Defending Modern Warfare: Call of Duty 4 Rewind

We here at Reel Loop are expanding our horizons a bit. While we’ll still continue to be primarily a film website, me (Philip) has tortured the site editor (Mr. Erik) to the point where he had no other option to do this. In addition to film and television, we’re going to start covering the other visual medium. No, I’m not talking about pornography, I’m talking about something I have my first memory of; video games.

To kick off this celebration, we’ll be doing what any other gaming site in their right mind is doing and going ga-ga over a certain thing coming out this Tuesday, the tenth of November. It’s an entity so powerful, it’s said to cure cancer. This is something so miraculous, that the poison that is Twilight will implode on itself when the clock strikes 12:01 AM EST on Tuesday.

Of course, I’m referring to the Mamma Mia!: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! More Edition Blu-ray.

Yeah, and I’m a Russian nuclear scientist. No, I’m seriously talking about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a game that will abolish every hardship I’m experiencing at the moment. Infinity Ward’s opus is on pace to outsell every video game ever and I honestly couldn’t think of a more deserving title. Grand Theft Auto IV might be pure excellence, but Modern Warfare 2 appears to be perfection personified.

But enough of my excitement getting to me and time for the purpose of this piece, which was to take a look back (and review) the game that kick-started this new franchise; Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Call of Duty 2 was the first game I bought for Xbox 360 as there was really no better title at the time (and up until Modern Warfare, there wasn’t a better shooter.) This is coming from someone who had a serious obsession with Halo and Metal Gear Solid. Popping in Call of Duty 2 and playing through the game, I was in for a different experience.

Unlike Halo 1 and 2 (and 3) the AI actually challenged me. Where I was used to runnin’ and gunnin’, I had to actually stay behind cover and enter a firefight and not John Woo my way though the level. Then the ever famous D-Day level appeared and that’s when the game tempted me away from my love of all things Halo. The experience had only been duplicated once with Half-Life 2 where I felt I was in the fight of my life.

In fact, I loved Call of Duty 2 so much I replayed it over, and over, and over again. I had a true appreciation for what Infinity Ward had pulled off and while I wouldn’t have called it the greatest game ever (Final Fantasy IV had that distinction,) CoD2 was a shoo-in for my top five. I even avoided Call of Duty 3 largely due to crummy reviews and the absence of Infinity Ward, who was off doing better things for the world.

One Halo, two Half-Life episodes, and two Grand Theft Auto’s later, Infinity Ward’s service to the world would be released as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. I’d been pretty disappointed in Halo 3 and while The Orange Box is still the best package money can buy, Infinity Ward had won my heart over where I had to give them a chance. Upon completing the game and being outright addicted to multiplayer, only one conclusion could be reached:

Modern Warfare is the greatest video game ever made.

Smarter video game addicts will disagree, but I still plead with them to listen to my case. When I play a video game, I want to be immersed in the experience and not feel as if I’m pressing buttons. I want the game to take some place I’ve never been and make me feel that the gamepad in my hand is an actual item. Where most games could recreate this for a level or two, Infinity Ward had done this for the entire duration of this game.

Complaints have also been lauded at the game for being too short or it’s story being bland. Bollocks I say, and if that’s a solid complaint against the game then we should also criticize classics like Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. for coming down to nothing more than rescue the animals from big ugly thing. I won’t disrespect those games, I’m simply saying longevity doesn’t matter when a game is that good.

Modern Warfare defines that last statement, probably moreso than any game before it. This isn’t something as brainless as Black where the only objective is to shoot and shoot some more. Modern Warfare engages you with it’s characters and story because it involves you in the softer spots of the story. You are a character that gets executed as well as surviving a nuclear attack.

Most games would settle with cutscenes to deliver this spots. Infinity Ward knows their game is better than that, and engulfs the player into the story. You care when your helicopter is shot down and you know you’re about to lose one of your guys. At the end of the day they may be just pixels, but for the duration of the game they’re your brothers in arms. They’re also damn fine shooters, and don’t just stand there to get blasted.

Just as potent is the enemy AI that rarely takes the same path twice. They also don’t stand there and let you shoot them. This is an AI that demands you plan ahead before pulling your best John Wayne impersonation. They’re unforgiving and relentless, and also one if, if not the most satisfying experience gaming has ever had to offer. Bullets fly over your head while another enemy will toss your grenade back at you.

And all of this occurs with one of the most detailed and gorgeously designed packages ever released. Each gun is specifically detailed and is incredibly lifelike in appearance, One particular level that has the player behind the mantle of a AC-130. Aside from being an incredible experience on it’s own, the graphics blurs the line between reality and fiction. True, most of this is played in black and white, but how many other games are able to accomplish this, even with stellar graphics.

Many claim the real meat lies in the multiplayer aspect, and they might be right. The campaign is no slouch and one of the best experiences that there is, and the multiplayer just helps the game solidify the prestige I’ve built upon it. It’s just as immersive, just as chaotic, and just as terrific as the campaign mode. Infinity Ward has hundreds of unlockable content in here that they knew would keep players addicted for months. I doubt they could have predicted we’d still be coming back for two years straight.

I could go on and on about how magnificent this game is, but hopefully these paragraphs have backed up what I proclaim. Modern Warfare defined what a shooter should be and outright put to shame everything that came before it. It recreated combat effortlessly that few games have only scratched the surface of achieving. Many great words have been written about this game, which is why I chose to keep this to the point.

Which still remains that my belief is that Infinity Ward crafted a true masterpiece that stands above Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter II, and Final Fantasy IV as the greatest game ever. That might change when November 10th, 2009 rolls around, but for now, Modern Warfare might be holding the top spot nice and warm for it’s brother.

Author Bio: Philip Barrett is a budding director and purveyor of opinionated movie news and reviews. Follow him on Twitter.