The “Call of Duty” line of games has always been impressive, both visually and cinematically.

 

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” is no exception. The second in a series of present-day war games, MW2 once again strays away from the classic World War II theme that made the series so popular. Taking place in an array of locations, including Russia, South America and Washington, D.C., MW2’s Campaign mode includes a horrifyingly realistic plot line that combines “Red Dawn,” “Rambo” and “James Bond.”

 

The story is centered on an ultranationalist terrorist who attempts to incite a war between the United States and Russia. During one highly controversial part of the story, which has been deemed offensive and has earned a warning at the beginning of the game with the option to skip it, a soldier with the Army Rangers is chosen to go undercover on a terrorist attack in a Russian airport. As the character, your goal is to follow the lead of the terrorist leader, Vladimir Makarov, and shoot as many innocent bystanders as possible.

 

The amount of thought that went into this game is what makes it stand above all other games during the past decade. While there is an occasional “shoot first, ask questions later,” mentality behind the game, some of the levels are works of art and require “Mission Impossible” type precision and stealth.

 

Another new feature to the Modern Warfare series are the Predator missiles, which are launched remotely by the character. When launching a missile, you actually guide it, so you have the opportunity to take out a huge glob of bad guys or just the closest ones to you. During the submarine mission in particular, it’s an essential piece of the puzzle. Feel free to keep them coming.

 

The game also offers excellent special ops and multiplayer modes, with a tiered reward system for each. To truly beat the game in this version of Modern Warfare, you have to play all three styles of play. Even though I’m not a huge fan of first person shooters, this game is without a doubt a mind-blowing experience.

In conclusion, stay frosty.