Call of Duty 4 revives the CoD franchise
It’s been awhile since I’ve played a Call of Duty (CoD) game, and I was pretty skeptical when I got this game. The first game was great while the next two were pretty crap-tastic, but several good reviews and amazing looking game play videos of CoD 4 tipped the scales, and I broke down and got the game. I haven’t beaten the game yet, but through my game experience I can already tell you that CoD is back!
Doing your duty(ies)
When I first started playing CoD 4 I completely forgot that you play as several different characters throughout the CoD games. In this game you mainly play as two different people. One of your characters is called Soap and is part of the 22nd SAS (British forces), while the other character is named Paul Jackson and belongs to the U.S.M.C (American forces). Throughout the game you switch between these two characters, doing separate missions with the same goal in mind. You also get the witness the game through some of the other characters’ eyes.
When I think about this, I don’t like the idea of playing as several different people in one game. It just doesn’t seem like it would work, or would keep me involved in the game. But with CoD 4 it does the exact opposite. Viewing the war and playing different characters on different fronts really sucks you into the game. For example, while playing as Soap, you and your team discover that going after Middle Eastern general would do no good. Then in the next mission you play as Jackson who is going after this general. The mixing of these playable characters’ stories in this game really adds some depth to the game play. Not many games can pull off casting you in multiple roles, but CoD 4 does a fantastic job.
I hate WWII games…
…and thank god that CoD 4 does NOT take place in that time. The sub-title for CoD 4 is Modern Warfare and, as you might of guessed, the game takes place around today’s time. The game mostly revolves around two areas of the globe; the Middle East, and parts of Russia. One of the coolest levels has you sneaking through Chernobyl as a sniper.
CoD 4 hotter than Crysis?
Hmm, not quite graphics wise, but CoD 4’s graphics are beautiful and very close to being on par with Crysis. I also get a much more playable frame rate than I do with Crysis. With my new computer I can play the game at almost maxed out settings at a very smooth frame rate. And that’s a good thing because playing CoD 4 at maxed out graphic settings makes the game that more realistic. A majority of the game has you on foot and in close combat. This shows off the great character details and animations. Plus, you get to see the nice high-resolution textures and all the very, very detailed…details. Other parts of the game have you flying in various aircrafts, looking out over the city or area you were fighting, or going to be fighting in. It all looks so pretty and well detailed.
Don’t forget to blink
Compared to other action games out there, CoD 4 is like your Summer block buster movie, with tons of action, explosions, and tense/suspenseful situations. Some of the game’s missions will literally have you in 100 percent action from start to finish. For example (SPOILER WARNING), in one mission you start off manning a turret on a helicopter as your fleet flies into this Middle Eastern village. The pilot flies you around while you have to take out RPG’s and other turrets on the ground. Once you clear the area, you then land and have to fight your way on the ground to rescue several pinned down marines. Once you get them back to the helicopter, another helicopter goes down and you now have to locate and rescue them. But you’re under a time constraint because there’s word of a nuclear device in the area. Once you save the pilot of the downed helicopter and take off again, a nuclear bomb goes off in the distance and destroys the village you were in and downs your aircraft (END SPOILER).
That’s only one of many, many crazy scenarios that you’ll get to play in during this game. At the end you may find yourself short of breath and eyes dried out. If there’s one thing the CoD franchise is known for, it’s the ability to create extremely suspenseful, action packed, time pressured game play. It’s been awhile since I played a game with this type of action, and boy do I miss it.
In conclusion…
…Call of Duty 4 is a great game. It’s fun, action packed, beautiful looking, and has definitely revived the dying franchise. If you enjoyed the other CoD games, then you need to play this one. Yes, I understand your hatred of the overly used WWII-type fighting scenarios, but CoD 4 is so much, so much more.
