Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare became a landmark title after its first launch in 2007 in the history of Call of Duty game. With its smooth deliverance of unparalleled modern warfare experience, Infinity Ward redefined its first-person shooter genre. With immersive storytelling and captivating graphics, the game encapsulated the whole globe into its phenomenal gameplay and hence outclassed its previous versions. Let’s dwell upon its journey from launch to success.
Launch and Design- Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
After World War 2 gameplay versions, the team was already wrapped up on the theme and was already considering moving on. It wasn’t until the Call of Duty 2 was released and had massive success on Xbox 360 that Infinity Ward started dwelling upon the Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare concept. So, the team at Infinity Ward which consisted of more than 100 employees at that time started working on upgrading the engine which resulted in iw3.0 with world dynamic lighting and HDR lighting effects. The game ran on a native resolution of 600p on Xbox 360 and PS3.
The developers enlisted vast novel constituents that were contradictory to the prior game design including dynamic physics and cinematic presentation. Likewise Call of Duty 2, the developers visited the battlefield and sent the researchers to gather reference photos and videos. They visited a US marine training facility called 29 Palms which included a couple of interviews with some real combat soldiers. The team desperately wanted to ensure the modern picturesque with realistic and authentic content.
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Campaigns – Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
The campaign of the single-player media consists of 18 walkthrough missions. Among these, the 13th level known as “one shot, one kill” is marked as tough and the 1st level “crew expendable” is relatively easy.
Level 1-4
Level 1 “F.N.G” is characterized by the CQB test which is taken by Captain Price, the recruiter and the leader of SAS British Forces. The payer is named Soap Mactivish and is honored with the rank of Sergeant. Level 2 “CREW EXPENDIBLE” then proceeds by sending the SAS team to infiltrate the nuclear device in the ship in Bering Strait. However, due to an unexpected assault by the Russian forces, the SAS soldiers could only be able to get the Intel of the nuclear device and hence be rescued.
Level 3 “THE COUP” is a filler in the game where the villain of the story Imran Zakaiv enters and is aimed at capturing Russia. He encourages Khalid Al Asad to kill the Middle East President which can prove a great distraction for America, in order to hinder its interference in his Russian possession. Level 4 “BLACKOUT” produces the storyline where the prior manifest proves that it was Al Asad behind the nuclear ship attack. Captain Price then sets the aim to rescue their informant Nicoli and collaborates with Kamarov, the Russian Loyalist. With full-scale combat, they ultimately get the informant and set on their mission to kill Al-Asad.
Level 5-9
Level 5 “CHARLIE DON’T SURF” includes the troops’ engagement in the midst of a fictional Eastern city. The objective is to locate the informant during heavy resistance of the enemy forces. Level 6 “THE BOG” is the navigation through the ruined city of Al Asad in an attempt to reach the Allied tank. level 7 “HUNTED” includes the battlefield tricks of stealth and evasion where the player is given competent obstacles of enemy patrols and helicopters to escape.
The Level 8 “DEATH FROM ABOVE” is about providing the player the control of AC 130 in order to direct an assault upon enemies and back up for the ground forces. Level 9 “WAR PIG” is an action-packed mission where tank warfare is at the forefront. The player becomes a participant in heavy tank combat.
Level 10-14
Level 10 “SHOCK AND AWE” is the representation of media during warfare. This mission involves the demolition of a television station in the middle of the Eastern city. Level 11 “SAFEHOUSE” is the infiltration of an enemy-controlled safe house aimed at collecting valuable intel. It is again characterized by a covert and stealthy approach. Level 12 “ALL GHILLIED UP” is where the player fights in a latent position.
It is a flashback of a previous fight, an attempt to assassinate the enemy target in ghillie suits. Level 13 “ONE SHOT, ONE KILL” is the continuation where the player faces intense enemy pursuit while extraction. In level 14 “HEAT”, the player escapes from captivity and evades enemy forces in a thrilling chase through the city.
