Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare PC Review - The New Standard For Multiplayer Gaming

2008-11-26

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Overview

Following up the disappointing and critically panned Call of Duty 3, Infinity Ward had their work cut out for them if they were going to bring people back to the once-beloved franchise. They needed an absolutely stellar game and that’s exactly what they delivered. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was a massive critical and commercial success, boasting both an unforgettable single player campaign and one of the best multiplayer experiences available.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare takes place in the near-future and has you playing for both the United States Marine Corps and the British S.A.S. as you try to stop a Russian ultranationalist who intends to use nuclear weapons to bring back the Soviet Union. For a more detailed outline, read our Call of Duty 4 overview.

Gameplay (4 out of 5)

With Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward absolutely nailed the first-person experience. The singe player campaign, as I mentioned above, is simply unforgettable. Too many games feel the need to rip you out of the first-person view during cutscenes or other expositional segments, but the game never takes you out of it, not ever during character deaths. This creates such an intense emotional connection to the game that it draws you in like no other game can.

The shooting mechanics are absolutely spot-on. You have complete and total control of your character, something that games often fail to give you. Even on the Veteran difficulty, which features some of the most challenging gameplay that I’ve ever braved, you feel completely capable. When you die, you know that it’s your fault.

Graphics (4 out of 5)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare features stellar graphics and animations, which make the fast-paced battles even more intense. The level of detail is amazing, whether you’re crawling through the brush next to a well-animated ally or looking across the ruins of Chernobyl through the scope of a sniper rifle. This game is going to look great for years to come.

Multiplayer (5 out of 5)

As fantastic as the single player campaign is, taking Call of Duty 4 online is the real highlight. In an age where online shooters are a dime a dozen, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare stands out from the pack with a unique system of “perks.”

A “perk” is basically a special ability, of which you’re allowed to have three at any given time. These can do a wide variety of things such as make you stronger, make your bullets do more damage, allow you to reload faster, give you the ability to detect mines, etc. Some of them are really creative, such as Martyrdom, which allows you to drop a live grenade when you die; another interesting one is Last Stand, which keeps you alive for a little while after you “die,” propped up on one elbow and firing your pistol.

All of this on top of already solid gameplay and a lot of fun modes make playing Call of Duty 4 online insanely popular.

System Requirements (3 out of 5)

Even though Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is an intense game, the minimum specs are pretty lenient, with the exception of maybe the processor. The required specs included a P4 2.4Ghz processor, 512MB Ram, and a GeForce 6600 or ATI Radeon 9800Pro. Remember, that’s just the minimum requirements. The recommended specs are much more intensive.

Overall (5 out of 5)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is without a doubt the best first-person shooter I’ve ever played and one of the best games I’ve ever played in general. It features an amazing single player campaign and playing Call of Duty 4 online is engaging and exciting and sets the new standard in multiplayer gaming. There’s a reason this game was the top selling game of 2007.

This post is part of the series: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Reviews

Read various reviews and previews of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in this article series.