Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Reviews

• A non-fanboy's review (of the single player game only)

  
  By A1VD9LIJL4MQAY on 2007-11-09
  This will be a review of the Xbox game Call of Duty 4 - and only of the single player part of the game. I don't have Xbox Live so I can't comment on the multiplayer experience.
  
  After seeing all the 5-star reviews I've decided perhaps a little level-headedness is in order to offset the rave reviews from folks who seem to be unable to see anything wrong with this game. No doubt that very statement (and this review's title) will garner a few 'unhelpful' votes, but what the heck, I'm doing this to help folks, not to be popular.
  
  Now don't get me wrong - I like the game very much, BUT I feel that a review has to point out potential drawbacks with a game if it's to be any use to readers. Often we have to wade through tens of reviews that don't mention a single drawback - those reviews aren't helpful because they don't really tell players anything about the game. After waiting in vain for any truly helpful reviews on Amazon or elsewhere I decided to buy the game anyway and I've decided to post here in the hope that my review can help people like me who have been sitting on the fence.
  
  So here's a critical review so that other potential buyers can know what the game truly offers and where it has problems. After all, if a buyer is forewarned he can't be disappointed when he gets the game. So what I'm going to do here is tell people all the stuff - good and bad - so that they will be able to make an informed choice. I think warning people about the bad stuff will help them to like this great game even more. Anyway, on with the review...
  
  The game is very fast-paced and feels like the previous CoD titles. It looks and feels very realistic, so players of previous CoD titles will not be disappointed. As in previous titles the player is thrust into a number of different personas - in this case a British and an American soldier (and a little vignette at the start where the player plays the president of an Eastern European nation). The controls are exactly the same as in previous CoD titles, but there are a few more controls to get used to for planting Claymore charges and for using night vision and other tools of the modern battlefield. While these extras make the game a bit steeper in terms of the learning curve their use is relatively rare in the single-player part of the game and the game tells the player what to do when their use is necessary so I think most players will be able to handle this with little frustration.
  
  The graphics seem better than CoD3 - it all seems to be in higher definition and it looks great on my 61" widescreen TV. CoD2 and 3 looked a little bit pixellated but this one is just fine. We're not at photorealism yet though, so some images are a little bit off in terms of shading (especially in the intro movie) and characters' faces are a bit cartoonish, but this is not really an issue - after all it's only a game and the characters' faces aren't really that much of an issue when you're hopefully going to kill most characters while they're a hundred yards or more away.
  
  The game experience is very fast-paced and the difficulty is about the same as CoD3, but in this game the save points seem to be much closer together so we don't have the same frustrations of nearly getting through a level and then having to go waaay back if we get killed. The developers have done an excellent job here - I wish the people who made Rainbow Six Vegas had instituted a save point system as good as the one in this game - that would have stopped me from throwing that game's disc across the room in frustration and vowing never to buy another Rainbow Six game.
  
  Now for a really tough criticism: the single player game is very short. I'd say it's quite a bit shorter than the previous CoD titles - or at least it feels that way. As a player who does not have Xbox Live this is a serious flaw. However, the game is very fast-paced and involving so I guess it could be that the game just seems to go by so very fast because of the involving storyline. Anyway I timed my first play-through at around 6 hours - I think that's a bit short.
  
  Another harsh criticism: no co-op mode. To me it is astonishing that so many modern console games don't have a split-screen co-op mode. I want to play this game with my wife but we can't. Too bad! I realise that CoD games don't usually have co-op mode but can we not evolve?
  
  Another issue is that although the game is extremely involving and exciting with some key moments that will live in the memory for years, it doesn't seem to have the historic feel of CoD2 or CoD3. I suppose that's to be expected from a game set in a fictitious modern day setting, but nevertheless I did feel a little something was missing due to this issue. Also, although the setting IS original it SEEMS a little unoriginal. I've played a lot of modern warfare games and this one seems much like them - Full Spectrum Warrior comes to mind and although CoD4's storyline is a bit more complex than FSW the general situation seems very much like deja vu: we keep nearly catching the bad guy and he keeps just eluding us. But then again with a game like this that's based on modern day terrorist warfare maybe that's always going to be a drawback - after all the game has to keep us thinking that big things are at stake, and this game manages that very well.
  
  On a more positive note some of the scenes in the game are amazing - a couple of times I just stood in awe at the stuff that was happening, and to the developers' credit they allow you enough time (but not too much) to appreciate these awe-inspiring moments. Without giving too much away, the last part of the film had me impatient to get the mission done - it really draws the player in and gets him committed to an extent that I haven't felt since I played Knights of the Old Republic a few years ago. This game doesn't have any amazing surprises like the one in KotOR, but some moments come close in that "Oh my God that is AWESOME!" kind of way.
  
  As I've mentioned before I can't comment on the multiplayer aspects of this game, although judging by the single-player experience I'd say it would have to be as good as or better than any other similar game. The player is realistically bound to a real-world movement speed so I expect this will make the game more realistic in online play. On the other hand, there's not much cover to be had, and the cover there is seems to be very easily shot through, so it may not be as good as Rainbow Six Vegas or Gears of War in that regard. But anyway, as I said, I shouldn't really comment as I haven't played in multiplayer.
  
  All-in-all from a single-player perspective this game is excellent in terms of fun value, but overall I knock off a couple of stars because the game is just too darned short and there's no co-op mode. I toyed with knocking just one star off for this, but the game does seem annoyingly short - I'd say it needs at least another hour of play, and maybe two or more in order to be really satisfying. Added to this, the lack of co-op mode is infuriating. Still, I'm definitely glad I bought the game - after all I got much more fun than I'd get from a great movie on DVD, but I got about three times more fun time for only twice the cost of a DVD. After reviewing my review maybe three stars is, after all, a bit harsh. Sadly I can't adjust my initial rating without deleting the review and resubmitting it. Ah well, maybe it serves to offset all the fanboys' overblown 5-star ratings.
  
