CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 CAMPAIGN REMASTERED
Deserves to be in its own museum
With a plot conveyed equally through radio chatter and explosions, it’s clear storytelling in videogames has come a long way since gunning down civilians in an airport was seen as edgy narrative design. No matter how much ‘real’ army talk it features – I’ve learned “Hooah!” isn’t a posh greeting – this classic shooter is pure comic-book blockbuster entertainment.
For the most part Modern Warfare 2 still clicks. Each mission can feel like explosive vignettes, and the constant need to “Oscar Mike” from event to event can distract, but this variety, whether it’s breaching doors aboard an oil rig or skidding between trees on a snowmobile, masks the basic gameplay.
Then, of course, there’s No Russian, in which you must slaughter Russian civilians packed into an airport to propel the story ever onwards. Tonally, played in 2020, it feels like a mistake.
Modern Warfare 2 was peak corridor shooting for Call Of Duty, and on replaying, it feels limited compared to modern entries. Most battles involve zipping down the sights on p to ‘lock-on’ and tapping i for a burst of fire. Repeat endlessly until the mission’s end. There are signs of where the series would go in more open arena fights where you’re running between objectives, such as in Burger Town. But even here you’re constantly being nudged to the next cinematic event, and missions can feel like you’re simply riding the coattails of the AI to the next set-piece.
SHORT AND SWEET
Yet as a spectacle, it’s hard not to enjoy the explosive ride. We battle invading Russians through an American suburb, survive a prison shower room shootout that recalls The Rock, and ice-climb into a remote Russian airbase. Modern Warfare 2 is big-screen gaming, and this remaster ensures it’s never looked better. The new texture detail makes every environment a joy to shoot holes into, and refined lighting and smoke effects bring a renewed level of atmosphere to this aging classic.
While this is just the fivehour campaign, and lacks online multiplayer, the endgame is a fun distraction. Museum mode offers you a chance to explore diorama exhibits themed around missions. Push the big red button and the whole place goes full Night At The Museum, every exhibit coming to life to deliver a novel horde event. At least you’ve got plenty of weapons to hand. Add unlockable visual and gameplay tweaks and this is a remaster that offers enough incentive to re-run its short campaign.
VERDICT
Often dated and simplistic, there’s no denying MW2 delivers a cinematic spectacle. The real fun comes from Museum mode and re-running with unlockable gameplay mods. Ian Dean