A couple of weeks ago Infinity Ward unleashed their latest FPS on the world in the guise of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. The game was hotly anticipated and there were a lot of people more than curious to see how the whole thing turned out with the games characters. Well, for those of us who played the game we already know, and for those of us who haven't yet there will be no spoilers here.

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In short though, what I will tell you about the game's storyline is that it was a rollercoaster ride that you just could never have dreamed of. There were more twists and turns, more betrayal and chaos than the very best of Shakespeare tragedies. Not only was the story engaging, well written and told interestingly from different character's perspectives but it also made me sit there, controller in hand muttering “Ooh this bastard is getting shot!” every time somebody did something evil to further the story. In short, this is what made the game not only a joy to play but also probably one of the most immersive gaming experiences I have ever known. And this is before I even mention the actual gameplay.

The game itself was more than just your average FPS fare, yes it is a first person shooter, yes it's all guns, grenades and rocket launchers. But it is that and so much more. The controls are fluid and strangely a lot more fluid than the first Modern Warfare but without sacrificing the difficulty level. Enemy AI is reasonable and makes sense, and that coupled with the story's events really does make it feel like all hell is breaking loose. This game does it's job and then some. And on top of that there are a few little bits that break up the FPS with vehicle based sections, including the incredibly addictive snowmobile scene.

This brings me to the variety of locations in the game. It goes from suburban USA to the slums of Rio, to Afghanistan's cities and caves and even in the snow and mountains. And if that wasn't enough there's a short section which sees you in outer space.

On the subject of locations, there is that dark moment. Infinity Ward included a level which is said to expose the atrocities of terrorism. Now, this level has courted much controversy but was implemented in a very responsible way. First, no achievements are taken away from you for not doing this level and second you are warned more than once that this level is in game and given the option to skip it more than once. So really Infinity Ward have put the whole “games are bad” argument on it's head and actually put this in the gamer's hands. I actually did complete this level and yes, I can see what the fuss is about with it but, I felt that it was integral to the story and actually tactfully done. We all know that in this level you work with terrorists to attack a public place, killing civilians, but do so undercover and although in the world's current political climate this is a bit near the knuckle it really does help with the immersion and had me thinking that “ooh this bastard...” thing again and again throughout the level. Personally, I'd say it's not offensive but would say it's certainly food for thought and could push the boundaries of gaming taboos in a new way, possibly making for a landmark in it's genre.

On top of that, when it's all done and dusted and you've dealt with the bad guy in an amazingly overblown scene of action that could have been stolen from a bad action movie, but is implemented so well and unexpectedly there's the Special Ops modes to play with which give you missions to hone skills and play to earn stars, adding much longevity to the game, and with talk of DLC coming in spring could only get bigger and better.

All in all, Modern Warfare 2 is a masterpiece in it's genre, a compelling story, enjoyable gameplay and gorgeous audio and graphics make for a very robust package that everybody should play at least once. And as for the games ending, it's obvious Modern Warfare 3 will be out one day, only thing is I want it now!