By now everyone in the gaming world has heard of Call of Duty 4’s incredibly robust multiplayer offering. If you’ve had the chance to jump into the multiplayer beta provided on Xbox Live, then you know that Infinity Ward is providing one of the best online experiences ever. However, what you might not know is how well the single player part of the game is holding up. Well continue reading and you’ll find out.
Earlier this month, PSU.com flew down to San Francisco to get hands on with Call of Duty 4 and the single player build of the game. We were given a few hours to try out two very different levels, one taking place aboard a ship and the other in the middle of a war torn city at night. From start to finish my mouth was on the floor.
To begin, we’ll start with the first available mission; "Crew Expendable." The level opens up with you looking over a stormy sea while flying towards a helpless barge hewn by endless ocean waves. Once the helicopter has reached the ship, you and your squad slip down a rope onto the main deck only to immediately open fire on unsuspecting hostiles.
As the you progress through the level, one thing that we noticed is that your team mates seem to be a bit aggressive and if you fall behind, your squad may wipe out all the enemies before you catch up to them. However, there is a section where you get pinned down by constant suppressive fire from hostiles standing above in the main control room, but rather than blindly charging in and getting yourself killed, you instead wait for your helicopter to fly in and dispatch your foes with a barrage of 50cal support fire.
To finish the mission, you and your team must secure an item containing top-secret information. The item itself is located in the guts of the barge which, when collected, triggers a scene where the craft is torpedoed. As sheets of metal tear from the walls and water spills into the ship, it’s a race against time to reach surface to the awaiting helicopter. This end sequence is very well done and very intense. Not only are you timed in how fast you escape, but also the camera shakes and tilts with the angle of the boat as it sinks, accentuating the severity of the moment considerably.
The second level we played was called “The Bog,” a mission where your primary objective is to save the crew of an Abrams tank that’s been stranded in the desert. We first saw this level back in August but at the time it was no touchy, eyes on only. Now actually having the chance to sit down and play the whole level through, brings all new amazement to our experience.
During the course of the level you will get the chance to kill enemies by shooting them through walls, utilize night vision with laser sights, and destroy tanks with lock-on rockets. With just only playing two levels, we’d have to say that Call of Duty 4’s single player campaign is just as good if not better than it’s multiplayer counterpart.
Pros:
– Call of Duty 4 provides stunning graphics at 60fps
– Tight controls on all versions (PS3, Xbox 360, and PC)
– Intense single player campaign worth playing more than once
– Endless fun with multiplayer; customize your gear, perks, and more
Cons:
– PS3 version will have no limited edition
– May find some jaggies on the PS3 version…not as smooth in some areas as you may find on the PC or Xbox 360.*
*To clarify the differences found between the console versions, when we said you may find jaggies and that the PS3 version wasn’t as smooth, this is only a rare occurance and usually the jaggies appear on the edges of distant objects or the edges of buildings in the environment. Once again, this is very seldom, and will not effect the gameplay and to the general eye will look identical to other versions.
All together, Call of Duty 4 holds it’s own against all other first person shooters out there, and you would be missing out on what may potentially turn out to be the best game of the year if you fail to pick up a copy.
For more information on Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer read our other Hands On preview, where we cover both the online multiplayer beta and our first look impressions.
Stay tuned for a full review next month.