Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Telegraph

Modern Warfare 2 crosses into the must-have category of video games effortlessly. It offers an unmatched shooter experience, a compelling story mode, a slick package of mini missions and a multiplayer which is pretty much unparalleled in depth.

Cynamite

Modern Warfare 2 offers epic gameplay, a stunning Spec-Ops mode and a huge amount of adrenaline.

Games Radar (in-house)

Anyone who already has issues with the single-player ‘style’ of IW’s games will still find fault with the scripted, linear experience, but in terms of sheer drama and show-stopping set-pieces accompanied by laser sharp FPS controls, Modern Warfare 2 is your daddy. And that’s without Spec Ops and Multiplayer.

Giant Bomb

You're always unlocking something and messing around with your created classes to find just the right balance of tactics and murderousness. That balance is the true core of Modern Warfare 2's online play. It's an exhilarating mix that forces tension by rewarding you for taking it slowly.

GamePro

As much as I liked the single-player, even I have to admit that the multiplayer is where the real action is, and its new additions should (hopefully) help counterbalance some (but probably not all) of the dissension that will arise from the n00b friendly changes I noted.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

This is a textbook example to other developers of the love, care, attention, polish and guile needed when crafting a sequel. An essential purchase for all FPS fans. [Ryan King]

1UP

Mixing real-world locations with bombastic set-pieces MW2 continues the guided, thrill-ride experiences of its predecessor, and adds even more depth to its multiplayer offerings. It might not have fixed all the problems from the first game, but there's just so much quality content packed into this game that it will almost certainly be one of the most-played games in your library for a long time to come.

GameSpy

The fact that I didn't even get into the stunning visuals and amazing sound design speaks volumes about the sheer amount of content in the game, and I could probably write another 800 words simply about the ridiculous attention to detail on display in each level.

Gamer.nl

The singleplayer knows no competition and the multiplayer and brilliant Special Ops-mode make Modern Warfare 2 a phenomenal package. There are truly some scenes in the game that can affect the way you think and feel. After five games, the series seems to have found its high mark. One of the best shooters ever.

Eurogamer Spain

Buy it, play it and enjoy it. Few games offer this much: a great (albeit short) campaign, incredible multiplayer modes and the Special Ops mode, which could be sold as a standalone game.

VideoGamer

It's hard to see the majority of people wanting to play any other multiplayer shooter until the next CoD is released, such is the quality of what's on offer here...Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 takes everything that was great about CoD4 and ramps it up to the next level. With the best multiplayer shooting that money can buy, an incredibly action-packed campaign and plenty of superb two-player co-op levels, this is without a doubt a real contender for game of the year.

GameShark

Modern Warfare 2 has stepped up its game and it has been well worth the wait.

DarkStation

What impresses me so much about this game is not only that it has a tremendous amount of hype surrounding it which it does, but that it delivers even through all of that.

AceGamez

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the defining first person shooter of the current generation and it’s hard to imagine that anyone will better it anytime soon.

Game Chronicles

Infinity Ward delivers the "greatest hits" of action movies with references to Cliffhanger, Red Dawn, The Rock, and even Spies Like Us. You’re fighting in the arctic one minute and crossing the desert the next, or you might be performing a rescue operation on a terrorist-controlled offshore oil platform or infiltrating a Russian submarine base.

Planet Xbox 360

Graphically Modern Warfare 2 sets a bar so high that the game that our industry will look to it as a blueprint of what can be done on next-gen systems. The developers found a perfect balance between realistic and entertainment (just wait until you play-through the airport level) that there were points during our review period that we actually forgot we weren’t watching a HD movie.

Game Informer

Modern Warfare 2 is a masterpiece of careful iteration, with an unmatched presentation and a well of content that will take months to run dry.

Cheat Code Central

With a great six to eight hour single-player campaign, the fun Special Ops mode meant to be enjoyed with a friend, and its endlessly replayable multiplayer experience, MW2 has a ton of content and reasons to keep coming back to it.

XboxAddict

Modern Warfare 2 is sensational, and sets a very high bar in the Call of Duty series. Well done guys!

Vandal Online

It was expected to be one of this year greatest gamers, and yes, it is.

