GameGuide » Blog Archive » Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Update

The lucky guys over at joystiq got to attend a multiplayer evening with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and it seems like they enjoyed themselves no end! But what did they discover? Here’s a brief round up:

Infinity Ward doesn’t believe in the maxim: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, rather they subscribe to a more robust: If it works like gangbusters, figure out why and expand on that.

To start with, MW2 is a lot more customisable, even your call sign can be customised with an emblem and title. Your emblem starts as a pair of dog tags and moves up to rank patches. These are unlocked as rewards, and there are seven pages of emblems and twenty-two pages of titles. 

New perks include “Bling” (two primary weapon attachments at the same time, like a red-dot sight and a silencer), “Scavenger” (get a full ammo replenishment from a dead enemy), and “Hardline” (each Killstreak bonus costs 1 kill less). Plus, perks can now be leveled up, making them even perkier. There’s a “Pro” level for each perk, which will extend or improve the chosen skill when you complete a challenge.

Killstreaks get a huge boost as well. In the build we played, if you can make it to 11 kills in a row, you’ll be given command of an AC-130 gunship, which you’ll use to rain down hot lead on your enemies. New Killstreaks include Counter-UAV (jam the enemy radar), Airdrop (drop a crate nearby with a random Killsteak item in it), Sentry Gun (automated turret awesomeness), Predator Missile (a missile that you guide in via a computer screen), and Pave Low, which is an armoured assault chopper that’s a lot hardier than the normal chopper.

You can also customise your Killstreaks, picking what gets triggered after a specified number of kills. Want a Counter UAV after four kills? Slot it in. That’s great for anyone good enough to get four kills in a row; however, if you’re better at dying four times in a row than you are at killing, “Deathstreaks” are for you. Deathstreaks give players who keep getting hammered a fighting chance. This includes the handy Painkiller which gives you a big health boost the next time you spawn.

Almost all of the weapons in the Campaign mode will be available in the Multiplayer modes, and all of your favourites are back. There’s a new Launchers category, which includes rocket launchers and the “Thumper” grenade launcher, and tons of new weapons, some of which you can dual-wield!

There more customisation with attachments and paints as well. All of the camo skins are back, with some additions, and attachments, including an under-slung shotgun and a heartbeat sensor for the assault rifle. You can also select a Riot Shield as your main weapon, which protects you from most primary fire. You can melee attack with the shield, although you’ll have to switch to a secondary to shoot.

There’s also an equipment slot now, which can house a lot more than your normal grenades. You’ll now be able to choose things like Semtex, a throwing knife, tactical insertion (a flare that lets you choose where to spawn), or even a Blast Shield. The Throwing Knife is a nice addition, giving you a ranged one-hit kill if thrown properly. The good news is that if you miss, you can run over and snag it off the ground and use it again.

The three maps that were showcased are:

High-Rise: Centred around a helipad and air-conditioning station between two towers on a skyscraper. You spawn on opposite sides in offices. This is a smaller map, but contains tunnels, rooftop perches, and lots of nooks and crannies. We noticed nice details like pipes that blow steam if you pop a round into them. Favela: A medium-sized map inside a multiple-level ghetto. You can scurry across rooftops, climb from building to building, or use the sidewalks and stairs to get around.

Afghan: This is a huge map with an enormous crashed airplane in the middle of a valley in the centre.

It certainly sounds like the joystiq boys had fun, and certainly whets the appetite for the release this November.