X’09 – Modern Warfare 2

When we discovered that Activision brought Modern Warfare 2 to X’09 and was showing it behind closed doors, we activated our Dead Silence perk to sneak inside and take a peak. What we witnessed was top secret and highly classified, and we barely escaped with our lives. However, it was well worth the risk, because what we saw was also completely awesome.

Activision was demoing Spec Ops, a new cooperative mode in Modern Warfare 2 that is completely independent from the single-player campaign and online multiplayer modes. Spec Ops places you and a partner in a series of short and medium-length missions with varying objectives and settings. The missions are meant to be standalone affairs, similar to the airplane rescue mission at the end of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and each mission will see players controlling different operatives with a pre-determined arsenal of weaponry and equipment. Activision was mum on how many missions will ship on the retail disc, but did state that the architecture of the game would allow for additional missions to be added via downloadable content. Start saving your money now!

The Spec Ops mission that we were shown involved the two operatives attempting to eliminate a terrorist cell of unknown allegiance after breaching through a wall with an explosive charge. The players began by priming and placing the charge on the wall, then waiting patiently for the charge to announce their arrival. When the charge exploded and the players spun into action, the game entered slow-motion, illustrating the confusion amongst the terrorist ranks while the room filled with dust and debris. The operatives wasted little time and used this confusion to their advantage, eliminating several enemies before the speed returned to normal and the terrorists regrouped. Moments later, as the dust cleared, the operatives found themselves in what appeared to be the shower room of an abandoned prison. If you seen The Rock with Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage, the inspiration for this scene is immediately obvious. Targeting lasers swept across the room from the balconies above, enemy soldiers took cover and engaged in suppressing fire, and the room erupted into utter chaos.

The action seemed very similar to that of the original Modern Warfare, with knife kills and penetrating cover, but with a few new gameplay additions, like the ability to pick up and use a riot shield. With experienced players at the helm, it wasn’t long before the mission was over, but Activision encouraged us to try it again, stating that each experience will be different. We were more than happy to oblige.

Similar to the Terrorist Hunt mode found in Rainbow Six: Vegas, the missions in Spec Ops will involve a variety of random components. The enemies will spawn in random places, and each one will be outfitted with a random assortment of equipment. Activision also stated that there are some rare enemies that will be tougher to beat that will make an appearance from time to time to keep players on their toes. The mission objectives and player characters will remain specific to each individual mission, but beyond that, nothing is set in stone.

As players complete missions, new ones will unlock and may be played in any order. Once again, we were not told how many missions will appear in the final version of the game, but we were told that Spec Ops mode actually rivals the single-player campaign in length, so we expect there to be plenty. Spec Ops mode can be played with a maximum of two players via online or local split-screen, so find a friend and start training now.

With an exciting single-player campaign, an extremely robust multiplayer mode, and the addition of Spec Ops, Modern Warfare 2 will have plenty to offer. It’s easy to see why many have predicted that this game will surpass sales records worldwide, as it has already surpassed our expectations.