A breath of fresh air.
You all probably know Call of Duty as being one of the historic war games out there. Fortunately, this time they ditched fighting Nazis and jumped to modern times. Throughout this game you'll be playing as a US Marine and as a British SAS soldier. You'll use modern weapons such as the Javelin, M4 Carbine, and more. The only problem I have with this game is the length.
Graphics: 10/10
Wow... the graphics for this game are amazing; they are truly next-gen. Each character and enemy you come across is unique and realistic. The different environments are also greatly detailed and make you feel like your actually in the war. You'll find no two places that look alike. The effects in the game also add even more realism to the game. When a bomb or grenade explodes the area in the blast radius will be charred and damaged. You'll even see brain splatters from headshots!
Sound: 10/10
The sound in this game is also amazing. The voice acting is convincing and each character sounds unique. Each gun, grenade, and explosive has it's own distinct sound. The background music is good and fit's the situation during combat and cut-scenes. The sound also helps during the sniping and sneaking parts of missions.
Gameplay: 10/10
This is where the game shines its brightest. Yeah, the sound and graphics are amazing, but the gameplay takes the cake. The controls aren't all that different from the previous games, but in this situation it works. Throughout the story mode you'll be completing different objectives along with your squad. The objectives themselves aren't too difficult, it's getting through the levels that are the challenge.
Difficulty
The difficulty in the game is well done. First, you'll go through a small training course which will determine how good you are and what difficulty level you should do. While you can choose a different difficulty, you really shouldn't as they base it on your accuracy and quickness. Either way, the different difficulty levels are accurately varied.
Your Squad
Okay, like I said above, you will never be alone during the game. You'll always have at least one other squad member assisting you. The AI for them is really good also. They'll take cover when being shot at, throw grenades away from you and themselves if needed. They also display how tactical the Military is during search and rescue missions. The only problem I had was during some parts they wouldn't advance forward unless you went first. While this didn't happen during combat situations, it can be annoying when you're not thinking.
Your Enemies
The enemies AI is also really good... sometimes it's too good. Anyway, you'll see the enemies acting much in the way your squad members do. They'll duck behind cover when shot at, and throw your grenades back at you. They'll also clock you in the face if you get too close for comfort.
The Missions
While each missions is essentially the same, get from point A to point B, they added different ways you have t do it. For example, in one mission you have to search for a missing squad member, but it's dark and you have to sneak through the houses without alerting any enemies. There's also an intense sniper mission, but I won't spoil things for you. The only thing you'll complain about is that you revisit some places as a different soldier. But don't worry, the situations are different.
Online Play
The online play is as great as the single player campaign. The gameplay is the same and you battle on levels from the campaign. You can also create your own class. The create-a-class lets you pick your main gun, side-arm, and perks (power-ups) along with some other things. The only problem is that new players get thrown in with people who've been playing since the game came out.
Story: 9/10
As a US Marine/British SAS soldier, you have to stop terrorists from launching stolen nukes. While this may seem boring, there are twists and turns in the plot and what-not. Also, the two different soldiers you play as have their own story, even if they are similar. I'd tell you more, but I kind of skipped a few cut-scenes to get right into the action. Overall though, it's really good and you can get attached to the characters.
Playtime & Replayability: 8/10
The only reason I gave this a low score is because I beat the game in three days. Now, before you go, "Oh whatever, you just played non-stop," read. I did play a lot, but I only played one or two hours at a time. Total, this game will take you about six hours or more. I'm not really sure as I don't pay too much attention because I'm having too much fun! You will, however, spend time replaying the game on different difficulties and getting various achievements you may have missed.
Achievements: 9/10
The achievements in this game are good and not too hard, but give you a challenge. You'll earn about 10 or so with just one play through campaign mode. Even more if you do it on the hardest difficulty. You'll get achievements for completing missions, saving people, etc..
Rent or Buy?
You should definitely buy this game. Sure the story mode is a bit short, but there is also online and offline multiplayer. The achievements should also keep you busy. Trust me, even if you only want to rent it, you will be blown away with the gameplay and graphics and end up buying it anyway. So, save yourself the eight extra bucks and buy it, even if you get it used.