TeamXbox

I was impressed by its presentation, visuals and the wealth of gameplay it offers. I even enjoyed its story—though it’s admittedly fluffy, convoluted and campy in spots, it’s like a interactive war movie on TV that takes liberties with realism for the sake of being entertaining to watch (such as having an amazingly large number of helicopters crash to the ground over the course of the game).

MondoXbox

Modern Warfare 2 was super-hyped, but Infinity Ward didn't disappoint: this is undoubtedly the most spectacular FPS around, made with extraordinary care and attention to details. If you're looking for an astonishing single player experience or a deep and enduring multiplayer, this is the game to buy.

Gaming Target

Infinity Ward hits another one out of the park with Modern Warfare 2.

Xbox360Achievements

Modern Warfare 2 shatters the old standard of excellence and has raised the bar for what it means to be an epic shooter. With a mind-shattering campaign, superb co-op play, and the deepest multiplayer experience on Live, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the greatest shooters in gaming history, and a must-own for fans of the genre.

Console Monster

Multiplayer is fast, frantic and as exciting as ever.

Official Xbox Magazine

Modern Warfare 2 is easily one of the year’s best games. Because it’s more iterative than innovative, though, it’s not quite as perfect as we’d expected, but it is a terrifically fun, nerve-wrackingly intense spectacle that you’d be crazy to miss.

Da Gameboyz

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is simply a terrific game and a solid addition to the Call of Duty franchise.

Kombo

The addition of the masterful Spec-Ops modes goes a long way to making up for the uneven campaign though, and the competitive multiplayer is as addictive as expected.

Games Master UK

The best Call of Duty yet - and possibly, the best shooter, too. Get enlisted. [Winter 2009, p.62]

Destructoid

If the campaign's story was shaped better and made more sensible, and if the online Perks were just a tiny bit more balanced, this would be a near-perfect game, no shadow of a doubt. As it stands, however, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is an utterly stellar achievement that knows exactly what its audience wants, and delivers in abundance. Truly, this is the biggest game of 2009.

GamerNode

Modern Warfare 2's emotional and intense single-player game is a thrilling rollercoaster ride of exciting moments, while the multiplayer is truly a definitive experience for online FPS players everywhere. This game lives up to the hype.

MS Xbox World

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a must have game and one that should stay in your collection...period.

WonderwallWeb

Modern Warfare 2 raises the bar for online gaming making this a must have for this area alone.

NZGamer

The game constantly adds something new to the mix without straying too far from the traditional first-person shooter formula and is sure to be worth the wait for fans everywhere.

Game Over Online

There was a lot of hype leading up to the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and for the most part the sequel lives up to it’s billing.

GamingTrend

Perhaps the greatest feat that Infinity Ward has performed is not only living up to the hype of Modern Warfare 2, but actually exceeding it.

Totally360

The campaign, while short, is epic and a lot more intense then the original Modern Warfare. The enemy A.I. is a lot smarter and will make you rethink your tactics from time to time.

ZTGameDomain

Deliver[s] an intense and satisfying gaming experience.

InsideGamer.nl

With the music of Hans Zimmer and the cinematic scenes, you're sucked into the game and spit out after you’re done. The single player is rather short. It will take you about six hours to beat the game, but you get an intense and memorable ride the entire time. The game seems to be a little scripted, but it isn’t annoying for everyone. The multiplayer isn’t annoying at all. You can play for hundreds of hours without being bored. The Spec Ops mode extends that with fun for two. If you ever played a shooter and liked it, buy this game!

Gamervision

The story is compelling, the multiplayer is addictive, and Special Ops mode comes out of the gate swinging, prepared to shock gamers with a feature most likely didn’t know existed. The package, on the whole, is spectacular, there’s no two ways about it.

Play Magazine

But value and longevity be damned, it’s the emotional impact Modern Warfare 2 brings to the table that in the end deserves the highest of praise.

Play.tm

The cinematic appeal of the singleplayer action makes it infectious and hugely memorable in a way few if any other games can manage. That this is bundled with the best multiplayer experience of any game really leaves us in little doubt that this is the complete package.

GameTrailers

The air of unpredictability and the care that was paid to each separate element puts it in lofty company. The multiplayer hasn't received an overhaul, but considering most shooters are still playing catch-up with Call of Duty 4, the tweaks and twists make it the best multiplayer shooting experience in the industry. Few games manage to meet such high expectations.

