MW2 completely intensifies with it's blazingly amazing improvements while simutaneously being a let down on some aspects
So it's two years, perhaps the most hyped and advertised game comes released. But does it live up to the expectations that we desired? There will be many surprises to be found in MW2, but they simply aren't gone in depth to shine in front of other games on the market. While the gameplay does spice up completely with my intense and fast paced shooting, you will continue find a few flaws that has been persisting on the entire series
Singleplayer
MW2 goes off right where MW1 ended. While this time Infinity Ward attempts to spice up your morality choices on options, a homefront war (for American Players) to defend America will definetely spike up a slight patriotism feeling, undercover missions that will make you question morality of terrorists, infiltration missions to strike behind enemy lines with extremely intense firepower and hi-tech support. These all serve as a basis of MW2's gameplay, you'll notice a surprisingly increase in stealth missions along with other mini games such as snowmobile riding, helicoptor support and even using anti-material sniper rifles and Anti Ground Missiles using Drones. These are all fanastic variations in the gameplay.
What's more,you'll explore extremely different environments throughout the entire campaign. A burntdown city of Washington filled with wreckage, the sub-urban living areas of America, the snow cliffs of Russia, the mysteriously ancient Prison, the Fravelas of the South American suburbs. Adding from all the other things I have just listed, there simply is almost no repetitiveness in gameplay, for you'll explore and play new gadgets and getting used to a different kind of warfare within each mission.
Unfortunately, your little around the globe tour ends pretty past. I'm an average gamer and I had finished the campaign in 4 hours and 26 minutes on Hardened Difficulty. It is a surprisingly short though satisfying game. When everything ends (You'll know when it ends, due to the cheesiness of the plot) the first thing you would yell is "Aw that's it?"
The short campaign also makes an extremely muddled plot. You will cleary see Infinity Ward does want to explore the darker themes of war with the constant quote "Victors write history". Unfortunately the story tries to work on a parallel plot of taking down a terrorist organization while simutaneously fighting the Russians in an epic invasion. Neither plot propgresses much and nothing much makes sense due to the rapid jump to another side of the world to fulfill another objective. The ending especially doesn't make sense and feels completely exaggerated into a Die Hard Movie style montage. Last but not least, though with the exposure on media with the Russian Airport Massacre, ironically this potentially dark plot completely fails. It would have been fantasticly intriging if you could have done more undercover work and being forced to make decisions such as "Kill the terorist head or play along and mass murder?"(Double Agent references)
Though with it's completely short-lived and a failed plot, MW2's singleplayer is a fantastic roller coaster ride with all sorts of assortments that you can enjoy throughout the entire game. Let's hope MW3 does bring a better conclusion and completely the missing gaps.
Multiplayer
MW2's multiplayer is perhaps a quite letdown with some issues though with some fantastic improvements. WIth such a large arsenal expansion this time (Throwing knives, shields, anyone?), you will find plenty of fantastic action. Though the core gameplay revolves around pretty much the same with MW1, you'll enjoy the expansion of customization (Class and clan customization for example) with more weapons, different scopes and better elevated maps. That's right, there's like over 7 different scopes in the game each with it's different functions. Also there is an extremely wide arsenal that will require you forever to finish mastering all of them. Submachineguns, Assault Rifles, sniper rifles, automatic pistols, dual weapons, shotguns etc....they all come in different models (If I estimate, there's around 30-40 weapons in the game) and different statistics that will definetely intrige you to find out more (By playing more, of course).
Unfortunately the PC version does suffer slightly. Since there are no dedicated servers you might find it an annoyance to be dumped to a team of randoms that might be too skilled or too lowly-skilled for you. MW2's MP relies heavily on the Steam's VAC anti cheat system, which completely rips off any admin options that you want to adjust (Such as kicking). What's more the Multiplayer's maximum player count is 18, making a rather small scale combat compared to the 360's and PS3's 64 player max limit.
Though with all this limitations, MW2 is a fantastic game that evolutes the shooter gameplay and raises the bar of First Person Shooters. Though with it's so much flaws lefting to be desired, there is no reason why you shouldn't buy this game for it's fantastic experience will instsantly make you forget them all.
So what are you waiting for? Buy the damn game and get shooting.