Home Games Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4: MW

First-Person Shooter
Releases: 11.05.07
Activision
Infinity Ward
ESRB: Mature

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Excellent gameplay; too creepy for comfort.

by Sarah Schutz

There is no doubt that the Call of Duty series is some of the best gameplay on the market, and Call of Duty 4 is no exception. I’m not here to debate that. Technically, it’s near perfection and graphically, it’s perhaps the most photorealistic game out there. And it is that photorealism and exacting gameplay that makes me cringe. I can already hear some readers out there aghast . . . Here goes another girl on a rampage against war games. I assure you, however, that this rampage has nothing to do with my sex (except where the hell are the female soldiers in multiplayer???), but rather, with my conscience and my nausea threshold. I don’t mind shooting things in games. In fact, I love it. I find it allows me an aggression release I can’t get anywhere else. I do however, as hard as I try not to, resent shooting enemies that my peers are shooting at and being shot at in real life. This Modern Warfare thing hits a bit too close to reality and while I enjoy playing the game if I try really hard to forget a large chunk of society’s existence right now, it’s all too visceral and feel as if my game-playing thumbs must be cleansed once I am done.

In case you live under a rock, the Call of Duty series is a collection of war games up until recently focusing on World War 2. You play as characters from various countries fighting in the war. While the previous installments took place farther back in history, allowing for an honorable amount of time to lapse before releasing a video game, the latest Modern Warfare takes place in today’s world, which made my stomach flip a bit. The missions in COD4 mostly take place in the Middle East, or at least fighting Middle Eastern enemies. Fields of play in the campaign and multiplayer modes look eerily similar to those we see on the nightly news. When fighting you must avoid rapid gunfire, flying grenades and even nuclear bomb radiation in order to survive, and once you throw down your controller in the safety of your own home in front of your HDTV, you can’t help think about those fighting in reality’s Modern Warfare whose game really is over and it doesn’t seem like such a game anymore.

Personally, I’m somewhat disappointed that I feel the way about the game that I do, because I’d love to love it. The multiplayer offers a near-RPG leveling up system that makes the sometimes-tedious task of getting the knack of multiplayer more of a progression. Games are played on a point system rather that pure number of kills, which I find much more satisfying than the scoring in the likes of Halo 3. I still, however, would much rather spend my multiplayer time elsewhere simply because my stomach doesn’t take guilt well. After purchasing the game I had several friends over to do up some multiplayer (all Halo-loving guys mind you) and we all quickly elected to replace COD4 with the greener guilt-free pastures of alien-hating Halo.

In today’s gaming industry we have to fight tooth and nail to get games like GTA or Manhunt to be released without a fuss or major overhaul. At least when these games are released we know that the portrayed behavior is bad and that we are just being ridiculous in the safe haven of the virtual realm. If parents are stupid enough to buy their kids Manhunt, their children are most likely (or hopefully) taught that being a violent killer in real society will get you nowhere or if you smack bats on people’s heads and steal a car like in GTA you will be arrested and seen by most everyone as a criminal. In COD4 however, we blast our “enemies” apart and are taught that it is honorable. There is no pretend in this virtual world. With its photorealism that fits neatly next to CNN’s daily description of events throughout the world, reality and make-believe are smudged into one indistinguishable mess. I don’t so much feel dirty because I am playing a violent video game, but more that I am buying into what is essentially a warfare marketing scheme. If COD4 is so much damn fun, why don’t I sign up for the real thing? I realize many of the people I play against on multiplayer are the very soldiers over in Iraq right now, and for that I give them the utmost respect and hope the game provides a diversion. I just hope that all of us over here can be a bit more critical of the game and of what it represents, and whether the violence is nearly as harmless as some of the seemingly more violent games out on the shelves.

To end my rant I will say that if played critically and mindfully, one can enjoy the stunning beauty of the game and definitely buy it. I, on the other hand, would choose to shelf it simply because I believe gaming should be about imagining other worlds and stories, not replicating a painful part of our own. I will sit in the middle on this one and say rent it and decide for yourselves.

Satisfying gameplay; truly photorealistic graphics

Not self-aware; leaves you feeling nauseous

I agree...

The graphics are amazing and the levels are beautiful. If my enemies were Aliens or monsters I would feel better about blasting them. The sniping spots are really fun too.

#1 - Justine - 11/28/2007 - 10:28

I also agree. Well said...

#2 - Gloria - 11/28/2007 - 11:10

WAR!!!

Im surprised nobody has said anything about htis online. I've looks and there is no talk about how this game just hits too close to home.

#3 - nbslough - 11/28/2007 - 11:27

Hmmm

!!!!!!!!!!!!THAR BE SPOILERZ IN THIS HERE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I'm super late to the party on this one, but your review got me gassed up and I had to respond.

First of all; very well written. I see your point clearly, but I'd have to ask you, "What if that revulsion you are feeling is the point?"

I for one played through the game and did not get the feeling that CoD4 was GLORIFYING war. On the contrary, I think they did an exceptional job in showing how atrocious war can be. In particular:

*SPOILER WARNING*

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After the nuke has gone off and you have to drag your irradiated AMERICAN soldier around in a futile attempt at finding cover, until HE DIES!
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*END Spoiler*

It's a moment that is filled with more pathos than I've ever seen in gaming.

Now, having said that, I really have to conceded that a lot of gamers are too jaded/cynical/d-baggish, to understand the overarching message that "War is Bad." As stated in your review, some cats get their jollies off of the photo-realistic violence. But I think that is a problem with our society and our culture, not Infinity Ward.

So yeah, I think you're right to feel repulsion, but I also think that maybe that was the point.

#4 - Lecester - 06/25/2008 - 10:21

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