Gameplanet

Everything a great sequel should be, and fans of the series will love the additions Infinity Ward have included this time around. Easily one of the best games this year, and a contender for the best shooter currently available for next-gen consoles.

IGN

For those planning to check out everything Modern Warefare 2 has to offer – online competition, full co-op Spec Ops mode, as well as the campaign – you’re looking at a no-brainer purchase. For the strictly single player crowd, however, Modern Warfare 2 is surprisingly short, and doesn’t live up to the standard set by previous Call of Duty games.

BigPond GameArena

When it comes to games which offer single and multiplayer, you'd have to be a harsh judge to claim a better first person shooter on console has been released this year, if ever. Modern Warfare 2 is closer to fulfilling the promises made by Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 than any game out there beyond Uncharted 2.

Meristation

The War on Terror never rests. The same goes for Infinity Ward, who raises the bar again with Modern Warfare 2. Its new campaign keeps delivering a cinematic, inmersive, and visually spectacular experience, while polishing AI and respawn issues, and offering a minimum of 8 hours of gameplay. Without a multiplayer rival, where it's as powerful as a Tactical Nuke, including a first approach to coop, and archiving excellence in every aspect, this last Call of Duty proves itself as a very solid candidate to become the game of the year.

3DJuegos

The surprise factor of the first Modern Warfare is missing, although it doesn’t affect this awesome sequel which is even better than the former. This new Call of Duty iteration exceeds every expectation and earns a place among the best shooters of this year.

Computer and Video Games

Loud, epic and incredibly polished, MW2 is this year's biggest must-have shooter.

IGN AU

Absolutely one of the most rounded gaming packages of 2009. The single player campaign – while not long – is well-paced, with plenty of variety in settings and gameplay, and will definitely be a steep challenge on the harder difficulty levels. The multiplayer component is fully featured, with an expansive set of modes and maps, and it’s great to see persistent stats returning. Rounding it out is Spec Ops, which is very much the icing on the cake.

IGN UK

This game has so many standout moments of such immersive power, there really is no other experience out there to touch Modern Warfare 2’s controlled and entertaining pandemonium. Infinty Ward has skill, panache and big, hanging balls that clang as loud as Big Ben, so much so a the bar has been raised with Modern Warfare 2.

Digital Chumps

The previous installment was great, but this installment of Call of Duty puts the previous to respectful shame. Packed with the best visuals you've seen on the 360 and fantastic gameplay, you'll have a resonating experience like no other.

AtomicGamer

While I generally don’t often gravitate towards ultra-realistic military shooters, Modern Warfare 2 is easily one of my top games of the year.

Talk Xbox

If the first Modern Warfare wasn’t your cup of tea, then it’s unlikely the numerous additions and small tweaks will do anything for you here. Yet for anyone else who’s a fan of console first person shooters with plenty of replay value, this is a game that’s definitely worth signing up for.

HellBored

This is a leader in the genre and a must own for anyone who enjoys online combat, and although a longer solo campaign would always be welcome, you can’t accuse what does exist of being underwhelming.

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Doesn't change the record but pumps up the volume. The last essential FPS of the decade. [Jan 2010, p.64]

GamesNation

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a masterpiece in terms of FPS gameplay and graphics. The different locations and the variety of situation you’ll encounter are often jaw-dropping. But it is also a controversial game for some extreme situations the player might encounter along the road.

GameZone

Compelling and intense.

SpazioGames

Modern Warfare 2 carries the good tradition of its predecessor. The campaign is nonetheless too short, and it feels too inspired to the previous one; on the other side, the multiplayer carries a lot of improvements, and Spec Ops is a well crafted coop mode. If you consider buying for online fun, this is the game that will steal your life for the months to come. If you're up to an unforgettable single player experience you might consider other more lengthy and original titles.

Gamer 2.0

While at times the action can make you whiz by the environments, slowing down will allow you to take in the beauty of the environments. There isn’t quite the real-life detail as seen in the last game with Chernobyl, but Modern Warfare 2 has its own great detailing. And best of all, you won’t have any hiccups or lag.

Strategy Informer

MW2 is spectacular in all the right areas; building and refining on the most solid of bases. And although its political heart might not be in the ‘right’ place, at the very least it might make a few people think rather than skim through on muscle memory and twitch reactions. That’s a rarity in itself, and something to be respected in an age of apathy.

