The new action-thriller from the award-winning team at Infinity Ward delivers the most intense and cinematic action experience ever. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare arms gamers with an arsenal of advanced and powerful modern day firepower and transports them to the most treacherous hotspots around the globe to take on a rogue enemy group threatening the world.
I know it'll be a shocker for some fanboys that I only give a 7/10 to "TEH GREATEST GAME EVAH!!" but let me just say that it is rather fun. However, there's no denying it will go down as one of the most overrated games I have ever played. Therefore, I will break down the review to separate points.
GAMEPLAY: The most distinguishing feature in video gaming - it's fun, it's polished, but it's nothing new. From the single-player, you are still led by the nose in often tightly linear pathways, shooting and killing with very little found variety. As for the multiplayer being innovative, well... Perks and customisation and (these) modes have existed long before this game, so it's hard to see what's really new here. That's not to say none of this works, and some of the levels and scripted set-pieces are impressive and enjoyable. It's just not deep or creative enough to deserve such acclaim.
GRAPHICS: Very, very pretty and runs smoothly. However, some textures are deeply lacking. Overall beautiful, but far from the best of 2007.
STORY: This really grinds my gears. Really, what is so special about this story? All I see is Middle East in turmoil, stolen nuclear weapons, evil Russian Communists, Good ol' USA stepping in as usual to clean up the mess... blah, blah, blah. The only notable features is the unique emphasis on the SAS, and the Nuclear Explosion scene, but otherwise nothing else memorable about the plot.
SOUND: Probably the most redeemable element. The music score is simply excellent, fitting each moment throughout the campaign perfectly. The voice-acting, while not quite at the same level, has some good voices. The guns, on the other hand, sound more like toys rather than sophisticated weaponry which further ruins the quality of the action.
Overall, COD4 is a fun game with addictive multiplayer and some excellent missions. At a cheap price, it's worth a purchase. Nevertheless, it stands as a prime example where hype spoils a game's quality.