Once again, it’s that time of year for a new Call of Duty addition to the massive franchise. Though its forebears were good, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 stands out as a much more significant game. Seeing how 2023 won’t see a new Call of Duty game, we’ll have to make do with Modern Warfare 2 for the next year. The actual concept is not much different from the previous one. However, the Gunsmith and mobility controls have been drastically reworked. To further breathe new life into the proceedings, brand-new maps have been added, each with stunning graphics and details. This is a detailed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer review – we have discussed all game’s gameplay mechanics, the new weapons system, and what modes are included in this year’s title.
The violence and brutality in Modern Warfare 2 are relentless. Not that Infinity Ward has deliberately taken Call of Duty into a simulation area. Still, the shorter time-to-kill has brought the game into an uncomfortable alignment with the genre. The end product is a fast-paced first-person shooter in which every mistake with your gun could be devastating. The campaign as a whole is built on a foundation of climactic drama. During Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer, this causes joy and despair as your mood swings with each successful respawn and killing spree you rack up.
Compared to the previous Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare 2’s remastered version is reminiscent of the series’ iconic online multiplayer by having map styles and movement speed adjustments that are more conducive to classic 6v6 matches. It’s nice to see Call of Duty come back to form with MW2, which plays just like the classics. However, there is a scarcity of polish throughout the latest title, and customizing the weapons is a chore.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer is the kind of frenetic action game fans have become accustomed to. This year’s 6v6 matches take place on calibrated normal maps, resulting in fewer opportunities for rest and more opportunities to find yourself in action-packed combats. While Modern Warfare 2 slows down the hectic action of previous games, players can still engage in intense pitched battles. Gameplay-wise, it’s a little furious, with movement controls more reflective of earlier entries in the franchise than the 2019 release.
Interesting Weapons System
Matches in Modern Warfare 2’s multiplayer mode feature excellent gunplay. Developers have put years of effort into making Call of Duty as good as it can be, and this release is simply the perfect example in a long line of incremental upgrades. The perception of mass and control varies significantly between classes and even between individual firearms inside a particular category, giving every weapon a specific touch. All players who have experience with some recently released COD titles will be immediately at home with the weapon progression and attachment system.
Considering the weapon attachments, their numbers are big, but you can only equip five of them at once on a gun, depending on your favor and choice. You must need to understand your gameplay style and the best attachments according to that. The laser sight is the perfect option for better aim, quick reflexes, and hip-fire accuracy. Conversely, an under-barrel grip can work better for you if you prefer to control your recoil and want to make your weapon more stable. There are so many weapons customization choices to try out by including a fine-tuning feature, and exploring them is near as fun as using them to kill enemies.
There is an additional level of difficulty added to Gunsmith in terms of unlocking weapons and their attachment system. There is more to it beyond just increasing the level and utilizing the gun you desire to unlock and obtain its attachments. You should employ firearms from different classes to gain access to new attachments and weapons. The M4 wasn’t as effective as I’d hoped until I reached a greater level, for instance. I had to play with a sniper or battle rifle and increase its level to gain access to more useful attachments for my M4. For example, even at level 40, I found a large number of weapons and attachments inaccessible to me since they were tied to different other guns, which I had to use to play and level up to unlock more equipment.
But thankfully, when you have unlocked one attachment, you don’t have to worry about unlocking it again throughout your gameplay, as it will be permanently added to your inventory. However, novice or occasional gamers may feel frustrated by this game feature’s complexity due to its overall structure.
The most significant update to Call of Duty’s multiplayer this time is the overhauled and incredibly adaptable weapon system. I’ll admit that my initial reaction was mild confusion – but it’s not as bad as someone thought. Not only can you customize your weapons to your gameplay style by equipping a maximum of five attachments on them, but you can also modify the weapon’s functionality by swapping out receivers for now.
It is also possible to fine-tune your guns to better suit your individual needs and preferences. The sliders allow changes to be made to the various parameters, allowing you the freedom to trade-off between faster such as to aim down sight time and lower hip-fire precision, or better targeting and slower movement when you aim. Make your unique personal weapon from the ground up with this method. Unfortunately, the players have faced some stability issues in this element, so the company has temporarily disabled it. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait much longer to see it again in the game.
After putting in some effort and investing time in crafting weapons, players may put them through their paces at Modern Warfare 2’s new shooting range. Many players will appreciate the ability to try out various attachments before committing to one, and real fans desperately needed this new practice mode. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 weapons are just as high-quality as those in the previous title, offering smooth visual effects and impressive shooting audio.
Modern Warfare 2 weapons are just as impressive as we are used to in the previous title, offering smooth visual effects and appealing gunfire sound.
During the multiplayer campaign, you will find yourself in either the Middle Eastern city of Al Mazrah or the Mexican region of Las Almas alongside other worldwide areas; these are the settings for the maps. The majority of maps feature a nice middle ground and a little bit of elevation diversity. Among all given Modern Warfare 2 maps, Farm 18 is a fan favorite due to its confined space within a landscape of destroyed buildings. It feels like an equal playing field due to multiple routes to victory over specific objectives.
