Related Links | Call of Duty 4: Hands on
The Call of Duty series leaves behind the terrors of World War II to face present day combat head on. Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare makes you experience first-person shooting environments like never before. Objectives are changed because your capabilities are enhanced by state-of-the-art equipment. The action is ultra-high octane with night vision goggles, attack helicopters, flash-bang grenades, sniper suits and laser-sighted weapons all delivering a gaming experience as intense as they come.
British SAS and American Force Recon soldiers are working in parallel to stop a nuclear strike. Freedom fighters from Chechnya and the Middle East are on the verge of making the unthinkable happen. This is as serious as it gets. Campaign mode begins with a night time SAS assault, fast-roping onto the deck of a cargo ship in the eye of a storm. Conditions are appalling on deck, so the crew is nowhere to be seen. As you stand, rocking with the vessel as waves crash against the windward beams spraying saltwater to mix with the pouring rain, you take a moment to view the scene: Fellow SAS soldiers in full kit, water dripping off metal and Kevlar detail; the boat itself showing signs of rust but built as solid as a tank. Below deck the fire-fight is deafening in the narrow corridors blocked by heavy doors. The effects of flash-bang grenades are magnified in confined spaces. This looks to be a straightforward mission when suddenly your world is literally turned on its head. The boat has taken a hit and is sinking fast, the rolling waters accelerating the process. You must make a desperate flight to the deck along crooked walkways as explosions shake the whole environment. Your transport helicopter is hovering dangerously close to the rising stern and you follow your men in leaping to safety. Your next mission involves U.S Force Recon troops assaulting a bombed out city somewhere in the Middle East. Again this is night time, so all the fire and smoke combine to create a hellish scene. Rockets whistle too close for comfort leaving smoke trails in their wake. An explosion overhead grabs your attention – one of your helicopters has been shot down and you watch it spin out of control into the side of a building. High-calibre rounds pound the rubble at your feet, and can now penetrate walls, so the temptation is to use abandoned cars as cover. Bad idea – burning cars are likely to explode! Your primary mission is to rescue a convoy of M1A2 Abrams tanks. Airborne forces cannot risk this airspace, so the job needs to be carried out on foot. And this means your first and guaranteed unforgettable encounter with The Javelin. The Javelin is a huge shoulder-fired weapon, requiring the user to sit down and get a good grip before flicking the switch. Its missile flies directly above the target before hurtling down at speed to penetrate heavy armour. The effect is so devastating it’s almost ridiculous. Nothing is left behind after the explosion. Our experience with Call of Duty 4 moved us beyond the usual videogame kicks. Although clearly entertaining, COD4 feels so authentic that it’s almost like participating in reportage footage of actual events. It’s powerful stuff! |
