A detailed review of the definitive action game of the year. Anyone who likes action should play this awesome game!
The campaign should last from 6 to 7 hours, and while it may sound short, each level is filled to the brim with exciting and new experiences that you won't find anywhere else. The game includes a stealth level called "All Ghillied Up" that is the best level of the series. The pace of the game is perfect. Shooting enemies couldn't get more fun, and the fact that the developers replaced the gun melee attack with a knife stab is just plain cool. There is only one level that wasn't perfect, "Heat" , but it was still so good that it stands out in it's own way.
Call of Duty 4 is a linear game. You go from point A to point B, and while it may sound a little last-gen, it still works because of the cool scripted events. All the weapons handle great. They are very cool looking, and the pistols kick butt. Headshots are easy to pull off, and the sniper rifle is sure to be a favorite weapon by the end of the game. The ability to shoot through walls adds extra fun to the experience. The enemies don't really change. There seems to be only 4 enemy character models, that range from "guy with red hat" to "rocket dude with cloth mask". It doesn't take away from the game, but if they added more character models, it would have added to the game. There are also other problems that keep me from rewarding Call of Duty 4 with a 10.
The fact that killing your teammates makes you go back to the last checkpoint could be frustrating and they also get in your way sometimes that could cost you your life. It's a good thing the checkpoint system is near perfect and you have an infinite number of lives. When you beat the main game (which deserves a 9 all by itself), it unlocks arcade mode. Arcade mode is A LOT of fun. You are timed and each kill awards you with points. It is very different from Halo 3's metagame. In Arcade mode you also have a number of lives and if you lose them all, it's Game Over. It is very cool to see your points multiply and having each kill reach the 1,000's in points.
Now for the multiplayer. It has the best online multiplayer...ever. Even the splitscreen can be very fun. It is so polished, and the RPG Lite system of giving you new guns and upgrades is fantastic. It may not have as many options as Halo 3, but that doesn't keep it from being more fun.
Now onto the technical stuff. There aren't any frame rate issues, except for the Airstrikes in the single player. This is pretty surprising, since the game is so intense. The graphics are very, very, very great. They couldn't get much better. The sound is perfect. Explosions, gunshots, and even voice acting is better than most games I've played. Overall, the look and sound of the game are top-notch.
To conclude this massive review, I'd like to restate that if you like action, you must play this game. It plays out almost like an action movie, and is the definitive game for shooting baddies in modern environments. I rarely give out 9's, and this is very deserving of one. There isn't much else to say. All the action and intensity stacks up to create one of the best FPS game of the year, and possibly the decade.