We take an early run at the Xbox 360 beta. Is it good? Sir, yes, sir!

by Hilary Goldstein


August 8, 2007 - The team at Infinity Ward has been making high-caliber World War II games for many years now, dating back to when the group worked for 2015. From Medal of Honor: Allied Assault and on to the first two Call of Duty titles, Infinity Ward had WWII nailed. So when IW announced that Call of Duty 4 would tackle Modern Warfare, I was a little concerned. Why the hell would IW ditch the era it had mastered to tread where few had fared well?

One intrepid IGN editor traveled to the birthplace of mankind, Encino, California, to experience the upcoming Call of Duty 4 Xbox 360 multiplayer beta firsthand. Only by playing in IW's modern war setting could I possibly understand the decision to abandon World War II. Alongside me were Will Tuttle (who takes up desk space for TeamXbox), and Gerald Villoria and Bryn Williams of GameSpy fame (two editors for the price of one!). Five minutes into the online experience and it was clear why a modern setting was the only option for IW. Modern Warfare offers far more fun toys than stodgy old World War II. Bigger guns, bigger explosions, and a far deeper multiplayer were just a few of the perks earned by switching settings.



Four hours, three fire alarms, and many deaths later, the four of us exited Infinity Ward in agreement: Call of Duty 4 kicks some serious ****ing ass.



Let's get the beta details out of the way. The beta is exclusive to Xbox 360, so don't hold your breath for it on PS3 or PC. The game, though, is expected sometime this fall releasing on all three systems simultaneously. The beta doesn't have an official launch date, but expect it sooner rather than later (after all, we just played it, so it can't be far off). The beta will be ongoing and will last "as long as possible" according to Infinity Ward. There is a level cap for your experience (20) which will be raised gradually as the beta progresses. And though we begin with three maps and a limited number of perks and weapons, these too may increase as the beta rolls on. Nothing you unlock carries over to the retail version of COD4. Once you buy the box copy, you'll have to start all over again, to make it fair for everyone else.

COD4 multiplayer is split into Player and Ranked matches. To really enjoy multiplayer, you'll need to gain ranks by earning experience points (for killing opponents and winning games). And that can only be done in ranked matches. Fortunately, COD4 features a Halo-like party system where you can gather your friends and travel together through ranked play. So while you don't have the option to customize a match when it's ranked, you can still hang with your pals. I had the three previously mentioned editors in my party -- I didn't know how to shake them.



Experience points are the key and will likely drive people to play COD4 into the wee hours of the morning and beyond. In most games, killing an opponent earns 10 XP, which will only bump your XP bar a smidge. Killing someone in a Team Objective game, where there are no respawns, earns 50 points. You also get a couple points for assists and for using some of your tactical air support units. As you gain levels (each one signified by a different military rank) you unlock new features, customizations, perks, and even game modes.

Infinity Ward wanted to create a multiplayer game anyone could get into. So rather than throwing everyone to the wolves, COD4 makes you earn the right to experience some of the more challenging aspects. At level one, you'll be forced to pick from a small group of premade classes. The classes determine your starting main weapon, pistol, special grenades, and perks. Once you hit level 4 (a task that shouldn't take you too long), you'll open up the ability to create your own classes -- that's when COD4 truly blossoms into a special multiplayer experience.

Just to be clear, you don't earn experience for any particular class. All of the XP earned ranks you up as a player. The class is more of a definition of your role. And you can change your class in game anytime you are respawning. So never think of the class system as being in any way limiting. It's not trying to force you to always be the sniper or the demolitions guy. It's meant to broaden your creativity and allow you to define the online experience that best suits your play style.



Creating a class is quick and easy. But as a Private at level 4, you will have very limited choices. As you play, you'll open up new perks, weapons, and attachments forcing you to modify your class regularly as you search for the perfect selections to make you an effective killer.

When you create a class, you need to pick a primary weapon (from the categories of Sniper Rifles, Shotguns, SMGs, Assault Rifles, and Light Machine Guns). You can add an attachment if one is available and even select a cammo design for your gun. For those who use the assault rifle there is a grenade launcher attachment (affectionately dubbed "The N00b Tube") that will serve you well in your first hour or two of play. The primary weapon you select, becomes the weapon you start with after every respawn. But you can pick up any weapon on the field. So if you kill a guy with a tricked-out sniper rifle, it's yours as long as you manage to stay alive. Guns suddenly become a signifier of just how deeply devoted a player has been to COD4.

Next you select a sidearm. This is your backup, best used when you run out of bullets in your main weapon. You can put a silencer on any of these pistols, which can come in handy. In multiplayer, there is a small map of the area in the top left. When an enemy fires a weapon, a red blip flashes on the map. Shots with a silencer don't register on your radar. You can also switch to your pistol and swap it for any weapon on the field, effectively giving you two powerful guns to use in combat.



Then you must select your special grenades. Everyone starts with one frag grenade (you can unlock a perk to hold more as you level up). But you also get the choice of a special grenade. Flash, stun, or smoke are available. The stun grenade is a fun one. When stunned, an opponent moves slowly, so it makes it very difficult for them to aim their gun or avoid fire.