  So, I advise people who have Xbox Live to run out and buy this game right now! Those who don't have Xbox live might want to consider their purchase a bit more. But if they don't find my review daunting I don't think they'll be disappointed - I've pointed out all the bad things that I can see in the game, so no one can say they haven't been warned about the bad stuff (which is mainly the game's short length and the missing co-op mode).
  
  

• Forget FPS's... this is one of the best games EVER, for ANY console/PC. Period.

  
  By A12RYA1QNP9HOG on 2007-11-07
  When it comes to FPS's, and any other shooter for that matter, you have your current kings, namely: Halo, Rainbow Six (and all of it's "spawns", like GRAW) and Gears of War (still). Throw BioShock in there if you want... whatever. You get the point. Now - take from each of those games the best aspects... throw them together, and you have Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
  
  Simply put - you'll love this game, even if you don't like military or first-person shooters. If you're the type that strictly plays the single-player mode, then I'd rent first, just to be sure it's for you. For me, even the story mode keeps me coming back. This game is a BEAST, and it's a BEAST on every platform it's on - 360, PS3 and PC.
  
  Infinity Ward understands FPS's - their absence was noticed immediately in Call of Duty 3, which sucked. They're back. This game is a few MINOR elements away from absolute perfection, in my opinion. And you don't get better than perfection.
  
  I'll get the little gripes out of the way:
  
  1. No Co-Op campaign. As frantic as every stage is, coupled with the fact that there's really no point on the game where you're not at least with ONE other player - usually more - I thought this should be available. It's pretty much standard now in the next-gen FPS's, but surprisingly absent here. Hmmm...
  
  2. The whole 'friendly-fire' thing... I realize that this is realistic, but it's pretty frustrating sometimes - moreso here than in a game like Rainbow Six, simply because there's no easily identifiable icon or marker. I don't need THAT level of realism in a game - just my opinion. Yes, your recticle is red if it's on an enemy and green for a friendly, but during all of the fighting, that's really hard to see. Coupled with the fact that a lot of the enemies are wearing uniforms pretty similar to YOURS, you may end up accidentally shooting your squad more than you'd care to admit, especially on the Veteran difficulty level.
  
  (That's really it for the 'gripes' - the other is more of an personal preference for me. I'd rather have more gameplay modes available in the multiplayer right off the bat, but I can also see how starting off with just the initial two works.
  
  You may notice that I haven't complained about the duration of the story mode... while short, I doubt that any of the other reviewers that are slamming it have "breezed through in a few hours" on any difficulty higher than Sick Infant - that's before Rookie, if you're wondering. The story is compelling; there are actual moments where your chest and heart actually POUND - tell me the "All Ghillied Up" stage didn't have you holding your breath in real life, I dare you. Other games, while significantly longer, don't always fill their time with substance. A game like BioShock doesn't have an online mode, so it's story HAS to carry it entirely. Halo 3 is longer, sure... but most of it is retracing your steps back through previously played boards. No thank you. Apart from an effective story mode, this game's "bread and butter" is in the online multiplayer. Just like Halo 3. Just like RB6: Vegas. Just like Gears of War. Online play is what will keep this game, and others, being played for years to come.)
  
  ...and that's it, folks. Nothing else bad here. AT ALL. Period.
  
  Gameplay - the game is phenomenal. Even if the campaign is rather on the short side (took about 6 or so hours playing on Normal - Veteran or Hardened will probably double that time, plus some) it is undeniably entertaining. While it may not necessarily be breaking new ground as far as plot, it STILL is far more engaging that Rainbow Six: Vegas's campaign mode, which is great, as well as Gears of War and even the mighty Halo 3. (just my opinion) (A+)
  
  Graphics - arguably the best on any console, period. I give it the nod over Gears of War and BioShock - this is the best looking game I have ever played, and it runs (with all the chaos going on) at a smooth 60 frames per second is 1080P HD glory. The word gets thrown around alot with these newer systems, but this game is truly Photo-Realistic. The only thing I've seen comparable would be Crysis, another military shooter -and that's (not surprisingly) a PC-only game at the moment. It absolutely does not get any better than COD4. (A++)
  
  Sound - as good as anything out now. The musical numbers are all spot-on, and the dialogue and combat chatter is phenomenal. Top notch all the way around - no "forced" sounding acting here. This games sounds like it was recorded during actual combat. (A+)
  
  Multiplayer - time will tell if it will stand up to the insanely deep Halo Multiplayer mode, or the ridiculously addictive multiplayer modes on GoW or RB6, but even in this early stage COD4 is more than holding it's own. Choose from a preset variety of classes - sniper, assault, heavy gunner, etc. and get to killing. Kill enough and eventually unlock the ability to create your OWN class - and that's where the fun really gets going. There's a rank structure, but with there being absolutly ZERO offical multiplayer achievements, hopefully this will minimize people's tendency to cheat. (big problem on RB6) Ranking up does have it's privileges, however... different weapons, customizations for those weapons (scopes, skins, etc.) How new players feel about playing months from now when the majority of their combatants have superior equipment remains to be seen... balancing could be an issue there. The way it's set up though, if you're good at FPS's (and you know who you are), you will be alright. There's some work to be done with the team balancing... and I would prefer the ability to choose which maps I play on during ranked matches, but all in all, pretty solid. (A)
  
  Replay Value - extremely high, even with a relatively short campaign. All of the achievements for the game come from the Campaign mode, yet over half of them require you to beat the game on one of the two harder difficulty levels. (not recommended for first-timers - frustration WILL ensue... as well as bullets, grenades and dog bites) Hell, even the TRAINING MODULE is fun and gets replay - Halo can't say that. This game is ridiculous. Even as varied as multiplayer is by nature, the Prestige Mode adds a new level to it. Make it all the way to Level 55, then you have "a tough decision" to make... (A+)
  