However, some maps just confused me a bit. One of them that I tried is Santa Sea Border Crossing, there is just one route there, and it is constantly backed up with RVs and automobiles. So, it becomes crucial to you where you are spawning on the map. Multiple times on this terrain, I ended up spawning in an opposing stronghold by accident. Even if you knew the enemy’s exact location, it would be nearly hard to recognize them without identifying their cars and trucks. Overall, the maps are very impressive in this year’s release.
A Bunch of Gameplay Modes
The classic Call of Duty gameplay modes, such as Free for All and Kill Confirmed, are back in Modern Warfare 2. Yet it also introduces novel gameplay elements that radically alter the experience. The brand new Prisoner Rescue is identical to Cold War’s VIP Escort. It’s almost similar; the only difference is that you’re transporting convicts rather than carrying important people to the exfil. Alternatively, you can kill them if you are on the opponent’s team. Another one is Knockout and Search and Destroy, this mode does not allow respawns, and I typically avoid it since the lengthy inactivity periods it causes are not what I love. However, if your squad is good enough, it’s a whirlwind of a game.
Both of these Prisoner Rescue and Knockout are 6v6 modes, and you will notice a lot of similarities between them, which disappoints many players. Both modes typically devolve into Team Deathmatch, with some team members playing the mission, as is common in Call of Duty. Games risk devolving into a slugfest where time is more important than scoring if participants aren’t motivated to focus on the purpose.
The 6v6 match is not enough for you? Don’t worry. Ground War is included in the game, with 32v32 combat played on a massive battlefield. You can choose between the Standard and Invasion Ground War modes. Standard mode is not different from 2019’s MW2 mode, a large-scale Domination contest where you need to take over and hold the five special points during the given match duration to gain the points. The mode is a lot of crazy action, featuring clashes involving tanks, airplanes, boats, and even submarines. Ground War’s excellent maps provide a diverse range of buildings and a good amount of strategic depth, making them suitable for various types of gameplay and weapons.
On the other hand, Ground War Invasion is a Team Deathmatch playing mode where only the kills count. It means the higher your number of kills, the more points you gain. Moreover, ending an enemy kill streak or wrecking their vehicles results in bonus points. It’s awful that this option seems less effective than the other. Invasion is a smaller 20v20 mode than the other one, so most free land and water are removed to adjust its battlefield size. As a result, your best bet for a decisive victory is to make your way through the map’s central city. Fighting in water is great fun and fits in perfectly with Ground War. Therefore it’s a shame that we can’t enjoy that in this mode.
Both new Standard and Invasion Ground War modes bring true experience to the battlefield.
The fact that bots are used to bulk up the population in Invasion is disappointing. There are computer-controlled (AI) troops for each side, but they don’t offer anything to the action. Confrontations against AI bots are frustrating because of how ineffective it is. This mode will be ideal for those who have never played Call of Duty before. However, veteran players will most often visit this mode to benefit from the AI fights and for the weapons progression and attachments system.
Furthermore, a third-person mode named “3rd-Person Moshpit” is available. It’s the same gameplay you usually play with others but from a third-person perspective! It’s entertaining, to be honest, and it’s forced me to rethink my strategy for fast movement as I was using an on-screen reticle instead of down sights or a scope to hit my target. It’s a nice diversion and will feel more at home to players already accustomed to other third-person games like Fortnite and PUBG.
Spec Ops Cooperative has been a pleasant surprise this year. You and your team can choose from three different situations in which to infiltrate and subsequently escape from places “alpha,” “beta,” and “charlie.” Of the three missions, “Low Profile” is the one I enjoy the most due to its stealthy activities; in this mission, you need to sneak away at night and retrieve some information. The second mission, “Denied Area,” is just as exciting as the first since you’ll need to hijack trucks to get to the surface-to-air missile batteries. A few amusing situations arise as a result, for instance, when an enemy chopper is about to land and discharge a group of troops.
The third and final one is, Defend Mt. Zaya – it features a nostalgic flashback that fans will enjoy. You will be very familiar with the gameplay of this mode if you have past experience playing the Dome map of Modern Warfare 3. This survivor mode has you fending off groups of enemies that get bigger over time, making the situation harder for you. Nothing else stands out, yet it’s a good pace change from multiplayer to an enjoyable co-op game.
Due to the combined efforts of Treyarch, Sledgehammer, and Infinity Ward, Modern Warfare II is powered by an entirely new engine that puts the action into a stunning reality. Background water now glimmers, cars have different stages of destruction, and animations feel further grounded in reality. When contrasted with previous COD titles, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer features superior environmental interactivity. The water mechanics improved from earlier series, making swimming a more natural experience.
Verdict
In the case of this latest Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward made many enhancements based on player feedback and their analysis of the game’s strengths and weaknesses. Its newfound emphasis on larger battlefields with many players has proven quite successful, and the game’s previously great mechanical foundations have been further strengthened with a weapon personalization with nearly infinite options. The reduction in the size of the maps makes the whole thing more manageable, the reduced pace of play makes the action easier to follow, and the new freedom of mobility makes each battle exciting. During the contest, you will get a wholly unique gaming experience from the previous 2019’s MW2. Ultimately, we are getting a better Call of Duty experience since the series gradually expands its boundaries.
