Mine is and has always been Call of Duty 4. I don't know how many times I've praised that game. Its so damn good and revolutionary its not even funny.
Call of Duty
Originally starting as a World War II-themed first-person shooter, the Call of Duty franchise now incorporates other time periods and conflicts and can be found on virtually every modern platform.
Which is your favourite COD game in the series?
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It's campaign was always engaging, and never leaves a single dull moment. The multi-player is deep, challenging, provides well designed maps, and it's very well balanced. It even has a compelling and engrossing plot, with great characters that I felt emotionally attachted to. Like Captain Price and Sgt. Griggs.
I just finished a two day marathon where I played the first and second Modern Warfare games back-to-back. I actually much prefer Modern Warfare 2. The shooting feels a little tighter, and the game has a better sense of pace overall.
Plus, there wasn't ever really a strong narrative component to the Call of Duty franchise. Even in Call of Duty 4, it didn't really seem like it wanted you to pay attention to the narrative until the nuke went off. Then the game was all like, "Oh, hey, we're actually trying to tell a story now." Modern Warfare 2 does a much better job using narrative to drive its campaign.
Call of Duty 2. There was a year where Call of Duty 2 was my most played game, I would have at least an hour most nights and I loved it. Especially rifle only on toujane. Ive been trying to play it on 360, I moved to a laptop to the framerate is not ideal, but the lack of precision means its a very different game from what I played years ago on PC.
In terms of map design I favour Call of Duty 2 over any other game is the series, perhaps its simply nostalgia but I have a love for those map that I never got in any other entry (though I have a soft spot for Wet Work and Crash) and I always loved the way the guns felt though I say that knowing I favour the WW2 style guns over modern day.
Slight edge to COD 4 is my pick based upon the fact that the story was grounded and probably one of the best that I've played in this modern era of FPS'. The multi-player really did change a lot of the way's that online gaming is dealt with on consoles and the maps were ridiculously good. Not to mention that the controls and frame rate are second to none.
I'm going to go against the grain and say Blops, even though I haven't actually beaten it yet (due to technical issues with my PS3). CoD4 was great and all, but I think Blops has a much better story, I love the Vietnam story, and overall I think it's the better game. Only difference is that it didn't change the series as much as CoD4 (which is my second favorite) did.
"I just finished a two day marathon where I played the first and second Modern Warfare games back-to-back. I actually much prefer Modern Warfare 2. The shooting feels a little tighter, and the game has a better sense of pace overall. Plus, there wasn't ever really a strong narrative component to the Call of Duty franchise. Even in Call of Duty 4, it didn't really seem like it wanted you to pay attention to the narrative until the nuke went off. Then the game was all like, "Oh, hey, we're actually trying to tell a story now." Modern Warfare 2 does a much better job using narrative to drive its campaign. "
I'm really hoping you're kidding with Modern Warfare 2's story. It was so bad and nonsensical, it makes Rainbow Six Vegas 2's plot seem great in comparison. COD4 did have a drive for it's story, and was meshed well the gameplay. There was a sense of dread and purpose behind each scenerio that felt important. The situations were far a lot more plausible than Modern Warfare 2's story. It was silly, but not as nearly as laughable as Modern Warfare 2's story. Modern Warfare 2 had me dealing with implausible scenerios that didn't connect well with the story at all. Gameplay wise, I will say it's better paced. Does a good job of mixing each side of the scenerios
I think the gesture away from hyper-realism works for the series. Plus, there was more attention on character detail in the second game. In the first, it was basically all Price. Conversely, the second game at least tries to illustrate character motives and whatnot.
Like I said, narrative hasn't ever really been the franchise's strong suit, but Modern Warfare 2 handles its story with a little more panache than its predecessor, even if it means taking a turn for Hollywood. The game knew it was bombastic, but it did bombastic well, whereas Call of Duty 4 waffled between war-sim in the first act and a half, and narrative-driven military fiction in the back end.