  Overall - Dangerously Good. I give it an A+, or a solid 9.9998 out of 10 (I stand by the fact that a co-op campaign would render a potential Call of Duty 5 pointless) This is one of the best games ever. After playing the Beta earlier this year, I proclaimed that this could be a sleeper for Game of the Year, while everyone else was obviously sold on Halo... maybe a few for BioShock. This has them both, hands down. The only surprising part is how convincingly better this game is than the other GOTY frontrunners. All other FPS's (particularly military FPS's) need to take notice - this is BY FAR the best ever. (Note to Tom Clancy and the folks at UbiSoft: you have work to do for that next Rainbow Six. The bar is WAY up there now... don't disappoint)
  
  A definite must own, especially for XBox Live subscribers - this is the best for this year. No not Halo - Call of Duty 4. Period. The only thing I see that could pull people away from this even for a moment would potentially be Grand Theft Auto 4.
  
  

• The best Call of Duty game yet

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2007-11-11
  For the fourth installment of the series once set in World War II, the Call of Duty series moves to the present day (thankfully), and what results is by far the best Call of Duty game to see the light of day yet. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare may very well be one of the best first person shooter's you'll ever play on any system, as it features astounding production values and brilliant multiplayer modes on XBox Live. The graphics and visual presentation are simply gorgeous, as are the spectacular sound effects, which is something the series has always done particularly well. Controls are sharp and the multiplayer elements make Call of Duty 4 worth picking up alone, but there is one glaring flaw that is unavoidable to notice. The single player campaign is short, quite short in fact. You could probably finish the game's single player campaign in an afternoon if you so desired, which is a big time drawback if multiplayer gaming isn't your thing. If it is your thing though, you'll find it a blast here, and even though the single player campaign is lacking, Call of Duty 4 is still definitely worth picking up. All in all, Call of Duty 4 is by far the best game in the series yet, and if you're leary of the change of scenery, fear not, war shooters don't get any better than this.
  
  

• The Best Shooter Hands Down!

  
  By A3LR91TMH9W1J9 on 2007-11-05
  I was one of the Lucky ones to be part of the beta of this game. Ever since then I was totally addicted to the realism of this game. In this game you don't "get owned" as in halo. You always have a chance to have a good game because of all the options that make each player unique. Combining the right perks with the right weapons will be the key to this game. The graphics are just JAW DROPPING! The frame rate is FLAWLESS! You will not feel dizzy after playing this game, guaranteed! Most importantly this game is PURE FUN! Easy to pick up and just play without any previous experience. This is a MUST HAVE for Xbox 360 0wners!!! I promise YOU!
  
  

• Welcome Back Campers - online play review

  
  By A22MH3LF5DNFUC on 2007-11-17
  If you enjoy getting picked off by an unseen enemy, never even having a chance to fire back, if your game is to find some hidden perch, lie in the prone position and wait for some poor soul to walk in front of your crosshairs, if you loved COD2 because it rewarded your camp/sniping by making the sniper rifle far and away the most effective gun, if you were disappointed when COD3 made the sniper rifle's scope, smaller, cloudier and more difficult to aim, then you will love COD4 because Infinity Ward has put you back on top.
  
  In an apparent fit of spitefulness for being snubbed on COD3, Infinity Ward has reversed all of the major improvements made by Treyarch in COD3, taking the franchise back two big steps. The online gameplay of COD4 is very similar to COD2. While COD2 was a remarkable game in many ways, it had one serious drawback, it encouraged camping out with sniper rifle, and discouraged moving about the map and trying to achieve the objective of whatever type of match you were playing. The field of view on the scope for COD2 was vast, the targets inside the field of view were enormous, and to place the crosshairs over target and fire was no challenge for even a novice player. A skilled sniper, on the other hand could make the game miserable for everyone else.
  
  What was great about COD3 was that it leveled the playing field by making sniping more difficult. This was done in several ways. First, the field of view through the scope was much reduced. Transitioning from normal view to ADS through the scope was almost disorienting. If your distant target was not already in the direct center of your screen under normal view, it will likely be outside your field of view through the scope. Also, holding steady aim was made more difficult, and the glass of the scope was made cloudy and dirty--realistic changes. Lastly, and most ingeniously, you cannot camp anywhere on any map on COD3, without having the shine of your helmet visible to any targets in your sights. COD4 has restored the imbalance by bringing back the properties of COD2's sniper rifle and eliminating the tell tale shiny helmet. Once again snipers dominate.
  
  Perhaps I have an unfair bias against the sniper but I don't really see the point of multiplayer gameplay when one party does not know the other is there. If you are a sniper, you don't really need to be playing with other humans. It is basically target practice--these players might be better off playing Duck Hunt on NES. They could get the same thrill of shooting an oblivious target, without wasting my time. I much prefer challenging another player or players head on, where we both know the other is there, both aim and shoot at each other and outcome is based on the reflexes, and skill of both players.
  
  While there are many new features and improvements added in COD4 which I like, such as ranking system, and weapon unlocking, these are thoroughly discussed in the many 4 and 5 star reviews above. But for those of us in the anti-sniping camp, it is overall an inferior game to COD3 and does not have the same lasting power.
  
  
• Get ready to be shellshocked. COD4 is the best online Multiplayer game bar none.
  By A1E110L9ZKX6FD on 2007-11-05
  This is a review about the multiplayer. After all this is why most of us bought this game. After having been a part of the Beta Test on the 360 I can tell you that this is without a doubt the best multiplayer experience I've ever had on any console be it 360, PC or PS3. It's fantastic folks and it's the reason multiplayer was invented so we could get games like this.
  
