Formats: Xbox 360 (tested), PS3, PC
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Released: 11 November 2009
Score: 10/10
Buy this game (UK)
Buy this game (USA)

So here it is at last; the biggest game of 2009. The sequel to one of the most successful first person shooter (FPS) titles of all time. The most anticipated video game release of the year. The title which looks set to break international sales records in spite of the fact that its publisher has decided to charge £10 more than the standard price for a new release. The game that may yet reanimate the recently (and hopefully still) laid-to-rest debate on video game violence. The first video game of this year to receive its own premiere in Leicester Square. While it arrives creaking under the weight of its own hype, the press accolades and advertising campaign that herald its arrival make Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 sound like the entertainment revelation the whole world has been waiting for; it swaggers into retail outlets with all the confidence of a rock star taking the stage in front of its most committed fans. But can it possibly hope to live up to the ludicrous expectations heaped upon it

In a word, yes, and however irksome the submit-or-die nature of the publicity swirling around its release may be, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 really is one of the best video games released all year. Naysayers may point out at this stage that 2009 hasn't exactly been a banner year for the gaming industry. But consider the obstacles Modern Warfare 2 has to conquer; not only does it have to satisfy the demands of one of largest and the most fanatical fan bases in gaming, it has to go one better than Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, a game that is still selling very respectably a year and a half on from its release (largely thanks to its incredible multiplayer mode). It's a testament to abilities of Infinity Ward's talented pool of developers that Modern Warfare 2 doesn't just surpass the quality of its predecessor, it flies past it like a ski-jumper.

This is largely due to the fact that Infinity Ward has managed to craft a game which perfectly balances the inclusion of some fantastic new features with the maintenance of everything that worked in the first Modern Warfare instalment (COD4) in terms of its core gameplay experience. The control system is smooth and intuitively mapped to the controllers. The visuals have been given a polish and the frame rate is excellent. The sound effects remain largely unchanged from COD4, but this is by no means a bad thing when one considers how integral to the in-game experience they are. The weapons feel weighty and give a satisfying kick depending on their size. Overall, the experience of playing Modern Warfare 2 is very similar to COD4; Infinity Ward hurl everything at the player including the kitchen sink and the result is a white-knuckled, visceral shooter which hits the player at gut-level throughout its entire duration. The sense of a world that exists outside the game is obliterated by the firefights onscreen. The player is both thrilled and disorientated by the constant pace of the action which comes so thick and fast that the player really does feel that death (or at least game over) could come at any second. It's in this way that Modern Warfare 2, more than any other shooter in the market, both challenges the player's reflexes and accuracy while at the same time engaging their primal need for survival. It all adds up to some of the best shooter action money can buy.

Modern Warfare 2 contains three main modes: campaign, multiplayer and special ops. The first two are fairly self-explanatory, while the third is a new feature. Modern Warfare 2's campaign kicks off with a couple of brief tutorials to familiarise players with the controls. It then plunges them headlong into the game's story, which, without giving too many plot details away, takes the ingredients from COD4's campaign (overlapping narratives and missions being undertaken by US armed forces and the British SAS), adds more twists and turns than a spaghetti junction and then ramps up the testosterone to unimaginable levels. It should pointed out at this stage that, when considered from a reasonable, real-world perspective, the story of Modern Warfare 2 is utterly ridiculous and its plot has more holes in it than a hunk of swiss cheese. But then, the game's story exists merely as an excuse to hang action set pieces on, and in this regard it's an unqualified success, mainly because Infinity Ward's level design is peerless

Aside from the aforementioned excellent gameplay, the developers pack the missions with epic set pieces, breakneck tension, scenes which garner reactions of shock and awe and more than a few moments which will that prompt audible gasps from anyone watching or playing the game. There simply isn't a mission that goes by which doesn't succeed in nailing the player's jaw to the floor. There are, it has to be said, more than a few of scenes of disturbing violence which have the power to unsettle players – the footage that has already been leaked is probably the most obvious (but not the last) example of this. But these scenes are meant to have this effect within the context of the plot. Despite the silly extremes of certain plot developments, there is a serious undercurrent to the campaign's story which not only takes a hard unblinking look at the destabilising effects of armed conflict but also the fact that some of the people who operate within that environment exhibit a fish-eyed pragmatism which belies their brutal nature. The extremes to which some of the characters – even those with less questionable motives – go in order to accomplish their goals would mark them out as sociopaths in any other context. Modern Warfare 2 may toss a large chunk of reality into the rubbish skip in terms of its story, but it nails the motives of its protagonists to the wall.

Depending on their accuracy, players will probably finish off the campaign in around six to eight hours, and although they'll probably play it through more than once, the game's online multiplayer mode is where its true longevity lies. Once again, Infinity Ward have kept the nuts and bolts of their multiplayer intact, while adding in some new features that are sure to delight the faithful. The RPG/perk reward system remains the same and with players advancing through the ranks depending on their abilities and gaining experience points with each battle. There are new Killstreak rewards which unlock weapons drops and air strikes – which are always handy in a firefight – and players also have the option of customising their Killstreaks, which allows them to unlock more advantages and battle assets. This customisation, however, remains balanced; players aren't able to rain down drone attacks after just a couple of kills. There's also the new Deathstreak feature which helps out the less accurate players (like me) with 'rewards' such as the ability to steel your killer's military class and weapons.

Aside from the new weapons and equipment, players have far more options when it comes to customising how they approach the multiplayer. There are the preloaded classes such as Ranger and Overwatch, as well as some unlockable classes such as Riot Control. Players can also unlock the option to create their own classes, which in itself opens up a plethora of new ways to enjoy this mode – fancy tackling foes with just a riot shield and a rocket launcher? Help yourself. Another handy addition to online multiplayer, is in-game host migration. If a match host (usually on the losing side) decides to leave the game, the mode won't reset to the main lobby as in COD4, but will instead select a new host from the remaining players and the game continues. Up to 18 players (9 vs 9) can take part at any time in various match types which include Free-For-All, Search & Destroy, Domination, Team Deathmatch and new Demolition and Capture The Flag. As far as DLC is concerned, Infinity Ward have remained tight-lipped, although Microsoft announced earlier this year at E3 that two of Modern Warfare 2's map expansion packs would be made available to Xbox 360 owners first.

The game's new mode is Special Ops which can be played solo or in co-op, both local and online. It's essentially a series of mini-missions; their design is similar to the epilogue mission in COD4's campaign mode, "Mile High Club". They're divided into four groups – Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta – and are based on sections within the campaign's levels. They include scenarios such as defending a raised platform in a snow-covered shipyard, racing snowmobiles across tundra and taking out guerrillas in a favela in Rio de Janeiro while avoiding civilian casualties. A couple of fan-favourites from COD4 are also included, such as the chilling Death From Above mission in AC-130 Spectre Gunship. Special Ops range from one to three stars in their level of difficulty, and players can use the stars they earn to unlock more challenges. There are 23 missions in all, and a lot of them are highly addictive; the temptation to better one's time in the snowmobile race is particularly compelling.

All told, 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. It's sure to satisfy the demands of its fan base, and anyone who considers themselves a fan of shooters in general should definitely pick up a copy. It may be debatable as to whether Modern Warfare 2 is objectively the best release of 2009, but it's certainly the finest game in its genre, as well one of the truly great games of this or indeed any year