Gametrailers: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Review

Cyrax_87 - 58 days 16 hours ago

why aren't they taking more points away?

Agree(43) | Disagree(1) | Report

CrippleH - 58 days 15 hours ago

A lot of people already have it on their minds that GT has no credibility. Just don't take their reviews to heart.

These same guys have Halo 3 a 9.8....

Agree(41) | Disagree(2) | Report

THE MAX SPEED 21 - 58 days 15 hours ago

told you guys in my earlier comments that The ps3 fanboys were going to be mad.

Agree(9) | Disagree(53) | Report

dylz - 58 days 15 hours ago

It got .2 LESS you tard is it really that big a deal they were probably reviewed by two different people with different views gaming is subjective. 9.3 is a great score 9.5 is a great score both games are bloody awsome who cares what some guy thinks about them..... Ohhh thats right dumb immature and insecure fanboys.

Agree(8) | Disagree(30) | Report

donator - 58 days 15 hours ago

Can't we all just agree that there seems to be little to no standardization for many of these gaming sites and their reviews regardless of the console or game?

Come on, if one game is getting docked points for X, then another game should get docked points for X. That isn't fanboyism, that's LOGIC.

Agree(29) | Disagree(1) | Report

Natsu X FairyTail - 58 days 15 hours ago

Multiplatform games and xbox360 exclusives cannot score the same or more then a PS3 exclusive!! it's the ultimate rulezz.

im mad!

>:(

lmao lames.

Agree(5) | Disagree(29) | Report

AKNAA - 58 days 15 hours ago

Did GT really say that MW2 graphics could only be matched with uncharted 2?! LOL! OMG. I am really disappointed... it even got a higher score than UC2 as well?!WTF, that is retarded.

Agree(30) | Disagree(3) | Report

dylz - 58 days 15 hours ago

Granted but can't we accept that we are going to have different people who score and see somethings differently and it is much better to listen to the content of the review then just the raw score I personally belive reviews would be better with no score at all.

Agree(1) | Disagree(9) | Report

Noob - 58 days 15 hours ago

It just makes them look like complete fools. They need a better review system. Well, not just them, but a lot of sites do.

Agree(12) | Disagree(1) | Report

TheBlackSmoke - 58 days 15 hours ago

For those who still do not get it, ITS NOT THE SCORE but the inconsistency that is the issue. Don't make up criteria for one game and give free passes for others.

You can make a point that different reviewers have different opinions but gametrailers as a company came out and said they cant give more than 9.3 if there is nothing new.

All the things Uncharted 2 got deducted on also apply to MW2 but amazingly it didn't count this time.

Agree(34) | Disagree(3) | Report

sunnygrg - 58 days 15 hours ago

OMFG, I cannot believe that GT justified the short length of the game with "multiple difficulty settings."

That is so lame. FYI, every game on the market nowadays come with more than one difficulty.

Edit: And they still haven't fixed the grenade spam in Veteran difficulty.

Agree(24) | Disagree(3) | Report

donator - 58 days 15 hours ago

I agree, most people will have different opinions when it comes to games, but I don't imagine it'd be too difficult to have a company meeting and design some type of score/grading rubric. Not having standards does not only affect the score (which by the way I think every site should abolish, just my opinion), but it also affects the content of the reviews.

Standards increase the transparency in these reviews. So when they talk about a game that brings nothing innovative to the table, we'll all be more aware of what they think innovation is. And that should apply to all games they review. They should not let individual reviewers decide which games they think should address a certain issue. For instance, some FPS games are labeled "generic" while others are not. Why this discrepancy? How do you define generic?

Personally I think they should just have a likert type scale where people can strongly agree, agree, disagree, etc. with the reivew. Then just show a bar graph.

Agree(16) | Disagree(0) | Report

kws1065 - 58 days 14 hours ago

GT is really self-proving its stupidness in every way, isn't it? lol

Agree(12) | Disagree(0) | Report

dylz - 58 days 14 hours ago

Yeh good point and in a perfect world this is how it would be. But I just think these things are so broad and subjective you are going to get discrepancies along the way. I just think it is much more constructive if people don't focus on these discrepancies and look at each review on its merits.

Agree(0) | Disagree(3) | Report

CrippleH - 58 days 14 hours ago

Mad respect for you donator. But this is GT.

