Modern Warfare 2 is the best Call of Duty multiplayer in years – and a great indication of things to come

Obligations has many problems. Even in the last seven days, documents have been published which show the series’ close ties to the US military, suggesting that the game is a major military-industrial psy-op designed to salvage the image of the US war machine. and boost recruitment in their ranks. As if that’s not bad enough, the single-player portions of games often cover up American war crimes and paint other nation states as the aggressors to make the yoke of American imperial oppression look…well. , less oppressive.

So to say I’m a ‘guilty CoD player’ is putting it mildly. Working this job means I feel compelled to play the new games in the series every year. How else are we supposed to capitalize on all those beautiful clicks? – and the older I get, the better eye I have for inconsistencies between what’s been shoved into my eyes and what’s really going on. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty here, but when treated critically and as a piece of propaganda, Call of Duty is fascinating.

But that discussion is for another time. We’re here to talk about multiplayer; boot-on-the-ground shootouts, instant-respawn twitch shots, killstreaks, and mayhem. That’s the Call of Duty formula, and Modern Warfare 2 does it with aplomb. After queuing for over 50 hours in multiplayer alone, I feel confident saying this: Call of Duty: modern warfare 2 it’s the best multiplayer the series has seen since the Xbox 360 days.

Sounds hyperbolic, right? I mean it, with every ounce of my being. Aside from some really smart choices with its Battle Pass and a star map layout, Modern Warfare 2 simply sets the pace, direction, and layout of its multiplayer mode.

The weapons, for starters, are good. Good destination. You can feel the weight, heft, and pull of the big and small guns, and even after a couple of magazines of ammo, you can start to fine-tune how they shoot, thanks to how well-rounded Infinity Ward’s arsenal is. . Every kick, every vibration, every millimeter of recoil; everything is legible, everything adjustable for gamers who care about learning what they’re doing.

Then there are the maps. I won’t go into that here, for an in-depth breakdown you can simply click the link above, but the map layout lends itself to a harder, more rhythmic flow that Call of Duty seems to operate in. Whether you’re a slow and steady player with your mines, claymores, and scopes, or a fast, hard-hitting, two-gun wielding amphetamine addict, there’s a way to play this game…and a place to play it. ti on the tight -drawn and well-crafted maps.

I even like the small adjustments that have been made to weapon progression and The Gunsmith, and the way you have control over your weapons. Instead of just equipping the starting assault rifle and using it until your trigger finger locks up from all the recoil, you should explore other options to get better parts for your favorite. Having to use Sniper Rifles or SMGs to unlock better stocks or barrels is inspiring, and I think a lot of players have also had ‘lightbulb moments’ with loadouts and playstyles thanks to this forced rotation.

Once upon a time, Call of Duty was seen as the benchmark for FPS shooters. Challenged only perhaps by Battlefield (RIP), CoD games went wild in the genre, and also only really fell down the FIFA charts. After Vanguard’s miserable launch and (disappointing aftermath of intensive care life support) in 2021, Call of Duty is back and as compelling as ever. And what a good time; it is doubtful that the series could have absorbed the impact of another 40% drop in sales, year after year.

It also bodes well for the future; when Activision and Microsoft began holding hands in public earlier this year, stories began to circulate about various “high-level employees” at Activision; Apparently, the publisher’s higher-ups were considering altering the Call of Duty series’ release cadence and moving away from the game’s current setup as an annual franchise. Since there’s been a game every year since 2005, that’s a good thing.

It means we get to see more Modern Warfare 2 and less Black Ops 4 or Vanguard. While some of the blame can be placed on Treyarch or Sledgehammer for the flops that came before, there’s also some pressure on Activision; giving three studios three years to make three blockbuster games, rehashed ad nauseam, was never going to work. Something had to give, and perhaps give the core developers a break and emancipate Activision’s other internal studios (Toys For Bob, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Radical Entertainment, and Vicarious Visions) from the salt mines of Call. of Duty was the right choice all along.

Longer development times, more considered approaches to the end of released games, and more support from Xbox Game Studios could all align to ensure that the next Call of Duty, and those that eventually follow, are all brand-worthy titles. . as is Modern Warfare 2.

For now though, you’ll forgive me as I put aside the other three games I have to review and pick up my Kastov-762 once more; there is a Hardpoint with my name on it and I have some battle pass tokens to earn.