CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE (PC)
Review by Matt “The D.O.G.” Mefford

Breaking new ground, Call of Duty 4 is by far and away the best title in the franchise.

Heeding the demands of long-time fans, developer Infinity Ward has set the fourth Call of Duty in the present day. Stepping away from World War II, the setting which has propelled CoD to pre-eminence, they have successfully brought the franchise into the turbulent, post-Cold War world of today. Although the single-player experience is short, it is arguably one of the best you will find this year. Multiplayer is where the game’s replayability is at, bringing many improvements and game types to the table. CoD4 is a first-person shooter which will satisfy long-time fans of the series, as well as entice new players.

Call of Duty 4 is, without a doubt, the most ambitious installment in the series to date. Listening to what long-time fans wanted, developer Infinity Ward has moved the franchise into modern times. Also requested by the audience, they have updated the game engine and woven a strong and compelling storyline. Ensuring that players stick with the game from start to finish, they have actually provided a final resolution to the story this time around. Die-hard fans should rest easy: the same gameplay and dynamics which helped to set the game apart from the competition is still intact. In fact, many elements remain consistent with the previous titles, right down to the sound of grenades being tossed, or breathing in just before you take aim with a sniper rifle.

The Setting:
Taking into consideration the political climate of today’s world, Call of Duty 4 takes place in the Middle East and Southern Russia. U.S. forces have deployed in an unnamed Middle Eastern country, as a despotic warlord named Kahled Al-Asad has just wrested power from the legitimate government. While the media and United States have their attention fixed on this country, the British government sees the coup for what it is: a tactical maneuver meant to distract the West from a military uprising in Russia. S.A.S. forces under the command of Captain Price, a charismatic cigar-toting leader, infiltrate Russia while the U.S. is bogged down in the Middle East. Their mission: to eliminate Imran Zakhaev, a Russian Ultranationalist they failed to kill off 15 years ago. For a first-person shooter, the storyline is fleshed out and rather compelling. The ensuing missions build upon the intrigue and conflict set out in the backstory. As you progress, you will actually feel an emotional attachment to those in your squad, especially with the aforementioned Captain Price.

The Missions:
You will play as either “Soap” McTavish, the new recruit to Captain Price’s 22nd S.A.S. regiment, or as Pvt. Paul Jackson, a U.S. Marine deployed in the Middle East. Unlike previous Call of Duty titles, where the game is broken into campaigns, CoD4 only has one. You will often find yourself jumping between Russia and the Middle East from mission to mission. The result is a more cohesive and compelling storyline. As intrigue around Al-Asad unfolds in the Middle East, the consequences reverberate for the S.A.S. forces in Russia. Building itself over the course of several days, the aftermath of each mission creates a sense of urgency, almost in the same manner as an episode of “24.” Whereas the U.S. Marine missions are search and destroy, the S.A.S. missions are far more covert. In the Middle East, you will fight in broad daylight with large numbers of troops. In Russia, you will move silently with a small number of elite commandos. In these missions, which are predominately at night, combat can often be detrimental to mission success. Whereas the Marines do the hunting in the Middle East, in Russia the British are the hunted.

War is Hell:
From start to finish, single-player is a very polished experience with only a few lackluster missions. The standout levels are “Crew Expendable” and “All Ghillied Up.” “Crew Expendable” is the first mission of the game, in which you play as ‘Soap’ McTavish. Your orders are to infiltrate a cargo vessel located in the Bering Strait. The action is fast, intense, and a sign of things to come. ‘All Ghillied Up’ is without a doubt, one of the great gaming moments of 2007. Set 15 years prior to the events in CoD4, it reveals Imran Zakhaev’s rise to power: selling radioactive material from Chernobyl in order to fuel his war efforts. Taking place in Pripyat, Ukraine you play the role of Captain Price when was a young Lieutenant. Pripyat is an abandoned and lifeless city. Like its citizens (who have either died from radiation sickness or fled Zakhaev’s troops), it is a grim reminder that war is hell. The city’s sole inhabitants are Zahkaev’s mercenary army and attack dogs trained to ruthlessly kill. In a genre which normally promotes violence, it is refreshing to see a game include a level which reminds us that war is hell.