To address gameplay, I definitely agree. The pacing in Modern Warfare 2's campaign is a lot smoother. There were a lot of deadspots for me in the first game, parts where I just kind of wanted it to end out of sheer tedium. That's mostly a product of the infinite respawn design choice, but also evidence of the fact that the Call of Duty 4 campaign missions sometimes meander for a bit too long before zeroing in on just what they want to accomplish. Modern Warfare 2 is just tighter overall.
" @Godites: Nah. Not kidding. I think the gesture away from hyper-realism works for the series. Plus, there was more attention on character detail in the second game. In the first, it was basically all Price. Conversely, the second game at least tries to illustrate character motives and whatnot. Like I said, narrative hasn't ever really been the franchise's strong suit, but Modern Warfare 2 handles its story with a little more panache than its predecessor, even if it means taking a turn for Hollywood. The game knew it was bombastic, but it did bombastic well, whereas Call of Duty 4 waffled between war-sim in the first act and a half, and narrative-driven military fiction in the back end. To address gameplay, I definitely agree. The pacing in Modern Warfare 2's campaign is a lot smoother. There were a lot of deadspots for me in the first game, parts where I just kind of wanted it to end out of sheer tedium. That's mostly a product of the infinite respawn design choice, but also evidence of the fact that the Call of Duty 4 campaign missions sometimes meander for a bit too long before zeroing in on just what they want to accomplish. Modern Warfare 2 is just tighter overall. "
The story mainly focused on Price, because he had ties with the antagonist. So it would be fitting for him to have the story focused on him, then the rest of the cast. That's the problem with Modern Warfare 2's storytelling, it's too Hollywoodish. Trying to replicate real-life scenerio by exagerrating it and adding over-the-top flair to attract a younger and more naive crowd. What made the original MW special, was it's plausibility. It made you felt that you were participating in a real war that possibly could happen. It was more Tom Clancyish, and that's what made it work better than MW2.
While MW2 made a few improvements over COD4's campaign, such as lack of respawning enemies and tighter pacing. However, it lacked the visceral punch that made the campaign in COD4 enjoyable. It's "oh shit!" moments weren't predictable or overdone like in MW2, they were subtle and kicked in at the right moments. It felt far more thrilling than MW2, and was certainly more immerssive. I enjoyed Modern Warfare 2's campaign, but it felt over-baked for the most part. Not to mention that COD4's campaign was two hours longer.
Suffice to say: Modern Warfare 2 is to Call of Duty 4, as Quantom of Solace was to Casino Royale.
" Mine is and has always been Call of Duty 4. I don't know how many times I've praised that game. Its so damn good and revolutionary its not even funny. "Same. It's the only game in the series that made me put serious amounts of time into it. The only console shooter I have put more hours into is probably Halo 2.
I have fond memory's of playing Call of Duty 2 multiplayer at launch.
I didn't play a lot of Call of Duty 4 online, though I didn't mind the games campaign.
I guess I have to go with Black Ops though. I've dumped more time into that game in week or so I've had it then the other two combined, I bet.
Fun stuff.
Saying things like "x was overdone" is kind of hollow, and I don't think it was a blatant attempt to attract some nebulous 'naive' audience. But if that's how you felt then that's how you felt. Call of Duty 4 is pretty important for being the first game to really nail the first-person perspective in narrative since Half-Life 2, but first doesn't always translate to finest, and stating the reasons why a narrative is structured the way it is doesn't necessarily make it more effective. Again, the number of characters in Modern Warfare 2 that have significant detail help push that game along some. And by the end, once you've gotten to know both Soap and Post-Gulag Price, who is a different, more vindictive character than the Price of old, there's a palpable tension in that final confrontation.