  First the basics. This is a military shooter. But where this stands apart from all the shooters out on the market right now is that it's one of the first to take the battlefield into the Middle East and modern day hence it's name. This is something a lot of us have longed for. No longer are we fighting Nazis we are now fighting Terrorists. And the game is better for it. Not that I did not enjoy the WWII epics that have come down the pike but this is without a doubt a refreshing change of pace and really amps up the magnitude of intensity and really puts a refreshing spin on the series.
  
  The graphics. You will be hard pressed to find a better looking FPS right now except per say Bioshock. But we are talking about realism and a military shooter here and this is where Call Of Duty 4 really just explodes with eye candy. You will feel like you are in the locations you are fighting. This is the best looking game I've seen period when it comes to realism. Infinity Ward did a bang up job and your jaw will be on the floor.
  
  The single player mission is no walk in the park either. Play it on Veteran. While this is a great aspect to the game it's short lived and that's OK. Think of the single player experience as your basic training for the multiplayer. It's worth playing through and the story is really tight.
  
  The bottom line is that multi console owners can rejoice because there is a game across the board that shines on any of the systems you own and this is without a doubt one of the best games for the dollar. Don't even fret about picking this up if you are into FPS as this is one of the best ones to date and has raised the bar on what a good military FPS is all about.
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
• An Almost Unbelievable Experience
  By A22AD8M2SSOFHJ on 2007-11-07
  From the moment you turn this game on you are swept into a reality that is all to similiar to what is going on in today's world. The storyline is something you have probably heard before on the news. Out of control regimes in the MidEast and potential anarchy in the old Soviet Union. The two factors make for a very intense game. I don't even know if game is an appropriate title for something so realistic. Your mission is to stop a rogue government from getting their hands on nuclear weapons. Obviously a big challenge for anyone.
  
  If you have played previous Call of Duty games you know the quality that goes into the gameplay. Never overly to difficult for a first timer. Much of the combat is very similiar to previous COD games. The objectives are always short enough to keep the player involved. What sets this Call of Duty game apart from it's previous incarnations is the amount of realism that has gone into it. The graphics and sound are so real that you could almost think your watching a movie....Actually more real than a movie. The only thing that may be lacking in this games single player missions is the lack of co-op play and the overall shortness of the game. Most will have it completed under six hours. Of course you can always give it a try and a more difficult setting.
  
  The online multiplayer is amazing. To say the least I didn't expect it to be this intense. From the moment you start an online challenge you are thrusted into battle. The game seems to keep the online working in such a way that it seems incredibly realistic. What I also enjoy about the online is that it allows you to rank up rather quickly but you must have enough skill to be an asset on the battlefield. Online there are numerous different missions that keep the game extremely fun and fresh. Although you won't have access to these challenges until you prove your abilities. What also keeps it fresh is the ability to gear your soldier differently as you advance thru the online. This game will definatley have people playing for many, many months.
  
  If you enjoy shooter games and most importantly like realistic war sims then this game is for you. The graphics are amazing, the environments almost look too real, and the sound sets this game apart from others that have flooded the field. If you ever wanted to have an idea of many of the challenges that today's soldiers have to deal with then you need Call of Duty 4. This may possibly be the game of the year.
  
  
• too short
  By AJ1N0PPDKS7Q8 on 2007-11-12
  Lots of fun, but it is way too short. Over in less then a day. Rent, do not buy.
  
  
• Try the demo before you buy - dissapointing when compared to other games in the same genre
  By A14K5UAH17AUCA on 2007-11-26
  I was dissapointed in two areas, enough to give it a 2 star rating:
  
  1 - in-scene/game experience - when compared to Battlefield 2, Ghost Recon (GRAW 2), and Halo 3, I found the game experience in COD4 very linear and constrained. In this respect, it is closer to Medal of Honor Airborne, which I prefer from the recent batch of games in this genre.
  
  2 - graphics - it did not find it as visual compelling and presenting as rich of an environment as GRAW 2 or Halo 3
  
  On the positive side, it felt consistent in terms of performance (fps) and the cut scenes are very interesting and well made.
  
  Overall, I recommend trying it out before buying, so that you are not disappointed afterwards.
  
  
• Another Call of Duty
  By A2GVVAO242EK1D on 2007-11-10
  There is certainly nothing revolutionary about CoD 4, more evolutionary. The DNA from the last 3 CoDs can clearly be seen in this game. The new modern setting is a nice change and it is nice to be shooting someone other than Germans. But like the last 3 games you will spend a fair amount of time dazed from shell shock as you crawl around and progress down the very linear story. There are of course improvements like being able to shoot through certain bits of cover, which is cool and annoying in equal parts, but at least a bit more realistic. The weapons all look very realistic and are accurate representations of their real world models, expect perhaps in the ballistics department. But to be fair this is a video game. The single player game is fairly short, but you will get a good mix of missions at least, from sneaking to all out attack. Like all CoDs before it though you will spend quite a bit of time fending off wave after wave of bad guys. The save system in this one is at least pretty good. The levels of difficulty are pretty good with veteran being so hard you really feel you have achieved something when you beat it. Actually veteran difficulty is so hard that when I finish the game on veteran I am going to shoot the disc with a shotgun. And speaking of achievements, all the 360 achievements are pretty good, making a couple play through even more enjoyable. All in all I think CoD 4 is a great game and well worth the time and money, though I don't think it has, or even could of, lived up to the hype preceding its release.
  
  
• Poor multiplayer capabilities + dizzy machine = bad product
  By A2O2P05GJ10DXK on 2007-11-13
  I was very excited at getting this game...watching all the youtube postings and it was great fun. But that was more fun then playing the game itself. The first thing that bothers me is that there is no single player campaign co-op. Also, if you want to go online to xbox live, you can't go online with multiple people from your console...only one person. Which means if you wanted to play with you friends they all have to get consoles and the game...total bummer.
  