GamingExcellence

It looks better, it plays better, the story is more intense and the multiplayer is more inviting. And with the inclusion of SpecOps, the longevity of this game is sure to have increased as well.

Worth Playing

Given the care and attention lavished upon the competitive and cooperative multiplayer in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, it's clear that Infinity Ward sees the future of the Modern Warfare series in that particular component. What that means is you'll end up with a game that doesn't show much in the single-player experience, but once you take it online, it's going to be difficult to put down.

GamingXP

Modern Warfare has no need to fear the comparison with a Hollywood blockbuster. You wouldn't find a game that keeps so in touch and never let’s you go. You just have to go on like you were pulled by a rope.

Gaming Age

It's well worth picking up, and even if you missed out on the original, there's no reason you couldn't pick this one up and enjoy it just as much as the rest of the fans, making it one of the more accessible "hardcore" FPS experiences out there.

Game Revolution

Multiplayer is what it's all about, and here it's is head and shoulders (and torso and waist and legs and feet) above its nearest competition in terms of accessibility, balancing, strategic depth, technical prowess, and all around fun - so much so that it makes the campaign mode look like an tiny, ugly mole hidden away in some bodily crevice.

Gamers.at

At first, it may seem as MW2 is not able to surpass or even match its predecessor, but thanks to a mindblowing second half of the singleplayer-part and a solid multiplayer, it’s nevertheless an amazing experience and a definite "must-have" for every shooter fan.

Total Video Games

Modern Warfare 2 ticks all of the right boxes: varied gameplay, immersive story, engaging gunplay, superb multiplayer, and the list goes on... If we're being really nitpicky, then we might suggest that there aren't many innovative features in the game. However, MW2's Spec Ops mode is fresh enough to ensure that the overall package isn't a stale one, while the long-term appeal of adversarial multiplayer will stretch out until the next Infinity Ward release with ease.

GameSpot

Modern Warfare 2 nails the three pillars of play--campaign, cooperative, and multiplayer--to earn its place in the pantheon of modern shooters.

Gamer Limit

Modern Warfare 2 does indeed live up to the hype. If you've ever wanted to be in an action movie, this is probably the closest you will get.

Thunderbolt

The single player, albeit disappointing, is still an excellent thrill ride and precursor to the main pull: the multiplayer. CoD4 cemented its place as one of the best online shooters going and Modern Warfare 2 builds on it, adding a plethora of new features that constantly reward and amaze.

Extreme Gamer

Fans of the Call of Duty franchise won’t want to skip Modern Warfare 2 as it’s the most in-depth, involving Call of Duty release to date. Modern Warfare 2 is really three different gaming experiences rolled up into one package, and when you add up the value of each component, Modern Warfare 2 feels like a steal.

Level7.nu

They improve the ultimate multiplayer game by adding a lot of options to tune your online experience. The campaign is short and intensive and the Spec Ops mode is a lot of fun for you and a friend.

RealGamer

As you would expect from a Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 2 offers an intense and exhilarating single player experience with the only disappointment that it doesn’t last very long.

GameFocus

Though MW2 suffers from some of the same faults as its other ‘modern’ predecessor, its still a well made package that shows how although no game is perfect, a developer can still put out great work. If you like shooters at all, Modern Warfare 2 is the piece of work this year that you should be playing – like, right now.

Wired

The moments when Modern Warfare 2 isn’t good are few and far between. That’s about all you can ask from a hero.

Everyeye.it

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is must buy game. Infinity Ward, despite innovating the game, had listened to the players, taking the best features of the prequel and adding something new.

Teletext GameCentral

It's not the originality of the design, but the workmanship, that makes this one of the best FPS ever.

Eurogamer Italy

Modern Warfare 2 is the perfect example of a great sequel for a great game. This awesome first person shooter has a short but exciting story and one of the best multiplayer in the console market. The new mode, called Special Ops., is perfect to co-op with a friend for short and fantastic game sessions.

Edge Magazine

A dazzling package. A singleplayer campaign crammed with set-pieces that pull the player through at breakneck speed sits alongside Spec Ops, 23 co-op missions and a MW greatest hits package, before that superlative multiplayer, which really needs no introduction. With such attractions on offer, this is a shooter that demands playing, and playing again. It is still Call Of Duty, but its execution is skilful, mostly thoughtful, and it boasts the highest of production values.