Regardless, Modern Warfare 2 shows an improvement in the quality of the dialogue, how much of the different characters you're getting out of it, as well as a lot of deftness in storytelling. The reveal of D.C. in ruins, the shock of seeing Shepard's betrayal, the knife-in-the-chest moment. Maybe you and others find these moments overwrought or predictable, but I'm not sure it's any less predictable than Call of Duty 4's "hey-there-is-a-countdown-going-here-are-the-codes-go-stop-the-countdown" level. Personally, the way Modern Warfare 2 blends realism with fantasy is pretty unparalleled in gaming. I mean, of course it's ludicrous that Communist Extremists could ever successfully invade the United States on such an absurd scale, but that's the fun of it. Medal of Honor is a hum-ho experience because it's trying to be so photo-realistic. It's too serious about itself. Modern Warfare 2 still takes itself seriously, but it also knows where to bend the rules of war-sim and where to avoid them completely.
The bottom line here: I'm not trying to denigrate Call of Duty 4. It's an important game for a ton of reasons. And, really, it all comes down to the multiplayer at the end of the day. But I tend to prefer Modern Warfare 2's tighter action and rounder characters and thoroughly narrative-driven campaign over its predecessor's heavy-handed atmospherics and its loose narrative.
New analogy: Modern Warfare 2 is to Call of Duty 4 what Terminator 2 is to Terminator.
Besides. We're talking favorites. Not what we think is best, objectively. So, you know, chill.
Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.
4. I frequently replay a few of its missions, while I can't say the same for the others. I do admit it's a bit of a Bioshock/Bioshock 2 scenario for me where MW2 is probably the better crafted game (which is how I feel about BS2 v BS), but in terms of impact...well...'No Russian' may be controversial, but I personally found that no mission in MW2 is as thrilling as the first time you're crawling under tanks on your way to Pripyat, let's just say.
I wish I could say 4, but the lack of immersion left me cold (e.g. the beginning scene, when you get thrown in the care, and quite obviously have no body). I do think it's the best story by far.
Ultimately, and I hate the fact that I'm saying this, my favourite campaign was Black Ops. For one reason only, the immersion. I got the feeling that I really was pulling a guy underwater and slitting his throat. I don't know, if CoD 4 had that kind of body immersion, it would be my pick.
Call of Duty 4. It was the first video game that made me say "Holy shit" out loud (during the sniper mission). That game really just left a big impression on me, none of the other ones have done that.
" @TheMaxMeister: When I'm replaying that car scene in Call of Duty 4 I sometimes spin in circles because I'm just a camera on a stick. "Yeah same here.
I know it's not the biggest deal, but to me, moments like that (there are many) took me out of the 2 Modern Warfare games. That's why I had to choose Black Ops.
There is "fantasy", and then there is a psyche-patient in a padded-cell, scribbling with crayon a bunch of nonsense: That's Modern Warfare 2's singleplayer campaign." @Godites: Agree to disagree, I suppose. I thought I felt the same way you did about the relationship between the two. But after having gone back through them both consecutively, Call of Duty 4 feels two hours longer. That's probably where your Casino Royale analogy is the strongest. Because, dude, that movie feels ten times longer than it really is.
Saying things like "x was overdone" is kind of hollow, and I don't think it was a blatant attempt to attract some nebulous 'naive' audience. But if that's how you felt then that's how you felt. Call of Duty 4 is pretty important for being the first game to really nail the first-person perspective in narrative since Half-Life 2, but first doesn't always translate to finest, and stating the reasons why a narrative is structured the way it is doesn't necessarily make it more effective. Again, the number of characters in Modern Warfare 2 that have significant detail help push that game along some. And by the end, once you've gotten to know both Soap and Post-Gulag Price, who is a different, more vindictive character than the Price of old, there's a palpable tension in that final confrontation.