We expected this to happen really even before Uncharted 2 came out. Some people speculated that they will make up a lame excuse to dock points and they did. Wasn't open world like for linear game.

Agree(7) | Disagree(0) | Report

soljah - 58 days 14 hours ago

yep burns me up that activision can do generic shooter 101 brings absolutly nothing new to the party and a 9.5

uc2 and kz2 are taking risks to push gaming to new levels and get lower scores. wtf
but hey what do i know, 4.5m suckers say i'm wrong

Agree(16) | Disagree(0) | Report

LukaX23 - 58 days 14 hours ago

Why would they? PS3 users have Uncharted 2 AND Modern Warfare 2.

Agree(8) | Disagree(1) | Report

Jamegohanssj5 - 58 days 14 hours ago

Nice, I know who won't be getting it.

TGSI

Agree(2) | Disagree(1) | Report

donator - 58 days 14 hours ago

I have devised the perfect reviewing system that I call the "National & International Game Grading Rubric." Gamespot, GT, and some others are currently considering switching to this system. It will be color coded ranging from: green > blue > yellow > orange > red.

Red games are games that score in the 90th percentile.
Orange games are games that score in the 80th percentile.
Yellow games are games that score in the 70th percentile.
Blue games are games that score in the 60th percentile.
Green games are games that score in the 50th percentile and below.

Agree(2) | Disagree(0) | Report

Mindboggle - 58 days 13 hours ago

You guys are idiots. MW2 is gunna get good scores, so are you gunna keep telling yourself its not good ?

Seriously if you want to play Uncharted 2, just play it. Noone needs to hear why its better than MW2.

Agree(2) | Disagree(12) | Report

Information Minister - 58 days 13 hours ago

For the last time guys, start thinking for yourselves and stop listening to reviewers. They're the biggest bunch of ignorant unprofessional sellouts in the business.

It takes a real 360 fanboy to think the issue here is the score itself and not GT's double standards.

Agree(7) | Disagree(0) | Report

SL1M DADDY - 58 days 13 hours ago

SSShhhhhhh..... You don't want to give him a reality cramp. Once he hears that the PS3 has not only the best looking console game to date AND Modern Warfare 2 he might flip a fanboy lid on ya. These days, the 360 fans, all they have are a few tenths of a point between multiplatform games to boost their ego and justify their decision to back the most unreliable console on the market. You don't want to make too many ripples in the water...

Agree(9) | Disagree(1) | Report

IcyJoker187 - 58 days 11 hours ago

What happened to 9.3 is the highest score a non-innovative and un-original game can get?

Agree(10) | Disagree(0) | Report

callahan09 - 58 days 11 hours ago

You want to know what the biggest problem is? It's that because games are so long, reviewers can't review every game. And that's the precise reason why there's no standards in game reviews. When you look at movie criticism, you aren't looking at it in terms of "OK, what did this newspaper give it?" You're looking at it in terms of the individual critic, Roger Ebert, Gene Shalit, A.O. Scott, and Leonard Maltin, these are people that see and rate every single movie that comes out, and so there's a standard to their reviews. They've seen it all, so everything they review comes in the correct context of movie history.

Whereas with videogames, you've got individuals and their opinions, but they aren't based on the complete context of videogaming, because they only get the chance to review a fraction of the games that come out. The person that reviews Modern Warfare 2 probably isn't the person who reviewed Uncharted 2, and a third person probably reviewed Killzone 2, so there's absolutely no consistency or standard at all. And that's why reviews are worthless and you get what seem like double-standards.

The real problem comes in when the corporate overlords come in and defend the opinions of the individual critics who work for them, and say things like "These are the standards that our critics are supposed to keep in mind when reviewing" (like GameTrailers did in defense of the Uncharted 2 review), and then another review will come out down the road that so obviously does not adhere to that same standard. It's just a disaster, and honestly, I don't think it'll ever get any better, because the nature of games and scale of their content makes reviewing them a different beast than movies. There's TOO MANY different critics that represent the views of each individual publication.