GameDaily

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has more than enough guns, modes and "oh-my-god" moments to propel it to the very top of your must have list, with astounding visuals, crystal-clear (and at times, frightening) audio and enough plot twists to make you second guess everything, so gear up, hop onto your snowmobile and haul ass to the nearest store.

Kikizo

With another memorable single player mode to look back on, in addition to the excellent Special Ops mode and more multiplayer goodness to look forward to, Infinity Ward has once again come up with a cinematic masterpiece.

Eurogamer

Modern Warfare 2 balances the spectacle and silliness of its single-player campaign with a deep, enduring multiplayer core, carefully covering its bases for players of all persuasions. But there is no denying it seeks merely to build upon the successes of its forebear while doing very little to expand its scope or redefine them.

games(TM)

Modern Warfare 2 is 'just' a videogame, and a damn good one at that, in terms of sheer, heart-thumping spectacle it'll deliver in spades; just don't expect the Second Coming. [Christmas 2009, p.98]

X360 Magazine UK

A must-have game for more than than the multiplayer. [Issue#53, p.82]

NTSC-uk

Infinity Ward has made the wise choice of not padding the game out to satisfy angry internet comment posters but has instead provided a completely satisfying experience that sits beside the vast multiplayer components perfectly.

Gameplayer Sweden

Modern Warfare 2 is an intense ride from start to finish with varied environments and fast paced action in true Infinity Ward fashion. Though the single-player campaign may be only a few hours long the improved multiplayer and Special-Ops co-op missions will keep you busy for months.

Xbox World Australia

Modern Warfare 2 is undoubtedly the single biggest release this year; not only in gaming but in entertainment, period. It delivers in a lot of areas; it has a campaign marinated in grandeur (even if it is to short) and a deep, engaging multiplayer facet (even if it is littered with connectivity issues).

Multiplayer.it

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a great game, but not as great as we expected. The revamped multiplayer and new spec ops are worth the price, but the single player is too much similar to the first episode and it lacks the excellence of the story telling of Modern Warfare.

Impulsegamer

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is solid continuation of the original Modern Warfare.

XGN

Did you think you had seen it all in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare? Get ready then for this war! Don't think Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be a revolution, it's more like an evolution if you compare this to the first Modern Warfare game.

PALGN

Though not quite living up to its predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is undoubtedly one of the best games of the holiday season. With an epic single-player, challenging and entertaining Spec Ops mode and greatly improved multiplayer, Modern Warfare 2 is a call that should not go unanswered.

Armchair Empire

If you imagine a game where you have the starring role in a "realistic" Roger Moore/Timothy Dalton-era James Bond flick, with more emphasis on shooting things that move and less on scoring with sultry women, then you have a pretty solid idea of what Modern Warfare 2 is all about.

Gamer's Hell

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a powerful entry into the first-person genre and an example of how linear gameplay could be exciting.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

In spite of its good looks, Modern Warfare 2 has the slightest whiff of insecurity. It feels like the developers, under pressure to top the original Modern Warfare, engaged in a bit of hand-wringing this time around.

Gaming Nexus

Overall, I found Modern Warfare 2 to be fun but it's starting to lose the appeal it had for me after the fourth time around with Infinity Ward. The campaign is really short and the story's pretty weak. Also, there will be parts that offend people but at least you can skip the "one" mission. Multiplayer can be fun and addicting if you don't get frustrated easily.

GameCritics

The holiday season is noticeably bare, and Modern Warfare 2 stands tall, with its brilliant, value-packed missions, maps, and promised endless nights of thousand-yard stares and slack-jawed home entertainment

Boomtown

There are two issues that make the campaign less than perfect. First is the length. Given the price gouging Activision has embarked on with this release the centrepiece of the game is insultingly short. Played on normal you have one evening's play here for your 50 or so pounds...Secondly the pace of the game is very one note.

My Gamer

The single player stages are much too linear, the co-op missions are reused from the single player campaign, and the main multiplayer deathmatch style modes are very unbalanced, especially for new players. But like Uncharted 2, MW2 is like an insane action packed movie that you can participate in… too bad the game’s heavy use of scripted events make the player feel like they have do not have any control regarding the out come of the final experience.