  Lastly, I feel like I've played lots of shooters...Gears of war, rainbow six...but for some reason this game really moves too fast..and just makes you want to puke haha...probably not a problem for most...maybe i'm too used to gears of war
  
  The graphics are pretty good with some great scenes but this is probably a rental not something to add to your library.
  
  
• Call of Duty 2(000)
  By A1WEVUWU7FL3K1 on 2007-11-13
  I'm sorry, but even with the modernizing that's been done - its the same game as Call of Duty 2 (and 3 for that matter - which they seem to be intent on mocking). The moment it really hit was when I heard the oft shouted "Enemies behind those crates over there" line that was repeated over and over again in CoD2. It is essentially the same game. The story, though pieced together from every season of 24, is enjoyable however (even if the end was kind of weak). This is not a bad game. It's just not the greatest thing ever to revolve in your 360. Graphically, this game is amazing, however. Most of the points I give this game stem from just how wonderful everything looks. It is shockingly beautiful.
  
  IW however seems content on simply updating the graphics and leading the gameplay to suffer. Certain things astound me. A dog can kill me in one bite, but I have to shoot it three times with an AK before it dies? A single bullet wouldn't deter these dogs. No. These are super dogs. Shot them once and they keep coming, without even slowing down. The wave after wave of AI enemies (and allies) seem the same. They don't respond to being shot except to stutter then they just keep on unloading at you. And seemingly only you. Do I have a beacon on me that marks me as the most important person on the field. I mean there are so many others to shoot at. Why do they always shoot at me? Why do I have to stand in a door to throw a flash? Was a cover system really so unwanted? As always I'm amazed at how sturdy most structures are in VGs. They can take an endless barrage of bullets, RPGs, C4, etc. and not even crumble. I, as with most every next-gen title, was hoping for more in the way of changing the way the game plays - not just looks.
  
  Basically, this game made me realize that it wasn't WWII that was tired - It was the run'n'gun gameplay that got tired.
  
  
• Good game , but ....
  By A31C0ADWPZBK0Y on 2007-12-07
  In fact, the worst thing in the game story, which is detrimental to the Arabs directly and indirectly. The city of Jeddah in the game is not as presented has been presented as a backward city and the old way. The game is good, especially online mode .
  
  
• Hyped
  By A3BC1UKXWX78NM on 2007-11-09
  Not too sure what all the hype about this game is. The Ghost Recon games are 10 times better, both single & multiplayer.
  
  The single player mode on this game is decent. The multiplayer online mode is confusing, and difficult. The viewpoint is too distant, making opponents look like tiny dots on the screen if you are at a higher vantage point.
  
  You also can't really tell who is the enemy, or your own player. It is not defined as well as Halo 3 or Ghost Recon.
  
  Bottom line--Save your money. This game is way overhyped.
  
  
• tactics warfare
  By A37G2MFUZN9IK on 2007-11-05
  that is what CO#3 should it be done, by infinite ward. they know what a call of duty is about, call of duty 4 is the game to play .well done exellente controls as the original. the only bit of backward is the new way of the objective location poin , kind of confused. but the game is the real deal I recomended this game to all call of duty fans. look to me that halo 3 is past now .since is been the same game . call of duty 4 is the game of play.
  
  
• Stunning Multiplayer And Campaign
  By A1JO5E9OD96VLO on 2007-11-06
  (Multiplayer Details and highlights)Exciting Top notch well balanced online play,lag is nonexistent .There's a Party System plus a ton of game modes like Deathmatch,Search & Destroy,Domination,one-on-one duel, a one-shot/one-kill hardcore mode,Heaquarters,Oldschool mode,etc.Also Matchmaking playlists, 16 multiplayer maps right out of the box,Four player split screen.Also your online player will get 'upgrade' perks like faster re-load,detect claymores through walls,asorb more damage,all this is gained through playing and gaining experience points which is a part of the fantastic online leveling system in which everything you do while playing gains experience points that leads to new ranks. And once your promoted to new ranks you'll get added player bonuses like calling in air-strikes,temporary radar,new weapons and attachments,matchmaking playlists,and create-a-class. You MAX out at level 55 but your able to create-a-class at level 4 ,which includes,primary-secondary weapons-grenade type-etc,With 5 slots total to customize. You can tweak your custom class between rounds,according to your tastes for each map and gametype,things like radar jammer-steady aim-sleight of hand/juggernaut-quiet footsteps,etc.All In All Multiplayer is awesome ,COD4 is a must own if your a XboxLive FPS fan.Onto the single player portion ,wow what can I say its beautiful and each mission looks better than the last. There's the standard intense COD action that you'd expect as well as some new 'stealth' type missions (with newly introduced night vision)that makes the game all that much more immersive. The weather,lighting,and textures all look fantastic, and all at an impressive 60fps. The only negative (if there is even just one) is that the campaign is only 10 hours give or take depending on difficulty and how much you explore the levels. But that being said this game hits it on all levels ,fantastic gameplay,stunning graphics,excellent multiplayer,COD4 has all the right things a FPS fan needs and wants. There are some kool 'cheats' too after you collect the (30) laptops scattered throughout the campaign that have the usual cheats like infinite ammo and a wierd but funny cheat that when an enemy gets killed they explode into a pile of car tires..lol..and with the same cheat if you shoot down a chopper the sky rains Goodyears..lol. Also another perk, after beating the campaign 'Arcade' mode opens up , you now get scored on the camapaign based on performance like headshots-blowing up cars-string togeter kills,like mutiple headshots etc. You'll see a score meter that tracks your progress in 'Arcade' mode.What an awesome game the campaign alone really is worthy but its the multiplayer that seals the deal as COD4 is one of the best FPS to hit the consoles in a long time. Definitely 'do not miss' this stellar game.PEACE
  
  
• Ridiculously Short - Rent it and save yourself the 60 bucks
  By A2S50TE6N6R9VH on 2007-11-11
  No game should only require 5 hours to finish. Despite the great graphics and incredible gameplay, this game was disappointing. Save yourself the money and rent it. You'll finish it in a weekend. After all the hype and leadup to this coming out I am very very very let down.
  
