Casual Cogitations

War truly is hell. Anyone who has experienced military conflict firsthand can tell you that. Thankfully, most of us have never had to crawl in the muck of a battlefield or exchange gunfire with an enemy; it is an experience that few of us could handle, both physically and psychologically.

There are countless numbers of books, movies and video games that allow us to experience the horrors of war from the safety of our living rooms. Done right, these fictional depictions not only showcase everything that is good about war--the camaraderie that exists between soldiers and their selfless heroism, for example--but they also serve as a powerful reminder of just how damaging and terrible war can be.

No developer has had more success in recreating the tension and terror of a battlefield than Infinity Ward. Its founding members helped define the World War II genre with the groundbreaking Medal of Honor: Allied Assault while the first title developed under the Infinity Ward label, Call of Duty, cemented their reputation as one of the most skilled and talented development houses around.

After three titles set in the war torn battlefields of the past, Infinity Ward is taking a decidedly modern approach with Call of Duty 4, a title that Assistant Editor Travis Moses is declaring as the best shooter of 2007. Yes, Call of Duty 4 is better than Bioshock, Half-Life Episode 2 and even Halo 3.

So what is it about Call of Duty 4 that makes it stand out from the rest of the pack? For starters, the intense single-player campaign offers up an action packed experience that features a tremendously compelling narrative; there are moments in the game that will send chills down your spine.

Call of Duty 4 uses a propriety game engine that features dynamic lighting, depth of field, rag doll and environmental physics and just about every other whistle and bell you can think of. Everything is incredibly detailed; vehicles, weapons, uniforms, buildings, all of it is modeled so realistically that I found myself in the midst of several intense fire fights, either failing my objective or getting killed because I was looking in wonder at all the detail. Characters have the most realistically implemented motion capture I have ever seen in a game, period. Graphically, the game is the top of the heap. There is none better.

The audio in COD4 holds its own against the stunning graphics. Voice over work is preformed with actors that can deliver dialog (that is well written, even) with feeling and authentic sounding accents. Explosions and gun fire bark realistically and engine noise from tanks and helicopters or the mechanical operations of your equipment sound spot on. From the tinkle of glass of a shattering window to the crunch of wood splintering as bullets tear through it, everything is very convincing and helps you feel the danger of the chaos around you. The music is perfectly implemented, well for each situation. The music was preformed by a full orchestra and was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, who scored films like Armageddon and Shrek, as well as several Metal Gear games. The music punctuates the on screen action perfectly, moving from stirring Russian songs to rousing orchestrations as the situation dictates, so that, again, you get the impression that Infinity Ward was trying to create a movie that you play rather than a game.

Rounding everything off is the multiplayer component that could be packaged as a stand-alone product. There is the standard deathmatch, team deathmatch and free-for-all games, but also included are other options like Headquarters, Domination, Search and Destroy and Sabotage. If that is not enough then join a server running in Hardcore mode, where the bullets hit harder and you don't have the added benefit of the on screen radar or are notified when a grenade lands nearby. For players looking to engage in simpler forms of combat you can join an Old School Mode server where everyone starts with the same weapon and gameplay is reminiscent of multiplayer matches from the original Call of Duty. Players who want to run their own server can tailor every detail of the match and the governing rules. It's a very comprehensive list of features that should keep players engaged for a long while after they complete the single-player story.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

The amount of excitement COD4 has generated is completely justified. Infinity Ward has proven once again what happens when a developer takes their time, does the research and puts in the effort to do things correctly with a game. While many other games try for a Hollywood block-buster feel, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare pulls it off like no one else ever has and does so in great fashion. The comprehensive multiplayer features are going to ensure that COD4 will remain on players' hard drives long after the single-player story has been completed. And to have such great graphics, sound and gameplay on both the single-player and multiplayer sides, gamers everywhere are going to count themselves lucky. Cause I sure as hell, do.