Lastly, you get to the fun part of selecting three different perks. Perk 1 is geared towards explosives. If you have a N00b Tube attached to your assault rifle, it takes up your first perk spot. Otherwise you will have some delightful choices. Keep in mind, many of these won't be unlocked when you achieve level 4.

Perk 1
C4 x 2 - Two C4 charges you can plant and remotely detonate. You can even detonate while another weapon is equipped by tapping the reload button twice.

RPG-7 x 2 - It's slow to fire, but it helps when there's a helicopter on the prowl (or when you can't aim for s***).

Special Grenades x 3 - Pack a few more stun or flash grenades in your purse.

Claymore x 2 - Explosive mines that detonate when stepped on. Great for dropping when someone is in pursuit.

Bomb Squad - Tired of being blown up by well-placed C4? Now you can see it before it goes boom in your face.

The second and third group of perks directly boost your effectiveness in combat.

Perk 2
Juggernaut - Increased health so you don't die quite as quickly.

Stopping Power - Increased bullet damage, which really does a number on the opponent who chooses Juggernaut as his Perk 2.

Sonic Boom - Deal more damage with explosives.

Sleight of Hand - Faster reloading, which is crucial if you want to carry the SAW (aka big gun that takes a full minute to reload).

UAV Jammer - Keeps you from showing up on radar if your opponent has a UAV drone deployed. This won't keep you from appearing as a blip on the screen when firing.

Perk 3
Extreme Conditioning - Allows you to get extra distance when you sprint, which is important since COD4 maps have lots of open areas.

Steady Aim - Better hip-fire accuracy for those who like spraying bullets everywhere.

Deep Impact - Your bullets go deeper (and harder). This is one of the best perks, as it allows you to shred through cover and hit enemies who think they're safe.

Last Stand - The most fun of all the beta perks. Once you've taken enough damage to have killed you, you get to whip out your pistol and fire until someone shoots you. You can't move, but if you're lucky, you can take someone with you. Or you can take the cowards way out and deny your enemy the full XP for the kill.

Martyrdom - You drop a grenade as you die, which can be quite the surprise for someone who sneaks up and kills you with a melee attack.

You can create up to five different classes and name them whatever you like. Playing COD4 for a few hours, it became very clear that there is an art to choosing the right weapons and perks in a class. I found a great admiration for the MP5. It's got short range, but it's accurate and very deadly. With that weapon in hand, I found Extreme Conditioning became a must. Two of the three beta maps contain some large open areas and staying in view of enemies is going to end your life prematurely. And with a short-ranged weapon, I needed to be able to cover ground quickly. My other perk of choice was deep impact. All three of the beta maps (and I'd suspect every other map) has at least some corridor shooting aspects. Being able to put a few bullets through a wall to weaken or even kill an enemy is a big plus.



As you progress to higher ranks, you open up weapon challenges. These reward players for staying loyal to a particular firearm. The earliest of the challenges are straightforward. Get 25 kills with an M16, etc. Clear one challenge and a tougher one appears. And for each challenge completed, you earn XP and a gun-specific reward. There are many other, more unique challenges as well. The Boot Camp challenges include such tasks as kill five people while prone or fall fifteen feet and live. As you move forward, some of the challenges get very unique. Get X number of kills by shooting people through walls, for example.

Some of these challenges might sound like a great tie-in for Xbox 360 Achievement points. Forget it. Achievement points are strictly linked to the single-player campaign. For my money, the rewards for pulling off the multiplayer challenges are far more satisfying than tallying up some more points for my Gamerscore.

Of course, all of this set-up means nothing if the gameplay sucks. Don't worry, the gameplay does not suck. In fact, these were four of the best hours of online gameplay I've experienced on any console. By now you've likely seen the beautiful single-player game with rich details and intense action. While a few of the particle effects may have been dropped for multiplayer, it is almost as pretty in motion as the single-player. The game runs smoothly at 60fps without a single hiccup to the framerate. The texture work is spectacular, the maps large but not overwhelming, and the world thick with debris. There's been very little compromise in maintaining the visual fidelity of the single-player game. Best of all, it's a lot of fun.



As I found out early on, death is very quick in COD4. It only takes a few hits to end your life. COD4 uses a progressive health system, but in multiplayer it rarely plays a factor. Part of this is because even if you pull back and take cover your opponent has some explosive options to take you down before you heal. And bullets can penetrate walls. There are physics involved in this. So the gun, distance, type of material, and thickness of cover all play a factor in the velocity of the bullet if/when it penetrates. That's why a perk like Deep Impact is a great asset.

Should you die in multiplayer, you'll be treated to IW's classic kill cam. This shows exactly how you died, from your killer's perspective. As an added bonus, you get to see the list of your opponent's perks. So if the same bastard keeps killing you, there's the option to take note of the perks and weapons he uses. If nothing else, it might help you better design your own class.

Unless you are playing a Team Objective match, you'll respawn shortly after dying. The respawn puts you out of harms way, but as close to an ally as possible. In this way, you are almost like reinforcements. This keeps you from being dropped on the wrong side of a map, far from action. And it also pushed the sense of teamwork, because you are almost always with a buddy.