  
• Holy Smokes This Game is Overrated
  By A2ONKPI3JH5HUJ on 2008-02-01
  First off, I want to go on record as not being a Halo or Half Life 2 fan-boy. I am more of an action and RPG fan, if anything. Please keep that in mind before sending me any nasty-gram replies.
  
  I fail to understand the overstated hype that COD4 has generated from video game critics and players alike. From either single player or multiplayer perspectives, Half Life 2, Halo 3 and Bioshock are far superior.
  
  Here are the pros and cons:
  
  Pros:
  Graphics - No doubt this game looks great, though not as good as Bioshock
  Sound - Great sound effects and voice-acting, again though, not as good as any of the shooters I have already mentioned
  
  Cons and there are many:
  
  Gameplay - tight shooting controls, but what is up with the enemies that re-spawn in perpetuity until you cross some invisible line on the map? For a game that sells itself on realism, that is quite hokey. The fact that you have to hold down one of the joysticks to run faster is quite clumsy. I liked the "semi-snap" to enemy function, but it just doesn't beat the mega-tight controls in Half-Life 2 (as well as the other games in the Orange Box).
  
  Weapons - Though the guns look and sound great, the aforementioned shooters' weapons are better. Yes, those games have the creative advantage of fictional weapons, but this reviewer appreciates playing a video game more for the fantastical elements as opposed to realism. Even if we just compare the more "realistic" weapons, the main machine gun in Half Life 2, especially in Episode 2, trumps any of COD4's machine guns. It just feels incredible to weild that puppy from a video game perspective.
  
  Multiplayer - Maybe it's just me and the fact that I am old, but I really do appreciate the wonderful simplicity that Halo 3 offers in the ease of understanding that I have to shoot the guy on the screen who's color is opposite of my team's. I could never figure out who the heck the enemy was in COD4 until I was "pwned" as the kids like to say. The enemy's uniform was the same color as my teams'. Yes, that's more realistic, but who the heck wants that in a video game (apparently everyone but me)?
  
  There you have it. I just can not recommend this game. If you are looking for great shooters on XBOX 360, there are three of them out there that are top notch: Orange Box (The Half Life 2 series), Halo 3 (durrr), and Bioshock.
  
  
  
• A must have game
  By A3RCBEALN21FW1 on 2007-11-05
  It is just real very real when you play you feel like you are there it is really a must have game .
  
  
• Awesome!!! Best First Person Shooter By Far!!!
  By A3A72NFFHFWCSZ on 2007-11-06
  I was part of the beta tester and finally this day came on. This is the best multiplayer experience i've ever had. Oh my gad!!! You really think your in a WAR. Play it on HDTV with surround sound and you will see what am i talking about. Buy it please.
  
  
• What you may or may not know about Call of Duty 4
  By A1YXMIPSWK1BXX on 2007-11-09
  You probably have already heard that Call of Duty 4 is a great looking game, and that it's the best first person shooter on the Xbox 360. You've probably already heard this a million times, so I won't waste your time by writing a review about the graphics. By now, you should already know that Call of Duty 4 looks amazing. I do however, want to share with you a few of the great features that Call of Duty 4 has to offer.
  
  I'll start with CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION for multiplier because this is my favorite feature for Call of Duty 4. You can choose a preset class with default weapon load outs and perks assigned to them. Those include Assault, Special Ops, Light Machine Gunner, Demolitions, and Sniper, or you can customize your character by using one of five "Create a class" slots, (which you can unlock fairly quick in multiplayer). Create a Class is a nice feature because you can build your very own soldier with weapons and perks. Perks are like options to further your Call of Duty 4 character and there are three sets to choose from. You can only choose one option per set though, (3 perks total) so you'll have to decide which perk will suit your soldier best. Here's a complete list of perks.
  
  PERKS SET 1: C4 charges, Special Grenades, RPG-7, Claymores (mines), fragmentation grenades, Bandolier (extra ammo), Bomb Squad (detect enemy C4 and claymores).
  PERKS SET 2: Stopping Power (increased damage), Juggernaut (increased health), Sonic Boom (increased explosive damage), Sleight of Hand (faster reloading), Double tap (increased rate of fire), Overkill (two primary weapons, but no handgun), UAV Jammer, (undetectable on enemy UAV).
  PERKS SET 3: Extreme Conditioning, Steady Aim, Deep Impact (bullets penetrate more objects/thicker cover), Eavesdrop (ability to hear enemy chat when close), Last Stand (when damaged, players may make a "last stand" using their handgun), Martyrdom (drop a live grenade when killed), Iron Lungs (hold breath longer for sniper scope view), Dead Silence (less sound when moving).
  
  RANKING up is pretty easy which is great because it allows you to unlock some of the better weapons. You can also unlock power-ups, such as silencers and sights by obtaining a specific amount of kills for each weapon you use. Same goes for headshots, which will unlock new camouflage for your weapons. Complete your quota for both kills and headshots and you'll receive a golden gun for that weapon class. COD4 also uses a numbering system like Halo 3. 65 Experience Points (XP) is the highest ranking you can get. Once you hit the 55 points mark, you will unlock Prestige mode, which allows you to trade in your rank and start over at level 1, (you can do this up to 10 times). What's the point of this? Prestige baby! Your "prestige insignia" will change each time, letting other players know just how dangerous you really are.
  