Regardless, Modern Warfare 2 shows an improvement in the quality of the dialogue, how much of the different characters you're getting out of it, as well as a lot of deftness in storytelling. The reveal of D.C. in ruins, the shock of seeing Shepard's betrayal, the knife-in-the-chest moment. Maybe you and others find these moments overwrought or predictable, but I'm not sure it's any less predictable than Call of Duty 4's "hey-there-is-a-countdown-going-here-are-the-codes-go-stop-the-countdown" level. Personally, the way Modern Warfare 2 blends realism with fantasy is pretty unparalleled in gaming. I mean, of course it's ludicrous that Communist Extremists could ever successfully invade the United States on such an absurd scale, but that's the fun of it. Medal of Honor is a hum-ho experience because it's trying to be so photo-realistic. It's too serious about itself. Modern Warfare 2 still takes itself seriously, but it also knows where to bend the rules of war-sim and where to avoid them completely. The bottom line here: I'm not trying to denigrate Call of Duty 4. It's an important game for a ton of reasons. And, really, it all comes down to the multiplayer at the end of the day. But I tend to prefer Modern Warfare 2's tighter action and rounder characters and thoroughly narrative-driven campaign over its predecessor's heavy-handed atmospherics and its loose narrative. New analogy: Modern Warfare 2 is to Call of Duty 4 what Terminator 2 is to Terminator. Besides. We're talking favorites. Not what we think is best, objectively. So, you know, chill. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. "
There's barely a story arch, and you talk of "rounded characters", something I have difficulty comprehending. For me, the character with the most distinguishable characteristics, was that guy that had the same voice actor from the first game. He had a ski-mask with a skull on it. That mean's he's different than everyone else.
There's also Good Guy solider #1, Price who turns into an Optimus Prime speech writer near the end of the game, Bad Guy who's story never get's resolved, RAMIREZ!, and that general from Dr. Stangelove.
Gordon Freeman has more personality, and is a deeper character than these guys combined. Gordon Freeman doesn't speak a single audible word.
Probably thanks to what's considered "writing" in this game. The plot has plot-holes the size of canyons, and to compound the experience the game has a production budget to the moon and back. Really wasted talent: I loved the set-pieces of MW2's single-player campaign. Too bad it meant nothing.
I agree that story has never been a definitive portion of the Call of Duty experience. That being said, I would like to play something that's at least something I can comprehend, knows what it want's to do, and doesn't get in the way of me enjoying what I came here for: To see a bunch of explosions and to enjoy a well laid out shooter.
I wanted to mute this game, so bad....You have no idea... When that solider yelled at me to "Defend Burger Town!", as I did everything for this whole group of dudes, I almost fell out of my chair laughing.
Which is why I'm voting the first Modern Warfare for this thread.
The game never attempted to give you any "geo-political-military Tom Clancy wannabee"...(I feel bad even making the comparison, I'll change the analogy.)...*ahem*..."G.I. Joe on meth storyline."
You were a solider, you saw things from his perspective. I always had this dreaded feeling that terrible things were happening in the world of Modern Warfare, and it made sequences like the nuke going off, while fantasy: actually interesting from a narrative perspective. The ending especially was probably my favorite sequences I've ever seen in a shooter.
New analogy: Modern Warfare 2 is to Call of Duty 4 what Transformers 2 is to Transformers.
Except from a plot perspective, at least Transformers 2 made more sense....and had a beginning, middle and end.
I'm not trying to mean, or insulting, or a troll: You seem very intelligent. Which is why I want you to join me, and decry that Modern Warfare 2's plot is the unimaginative pile of dog turds it is.
It's easy. It's like pointing at a car accident and saying out-loud: "Hey, that's not what other drivers should strive for! That's a freaking car accident!"
It will be fun. I'll give you a beer.
C'mon!......C'mon! :P
Call of Duty 4. Spent a ridiculous time on the multiplayer. I can't put my finger on it, but none of the games since have felt quite right on the multiplayer side of things. I haven't reached the highest level any of the other games, never mind prestiges. Also: remember when the M4 and MP5 were actually good?
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