I spent over 8 hours playing Multiplayer last night, figured I would post my review.
Kind of started of as a bad day. First time in my life (and last) I spent $60 on a PC game. Initially I wasn't going to buy it due to IW/Activision not enabling Dedicated servers for PC folks but then I just said F it.
Upon installation I noticed Steam kicked in. You will need Steam AND internet connection to install this game. Once installed first thing I noticed is minimal options. You have everything you need for controls etc but Video and Audio options are very minimal. For Audio all you have is "Audio device" and Volume. Can't turn down music etc. For Video you do have an advanced option which does come up with 12-15 different settings, but there was less settings then in COD:WAW. I didn't really care.
Graphics
I maxed out the graphics to see the full capability of the engine. First thing I noticed was that engine is not really much different from COD:WAW. SLIGHTLY improved AT MOST. I was little surprised by this, I thought this was going to be "state of art" game and IW/Activision worked hard to improve it. Some might say they are much better, I just don't see it. Everything seems very cartoonist. Take this how you want it but 4 year old Source engine looks better then this new engine (in my opinion). Perhaps there is few details that might look better...overall it's nothing to lose sleep over. I was expecting LOT more from this game as far as graphics go. Def not "cutting" edge and COD certainly didn't take it to another step with this game (which is kind of sad).
Physics
There is lot more stuff that you can destroy, however there is still no rag doll effect. it's cool that you can shoot a pipe and smoke comes out etc and blow up vehicles, but again nothing cutting edge here. Source/Crysis physics are still some of the best I've seen.
Game Feel
Game feels identical to CODWAW. Everything is almost the same. Shooting takes absolutely no skill, there is no recoil. On the first game I played I was in 1st (that should tell you a lot). Personally I like games that have some learning curve and skill to play. This game def lacks that. Very "Arcadish" feeling. Some might like it, personally that's a big con for me. Still skulls all around you when people die, same iron sights.....just typical COD look.
No more leaning to the sides!
I didn't like hearing "changing map" every 5 seconds....was really annoying, no clue why it was doing it (probably a bug).
Maps
Map sizes are similar to COD:WAW. Some are pretty small, and some are medium. Overall I must say I like most of the maps. Lay out is pretty good, but there doesn't' seem to be a good flow to things (kind of weird). In Any strategy based mode the objectives are not well thought out. This game continues to suffer with respawn just like CODWAW did. There is no "home spawn" it is just kind of random. Personally I don't like it since there is no "home flag/objective" so you find yourself running around randomly. I think that goes hand in hand with "lack of strategy". Just seems like IW/Activision created a map, threw some balls from the top....let them roll around and when they stopped it marked the flags/explosives etc.
16 player is the maximum. This is something I like. Sorry but these maps are just not big enough for 32 players. Even with 16 players it gets little overcrowded at times, so I don't mind a limit on that.
Game Modes
There is about 12 different game modes, however many are repetitive (Team deathmatch vs Hardcore Deathmatch) Why they would make a different "mode" for that I really don't understand. When people create private matches they have an option to select "Hard core". Domination is the same as WAW, 3 flags, cannot cap (still don't understand why). I really wish COD series can replicate CODUO/DOD and do 5 flags with cap. THAT'S what domination is about IMO. Demolition is basically S&D with respawns. S&D is little different, you pick up a bomb and have to explode one of the objectives (why you have to pick up bomb I don't know, but you end up following a person that has it). Another mode (forgot the name) is basically a combination of Team Deathmatch and domination. It switches every map, what makes this a new mode I have no clue, I guess since you can't create a server they give you an option to run both? Kind of weak if you ask me.
There are 2 "3rd person view" TD and another game mode. Really no clue why, I was never a fan of 3rd person view, but I guess its there if people like it.
Perks/Ranks/Deathstreaks etc
Since COD4 I was never a fan of Perks, I call these legal cheats. Unless there was a good ranking system that is based on SKILL rather then "# of hours someone puts in" I don't think it's fair for someone that plays all day to have an advantage over someone that plays casually. But it's pretty clear that IW/Activision did this to keep people coming back, without these.....game would get boring pretty quick IMO.
