“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” made more than $300 million on its first day in North America and the United Kingdom. That’s more than the Yankees spent to win the World Series. It’s the highest-grossing launch in the history of entertainment, but it’s nothing compared to what defense contractors earned this decade. Real war is still the best business going.
It’s no surprise that “Modern Warfare 2” is as huge as “Mario,” “Grand Theft Auto” and “Halo.” Its predecessor, 2007’s “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” was massively popular with both players and critics. It bolstered an amazing single-player campaign with what might be the definitive online multiplayer shooting experience. It was the rare game that mostly deserved its hype.
“Modern Warfare 2” builds on those strengths. The Tom Clancy-esque story is knotted with even more tension and grandly nonsensical twists. The multiplayer is excellent, adding new perks and compulsive game modes with the same great controls. The new Special Ops mode adds two-player co-op missions to the mix.
Unfortunately, fantastic gameplay isn’t the most memorable part of “Modern Warfare 2.” The game’s defining moment is a gratuitous scene that forces you to witness and potentially participate in the massacre of innocent civilians. You play the role of a CIA agent undercover with Russian terrorists who open fire in a crowded airport. You’re forced to walk slowly through the carnage, absorbing the blood and cries of terror. It’s shocking, and guaranteed to cause controversy.
This scene purports to unsettle, to hammer home the horror of terrorism. It doesn’t do that because it fails as storytelling. There’s no build-up and no greater meaning, either emotionally or narratively, for you or your character. Even the villain is undeveloped and tangential to the third act. What could’ve been a bold step forward for game narrative is nothing more than a crass shock tactic.
Video games should mature along with their audience. Games should tackle morally ambiguous situations in a thoughtful manner, challenging players to think long and hard about the actions and decisions they make. That’s not what “Modern Warfare 2” does, though. It’s less interested in contemplating violence, either real or fictional, than in testing the boundaries of good taste. It might make headlines, but it doesn’t make a real statement. “Modern Warfare 2” is the opposite of mature, no matter what the rating on the box says.
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