Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Preview

Activision and Infinity Ward ran into more than their share of problems when they recently co-hosted a multiplayer media event for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. There were, initially, enough station sets up to handle the 40-or-so media representatives in attendance, but router problems cut that down to a third of machines capable of hosting the event.

On the up side, though, the game was compelling enough to save the day. The team deathmatch was the featured game, with players taking on the sides of the terrorists and the good guys over several different maps. The game was also only shown on the 360 machines that were able to get through the router problems to take 12 or so players online.

Some of the new features were immediately in evidence as the games got underway, including the ability to toss smoke grenades, the perks system which (on one of the three available slots) will allow players to shoot through cover objects, and the ability to gain attributes (like calling in an air strike – and yes, you get credit for kills resulting from the strike) through battlefield performance. Some of the attributes work in concert. One player may unlock a 30-second radar, which will show the location of all enemy troops. Another may have the ability to call in an air strike. Coordinating through the in-game voice chat capability will create the situation where one player can trigger his radar (which then shows enemies to all teammates) and the player with air strike unlocked can call in the attack on the heaviest concentration.

If you find yourself dying a lot, the game features a kill cam that will allow you to view the attacker that got you. This is a very nice feature and you can learn from it.

In addition to gaining attributes you can use during the scenario, good play also results in experience points, which are translated into military ranks. You begin as a private and start ascending the ranking ladders as you fight.

The team deathmatch plays out a lot like previous CoD titles – two teams, points awarded for kills and the game is on a timer. The controls were smooth and responsive. The weapon of choice for a lot of kills during the event, strange though it may seem, was the knife in a melee attack. Players were often waiting in dark corners for an enemy to wander past and then rushing in from behind with the knife.

The sound was very well done and the graphics were first rate. Depending on the monitor used, you can see the results of high-def gaming with crisp, well-textured elements. This is truly a good-looking game.

The hands-on time was brief, and the scenarios – though they covered a variety of maps – were the same team deathmatch. Still, as a portend of things to come, CoD 4 is a worthy advance for the series, moving from WWII into the modern age (with the weapons and appropriate armament firmly in tow).