Agree(5) | Disagree(0) | Report

sabestar - 58 days 9 hours ago

Well to be honest, if we were all smart enough we would have known that the score was going to be at 9.5, and that is for one reason. The original CoD4 actually got a 9.4 from them, and we all knew Modern warfare 2 was going to be improved in several aspects, so it logically should have gotten around 9.5 (from GT)

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report

sikbeta - 58 days 9 hours ago

I knew it from the begining, this fools will not change anymore

Innovation?
Orignality?

lol this time they forget to take some points away -_-

Agree(4) | Disagree(0) | Report

Ravage27 - 58 days 8 hours ago

so as to give the 9.5 to MW2 and BS ppl in believing it is the 'better' game and 'innovated' more(oh god...) Anyone with half a brain should have suspected something when they deducted a f#$%ing 7% off UC2 for not being 'innovative'.

"But at the same time I cannot sleight the other games that did go above and beyond and did take a risk.And thats what Uncharted 2 doesn't do. There are no risks associated with that game at all. They played it completely safe. They took things that they knew were accepted and people loved and build it into one game. And thats fine, theres nothing wrong with that. But you can't expect a score of a 9.8 or a 9.5 and higher if you are doing something like that."

And with that in mind, GT went ahead and proudly gave MW2 a 9.5 a month later.

The extreme hypocrisy present in this unbelievable statement sickens me to the core. I rest my case.

Agree(5) | Disagree(2) | Report

JANF - 58 days 5 hours ago

GOTY confirmed!!!!!!!!!!

Agree(2) | Disagree(6) | Report

2cents - 58 days 4 hours ago

Are people forgetting that this is a 'video game' that has been made to 'play'. For people to enjoy? So it got a 9.5, last time I checked this was something to celebrate, especially seeing as its multi-platform game. Why are so many comments so negative and vicious.

OK uncharted 2 was mentioned, did they in any way diss it?

Damn people, stop arguing over stupid sh1t and buy it and play it or just move on.

I am excited about this game, I have bought it and am about to start playing in an hour or so, I came on to N4G to get the gossip, see the review article and see the score. Then check the comments and blam, N4G 'community' at their finest.

I have now just wasted 2 mins of my life, typing some sh1t that probably no one care about. Oh well.

@below, well said, I agree

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report

antlovell - 58 days 4 hours ago

This may be my only comment I ever make on here and it's in the form of a question. Why do so many of you guys trash games and systems instead of commenting about what is good or bad in a game based on your own personal experience? I enjoy this site for upcoming game previews and news and I sometimes read the comments but it's a huge letdown to see many of you guys being so negative and partial towards one system over the other. I'm from the school of thought that if a game is good you try to get it and if not you don't. Every game can't be GOW 3 or Uncharted 2 quality.

Agree(2) | Disagree(0) | Report

i3eyond the Circle - 58 days 2 hours ago

Cry more?

Agree(0) | Disagree(1) | Report

GMR_PR - 58 days ago

Cry haters!!! Cry!!!!

on topic,

great review.

Agree(0) | Disagree(2) | Report

Fozzy25 - 58 days 16 hours ago

Well, that all got forgotten didn't it...

Agree(7) | Disagree(0) | Report

Statix - 58 days 9 hours ago

Gametrailers penalized Uncharted 2 on scoring based upon its alleged lack of originality. Yet that didn't stop them from inexplicably giving MW2 a higher score.

I originally had absolutely no problem at all with the score GT gave Uncharted 2 (9.3), but where exactly is the consistency in scoring rubric? They'll have a very tough time convincing any intelligent human being that MW2 (essentially COD4.5) is as original as )let alone more original than) Uncharted 2 is; and while Uncharted 2 set new industry standards for cinematic storytelling, character depth, presentation, and production values in videogames, all MW2 did is reuse the same old formula from Call of Duty 1 of scripted action set pieces with a lot of explosions interspersed with CG cinematic sequences used to mask load times.

All I ask from Gametrailers and other major review sites is a modicum of journalistic integrity and consistency. If you make one glaring characterization of a game, but with another game that clearly has the same faults you DON'T make the same characterization as to its lack of originality, then you've FAILED in terms of journalistic integrity.

Hopefully Uncharted 2 is still the shoe-in favorite for game of the year in spite of biased review sites such as this one. Because frankly, it deserves it. It deserves it because it advances the games industry in several directions, setting a high bar in terms of presentation for many developers to aspire to, to new levels that haven't been reached before in the medium. It certain deserves to win accolades a lot more than what basically amounts to COD4 redux, with new weapons, maps, and perks.

