"Modern Warfare is here to sweep up the dust of its predecessors and start from the beginning."

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. When I first heard that Activision was back at developing another Call of Duty game, I was delighted. When I heard it was going to be about modern-day combat; I was shocked at first. I've gotten used to the general WWII idea involving battles across Europe; wasn't sure what to expect of this whole "Modern-Warfare" principle. Let's just say, it came out amazing; beyond my expectations.

I have been a fan of the series since the original Call of Duty, which was astounding when it was released in 2003. A lot of games followed, good ones(United Offensive - although made by Gray Matter Studios: was a worthy expansion) to some lesser good ones(Call of Duty 3 wasn't THE best one, but it was enjoyable). When I bought this around December I wasn't sure what to expect, let me tell you my story; right now. Single Player Campaign through the Multiplayer.

Story 8/10

The story is a bit cliché, a bunch of bad guys trying to take over the world. But now with....NUCLEAR MATERIAL! In true Call of Duty fashion you take the role of multiple soldiers, Sgt. 'Soap' MacTavish of the SAS and Sgt. Paul Jackson of the USMC. What took me by surprise is that this game; is in no way related to the other Call of Duties' - Production Wise. This story had a lot more twists, from the launching of a nuclear missile to the intertwining of the USMC/SAS paths, to the gruesome sight of a nuclear bomb being activated in the Middle East.

There is also a flashback scene of two missions with Cpt. Price(Lt. Price back then) being lead by Cpt. MacMillan through the dusty and barren city of what used to be Pripyat, Ukraine. This was a few years after the Chernobyl Disaster. The Storyline won't bore you in any way, it's just a tad... short.

We have Al-Asad, the most powerful man in the Middle East, then we have Imran Zakhaev, he wants to get his hands on nuclear material from Chernobyl(explained in the flashback mission with Cpt. Price) and we have Zakhaev's son. All of the antagonists are very easy to hate, this will make you look at the excellent job that Activision did with the characters' character itself, their feelings, emotions and needs are all very clear.

Gameplay 10/10

This is where the game marks out in my opinion. The gameplay mechanics in previous games were superb, in this one; they're even better. They're still using the duck/lean mechanic; why? Because this game has been made way more realistic, bullets can penetrate thin surfaces, like plywood and walls. This makes it virtually impossible to hide somewhere. In the Single Player, there's a lot of variety. With weapons ranging from an AK-47 Assault Rifle, to a Barrett 50. Cal Sniper Rifle to a Minigun situated on a chopper and eventually you'll be a specialist in an AC-130 gunship, shooting enemies from above.

There is so much stuff going on; it's hard to comprehend everything on your first playthrough, there are people dieing everywhere around you, tanks coming at you, helicopters with searchlights at night, an armed settlement near a barn and an armed escort for a tank through some streets littered with enemies everywhere. Multiplayer kicks this even up a notch, but I'll talk about that later.

Graphics/Sound 10/10

Especially for the PC, the graphics can be as choppy or perfect as you want to be. With my poor nVidia Geforce 7500LE graphics card; I couldn't get too much out of the game, but let me tell you; it was amazing. Amazing lighting effects, very detailed character models; particle detail is amazing, and just a tiny bit distance fog incase your computer can't handle it optimally.

The sound is crystal clear and everyone actually has their own voice. You'll hear the Russians speak Russian, Al Asad's men speaking Arab and from the Irish/Scottish voice of Cpt. MacMillan to the stern voice of Cpt. Price.

Playtime/Replayability. 9/10 - 10/10

If we know one thing about the CoD games; they're very short, but epic. This is also the case, you'll quickly play through the Single Player Campaign in just six to eight hours. But the replayability kicks in with the addition of "Arcade Mode". This mode is designed to get as many points as you can, by making multiple headshots and etc. There are also a lot of "enemy intel." pieces to be found scattered throughout the levels, these will unlock "Cheats". Like new colour schemes, or even unlimited ammunition once you have all 30 pieces of intel.

Multiplayer 9/10

Multiplayer is what makes or breaks a game if it's hyped up a lot. We know CoD and it's awesome Multiplayer, but this one takes it beyond extreme. The multiplayer here is amazing, Activison has implemented a "level" system, which goes from 1-55(Private to Commander). Upon killing people; completing objectives in your goals/achievements section, you'll get experience. This is used to level up and get even more challenges to complete, like 100 headshots with an AK-47 to get XXXX amount of experience. This makes the game challenging; and worthwhile.

Also, a new addition, is the "perk" system. No longer do you have to rely on the character classes the game gives you, you can make your own! Perks are options which can be unlocked once you gain levels. A combination of a Dragunov. Sniper Rifle with Iron Lungs, Bandolier and Deep Impact(example) can be very effective on maps like Mp_Bloc. You can make everything you desire; there are five slots to create classes. Once you reach lv. 55 you won't be done yet, you still have to complete all the challenges. Whether it be for the camouflage you get once you get all of them, or the golden "camouflage" for specific weapons of their weapon-slots to behold.

But you ask; why did I give this a 9/10 if I like it so much? One thing: It happens in every online game, the gamers themselves. Most servers for CoD4 are based around America and not a lot around Europe. This makes me have a constant ping of around 120-200. You'll also experience pings around 600, these people can't be kicked out, or just asked to leave, because they lag everyone up and manage to get you and everyone else annoyed because the server crashed.

Rent or Buy:

I'd definitely say: BUY!
This game is a must-have for every FPS-fan, even the casual gamer will enjoy with the fortitude of options given in this game. If your computer can handle it, definitely buy it. There are some minor gripes which I've discussed in the latter, but nothing major. It's all up to you how you play it, if you enjoy it or not, but I'd say; you can't go wrong with a game of this caliber. I feel that CoD4 represents a step into the next generation of First Person Shooters.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/10/08

Game Release: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (EU, 11/09/07)