Review and Commentary by Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer
Includes over 500 screenshow images from the Spec Ops, Multiplayer and Single Player modes

http://www.simhq.com/_land3/land_145a.html

Nice job Mag. Too bad they couldn't find a way to bring Captain Price back.

Um.



Nice job Mag, too many kill cams in the MP pics though

Good review on the single player!

But multiplayer - are you serious it was fun? How about the HORRIBLE/UNPLAYABLE lag everyone has been experiencing? And I mean, everyone. I couldn't find a fellow player who felt that the MP aspect of MW2 is useless. I am finding your positive experience, well, surprising consider what most in the MP community is experiencing.

The mod community has already been working on a hack to create servers however. More on that in the weeks ahead.

I haven't had any seriously bad issues on the 360.

Good review Magnum.

9 of us played for 4 hours Sat with very little problems or lag... sure it's there, especially when it stopped to look for a new host, but was completely playable for all us that day, and almost everyday since release...except for the very first day, was extremely laggy that day.

Good review. I totally agree that it's too noisy in certain places.

My only major complaint, is that a decent number of the Special Ops Missions are 2 player. I don't play online for a number of reasons, and not being able to enjoy a decent number of the missions w/ having a buddy over is annoying.

-Jenrick

The only thing I can come away with from this and any other review I have read is that the good ship S.S. PCGAMING has sailed and will not be returning to port any time soon.

Thx for the feedback...

Only 2 of the Spec Ops missions require 2 players, both in Bravo... all others can be played solo but not meant or designed to be. Just FYI.

And I agree, Activision, with this game... really put salt in the already opening wounds of PC gamers... I did the review (screenshots) for the SP campaign via PC... but thou I tested MP on the PC, all the Spec Ops and MP screens are from the 360... due to the PC version being dumbed and cut downed.

I've tried real hard to like those scripted "action" shooters but just can't get into 'em. The single player is scripted tighter than a political rally, and the multi-player is always this run and gun crap that is totally unrealistic. I don't mind the noise level in these action shooters, I mind the tight scripting. Believe it or not, I don't want to feel like I'm in a movie; I want to feel like I'm out on patrol.

The MOHs and CODs are fun while they last, but like an ice cream cone, they'll melt in two minutes if you don't eat 'em quickly. True tactical shooters like the original Ghost Recon are being played almost 10 years later. Can anybody say that about a COD game?

As with most (if not all) COD-games, you need to turn off numlock before mapping your numpad keys, then turn numlock back on again when you start playing.

Thx... I remembered their was a way back with MW1...but couldn't remember, and just didn't bother. lol

For signing nonassignable keys, I'd suggest using GlovePIE.

That sounds slightly pornographic..

Nice review Magnum. The doom on you thing sounds like they're stealing some of Rogue Warrior's (very very quiet) thunder. LOL

I've played a little of the game now. SP so far is not as good as COD4. The game doesn't lose anything by not playing the terrorist airport scene. The SP is more stale than COD4, maybe just because it's been done and there just isn't far to go with an arcade game like this. I too am disappointed you can't run your own private server/room with friends. I can't stand hearing the public in this game. I shouldn't have to mute people or be forced to play with the public--even Vegas let you rank up in a private room. Worse, I don't like having to rank up just to play search and destroy hardcore on my own. I know of no other game that does that to unlock a game mode.

The maps in MP are far better than in COD4. Most I've seen are a little larger than before, but mainly there are fewer chokepoints and more route choices making it more fun. I wish they would add in an option for longer game times in a hardcore S & D match, since they don't let you rank up in a private room. I think the most fun I've had with COD4 was in a private room, 10 minute S&D with 2 respawns each. Really slowed the game down and had the nice objective game play that S&D offers.

Still, it's fun with friends when played in small doses. A fun back up game for light gameplay (that's hard on the nerves) to break up the more serious games. It's hard on my crappy reflexes though. LOL

I also find the "blood in the eyes" effect to be VERY aggravating, but I've chalked it up not so much to IW trying to simulate blood splatter getting in your eyes, as it might be a fancy graphical way they chose to simulate the sudden pain you would be in after taking a bullet. Imagine being on the fringe of a frag explosion or taking a bullet... you're not likely to be seeing the world in crystal clarity the split second afterwards.