  ONLINE PLAY is of course top notch. There are many game modes to choose from: Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All, Domination, Ground War, Sabotage, Headquarters, Search and Destroy, Team Objective, Team Tactical, Team Hardcore, Old School, Cage Match, and Oldcore. Along with the great game modes to choose from, there are many new and different ways to engage the enemy. For instance... Get 5 kills in a row and you can call in an airstrike, (similar to Battlefield 2 Modern Combat). Get 7 kills in a row and you can call in a helicopter to fly over and unleash a barrage of bullets to the enemy from a side mounted chain gun. This makes the game a lot of fun in the sense that you're not just fighting foot soldiers all the time. It's fun to take down a helicopter now and then.
  
  THE CAMPAIGN is very well done. COD4 does a nice job of making you feel as if you're really there. A teammate will blow open a door by firing a shotgun at the door jams, another one kicks it in; you blast into the room firing short bursts at bad guys from your silenced MP5... You get the idea... It's just plain and simple Call of Duty fun!
  
  People will no doubt try to compare this game to Halo 3, Rainbow Six Vegas, Gears of war and maybe even Bioshock. Thing is, is that the Call of Duty games have always been great games, so to try and compare it to any other game on the market really isn't necessary. It's a different animal. The Call of Duty series will continue to win awards and capture the eye of many if not all first person shooter fanatics. It's one of those weird things, where you know if you go out and buy it... You'll love it. It's as simple as that!
  
  Complete Weapons List, (For those of you who care):
  
  Assault - M16A4, AK-47, M4 Carbine, G3, G36C, M14, Mp44
  Sub Machine Guns - MP5, Skorpion, Mini-Uzi, AK-74u, P90
  Light Machine Guns - M249 SAW, RPD, M60E4
  Shotguns - W1200, M1014
  Sniper Rifles - M40A3, M21, Dragunov, R700, Barrett. 50cal
  Side Arms - M9, USP .45, M1911 .45, Desert Eagle
  Special Grenades - Flash Grenade, Stun Grenade, Smoke Grenade
  
  
• terrible
  By A1FZYGS1FHD1MG on 2007-11-19
  well i purchased the game and was not impressed with the graphics or controls. i refuse to pay for xbox live when pc is free so i purchased the pc version and maxed out the graphics and resolution and it like a different game. this version ruins the experience get it for pc the 360 version is a joke
  
  
• Call the Exterminator, bugs are afoot!
  By A1FVAN4B45ID7S on 2008-01-10
  Ok, there are some great things about this game. The graphics are amazing, the play is pretty fun, and the story is moderately engaging. However, I mostly play online multiplayer, and in this area it is sorely deficient.
  
  Again, I will begin with the good part: Create a class works well, and the gameplay is fast and fun.
  
  Ok, time for the bad:
  
  I have been disappointed in the past with games being released with buggy code that are not ready for prime time, and this game is a huge offender. The multiplayer only works if you are playing the game alone, and not trying to stick with a particular party. Errors are the norm with "server full", "no network connection", and "you need to restart the game because your playlist information is out of date" the most popular ones. Forget playing when more than 200000 people are online, as the network slows to a crawl. In their efforts to fix the problems, I have also been the victim of losing experience and data that had been previously saved. Not to mention the times that the game has frozen the system altogether.
  
  Most of these problems could probably be fixed with an update, but this game works like a beta version (at best), which is completely unacceptable.
  
  
• Over rated. See now you can skip my review...
  By A4D5B7Q8A7PA6 on 2008-04-04
  Well I'd been holding back from buying CoD4:MW for a while. As I'm sure you have read it has a really short SP, but I caved recently and wow am I both impressed and disappointed.
  
  Single Player. Yes it IS a short campaign. Much shorter than say GR:AW 1 and considerably shorter than GoW. Several extra SP cardinal sins are going on here too though - on replay you have to endure the cut scenes/voice overs including very extended scenes where your only input is camera movements and I'm talking many minutes. I found myself mashing the A button, the start the back the X and so on, and that was merely on the second run though. I'd say 15% of the SP campaign is unskippable cut scenes. Factor that in when calculating the total SP play time you get.
  
  There are several other pet hates here too - aside from the exact linear levels, there's many of them which are "Get to position X in five minutes, then get to position Y in two minutes, now on to Z" Each with decreasing time to get to the position. I HATE this form of tension creating in games. But to add to it are the never-ending spawning bad guys. You end up running like an idiot rather than killing anyone. I mean they are unlimited in their number so why bother killing them?
  
  There are MANY levels like this. Get to the roof. Oops it took two seconds too long so start again. Oh no you died because you didn't expect the same enemy in the same place over and over again. In the end you feel like you're playing a graphically amazing version of Dragon's Lair.
  
  Speaking of graphics, they dart from photorealistic to shoddy and crude. This is apparent in daylight levels where the low-rez textures out number the next gen look. Why?
  
  So I guess after completing the SP campaign on the same night I moved onto MULTIPLAYER. And boy what a pile of nonsense that is.
  
  Firstly, CoD:MW employees a unique MP - almost RPG in its nature. You will get owned when you first join a game. Death after death. Why? Because you have to earn your health, your weapons, your extras and your skills.
  
  Your newbieness is instantly announced upon entry to the game merely by your rank. Your more experienced opponents can shoot through walls, call in air-support, place trip mines, use a sniper rifle (yes such weapons are not for peons like newbies like us), and so on. Each MP game rewards you with XP and eventually you get a different class to choose from.
  
  I've never felt more out numbered in a free for all match in my life. As if not knowing the level, the weapons, the flow, the tactics was bad enough, well imagine that then imagine that on top you have the other folks who can totally destroy you instantly the moment you move.
  
  I felt MP in this game was a waste of time.
  
  All in all a short SP game with a horribly elitist MP makes this a rental at best. Consider this before placing your hard-earned $50 on a completely over-rated game that will last a week.
  
