TLDR Version
- Graphics 5/5
- Gameplay 5/5
- Audio 5/5
- Replayability 4/5
- Multiplayer 5/5
Overall 4.8/5
I quite firmly believe that COD 4 is the best FPS of 2007. Sure, Crysis has better graphics, and more freedom, but COD has the most intense fights of any game I’ve ever played. In Crysis it’s easy to get lost in the micromanagement of which special ability you should be using. In COD, life is simple: point and shoot.
The COD 4 single-player campaign can be played at any of four difficulty levels. I played the game through on the second highest difficulty (Hardened), then again on the highest difficulty (Veteran). I have to admit, certain missions are nigh impossible in Veteran mode. I spent a couple hours trying to force my way down just a couple hallways in the final missions of the game.
Nevertheless, the single-player campaign is one of the best of any game I’ve ever played. There’s a story that you actually care about enough to pay attention to, graphics that are pretty enough to keep you absorbed, and fights so intense your hands will be shaking. But the single-player campaign isn’t the reason to get COD 4. The game hardly begins until you start playing the multiplayer.
COD 4 multiplayer is a fresh take on the FPS multiplayer style of games like BF2142. You gain experience by killing enemies and completing objectives. With enough experience you can unlock new weapons and abilities. I won’t go further in-depth on the mechanics of COD 4 multiplayer because there are numerous articles on the subject already. However, I would like to make sure I mention that COD 4 multiplayer is really really fun. Human opponents are always more fun to fight against — and kill — than AI opponents, and they always provide an unpredictable combat experience.
In summary, if you like FPS games at all, COD 4 is well worth the money (or bandwidth if you’re a knavish pirate).