There are some new perks, I won't get into details but there is nothing ground breaking here.
There are 3 death streaks you can choose from the list of 10 or so. Why only 3, I'm not sure. If you ask me all the death streaks should be rewarded at certain point. Some of the rewards are WAY over the top. For example helicopter or plane are just too much, you have people looking at the entire map shooting enemies that are marked clearly with a red square. Total rampage and cool when you are doing the shooting, when receiving you will need 2-3 rocket launchers to shut it down.
Also 75% of the death streaks have to be unlocked. WHY?
Private Game/Joining Servers
I tried setting it up and there is usual COD settings but no one ever joined so I basically sat there for 10-15 min in the lobby waiting for people. I don't have any friends with this game yet, so maybe once I have 2-3 people in there it will be different.
Joining servers is weird and I really don't like it. Don't bother caring about your ranks (W/L) as you will join a server that's about to end round. This happened to me 3 times, joined, 20 sec later I lost.
Overall Impressions
I can't say I didn't enjoy playing multilayer last night. Plenty of fun and all. Unfortunately towards the end of the night I started to get bored with it and went back to playing other games (something I don't usually do on the night I purchase a game).
I will give this game 7/10 (shooting high here). Game is just too repetitive and has very little replay value (other then working for higher ranks/more perks etc). Unfortunately those things get old once you have them all... There is no learning curve and very little thinking involved.
I think I've said this before but since COD WAW, Call of Duty series has reached a Toyota status of the gaming world. Sure it sells great and all, unfortunately sales #s don't make something great (Toyota products are a perfect example of this). Call of Duty original and especially United offensive is by far the best/most complete game COD has ever given us.
Pardon me for lack of "positive" input. You know what they say.....you can do 1 million things right, but that one wrong stand out the most.
Please take it with a grain of salt. Keep in mind what I like and what you like are totally different things.
I'm holding off on Single player until my friend gets it so we can play Co Op mode. I will say that CODWAW single player was really great, so hoping Single player experience will be good (although some reviews say the opposite)
The only thing I would question is graphic comparison to CoD:W@W
CoD:W@W was made by treyarch
How does it compare to COD4 MW1? (Infinity Ward)
I'm not sure as I only played a demo of COD4 MW1.
I played COD WAW for few weeks when it came out and MW2 feels almost identical on almost all respects (game play/ feel/graphics). It doesn't feel like a new engine, more of "revised one".
They are better, but nothing "ground breaking" or step beyond whats already out there. Like I said in the review, plenty of games that are 3-4 years old that look better IMO.
One thing I do have to correct on that picture. Skilled players = people that put in the most hours.
That's why I'm not a fan of perks/ranks etc. If it was based on combination of K/D ratio and objective accomplishments, that makes sense. Total # of hours doesn't = skill.
And then of course, this game takes no skill/has no learning curve so its a irrelevant.
the IW forums are being hammered. the pc gamer crowd seems the most ticked off. but the xbox forum looked to have quite a few negative posts as well.
they've already sold something like 7 million copies, so they've raked in their fortunes on the first day. hopefully this is the last title they produce, they've really jumped the shark here if you ask me.
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The member formerly known as SuBX3r0 HEAT
Thanks for the review, kind of confirmed my worst fears with this title.
From the youtube video I saw linked in another forum, it doesnt appear the AntiCheat solution works either.
Whats a real shame is that on the IW forums there is a bunch of pirates bragging that the game is now being pirated. I HATE those theiving punks more than I hate slack developers, they give the slack developers the perfect excuse to not waste any time on PC games. And of course they are the lame little pieces of crud who have all the "No Dedicated Servers, No Purchase" crap in their sig. If they wanted to make a statement about slack developers they have failed miserably when they admit to stealing the game, what LOSERS. If I were king for a day the pieces of crap who write Malware would get it first, followed closely by the theiving pieces of garbage that steal, then of course I would have get to 95% of the politicians, but I digress.
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