Highly intense and addictive action.
Just like all of the previous Call of Duty iterations, this one continues in the addictive formula by making sure that this game maintains a solid 60FPS and also ensures that each weapon is a blast to use. (no pun intended) The single player is very interactive, putting the player in the view of the characters and never taking you away from the action. Firefights are similar to previous games, but Infinity Ward also changes it up a bit by including helicopter and various stealth missions to the table. Simply put, this game will last most people a long time and may find it difficult to put down the controller.
Graphics- 8.5/10
The graphics are gorgeous in some areas and not so impressive in others. The character models, character shadows, lighting, bump mapping, reflection mapping on wet surfaces, and a few interior environments are downright beautiful. However, there are a few things in this game that kept me from feeling as if I was a part of a believable environment instead of a video game. The biggest complaint I have is Infinity ward's choice of resolutions in the sky textures. (more notably in the night levels) It's so obviously poor and pixelated that it is difficult not to realize that it is just a digital image. It appears to have been taken using a cheap digital camera and was compressed even further when they applied the texture. Speaking of textures, some places offer great textures and include a good amount of bump mapping, however, other areas of the game exclude the bump mapping all together and the bland textures remain, especially in many houses. It makes the game feel dull especially when the environments lack key lighting and shadows. This is all forgivable considering that it still runs at a smooth 60fps and loading times aren't long at all.
Story- 8.5/10
A very modern-style story that many gamers today can relate to. Stories are told similarly to previous games in the series,(except through the view of just two main characters this time around) offering a simple cut-scene(or briefing) in between levels and the rest of the story is told in-game through the character's eyes.
Animations- 8/10
There are very few new actions to the character animations which is a bit of a complaint since the characters never looked to move like real soldiers when running around. Except for the NPC's hiding behind walls and entering rooms like actual soldiers.(which is done incredibly well) NPCs running from area to area seem to move a bit too fast considering what they are wearing, objects also tend to fall incredibly fast compared to their real life counterparts, making everyday objects appear to weigh hundreds of pounds.
Replayability- 9.5/10
While the single player is lacking in length, the multiplayer more than makes up for it. The intensity of shooting at actual players is just thrilling and highly addictive that it's nearly impossible to come back for more. A simple multiplayer would have been enough for most people, however Infinity Ward includes large incentives to keep playing by adding RPG-like elements to their game. As you gain experience, you will gain access to more perks, weapons and challenges to be used in multiplayer.
Buy or Rent? If you plan on playing the multiplayer online or even just at parties, then this is a definite Buy! If you just want to play the single player then it is only worth a rental, because this game is all about multiplayer.