Shazam!
09-16-2009, 09:37 AM
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Hands-on
Infinity Ward pulls back the curtain on multiplayer. New perks. New weapons. New Modern Warfare.
by Mark Bozon
September 16, 2009 - I'm sitting here at the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 event, just feet from 24 systems linked together via a specifically-created closed beta, and debating the finer points of getting fired (but playing more right now), and giving you all news on the game. I went with giving you all news, since Modern Warfare will be waiting for me after I'm done.
http://media.ign.com/games/image/object/142/14281102/Modern-Warfare-2_standard_X360_RATEDboxart_160w.jpg
Since I'm updating this hands-on live from the COD event in LA, I'll be breaking my impressions up in multiple parts. Enjoy.
Multiplayer Hands-on: Part 1 First Impressions
As a self admitted Call of Duty junkie I'm going to classes, and I'm using the steps I was eager to jump in and give the new multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 a serious run through the paces. Not a hands-on "dabble" with the game; a real runthrough. Thus far I've had a chance to play three matches, each of which were different, and experimented with three different class sets. The beta we're currently on is totally locked out at the beginning, starting with each player at level one, and resetting every time a 20 minute interval is up. Needless to say, that limits the amount of guns I've had a chance to use, but it also keeps the playing field even.
The first major note I can make on the game is that, as expected, it's pretty unchanged in the gameplay department from the previous Modern Warfare. IW knew it had a hit on its hands in the first game, and as such Modern Warfare 2 feels like a true Modern Warfare experience. The team sizes are set at nine on nine, the levels are a mix of indoors, outdoors, and varied height, and yeah, there are still sections of the game when you're totally confused as to why you died. It happens.
As for what's truly different, I'll start with a few basics I noticed. Bringing up things like the UAV mid-battle (and mid-sprint) seems to be more dependant on the gun this time around to determine speed, and the game is hugely reliant on perks and create-a-class options. Semtex, a replacement for grenades, can actually stick to people, walls, doors, ceilings whatever. I tried to toss one at a shield, but didn't live long enough to see the result, sadly. They rock though. It's a great way to pop someone hiding in obvious cover, and it has a shorter fuse than a regular frag grenade. The actual weapon loadouts are also a bit different as well, with a primary and secondary gun available in every create-a-class. Rather than being stuck to just pistols, players can add a shotgun, machine pistol, or regular pistol in its place, as well as rocket launchers. Apparently someone else had the same feeling I did about shotguns they're nice, but I'd never use one over a rifle or SMG and decided to shoehorn it in with the regular set.
As for weapons, I've gone hands-on with quite a few thus far. The RPD is back and virtually unchanged, the M4 is also entirely true to the original feel, FAMAS is basically a bigger brother to the M16 (with three shot bursts),and the .44 Magnum is like a more ADS-friendly version of the Deagle, and it kicks a whole lot of ass. I've cleared rooms with a .44, and not bothered to switch back to my main gun. It's sick.
Other guns on the field include the RPD-like L-86 (it has crazy hop, but very strong. I'd place it between the M-60 and RPD from Modern Warfare), the AA-12 auto-shotgun, which I sadly haven't tried yet, the reliable MP5K (which looks to be a replacement for the original, at least for the earlier level players), and the "yang" to the K's "ying," with the UMP45. It's stronger than the MP5K, but it also scatters a bit more at a distance. As a quick note though, both MP5 and UMP feel far more reliable than the Skorpion or Mini-Uzi ever did, and the iron sights are a bit more manageable as well (think original MP5).
Another major change is the killstreak system, which is a huge addition in both a good way, and possibly a bit of a negative one; we'll see how balance holds out once we play more prolonged matches. Players can customize their kills at the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11 increments, and while not all of them are open right away starting Private class only has 3 and 4 it provides some serious incentive to keep leveling. These include everything from supply drops to predator missiles, helicopters, UAV, AC-130, anti-UAV, and air strike. As for a few details on those, the predator missile is a cam-controlled drop where you can actually steer the missile and have the R-trigger to accelerate its fall. Supply drops are interesting as well, having players throw down smoke that actually brings in a helicopter drop. Anyone on the field can use it though, so it's a race to get to the box. It can contain any of your killstreak options currently set (basically a roulette) and can seriously turn the tide of a battle. With that being said, it's also another area where the more hardcore gamers might be a bit concerned, as a lucky roll could mean a guy that tags four or five people could essentially unlock the AC-130 or other ass-kicking streak rewards. Of course the chance is equally good that you'll kill everyone around and steal the upgrade for yourself, so it should all balance out in the end.
As for the levels, we've had a chance to try three different areas out, including Highrise (the level with the helicopter that's stationary on top of a skyscraper), Afghan, which is set in a brown mountainous area next to an airplane crash site, and the Rio level shown in the first multiplayer footage IW released a few days back.
Afghan allows for some great sniping and has a nice network of indoor cave areas (as well as a shanty town), Highrise is a classic "side vs. side" setup with plenty of glass to shoot out and exploding barrels as well as an underground network and the Rio level is pure vertical insanity, including a water tower, shanty town sniping posts, dozens of houses, and slanted streets. As a quick observation on level design, things are far more varied in this game as opposed to COD4. There's more height, there are more cover areas, and elevation change from section to section can be drastic. Afghan has not only a great sniper perch, but also a few areas where you're jumping from mountain ledge to mountain ledge. Pretty intense.