What's a joke is that Gametrailers gives the visually flawed MW2 a near-perfect 9.8 for its presentation, and says that it "is only matched by Uncharted 2" in presentation. Aside from the fact that MW2 doesn't even compare to Uncharted 2, someone's forgotten about a game called Killzone 2, which is still arguably the best-looking FPS of this console generation out on the market to date. MW2 is a good-looking game, but it is technically flawed in a number of ways; running at a sub-HD 588p resolution, it has blurry and jaggy polygon edges, low-resolution textures from up-close, and unimpressive polygonal detail. To think that they could even think about making the comparison of this decent-looking multiplatform game to gems such as Uncharted 2 or Killzone 2 in terms of visuals and presentation, it really confuses me.

Agree(8) | Disagree(1) | Report

solidjun5 - 58 days 8 hours ago

Funny how people love to say we're whining. They throw out "it's still a good score" and blah blah blah. I say they are whining about the whining. Don't like, then don't read it. Also, you can present your points without whining as you clearly do here.

So if you can't tell between whining and presenting your arguments then too bad and I would say for you to stop being narrow-minded.

With that said, I agree with you with regards to Journalistic integrity. If you say one thing and go about face on the thing, then to me you're just full of it. The reason why people 'complained' was the consistency with the score. Why is the standard so different? Now, if they said, it's on a game by game basis, then I guess that would be understandable. However, they threw that out the window when they started harping on the originality claim, thus alluding to a standard. Shane even said that they take it sooooooooo serious. Okay, I'll wait to see how MW2 will be judged on. Mind you, I beat the game last night (4.5 hours) and it's great. But it didn't really do anything original. Well being that it is a sequel, I don't expect much, but hey gametrailers said it's important. So now they review and it turned out they were after full of it. Especially Shane.

As for the presentation aspect of your argument. I disagree. Presentation is the whole package. Now just the graphics. I think I speak for most rational individuals when I said that Uncharted 2 is the better looking game. Uncharted 2 has one of the best presentation of the game period. I'm also including interaction, animation, ATMOSPHERE and other things that make the game feel great. I think COD MW2 does that on uncharted 2's level or very close to it. So that's why I respectfully disagree with you.

But after that, to me Gametrailers just proved to be hypocrites. I'm waiting for their comments on invisible walls.

Agree(2) | Disagree(0) | Report

Why o why - 58 days 2 hours ago

bubbles

bubbles

bubbles

double standards.

Its so bad that i add 1 point for a ps3 review from these hacks sites.

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report

hakis86 - 58 days 15 hours ago

I will laugh my ass off.

I loved COD4, and this is also a cool game - but the fact that all the stuff they diss other games for (nothing new, short campaign, not the best graphics) does not count in this review is ridiculous!

Agree(11) | Disagree(8) | Report

BulletToothtony - 58 days 15 hours ago

but now i realize that it's because they have nothing else to play and they want a AAA title this year even if it's multiplatform..

ps3 owners get upset because the quality of uncharted 2 is way better than mw2 and yet it got lower scores on ign and GT.. it's called double standards..

Agree(18) | Disagree(4) | Report

CrippleH - 58 days 15 hours ago

It tied on IGN really. GT I give you that. I can't think of a PS3 game they gave 9.5 and higher other then multiplats.

Agree(11) | Disagree(0) | Report

colonel179 - 58 days 13 hours ago

GameTrailers Game of the Year Awards 2009:

GOTY 2009: Modern Warfare 2

PS3 GOTY 2009: Modern Warfare 2 (Yes, they will ignore Uncharted 2 most likely)

360 GOTY 2009: Modern Warfare 2 (Because it actually doesn't have any other plus everybody thinks multiplats are 360 exclusives)

MULTIPLATFORM GOTY 2009: Modern Warfare 2: (They will have this category for the first time just to give it to MW2)

Agree(4) | Disagree(1) | Report

topdawg122 - 58 days 15 hours ago

Good point right, it doesn't do anything new really. I'm still gettin this regardless, GT are a bunch of hypocrites. Anyone know of any deals? I'm low on cash, but I'm willing to eat Ramen for a couple weeks for this game lol

Agree(10) | Disagree(0) | Report

Why o why - 58 days 15 hours ago

...lol, its not that bad:)

Agree(5) | Disagree(0) | Report

Morbid Bulldozer - 58 days 14 hours ago

Because, as GT said in the review, other shooters are still playing catch-up with MW. If Killzone 2 was overall a better game than MW, lack of innovation would never be mentioned.