Level 15-18
Level 15 “THE SINS OF THE FATHER” is the persuasion of the main antagonist Imran Zakhaiv in an enemy territory. It is a high-stakes chase with intense firefights as the player moves closer to his confrontation. Level 16 “ULTIMATUM” is the assault of a Russian Missile Silo. The team is objected to combat a heavily fortified enemy position, facing both ground fields and vehicles on the battlefield. Level 17 “ALL IN” is the climax of the story the team participates in the assault upon the Russian base.
The player’s action here significantly impacts the game outcome. Hence the mission is filled with intense combat proceeding the narration. The very last mission “NO FIGHTING IN THE WAR ROOM” is a tense race against time to prevent a nuclear launch. The player must navigate a secure military facility while going through enemy assaults and obstacles. This mission is particularly dramatic and engaging as strives and prevent a catastrophic event from happening.
Each mission provides a gripping narration hence making the single player more enthusiastic than ever before.
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Animation and Features – Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
The game features a highly influential multiplayer mode. It offers various game modes including Teams Deathmatch, Free for all, Domination, and many more. It was a groundbreaking and immersive experience with load-out customization to diverse maps and killstreaks, it upgraded the level of multiplayer design.
A Tangent to The Circle
The pivotal turn of the COD 4: MW was its tangency from the previously used theme of World War 2. The storyline was based on modern warfare which is a contemporary setting. The story encapsulates a compelling track with the introduction of thrilling characters like Captain Price and Sergeant Soap Mactivish who have now become the staples of the franchise.
The game constitutes realistic graphics with smooth and untroubled movements. It contains an application of diverse amounts of ammunition and weapons including snippers and machine guns. The concept of killed streak rewards was introduced where special abilities like UAV resistance, airstrikes and attack helicopters were rewarded for the soldiers’ competent skills during the battle. The diverse maps with cinematic movements including tense and realistic sound design really changed the whole single-player campaign experience.
The multiplayer mode caused an immense amount of community to be formed under the umbrella of Call of Duty Saga. It created a significant impact on the gaming industry, setting trends for modern shooters and multiplayer experiences.
Praise and Acclaim – Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
Call of Duty 4 was praised for its impressive storytelling style that prioritized gameplay over narration. It constituted vast cinematic elements and an engaging story that elevated the level of a single-player campaign. It earned several “GAME OF THE YEAR” awards including recognitions from IGN, Gamespot, Gameinformer and the Spike VideoGame Awards.
Call of Duty 4 was applauded for its outstanding graphics, realistic character animations and detailed environments. It influenced the industry in the design of subsequent first-person shooter games with elements such as experience systems, killstreaks, and load-out customization. GameSpot gave a favorable review for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare saying that;
“High quality of that campaign and its terrific multiplayer options make Call of Duty 4 a fantastic package”
Similarly, Xplay commented that;
“It may not revolutionize the shooter genre but it comes damn close to perfecting it.”
The game’s plot has received a considerable amount of positive views. GamePro claims that;
“The amazingly deep multiplayer rivals Halo 3’s in terms of reach and scope.”
While IGN’s Voodooo Extreme remarked that it “Virtually plays on a rail, but that’s part of its charm.”
The Game was the Xbox 360 best-selling video game version in the United States. In 2007, it sold 3.04 million units according to the NDP group. By January 2008 Call of Duty 4 sold 7 million copies worldwide which was followed by 10 million copies in 2010. Finally, in November 2013, the game sold a total of 25.7 million copies across the globe leaving behind other contemporary gaming competent such as SUPER MARIO GALAXY and HALO 3.
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Final Word
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare redefined the battlefield with thrilling experiences of a first-person shooter game. It simply intensified the audience with its launch reaching beyond the horizon of the gameplay aesthetics. It is considered a PRO in its time that laid the foundation of the Call of Duty we see and enjoy in the present day.
