Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Staff Review

Much of the single player campaign is set in an unnamed middle eastern country, while some scenes take place in recognizable cities, such as in the former Soviet Union. The story revolves around an S.A.S. team and a squad of U.S. Marines tasked with finding a pair of terrorists. With any game, but particularly first person shooters, immersion requires more than just a good story. It requires strong setup before missions, characters (both good guys and bad guys) with recognizable personalities and, maybe most importantly, a sense that anything can happen.

The pre-mission setups in Call of Duty 4 aren't just deep and done with a style that mimics what Hollywood has conditioned us to expect when it comes to how the military works, they're also varied. They don't depend on the same screen of typewritten text, somber voiceovers and tactical maps seen in most games of this kind. Sometimes they include news footage, equipment diagrams, anything to make each one a little different. And as the story progresses, these different perspectives work together to make the whole thing feel very real, very much like a movie but without the feeling of just going along for the ride.

Even if you play a lot of first person shooters (and we do), the audio and visual aspects of this game stand out. The big battles aren't just big battles, they're chaotic. The enemies aren't obvious because they're aliens or flash a different color. Your allies' names pop up if you look right at them for a moment, but more than once in a fight you might find yourself taking aim at someone and wondering, just for a second, if he's friend or foe. And very often, you'll be surprised at how battles play out. The game doesn't just look and sound realistic, it feels real in the fact that battles can be complicated and sometimes very, very sloppy.

In addition to looking fantastic - the cut scenes and maps are simply gorgeous - the game plays very solidly. It reward practice and precision. It does not, however, offer some of the features we've come to appreciate, like control of your companions. In that way, it's a very traditional shooter. You control one soldier among many (sometimes it's a squad, sometimes it's just a few people). The difficulty level determines how much damage you can take before dying, which ranges from one bullet to several, with time for recovery. And the enemy gets much better aim the higher up the ladder you choose to go.

The only complaint we have about gameplay, and it speaks to the realism of the entire experience, is the tendency of the enemy to treat your character differently than the rest of your allies. During most missions, your squad goes about their business and you can take your own personal approach to the situation. (And there are usually quite a few ways to approach each firefight.) But too often your character will be singled out, noticed too easily and in general command much more attention than he would if he really were just part of a team. A little too much incoming fire comes your way in comparison to everyone else. Even though this might be necessary to keep the game from becoming too easy, it's a little too obvious at times.

Online, Call of Duty 4 is a game in itself and not just a feature. An experience system helps rank players for matches and offers customization without relying on a rigid system of classes. While you play through deathmatch, team deathmatch and objective based maps, you'll earn points for every kill, assist and victory. As you climb in rank, you'll have access to more weapons (though the ones you start with are very capable), accessories and Perks.

Perks are abilities, like additional health or weapon damage. Before each match, you can choose a class, which is basically a set of weapons and selected perks which you've set up. The higher your rank, the more options you'll have. The best scopes, for example, are available at higher levels, but sooner or later even the high ranked players get taken out during a match, and anyone can pick up his weapon. Perks become more interesting at higher levels, too, but the dead take them when they go. One perk causes you to drop a live grenade when you die, making for a rude surprise if your enemy is not careful. There's also a perk that gives you one last chance after you get gunned down. Instead of just rolling over, you'll find yourself with a handgun and a few precious moments to leave your enemy with more than a memory.