Five things to love about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

What a complete load of overhyped rubbish - I wish I'd never wasted my money!!!

There's a phrase you won't ever hear in the same breath as the words "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2".

It's now just over a week since Infinity Ward bounded back into the record books... According to The Guardian, it sold 1.23m copies in the UK on its first day - double the previous record holder Grand Theft Auto IV. If, like me, you didn't preorder then you too probably had to keep contacting your local store to find out when the next delivery was due; queues were lengthy and any available stocks sold like hotcakes. Not only that but it didn't come cheap either - some time ago it was announced that the retail price was going to be higher than your typical release, leaving many eager fans feeling slightly shafted!

Nevertheless, the wait was well worth it - as was the slight premium price-wise. Here are five reasons why...

• Improved graphics and sound - Aesthetically, players will be chuffed to bits with the new release, The environments are many and varied, ranging from the blizzard stricken wintry wastelands where you have to wade through thick snow, to the sun-drenched and balmy setting of a Brazilian shanty town or desolate landscape of Afghanistan. I was really impressed with the looks of Infinity Ward's latest offering and think it's a great improvement on the original. Lots is happening onscreen and, if you can spare a few moments to stop running away from the enemy, stand still and take in your surroundings, then you'll be pleasantly surprised by the level of detail. Sadly, you'll quickly be shot too.
  

• The blood splatter - This could probably be covered by my previous point but I think it's such a nice addition that it deserves to be highlighted! There's a trend in the current generation of games to use a Heads-Up Display (HUD) and each edition of Call of Duty manages to harness this perfectly. Whether it's a map, ammo, stance or mission, all the information is nicely captured on the screen. Get injured and the screen may flash or judder - it's all very effective. Modern Warfare 2, however, adds a very simple element to the screen: the blood splatter. Should you suffer the indignity of being pumped full of shells, then the screen is covered in the red stuff - chronically restricting your vision and adding confusion and a sense of panic to the mix. Simple, effective and somewhat gory.

• Multiplayer - I think I heard somewhere that most of the people who have bought the last few Call of Duty games barely dip into the single player missions, preferring instead to dive straight online. The multiplayer portion of the latest game is again probably its biggest selling point - it's fantastic and more than a little reminiscent of the original so you'll instantly feel at home. The major difference this time is the huge array of perks, challenges, add-ons and accolades there to unlock. Therein lies the addiction - even though you've been playing for hours, it's the middle of the night and you've an early start for work next morning, there's always the temptation for "just one more game". The maps seem bigger and better than before, there's plenty of variety and it all looks gorgeous. There's even rumour of a map pack in the offing - which bodes well seeing as Infinity Ward's last offering was very poorly supported by downloadable content.

• Mission variety - For those who do venture into the single player missions, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. While the plot is slightly contrived, it doesn't really matter. Locations are varied and there's plenty going on. Ultimately, it's more of the same but with Veteran difficulty setting likely to tax even the most ardent of gamers, this will keep you going for hours. There's even a bit of controversy thrown in for good measure regarding an airport mission, some gun-toting Russians and a few hapless civilians. Some would argue what follows is bad taste - but it does allow some of the plot to unfold and the actual level design is quite brilliant.

• Special Ops - My final highlight is perhaps one of my favourites. Special Ops mode is a great new addition and could possibly have been repackaged as a whole new game in its own right. A series of increasingly taxing challenges take place across various missions and difficulty settings - more than a little reminiscent of the infamous Mile High Club level in the first game. Each mission can be attempted alone or with a mate - adding an entirely new dimension to proceedings. With 23 levels to play, and 69 stars to earn (stars are earned depending on difficulty setting), there's plenty of replayability and it's a nice distraction from the usual solo campaign or online play.