Agreed again on the inability to rank up in a private match being a royal kick in the taint, too. I fail to see why a private match between myself and some friends shouldn't be ranked, just because we want a more organized, less N-Word and F-bomb laced game. With their colossally stupid decision to forget about dedicated servers, it's the only way to weed-out loud-mouths, griefers, and general buttholes, but I guess we have to suffer them if we care to unlock everything we laid cash out for. =\

Just finished the campaign today. Did not like it nearly as much as I liked MW1. I doubt I will be playing much multi-player.

Bummer.

I didn't like the original enough to even consider spending $60(!) on a video game in which the publishers decided to deliberately exclude support features that are necessary for PC online gaming...

I'll wait 'til it's $20<...

I downloaded the game from Steam based on your review. I thought it was very well done. I haven't started playing it yet. I do plan on skipping the part where you are a terrorist after reading your spoilers. I have no interest in that. I didn't buy any of the GTA games because it doesn't appeal to me to play a "bad guy". Thank you for the heads up on it.

I look forward to playing the rest of the game though. I do have a question. Does the game have some of the sniper senarios that the original MW had? Those were my favorite parts.

It has a similar mission in the campaign to "All Ghillied Up" but not "One Shot, One Kill" but I won't spoil any more of it. There's also a recreation of All Ghillied Up in the spec ops missions.

Great review. MW2 is an excellent game.

The best way to salve your consciense is to just shoot the clearly defined security guards. Once you get out of the airport you'll just be tearing up Russian SWAT teams.

"just shoot security guards and the arriving SWAT officers"... ya thats just great... conscience clear now since thats OK.

<sarcasm>

LOL..or you could just shoot the ugly babies. I mean..they are going to have a challenging life ahead of them anyway...

You are going to hell for that one. I guess me too because I laughed.

Yup, as morally questionable the whole "mission" is it's better than nothing, or just sit there and do nothing. Sometimes you have to make that hard decision. Either way it's not going to make the virtual killing any better (or make it stop), or just buy the Russian version and download the patch.

And by the way, it's only a game.

Yes Eric it is only a game, thats why I played the mission... but the discussion was about that mission, and as I said in my review... it's kinda messed up that Activision thought enough to allow you NOT to shoot civilians, but still made you shoot responding cops... I don't hold nothing against anyone who shoots cops in video games, and I don't expect the average person to feel the same as me when it comes to games killing cops, but I still believe in the right to point out my opinion, in a small hope to open some eyes... how many of our readers would of even noticed or caught that small fact of the mission. Probably just a handful.

So no disrespect or argument with your opinion, just pointing the counter also.

Ahh no worries, I was a bit tired and very annoyed from trying to get back home via airport... misery no, highly aggravating, yes.

But I don't hold it against you man, it's just people are screaming about something that's not even real. It's like when BSG was out. Sure it brought up a lot of real world, controversal issues, but really, it's just a TV show and nothing more. I get squeamish about the mission a bit myself, but I know it's not real, and keep to shooting the ones that are shooting back. So I'm good man, especially getting some sleep last night, so it's all good

So we are all in agreement that everyone should be shot and the robot overlords should take over?

Asimo is waiting in the wings.

No but I do agree to shoot the ugly babies.

And let the roaches show us who is the true master race?

Update, though not sure if this was introduced in a patch, but I found this on a walkthrough page. You don't have to play that mission, hit Esc and it allows (the only one I might add) you to select "Skip Mission". And therefore if you read Magnum's review and it didn't feel up to your stomach, whenever possible, just do that and you'll be moved on to the next campaign mission.

Just got the game the other day. Graphically it's amazing. I skipped the airport scene and I don't intend to visit it. The blood splatter on injury is absolutely annoying. I can't even get to cover when I can't see where I'm at. But overall the effects are great, sound is good, gameplay is fun.

Worth it so far.