  
• For those who were dissapointed of halo 3
  By A19BQYXGDAMR66 on 2007-11-06
  I must say, this is the best FPS. Ever. I was VERY dissapointed with halo 3, after all the hype it got, it was just another fps with shiney grahpics and boring gameplay. But cd4, this is the fps you MUST have. The graphics are AWESOME. The tatics, the battles...amazing. This game was more battlefeildish for me than it was call of duty, But i love the change. So, if you are thinking about buying halo 3, RENT It and buy this
  
  
• MUST BUY: BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR!
  By A2GU8O2R35XXE9 on 2007-11-06
  Ok, Now I know that people are absolutely apesh** over Halo 3, and good for you! But, If you want a game that is EXTREMELY realistic, VERY intense, and from a series that has been around for a while, then this is the game for you. From the extremely immersing multi player mode (which works almost like an RPG) to the very in depth, edge of your seat single player mode, this game has it all. HALO FANS BE WARNED: This game actually takes alot more practice and skill than Halo to become good at it. You have been warned...
  But if you aren't a Halo maniac, go buy this game, it is well worth your hard earned cash.
  
  
• I wanted more........ like Co-Op story mode or Terrorist Hunt
  By A1J30HJM3YJSOA on 2007-11-07
  I realize this is one of the greatest games on the market, hands down. The single player campaign is simply crazy. But on multiplayer it doesn't even come close to a game like Rainbow Six Vegas. I've spent hours with my serious gamers playing those maps over and over, but with this game, I'm done after I beat it on single player campaign. That was the feeling for most of the people I played with online. Co-Op would have made this the perfect game.
  
  
• Great Game, Locks Up Every Play
  By A1VY0MQ17CIF8A on 2007-12-06
  Yes this game is one of the best. Nice play and interesting missions. I'll get to the point. Mine locks up every time i play within thirty minutes or so. I have looked for an answer to the problem and yet to find one.
  
  
• More of the same
  By AFG95VY5IX217 on 2007-12-23
  I really disliked CoD3, and I heard so many good things about CoD4 that I bought it rather than rent it. I regret that decision. Sure it's better than CoD3 (which was a train wreck), it's more of the same. It just pales in comparison to many of the FPS out there. You're better off with BioShock, Halo 3, or Orange Box.
  
  
• Decent But Frantic
  By A2KRZTY2ENKSR0 on 2007-12-25
  From the buzz around this game, I was expecting it to be considerably better than past CoD titles -- but it seems like it has a lot of the same core issues. I've had fun with CoD -- this one also -- but the way people are treating the game like an infallible, beyond-reproach religion seems uncalled for.
  
  The campaign modes on CoD have always been very linear, even by FPS standards. To me, though, this one feels even more that way than past entries. Playing through the campaign, it felt like I was on rails. There are a number of stages in the game where it just up and tells you to "press X to do [special action]". Er, if the game's just going to tell you to do that, what's the challenge? Beyond that, though, as with past CoDs, most levels of this campaign involve the player standing somewhere and shooting wave after wave of bad guys until the game lets you move on. There are no alternative ways to accomplish objectives and, really, no rhyme or reason as to how many bad guys happen to be in a particular spot. You just keep shooting until they tell you it's time to move on. To me, that makes for dull, repetitive gameplay.
  
  I've spent a lot more time with the online play -- I have online friends who are fervent believers in the game (they treat it like religion, yes), which makes it an appealing title for hanging out in. However, online play suffers, to me, for some key reasons. For one, the game has "power ups". I can see having power ups for Mario Modern Warfare, but for a game that tries to pass itself off as a "realistic" modern shooter, that seems a poor design decision. How is it "realistic" that every time a player dies, they're able to pull the pin on a grenade and punish their opponent for having killed them at close range? You get to a particular level and *now* you can choose to have your bullets hit harder?
  
  It's also aggravating that power-ups and additional weapons are only made available to more experienced players. That wouldn't be such a bad thing per se, except that noobs get dumped in the same games as vets, which means that the more experienced players not only have the advantages of knowing the maps and the intricacies of the gameplay, but they ALSO have better weapons and more useful power-ups.
  
  Apart from visual display, realism was never a strength of past CoD titles. Nothing different here. In online play, you can put several rounds into your enemy's chest without much happening. And if you ever actually get hurt -- by having an M16 round pass through your carotid artery let's say -- just find some cover and wait a few seconds: all better! (Unless someone re-spawns right behind you, in which case the miracle never quite gets completed.)
  
  Finally, gameplay is outright frantic -- moreso even than with past CoD games. I'm sure this is mostly a matter of taste, but it always feels like there are too many players on too small of a map. There are many instances where players are getting capped before they realize where they've spawned. As such, the game rewards hyper-aggressive gameplay and punishes players who are more methodical (guess which camp I'm in?). Really, what's the sense in giving a player in Team Deathmatch a higher rating for having 10 kills but 25 deaths than a player who had 8 kills and 0 deaths? (I realize there are other game types that reward persistent survival -- but that doesn't explain why Team Deathmatch runs the way it does.) I don't mean to imply that the game favors brain-dead button-mashing -- it doesn't -- but it does severely favor one style of play, which limits the breadth of its appeal.
  
  All that said, the game's not exactly worthless. You can obviously have fun with it, especially if you got an itchy trigger finger and enjoy racking up spoilsport "martyrdom" kills. The way your character advances through online play makes it interesting and even if I think power-ups are a stupid idea, the progression they go along with can be compelling.
  
  If you *loved* past CoD titles, you'll probably love this one as well. For me, though? My favorite CoD title was #2. Not coincidentally, I bought it used for only $15. That would've been the right thing for me to have done with CoD4 as well. I can only hope that when I reach the next level I'll get the go-back-in-time power-up. Could use it to save myself $45.
  
  

• Renegade, The Ultimate Video Game Chair

• Assassin's Creed
• Mass Effect
• The Orange Box
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
• BioShock