Infinity Ward pulls back the curtain on multiplayer. New perks. New weapons. New Modern Warfare.
by Mark Bozon
September 16, 2009 - I'm sitting here at the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 event, just feet from 24 systems linked together via a specifically-created closed beta, and debating the finer points of getting fired (but playing more right now), and giving you all news on the game. I went with giving you all news, since Modern Warfare will be waiting for me after I'm done.
http://media.ign.com/games/image/object/142/14281102/Modern-Warfare-2_standard_X360_RATEDboxart_160w.jpg
Since I'm updating this hands-on live from the COD event in LA, I'll be breaking my impressions up in multiple parts. Enjoy.
Multiplayer Hands-on: Part 1 First Impressions
As a self admitted Call of Duty junkie I'm going to classes, and I'm using the steps I was eager to jump in and give the new multiplayer in Modern Warfare 2 a serious run through the paces. Not a hands-on "dabble" with the game; a real runthrough. Thus far I've had a chance to play three matches, each of which were different, and experimented with three different class sets. The beta we're currently on is totally locked out at the beginning, starting with each player at level one, and resetting every time a 20 minute interval is up. Needless to say, that limits the amount of guns I've had a chance to use, but it also keeps the playing field even.
The first major note I can make on the game is that, as expected, it's pretty unchanged in the gameplay department from the previous Modern Warfare. IW knew it had a hit on its hands in the first game, and as such Modern Warfare 2 feels like a true Modern Warfare experience. The team sizes are set at nine on nine, the levels are a mix of indoors, outdoors, and varied height, and yeah, there are still sections of the game when you're totally confused as to why you died. It happens.
As for what's truly different, I'll start with a few basics I noticed. Bringing up things like the UAV mid-battle (and mid-sprint) seems to be more dependant on the gun this time around to determine speed, and the game is hugely reliant on perks and create-a-class options. Semtex, a replacement for grenades, can actually stick to people, walls, doors, ceilings whatever. I tried to toss one at a shield, but didn't live long enough to see the result, sadly. They rock though. It's a great way to pop someone hiding in obvious cover, and it has a shorter fuse than a regular frag grenade. The actual weapon loadouts are also a bit different as well, with a primary and secondary gun available in every create-a-class. Rather than being stuck to just pistols, players can add a shotgun, machine pistol, or regular pistol in its place, as well as rocket launchers. Apparently someone else had the same feeling I did about shotguns they're nice, but I'd never use one over a rifle or SMG and decided to shoehorn it in with the regular set.
As for weapons, I've gone hands-on with quite a few thus far. The RPD is back and virtually unchanged, the M4 is also entirely true to the original feel, FAMAS is basically a bigger brother to the M16 (with three shot bursts),and the .44 Magnum is like a more ADS-friendly version of the Deagle, and it kicks a whole lot of ass. I've cleared rooms with a .44, and not bothered to switch back to my main gun. It's sick.
Other guns on the field include the RPD-like L-86 (it has crazy hop, but very strong. I'd place it between the M-60 and RPD from Modern Warfare), the AA-12 auto-shotgun, which I sadly haven't tried yet, the reliable MP5K (which looks to be a replacement for the original, at least for the earlier level players), and the "yang" to the K's "ying," with the UMP45. It's stronger than the MP5K, but it also scatters a bit more at a distance. As a quick note though, both MP5 and UMP feel far more reliable than the Skorpion or Mini-Uzi ever did, and the iron sights are a bit more manageable as well (think original MP5).
Another major change is the killstreak system, which is a huge addition in both a good way, and possibly a bit of a negative one; we'll see how balance holds out once we play more prolonged matches. Players can customize their kills at the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11 increments, and while not all of them are open right away starting Private class only has 3 and 4 it provides some serious incentive to keep leveling. These include everything from supply drops to predator missiles, helicopters, UAV, AC-130, anti-UAV, and air strike. As for a few details on those, the predator missile is a cam-controlled drop where you can actually steer the missile and have the R-trigger to accelerate its fall. Supply drops are interesting as well, having players throw down smoke that actually brings in a helicopter drop. Anyone on the field can use it though, so it's a race to get to the box. It can contain any of your killstreak options currently set (basically a roulette) and can seriously turn the tide of a battle. With that being said, it's also another area where the more hardcore gamers might be a bit concerned, as a lucky roll could mean a guy that tags four or five people could essentially unlock the AC-130 or other ass-kicking streak rewards. Of course the chance is equally good that you'll kill everyone around and steal the upgrade for yourself, so it should all balance out in the end.
As for the levels, we've had a chance to try three different areas out, including Highrise (the level with the helicopter that's stationary on top of a skyscraper), Afghan, which is set in a brown mountainous area next to an airplane crash site, and the Rio level shown in the first multiplayer footage IW released a few days back.
Afghan allows for some great sniping and has a nice network of indoor cave areas (as well as a shanty town), Highrise is a classic "side vs. side" setup with plenty of glass to shoot out and exploding barrels as well as an underground network and the Rio level is pure vertical insanity, including a water tower, shanty town sniping posts, dozens of houses, and slanted streets. As a quick observation on level design, things are far more varied in this game as opposed to COD4. There's more height, there are more cover areas, and elevation change from section to section can be drastic. Afghan has not only a great sniper perch, but also a few areas where you're jumping from mountain ledge to mountain ledge. Pretty intense.