Agree(1) | Disagree(9) | Report

TheTeam06 - 58 days 10 hours ago

And you don't think any action-adventure game will be playing catch-up with Uncharted 2? After a story like that, and a polished multiplayer...

Agree(2) | Disagree(0) | Report

Jsynn7 - 58 days 10 hours ago

http://www.examiner.com/x-6...

For those who haven't read this article, please take the time to read it now. I knew that Gt would rate this game high. this just goes to show that they're not cool with PS3 exclusives. MW2 looks pretty awesome but it's NOT ORIGINAL!. With that said, if you've read this article, MW2 should've gotten the same score as UC2. It is not a bad score by any stretch but GT says that unoriginal games will only receive a score that high. Why did they give MW2 a 9.5? It's .2 higher than UC2 granted, but it's the principle of the thing. If this guy didn't open his dumb mouth and say: "When we review games, we put an extremely high emphasis on originality." and "Now, honestly, there was nothing original in Uncharted 2. To be perfectly honest with you, the 9.3 that game got is about as high a score as a game like that is ever going to get on GameTrailers and that’s the bottom line.", I wouldn't have a problem with MW2 score but he did so I do. Listen, at the end of the day, game sites like GT,IGN,Gamespot will have their secret biases on certain consoles and factor that into their reviews even when they tell you their totally unbiased. I know it'll be hard but don't listen to reviews. That's why the powers that be bestowed upon us gamers Gamefly. We can rent the game for ourselves hold on to it as long as we want and make judgments on whether we want to buy the game or not. I think GT should explain this but I know they won't and that's ok. We know where they stand now so just move on.

Agree(6) | Disagree(0) | Report

ZombieAutopsy - 58 days 15 hours ago

Its GT what do you expect.

Agree(7) | Disagree(2) | Report

TheBlackSmoke - 58 days 15 hours ago

Pretty much the only major criticism the gaming media could find about KZ2 and Uncharted 2 was the innovation angle and they all nit picked that to death. But good ol cod4.5 is "special"

Agree(9) | Disagree(1) | Report

reintype - 58 days 13 hours ago

It seems it only applies to PS3 exclusive games. You won't hear the Gaming Media mentions it, when it comes to XBOX 360 exclusive or BIG NAME Multi-plats, if it does, it comes with an excuse, so that the game will not be penalize. How Fvcking convenient!

This Stupid Bias and Double Standards by the Gaming Media, is what ruining the Videogames INDUSTRY.

Agree(5) | Disagree(0) | Report

crazyturkey - 57 days 21 hours ago

I knew that what Shane said was a load of BS. I want to see how does he try to defend his previous comment in this week's IW.

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report

TheBlackSmoke - 58 days 14 hours ago

Im not even saying MW2 is crap and deserves lower. It probably is a really solid game and whilst not adding anything new, is very polished in all aspects. A 9.5 may be justified but FFS wheres the consistency lametrailers? Why do PS3 exclsuives have to go under the microscope?

And before you bots invade, we get MW2 AND UC2.

Agree(8) | Disagree(0) | Report

Monolith - 58 days 8 hours ago

agreed, i want this game now because of the DC part, thats what i was hopeing for in Resistance 2 but it didnt happen.

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report

buying1999 - 58 days 3 hours ago

Now the PS3 even has equal or better multiplat games LOL. Poor bots.

Now with the multiplat issues out of the way, the best exclusives on the market, blu-ray, netflix, and free online there's no reason to own a lamebox anymore.

PS3....Get on board or get left behind.

Agree(1) | Disagree(0) | Report

DonCorneo - 58 days 7 hours ago

i mean spec ops..LMOA!!1! w@w 4-player co-op vs mw1.5's 2

Agree(1) | Disagree(0) | Report

TheTeam06 - 57 days 22 hours ago

MW2 = 96 metacritic

U2 = 96 metacritic

I'd say they both have an equal shot. Correction - GOTY Contender confirmed

PS: A story that redefined storytelling in gaming even after MGS4, or a game with a short campaign and an enhancement of an already perfected multiplayer (thanks to COD4). Which deserves it most?

My list of GOTY Contenders (off the top of my head):

MW2
U2
inFamous
ODST
Killzone 2
Assassin's Creed 2 (this is gonna be fun!)

Agree(0) | Disagree(0) | Report