
Ratchet and Clank Future is a fantastic game, and needs to be in every PS3 owner’s collection. Between this game and Resistance, Insomniac has proven that they know how to work with the PS3 hardware, and that bodes well for the next entries into both series.
5 out of 5 Lombaxes
1-15-08: MacWorld 2008 Report
by Max Saltonstall
After a long and foggy day I am ripe with information on games for you all. Day 1 of MacWorld Expo 2008 is over.
Things turned up after an initial failure to get into the Keynote, where not much interesting happened. The MacBook Air is never going to be a useful gaming laptop. I was able to get some news and questions answered in the Exhibit Hall today.
Parallels Desktop (http://www.parallels.com/) staff told me that the next version of Parallels will be out in Q2 2008 and will feature improved DirectX support, enabling some cross-platform games that are currently nonfunctional. I love Parallels, and it's great for productivity as well as PopCap games and such, but it has failed me for some snazzier titles.
EVE Online (http://eve-online.com/) had a big presence, showcasing a very nice and smooth looking version of their MMO running natively on Mac OS X. Still have not had a chance to play it for real, but I'm not too keen to start up a game with such big death penalties (loss of money and potentially XP).
Aspyr (http://www.aspyr.com/) (oh, why dost though infect my brain with Civ IV, why?) had Guitar Hero III on display running very nicely, as well as assorted other titles.
Freeverse (http://www.freeverse.com/) had a good showing as usual, with cleverly dressed staff and booth volunteers demoing many of their games. If you liked Desktop Tower Defense (http://www.handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD/Game.asp) then you should take a look at Hordes of Orcs, their tower defense game that adds magic spells, 3D viewing angles and some clever game modes. Lots of fun there, and silliness, as usual. For fans of Geometry Wars they have Neon Tango coming out later this year, with fun, old-school Asteroids like play and lots of shiny colors.
Probably my favorite spot to stand and ponder was at the small Spore (http://www.spore.com) station. This game has been one of the top excitements of the industry for about two years now, and they've committed to releasing Windows and Mac versions simultaneously, sometime this year. For the first time they had a public, live demo of the creature creator portion (which will be released as a free download), so of course I set about recreating a Beholder. Sadly, levitation is not a valid movement option for Spore, so legs were needed. My next beastie sported five awkward legs of different lengths, a long tail and a strange mouth above its triple-eyed sensors. That thing did a fairly ugly shuffle, but was a joy to make. The software is intuitive and very open-ended, and impressed me with how fluid it behaved.
Overall I have a very good feeling about the upcoming months of Mac gaming and the things on the horizon. Now I'm off to conquer the world through Culture or Space Flight.
12-26-07: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3) Review
by Brian LeTendre
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is the new action-adventure game from Naughty Dog, the gang behind the Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter series. At first glance, the game seems like a Tomb Raider clone, but a closer look reveals a rich experience that will remind you more of Indiana Jones or Alan Quartermain, and may just be the best game on the PS3 this year.
Uncharted follows the story of Nathan Drake, a direct descendant of Sir Francis Drake. Nate is a treasure hunter and is convinced that his ancestor held the secret of the lost treasure of El Dorado. As Nate tries to track down the treasure, he is accompanied by his partner Victor Sullivan and journalist Elena Fisher, who’s company is fronting the expenses in exchange for an exclusive story.
The game begins with Nate finding the journal of Francis Drake, which leads him on a series of adventures in different locales. Complicating things is the fact that other treasure hunters are also after El Dorado, creating a race against time to see who finds it first. I won’t ruin the rest of the plot, except to say that there are some major twists in the story that were both surprising and satisfying.
The gameplay toggles between platforming elements and third person shooting. The platforming is where the Tomb Raider comparisons come in, but the controls on Uncharted feel better than most Lara Croft games. The character animations are spot on as you shimmy across ledges and make jumps by the skin of your fingertips.
On the shooter side, the gameplay feels a lot like Gears of War. The over-the-shoulder view works well for the game, as it allows you to keep your peripheral vision. The action is stop-and-pop, and uses a cover system that is very much like Gears. Switching between weapons is easily done by pressing different directions on the d-pad. The sixaxis controls of the PS3 are used for lobbing grenades, and I must say that after a few tries, I really got the feel for it.
The only gameplay complaints I had were the occasional camera issues and a few accuracy glitches when shooting. Overall, however, the gameplay is tight.
The presentation of the game is beautiful. The graphics are the best I’ve seen on the PS3, and they really make a difference in the lush green environments and island locations. The score is on par with most major movies, and really lends an epic feel to the game. The dialogue and script are great, creating an overall experience of an interactive movie.
There are also some cool extras on the disc, including a two-part “making of” documentary, as well as some behind the scenes clips.
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is an excellent game, and a must-buy for all PS3 owners.
5 out of 5 Lost Treasures
12-12-07: Half-Life 2 (XBox 360) Review
by Brian LeTendre
Anyone who listens to the show has heard me rave about the Orange Box. Five games for the price of one. Two of those games, Portal and Team Fortress 2, have gotten a lot of coverage in the past couple of months, and they deserve it, as both are great games. For me, though, one of the best things about the Orange Box, was it allowed me to go back and play a game that has been on my “Games I’m Embarrassed to Say I’ve Never Played” list. Half-Life 2.
Half-Life 2 was released on the PC in 2004, and was the much-hyped sequel to 1998’s Half-Life. The game was later ported to the original Xbox in 2005, and was included in this year’s Orange Box, along with its two episodic sequels.
So why review it now? Because in this holiday season that is filled with first-person shooters (Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Unreal Tournament 3, Metroid Prime 3, Crysis) it would be easy to overlook a game that is three years old. And that would be a mistake, because this game is damn good.
