It's Modern Warfare, with some bling.
The multiplayer, while keeping the same addictive format it had in the original MW (a game I played for two solid years), has made major upgrades in terms of how much stuff you can unlock and how diverse your weapons and perks combinations can be. The levels are unique and give you many different scenes to battle through. I would actually like to see more of the hardcore gameplay, such as search and destroy and headquarters. Still, the game didn't need to change much in this area because, let's face it, this is what made the series so popular in the first place.
The brilliance of the game lies in the Special Ops missions. Infinity Ward found a way to combine co-op with campaign without making you play the campaign with a buddy. The Special Ops missions seem much like the bonus mission on MW called "Mile High Club", which was the ultimate test on veteran (as many of us wasted hours trying to beat the mission). I think adding this third portion of gameplay is a super move, and even though I haven't been able to dive into many of the missions, I look forward to having something else keep my attention after the campaign is over.
In short, the game is not revolutionary like MW1 because we've seen the foundation before. I gave MW1 a 10 because there was simply nothing like it. Having said that, this game is a heck of a lot of fun, and a fitting sequel to the original. You will not be disappointed by getting the game, and with Special Ops, you may even find this game to be a better value. If COD isn't your thing, you may not like it, but it still may be worth giving a try. Thumbs up!