Even though the beta is limited in the weapons offered, there's still quite a lot to choose from. Some will fall in love with the SAW or the reliable M16. Others will find joy in a sniper rifle. For me, I was toiling until I picked up the MP5. This was one of those weapons that I always hated in Rainbow Six, so I was very against giving it a try. But now it's clear why the professionals really love this baby. Compact, low recoil, and quick kills up close. No matter which gun you fall in love with, you can always rely on the knife melee attack. This is a one hit, one kill attack (as long as you strike above the waist). You can break from a reload to do a melee attack and, of course, it won't show up as a blip on the radar. Also, it's looks incredibly cool. And it will look just as cool when you see yourself being knifed on a kill cam. Forget circle strafing, just go for the melee blow. It's always your best option when you're close enough to smell what your opponent had for lunch (bologna sandwich if you're fighting Bryn.)

Unless Infinity Ward is pulling a fast one, the three maps I played give great hope to the overall multiplayer. According to IW, there are better maps to be found in the retail game. If so, then this may be the mother of all online shooters. The three maps offered (Overgrown, Vacant, and Crash) are all excellent. None of these are the type you'll want to veto prior to the launch of a game.

Overgrown is set in the Russian forest. There's a barn and a few other abandoned buildings, but the bulk of the map is in open fields (along with a dried up river bed). Fortunately, there's some thick grass throughout. If you spawn with a sniper rifle, you are automatically equipped with a ghillie suit (think of it as grass cammo). This is a huge advantage, making Overgrown a good spot for sniping fans. And yet, not once on the map did I ever feel cheated or over-burdened by snipers. The balance seems fantastic and thanks to the kill cam, it's not easy for anyone to camp for too long. Plus, with Deep Impact, I found it easy to shoot through the thin walls of the barn and take out snipers trying to hide against the wall near the window.

Vacant is another Russian map and my favorite of the three offered. Though there is a defunct train yard just outside, the bulk of the action takes place in an abandoned single-story office building. The criss-crossing paths and numerous doorways create a frantic game of cat and mouse. There are a couple of open areas, including a large docking bay, that offer some space for larger firefights. With my trusty MP5 in hand, Vacant turns into a killing field. Those who want to try the shotty will likely find great success as well.



The most balanced of the three maps is Crash. Think of it as the Black Hawk Down of COD 4. There's a wrecked helicopter in the center of a small town. The rest of the arena is made up of numerous buildings that offer some excellent corridor shooting. You'll be climbing the roofs, looking for enemies running through alleyways to easily pick off. This is perhaps the best map for the Team Objective games. And, I'd guess, will likely be the favorite of the majority of those with the good fortune to play the beta.

With the three maps in mind, there is one other piece of arsenal to consider. Along with earning XP for killing enemies and weapons challenges, there's one more bonus earned while playing. Get three kills without dying and you unlock UAV support. This is an unmanned surveillance vehicle that, when armed, gives you and your team full radar for 30 seconds. Get five kills and you can call in an air strike. Planes fly in quickly and drop bombs. Get inside or your ass is toast. It's quite a rush hearing the approach of a jet and scrambling for cover. Get seven kills in a row and you can call in a support chopper. This assault copter patrols the map, shooting any enemy it sees. It can be destroyed with enough gunfire. The easiest way to take it out is to target the rear rotor.

Any kills from the air strike or helicopter go towards your death kill and earn you XP. Smart teams will work together to make for the most effective strike. Before calling an air strike, have someone deploy the UAV. Now you can spot where your enemies are. If they are all indoors, save the air strike. Otherwise, target the most heavily-populated area and tally up the kills.

The beta includes four different types of game modes: Free-for-all, Team Deathmatch, Team Objective, and Team Tactical. While the first two may seem self-explanatory, it should be noted that Infinity Ward will have variables for many of its modes. So that might mean different win conditions or also different play conditions as well (no HUD, no regenerative health, etc).

Team Objective games open when you reach Lance Corporal II (level 6) and includes Domination and Search and Destroy for the beta. Domination sets up multiple flags, which must be controlled by the different teams. By far my favorite of all the game modes, this forces a lot of teamwork, but also has players scrambling across the map defending, acquiring, and reacquiring locations. Search and Destroy is based on the classic Counterstrike multiplayer, where one team must set a bomb and the other must either eliminate all opponents or diffuse the bomb before it pops. Team Tactical games are 2v2 and 3v3 versions of Team Deathmatch and Search and Destroy.

So how deep is Call of Duty 4 multiplayer? I played only four hours of the beta, and there are still nuances and gameplay elements I haven't covered in this lengthy piece. If the beta is any indication, COD4 is going to be one of the deepest online shooters of all time. The short-lived Halo 3 multiplayer beta was the talk of the gaming world this summer, and for good reason. But before we crown the gang at Bungie kings of online multiplayer, give Call of Duty 4 a chance. It may just be the multiplayer game that will have you hooked through the winter.


by Hilary Goldstein - IGN preview