Half-Life 2 follows the further adventures scientist Dr. Gordon Freeman as he battles the Combine, a military force from another dimension that has taken over the world. The events of the original Half-Life deal with how the dimensional portal was opened in the first place, an incident that Dr. Freeman was involved in referred to as the “Black Mesa Incident.” His supporting cast includes Dr. Eli Vance and his daughter Alyx, and Dr. Breen, the human leader of the Combine on Earth.
While the story of Half-Life 2 is very well written, it is the gameplay that sets it apart from most shooters. This is a game where you have to think, not just shoot. Much of the action in the game is broken up by puzzles, in which you must manipulate the environment in order to move on. The game employs a physics engine that lets Gordon pick up and move objects, and a weapon called the gravity gun enhances this ability, even allowing Gordon to throw objects long distances, or use environmental objects as projectile weapons. For example, in one area of the game Gordon has to traverse a sandy coastline area, but he cannot touch the sand, as it will arouse creatures that live within it. Gordon must use the gravity gun to build a makeshift pathway across the beach. Using palettes, scrap metal and anything else he can find. The entire game is filled with puzzles like this, and it forces you as a player to think differently about every stage of the game that you enter. You will find yourself constantly surveying your environment for objects that can be used to stack as stairs, bridge a gap, or hurl at an enemy.
Which brings me to my favorite part about Half-Life 2. The lack of hand-holding. Sure, there are parts of the game that walk you through the basic controls, but they do it through the narrative, not through a tutorial. When you’re in the game, there are no flashing icons to tell you where to go, or what object will help you get through an area. You have to figure it out yourself. There are some parts of the game where this is a real challenge, but the satisfaction you feel when you succeed will overshadow any frustration. The game also does a great job of making the puzzles reasonable. There’s always a logical answer to move forward, you just have to think about it.
The combat works very well, certainly on par with most other shooters out there. You’ll have access to a variety of weapons throughout the game, and the staples are all there (shotgun, piston, automatic weapon, grenades). I found myself favoring the gravity gun heavily, as it allows you to make anything a weapon. When you can rip a radiator out of a wall and hurl it at a group of enemies, why pull out the pistol?
Half-Life 2 is a game that will change the way you think about first-person shooters. If you’re not a fan of shooters, I urge you to try this one, as it may change your mind. If you are a shooter fan, you may be disappointed when play other shooters after this one, as you will notice some of the design clichés that Half-Life 2 manages to avoid (like hand-holding). Overall, Half-Life 2 is an excellent game, and coupled with the rest of the contents in the Orange Box, it should be on the top of your holiday shopping list.
5 out of 5 Gravity Guns
11-28-07 Call of Duty 4 (XBox 360) Review
by Brian LeTendre
A couple of months ago, I posted a review of the Call of Duty 4 multiplayer beta. My conclusion was that I could not wait for the game to come out, as it looked like Infinity Ward had hit one of out the park.Well, here we are, and I’m happy to say that Call of Duty 4 is the best game I’ve played on the Xbox 360 this year. And yes, I’ve played Halo 3.
Call of Duty 4 is subtitled Modern Warfare, and is a departure in many ways from the previous entries into the series, which all revolved around World War II. This time around, the storyline of the single player campaign focuses on an ultranationalist by the name of Imran Zakhaev, who seeks to destabilize the Russian government. He helps stage a coup in the Middle East to draw attention away from his real plan, which involves creating a stockpile of nuclear weapons to help achieve his goals. Playing through the campaign, you will be put into the shoes of Paul Jackson, a member of the United States Marine Corps 1st Force Recon and "Soap" MacTavish, a member of the British 22 SAS Regiment. Throughout the game you will switch characters and take part in missions that are happening in different parts of the world. I won’t give away any more of the story, as this is one ride you will want to take for yourself.This is normally the part of the review where I would tell you all about the awesome graphics and the great controls. Both are great, but hat’s not what made me love this game. For me, it was the total experience of being immersed in a well-scripted story that was paced like the best Tom Clancy movie you’ve ever seen. The action in this game is so intense that you may find yourself pausing the game from time to time to catch your breath. The missions and locations are varied enough that you never get bored or bogged down. For me the biggest strength of the game was the characters, particularly the supporting cast. I came to care about the characters and what happened to them, which added an emotional element to the game that most shooters never attain. There are a few major turning points in the story that affected me in a way that no other game ever has. This is one heck of a story.
As mentioned in my review of the beta, the multiplayer portion of the game is outstanding, and offers a level of character customization that will have you constantly tweaking your character builds. As you achieve certain challenges in multiplayer, you gain experience and level up, unlocking new weapons, skills and accessories. You are given a handful of standard classes with default weapon and skill loadouts, however you are also allotted five save slots to customize for yourself. As far as modes go, all of the usual multiplayer game modes are here, in addition to a few new modes like Hardcore, which takes away your radar and turns on the friendly fire, meaning it’s just as easy to kill your friends as it is your enemies. One of the best aspects of the online component is the clan support, which allows you to create a tag that will link all of the members on your team, so that they won't get bumped to the other team during the matchmaking process. Really the only complaint I have about the multiplayer is the inconsistent spawning system, which has a nasty habit of spawning you right in front of enemies, or in the middle of an airstrike. This should be able to be addressed through a patch, however, and it does not completely mar the online experience.
Call of Duty 4 is a complete package, with a great campaign mode and a stellar multiplayer component. In a holiday season packed with popular first-person shooter, Call of Duty stands above all the rest.
5 out of 5 Military Coups
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