‘Call of Duty’ series tackles modern warfare

I don’t want to end this review with comments that’ve already been made by dozens of game critics, so I’ll go ahead and throw in my two cents up front. If you’ve read any of the press surrounding “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” then you know that the common notion is that it’s a short game. Some estimates have the single-player campaign pegged at a pathetic three to four hours while others argue that nah, it’s more like a moderately-acceptable eight. I honestly have no idea how long I played the game; I didn’t time myself. All I can say is that yes, it is disappointingly short. And, yes, by the way, the multiplayer is freaking sweet. So there.

COD4 is akin to playing a walk-through movie. You are not playing individual missions so much as you are developing the next frames on the celluloid. For instance, the single-player game opens with a full cinema-quality title screen and credits sequence as polished, slick, and unnerving as “Jarhead.” The clever hiding of any load screens makes the entire experience unusually seamless for the cludgy Xbox 360 - loading times are used to advance the compelling story. This is a story-driven COD, new for a series where previously the “story” consisted of historical newsreel footage designed to give gamers high-caliber education in addition to top-notch gameplay. I suppose the new game is giving gamers a different sort of education - one that makes those of us uneducated in modern combat understand the living hell that is urban warfare, at least, to the small extent that a videogame can make one appreciate war.

And yes, on every other level, COD4 is cinematic. The graphics are superb; noticeably better than the venerable “Bioshock,” and on a completely different level than the over-hyped “Halo 3.” COD4 is a treat for the eyes with depth-of-field, fantastic lighting, and textures that are simply too real. COD4 is the first game that has thrown me into Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori’s “Uncanny Valley,” where things are so real as to be surreal. And, by definition of being in the Uncanny Valley, I was quickest to note those things that were least real. Where COD4’s proprietary engine falls short is in reflections; it does not do realtime reflection - a major oversight now that even Wii games like “Super Mario Galaxy” have this effect. And, as is the norm in most FPS games, your character is nothing more than a floating vampire because when I looked down, I had no legs and when I walked in front of a light, no shadow. This is a pretty big pet peeve of mine, and a lapse in design that I consider unacceptable.

The sound design, much like the graphics, impresses. The game features its own orchestral score, weapon-accurate sound effects, and immersive surround sound. The voice acting sets a new benchmark in quality and is completely believable. All in all, the game is nearly perfect from a sound standpoint, that is, as long as you don’t listen too closely. Some of the sound effects, phrases, and even “dying noises” are directly ripped from COD2. For a game that has such an astronomical production value, I can’t believe they couldn’t afford to hire a new guy to groan and sound like he just got shot. On such a polished piece, these cut corners are the ones that stand out the most. (Although, I guess if I’d never played COD2 I never would’ve noticed.)

The game plays like every traditionally controlled (that is, non-Wii) console first person shooter (FPS) should play. Frankly, I’ve never been particularly good with the dual-thumbstick setup for FPS. I much prefer a Wiimote (ala “Metroid Prime: Corruption”) or mouse for my weapon of choice. Nevertheless, I found COD4 to be a dream to handle. I could execute headshots with ease and had no trouble aiming and maneuvering - something I just can’t do with ease in the much more heavy-handed “Halo 3,” or somewhat clunky “Bioshock.”

Just like any movie, the playable movie that is COD4 comes to an end - complete with full end credits. At the end, I did not want to pick up the controller and play through again - I wanted to sit and think. Not that there’s a lot of food for thought here (there isn’t), it’s just that the game carries forth the COD tradition of outrageously intense gameplay (think the first 20 minutes of “Saving Private Ryan” for about 8 hours and you get the idea) and frankly, I needed a breather. COD4 can be a terrifying experience, and if it’s your first dive into the series, may I suggest a previous installment during the less-modern (and less-close-to-home) WWII era.