If you’ve read previous reviews of mine, you might find this one a little different. This time around it will be a dual review.  Storm will be adding his own input as a veteran gamer (more of one than me for sure), and a follower of the CoD series.

Storm: The CoD series is known for its gritty realism, and this game does not stray from that in the least.  If you have previously only experienced shooting games such as Halo and it’s ilk, then be prepared to be shell-shocked.

MW2 drops you right into the middle of a war zone grounded in very realistic occurrences which are sure to cause plenty of controversy with the media.  The story, picking up right after the conclusion of CoD:MW1 spans nearly the entire globe, as a result your missions will take you from the snowy regions of Russia, all the way to Afghanistan to right on our home soil of the United States.  You can expect plenty of plot twists and Hollywood style scripted action set pieces with massive explosions and the finale is quite the cliff hanger.  As similar in concept as it might be to the Tom Clancy series, this is no Rainbow Six.  These missions are rarely covert (however there are a few) and generally will place you right on the battlefield.  The action is fast and there is no team management as you only have to watch your own back.  Similar to Gears of War, your indication of death being imminent is your screen slowly becoming bloody, if you continue to take hits you die. This  does NOT mean that you can just run out guns ablaze, as you will die upon being mobbed by half a militia.  There are no overshields or health packs to pick up.  A skilled gamer will breeze through the Campaign mode in a mere eight hours or less.  The ride may be short but it sure is sweet.

Allowei: Truth be told, I’ve never been a fan of the CoD series even though I’ve had to play the previous ones, excluding MW1.  However, when I popped Modern Warfare 2 in, I was blown away.  Campaign features 4 Acts, 17 Missions and 1 Tutorial Mission.  Special Ops has 5 Acts in increasing difficulty and 25 Missions.  Multiplayer mode has 17 maps.  Unlike previous CoD games, MW2 features split-screen for Special Ops if you want to play with a friend. Campaign mode was well-scripted, even when you’re in game mode you might find yourself in a pre-determined situation, but it never feels like it was supposed to be that way, so it flows very well.  You never know what to expect next.  The environments and graphics are crisp and detailed.  I was hooked instantly after the first couple of missions. Every time something impressive happened I’d think “Oh holy- this sh*t just got real!”  Then by the next scene I’d eat my words and think “WAIT! This is even cooler, now it just got real.”  Whenever I thought it couldn’t get even more ridiculous, it did.

Storm: The game controls are tight and responsive, a headshot equals a kill and a machine gun spray to the chest will drop most enemies in offline gameplay.  Online is a different story, the game utilizes a rank-up system with dozens of ranks and rewards to go along with ranking up.  These range from  unlocking emblems to being allowed to create your own class to being allowed to participate in exclusive game modes such as 3rd person only game types.  It’s not the full armor customization that was so awesome in Rainbow six: Vegas 2 but it’s more then serviceable and for what it is, it’s very in-depth stuff.  The game runs at a buttery smooth frame rate with no noticeable lag hiccups during even the most intense online match ups played.  I am referring to the console version of the game, I am not sure if PC gamers will be so lucky.  One more thing of note is that the online play is very camp heavy and if you are accustomed to playing games such as Unreal Tournament this mode may not be for you.  Regardless if you are a gamer with a mean competitive streak, this game will keep you fueled with its over a dozen modes, clans, rank ups, rewards, and team play

Allowei: Online play, whether you’re playing system link or using the Xbox Live servers, is smooth and addictive. Even using an internet connection that isn’t the fastest, there was no lag or skipping.  Each map has its own strategy that you soon figure out after playing it enough.  For example, on the Favela map it is to your disadvantage to be on the ground because of all the 2nd floor areas you can shoot from which gives you a better vantage point.  Like other CoDs, if you get a certain amount of kills in a row you get rewarded for doing well such as the UAV which indicates enemy position, or control of the helicopter which you can shoot people from.  A downfall of many online FPS games is that when the host leaves, the game is dropped.  In MW2 there is a new host migration system which changes the host if they drop out, even mid match. If you love shootin’ up some noobs, but are tired of lag and interrupted matches, you will not be disappointed with online play.

Storm: In closing, CoD:MW2 is well worth the hype it’s been given lately.  The game is a very solid package, I recommend even non-fans of the genre to give it a try.  From the improved AI that no longer spawns indefinitely till you reach your objective in campaign, to the fresh new taste that is the Special Ops missions (which is a mix of missions old and new) to the intense wars that occur in the online modes.  The game is a solid package well worth your holiday spending. 9.5/10

Allowei: I slap my seal of approval on this game.  It has a wide variety of modes to keep any shooting fan engaged, no matter what your FPS preference, MW2 will cater to your needs.  While yes, it is controversial, please… get off your high horse.  A single episode of Family Guy has more controversy than MW2 does in the whole game.  We’ve spent I don’t know how long shooting up Nazis and Japanese it’s about time the US took A LITTLE bit of a hit in the ego.  I’d give this game a full 10, but the fact that you need to level up in online mode to get better guns, even though it’s a device to keep you playing, is a little annoying when that guy on the other team keeps shooting you in the head and his gun is better than yours…and you can’t have it without using the copycat skill.  All in all, it’s a great game and I know I’ll be sinking a lot of time into it! 9/10