Infinity Ward really threw everything at this game, and then took it all and jacked it to 11. Akimbo Shotguns with a range like an assault rifle (although they claim to have now fixed this). The Commando perk is ridiculous, the increased range of the melee is over the top. Even things like kill-streak customisation (like the air supply crate) and the heartbeat sensor give players that use them an unfair advantage over others. In comparison, COD4 was a simpler, more delicately balanced game, you had a choice between silencer, red dot or ACOG. THe perks made a difference, but they weren't extreme enough to disrupt the balance of the game. By adding more, it becomes harder to maintain that balance. The "Marathon-Lightweight-Commando" perk combo is an example of this. When I play MW2 I just get a repeated sense of injustice and supposedly entertaining firefights between online rivals have now become an case of rage-fueled justice, not satisfying revenge. 
As a side note, I think an effort should be made to encourage players to take more of an active part in objective based games like search and destroy - i get the feeling that it is used primarily to improve K/D ratios. Perhaps give the player a score boost when they kill an enemy while standing close to the team-mate carrying the bomb, to encourage actually escorting him, alternatively rearraging the worth of kills - 2 kills in search and destroy mode is worth 1 kill in deathmatch, not in terms of XP (I know they already have that), but in the kill count screen, therfore making it harder to boost K/D ratios so it disuades players from abusing the system. Anyone else got any ideas or thoughts about what to change?

I've removed all the extremely negative comments in this thread (apart from one that keeps giving me a 500 error, I'll keep trying to delete it). This dude is simply posting his opinion on what he thinks is wrong with the game, and he's entitled to do so. He makes valid points on how he feels the game could be improved. If he was posting "OMGZ THIS GAME SUXORZZZ LOLZA!!!!" I could understand those comments, but this a perfectly valid post about his opinion on the game. Telling him to "shut the fuck up" and calling him "a twat" isn't helping anyone. If you dislike a thread, don't post in it. Just ignore it and move on. There is no call for posting insults to the OP. I expect better from this community, I really do.

Just please stop complaining... please? :(

I'm so sick of hearing about this. If you don't like the game stop playing.

I don't have an issue with the commando perk, in fact I tend to use it a lot. Also if your having trouble with the heartbeat sensor just put Ninja on to hide you from it. I like the idea for escorting someone. I feel a similar system to that could really help make objective based games more about the actual objective and less about the kills.

Nice first post.
 
Stop complaining. If you don't like it, don't play it.

Everyone with the "stop complaining": this is probably the most valuable game to discuss since the release of Fallout 3. Even Assassin's Creed II tells you what to think a little too much for it to merit more discussion than MW2. And honestly, negative opinions should be voiced; if they're widespread enough, the pleas of the discontented will be heard. Don't believe me? Go back and play Assassin's Creed 1 again; isn't the general consensus that with ACII, they "fixed Assassin's Creed?"  That wouldn't have happened if Ubisoft had only seen the reviews of the game posted by gaming critics. 
 
As for MW2, I haven't had such a big problem with the Commando thing, but I honestly haven't played online in almost a month. Akimbo shotguns and the ridiculous killstreaks pulled me out of the experience enough that I just didn't really want to play MW2 anymore after the first couple of tries, and so I've been focusing more on ACII when I want to play one of my new games. If I could play online right now, though (my friend is using the wireless adapter I need), I'd still be playing L4D2 instead.

Somebody might as well create a sticky for complaints. Nobody seems to talk about any of the good points of Modern Warfare 2.

I think this is more of a complaint that you are not very good at the game.  Example, people complain about the grenade launcher, but my response is, no one is stopping you from using it.  Thats it.  As Ryan once put it so eloquently, "If its in the game, it ain't cheap."

" Nobody seems to talk about any of the good points of Modern Warfare 2. "

While I agree with some of your points..We're all really tired of "How MW2 Sucks" threads. I'ma go start a "Why I LOVE MW2" Thread now kbai

"Nobody seems to talk about any of the good points of Modern Warfare 2. "

@natetodamax:

I disagree, MW2 is the perfect casual game for shooter fans. Ever since college started for me ive had to cut down my gaming dramatically so no longer could i continue to compete on halo 3 because it actually takes skill. So i picked up a copy of this game and now i can get in a game and get a shit ton of kills and have it require no skill what so ever. Its actually really fun to get in a game have fun then leave. MW2 is good stuff