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
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Xbox 360 & a PC currently undergoing mitosis
•AMD Athlon 64 X2 DC 6000, 3GHz •3GB PC2 5300 DDR2 •Sapphire Radeon HD 6950 2 GB
•Creative SB X-Fi Fatal1ty Pro / Logitech Z-5500 •Logitech G27, Nixim mod