Despite the standout missions and strong storyline, the game is over far too soon. Developer Infinity Ward states that this game should be played on either “Hardened” or “Veteran” (the highest levels of difficulty). On average, it takes approximately 15 hours total to beat the game on “Veteran.” On “Hardened” it is likely to be around 10 or 12 hours. Considering the quality of gameplay, it would have been nice to see the game be longer in length. For those who are only interested in a single-player experience, be forewarned: CoD4 is short in playtime, even on higher difficulty settings. The only way to get more value out of single-player will be to replay the missions and find Intel Pieces. These are found in the form of laptops which are scattered throughout the game. Collect each of these to gain an Intel Point. The more of these you find, the more cheats will be unlocked. These cheats include a “Noir” mode (collect 2 Intel Pieces), “Cluster Bombs” (collect 10 Intel Pieces and you throw 5 grenades at once), and “Slo-Mo Ability” (a bullet-time effect unlocked by collecting 20 Intel Pieces).

Multiplayer:
In terms of the game’s true replay value, multiplayer is where it’s at. The Call of Duty franchise has always been strong as an online shooter, and the fourth installment is every bit as good. Those who have played earlier titles will feel instantly at home, as much of the gameplay is still here. There are changes, however. Capture the Flag has been replaced by “Domination” (a game type omitted from CoD2) and a brand-new mode called “Sabotage.” In Sabotage, two teams fight over a single bomb. Each team attempts to gain control of the bomb and carry it to the opposing side’s base, where they attempt to arm it. Once armed, there is a 30 second countdown in which it can be disarmed.

CoD4 brings several new improvements to the online arena. Gamers now have persistent stats which are tied into a rank system. Every action you take (whether it be a kill, setting a bomb, etc.) gains you XP. Accumulate enough XP, and you gain a higher rank. By attaining higher ranks, you will gradually unlock “perks” which are essentially combat bonuses. Each player can use up to three Perks at a time. These include abilities like ‘Last Stand’ (in which you pull out your pistol just before dying and have the chance to avenge your own death) and ‘Martyrdom’ (where you drop a grenade on death, taking potential hostiles with you). Beyond the Perks is a new “Create-A-Class” system. Unlocked after only a few rank promotions, it gives you the option to mix-and-match weapons and perks. You can essentially tailor-suit your character to your liking; much like you could in an RPG (albeit in a more limited fashion). Every player profile can have up to 5 custom-created classes. This means that you can have several different weapon and perk load-outs, each one tailor-suited to a specific task. For instance, you can create a class with “Extreme Conditioning” (allowing you to sprint for longer distances) and “Juggernaut” (which gives you more health) in order to be an effective bomb runner in the Sabotage game mode. You could also create a soldier that deals out massive damage by using “Stopping Power” (which does increased bullet damage) and “Steady Aim” (which grants you increased accuracy when firing from the hip).

The Pros:
• A riveting (albeit short) single-player experience
o ‘Crew Expendable’ and ‘All Ghillied Up’ are some of the best levels you will see in a game this year.
o Incredible scripted sequences which blend seamlessly with the real-time action, creating a cinematic feel.
o Very convincing squadmates with quality voice-acting will further immerse you in the storyline.
o Infinity Ward has finally given us an actual ending with resolution.
• An impressive game engine, which scales well to most PCs
o The game runs smooth and looks good even on older systems.
o You will enjoy significantly higher framerates than most new titles on the market.
• A strong multiplayer component, with loads of replay value
o ‘Perks’ offer an interesting twist to the first-person shooter genre.
o ‘Create-a-Class’ adds an RPG element which further enhances the online experience.
o The Sabotage game type is a new and exciting addition.

The Cons:
• A very short single-player experience
o Even on the hardest setting (Veteran) most players will beat the game in approximately 15 hours.

The Bottom Line:
Hands down, the finest installment in the Call of Duty franchise to date. The quality of most missions in single-player will no doubt give it a nomination for Game of Year. Although single-player is short, CoD4 makes up for it with a robust and revitalized multiplayer component. Perks, the ability to Create-A-Class, and new game modes will keep many a gamer playing CoD4 for a long time to come.

Score: 9.2 (out of 10)

Minimum System Requirements:
OS: Microsoft Windows XP / Vista (Windows 95/98/ME/2000 are unsupported)
Microsoft DirectX 9.0c (included)
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 2800+ processor or any 1.8 GHz Dual Core Processor or better supported
RAM: 512 MB RAM (768 MB for Windows Vista)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 or better or ATI Radeon 9800 Pro or better
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Storage: 8 GB of free hard drive space
Internet: Broadband connection and service required for Multiplayer connectivity

Note to Windows Vista Users: In order for the game to run, Windows Vista users will need to install the update for DirectX 9.0c that is included on the game disc. This is necessary even if DirectX 10 is installed.