Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

It looks ace, but is Modern Warfare all that modern?

	Version Xbox 360, PS3, PC	Developer Infinity Ward	Publisher Activision	Genre FPS

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As the game progresses, players really need to be on their toes, watching out for grenades hurled (or tossed back) by the industry-unrivalled enemy AI (which is intelligent even after it's been shot), and there is often genuinely more than one way to go about things - something that feels rewarding if you choose to do a task in a different way than has been advised over com.

One of my biggest moans about Treyarch-developed COD3 was the false atmosphere - sound effects on loop, footsteps coming from what could only be ghosts (of the spooky kind). COD4 is a different story - the atmosphere is excellent and the sound effects are impressive. The soundtrack is also a high point, competing with any major TV drama and adding a lot of tension to the proceedings, while voice acting from both Brits and Yanks is convincing and occasionally amusing. Dramatic lighting and weather effects also pile on the atmosphere.

There's a nice selection of weapons, though I found myself sticking to my favourite two or three. Laser sighted weapons that let you focus in on enemies cater to both medium and long range situations, and seemed to take care of battles for most of the game for me. There are some quirky, large weapons used in special situations too, while the ability to plant explosives and call in air support adds an extra layer of depth. COD4's 'melee' attack - in this case, a very quick slash of the knife, is the usual satisfying and highly effective way to go at close range, something missing in Half-Life 2. However, I never felt the pulse-racing nerves of some of the 'boss' sequences in games like Half-Life 2 or Halo 3. But the action is always fun and involving.

COD4's multiplayer mode is a selling point in light of the short campaign mode. The exemplary depth of the online experience makes perfect use of interesting maps based on areas from the main game, a comprehensive lobby system, smooth online code that just works perfectly, the ability to change classes in the middle of a match, and returning features such as the Killcam (in the few seconds as you wait to respawn after being killed, the Killcam shows you how you were shot from the eyes of your killer - something that instantly takes away any feeling of unfair kills, and means you're never sitting twiddling your thumbs waiting to respawn). It also helps having a decent map so you know the general direction your next victim is coming from.

The series' emphasis on targeting by pulling the L trigger encourages precision and risk, while the ability to switch between standing, crouching, going completely on the ground or sprinting forwards, makes you feel totally in control of what's going on. Control, in general, is a glorious high point for COD4, and feels tighter and more fluid than any other console FPS I've played (or is it just that you can see what you're actually controlling so much better at 60fps?). You've got every conceivable multiplayer option you could want for a FPS and quite a lot you maybe didn't know you wanted besides. It's pretty much perfect, but I don't know if you can truly say it's as much fun as Halo multiplayer, but only because of the endlessly entertaining quirks in Halo's maps. On the other side of the coin, COD4 somehow feels like a slightly more fair and balanced multiplayer game.

While COD4's singleplayer mode is significantly shorter than Halo 3's, and its story less dramatic or relevant, I found it slightly more fun on grounds of its exceptionally well-balanced, well-paced, varied gameplay and missions. On the multiplayer side, it's surely a close call. If you were in a position where you had to decide between Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4 this Christmas, I would say one of two things. Ignore both and get The Orange Box if you've not experienced the delights of Half-Life 2 and you want to fall in love with a game like never before. Otherwise, since these are both exceptionally high quality games, it depends on what sort of theme and setting pushes your buttons - epic sci-fi or gritty modern-day realism.

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