Developer(s) n-Space Series Call of Duty Genre(s) First person shooter | Publisher(s) Activision Platform(s) Nintendo DS | |
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Release date(s) NA: November 5, 2007
AU: November 7, 2007
EU: November 9, 2007 | ||
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a 2007 first person shooter video game in the Call of Duty franchise, developed specifically for the Nintendo DS. It was released by Activision in November 2007. The game features many elements of gameplay typical to the series, including the usage of iron sights, and vehicular missions.
Contents
The DS version was first shown at the E3 convention in 2007, It was later shown at the Games Convention one month later. The DS version received positive reviews, holding an average score of 76% based on 19 reviews on the review aggregator GameRankings, and was a top-seller in the US.
Gameplay
As a first-person shooter, Modern Warfare puts in the player inside various military soldiers, with a focus exclusively on combat. The game offers a variety of real-world weapons and vehicles. The majority of the missions are ground-level infantry combat, but there are several missions in which the player mans his turret in an aircraft, soldier or Humvee.
The player looks around and aims the currently equipped weapon using the touch screen. On foot, the touch screen is also used to switch and reload firearms, switch to grenades, and interact with the game world; the directional pad is used to move and the shoulder buttons fire the current firearm.
To utilize unique features of the DS, this version includes several touch-screen features, including hacking terminals and bomb disarmament. Inventory controls and an overhead map and radar are located on the touch screen. The DS offers local multi-player via built-in wireless, but does not offer the online multiplayer central to the console and PC versions.
The game takes place in a bright, dusty Middle East and follows during the Gulf War. The game features twelve single player levels in its campaign, as well as several multiplayer modes including deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag. Multiplayer supports up to four players and uses both multicard play and download play.
Plot
The DS version of the game allows the player to assume the roles of several soldiers, who are either affiliated with the British S.A.S. (Sgt. Patrick O'Neil) or U.S. Marines (Sgt. Zachary Parker). Unlike the console and PC versions of the game, players do not directly influence the outcome of the war. Instead of going after the main antagonists of the overall plot (the Four Horsemen: Imran Zakhaev and his allies), the playable characters in the DS version participate in minor missions, such as escaping from an American military base as it is attacked by enemy forces, or raiding two cargo ships in the stormy Persian Gulf which may be carrying nuclear materials. The DS version focuses less on the main attempts to end the conflict and more on the supporting role of the various other soldiers who played a part in the war. The player can also be a gunner on an AC-130 Spectre gunship as are in the regular console/computer version of the game.
Development
According to an interview with IGN before the DS version was first shown at the E3 convention in 2007, Activision said they worked on the game with n-Space since Fall of 2006. They were able to pack as much of the Call of Duty experience onto the DS as possible and was proud that there were "are a ton of effect, but the environments are simply stunning." They also said that they were "excited about bringing Call of Duty to the DS for the first time." The game was later shown at the Games Convention one month later.
Audio
As with all games in the Call of Duty franchise, the music of the game was composed by Michael Giacchino recording the full orchestral scores live. Developer Infinity Wardrein forced those lofty standards with the help of composers Harry Gregson-Williams and Stephen Barton. Though Barton wrote most of the music featured in Call of Duty 4, IGN said that the score was "definitely a team effort."
Reception
The Nintendo DS version received positive reviews, holding an average score of 76% based on 19 reviews on the review aggregator GameRankings, and an average score of 75 out of 100 based on 22 reviews on Metacritic — indicating "generally favorable reviews."
IGN scored Call of Duty 4's DS version at 7.8/10, praising elements including a surprising level of complexity for the hardware, "impressive sound production all around", fun gameplay, and enjoyable multiplayer. Criticism of the game notes some minor glitches, the absence of an online multiplayer mode, and inconsistencies in damage between different weapons. GameSpot scored the game 7.0/10, praising technical achievements of the engine and audio which "... deliver the true Call of Duty experience". They also criticized the game's controls and lack of online multiplayer, noting "... the DS version doesn't offer any of the online modes that its console counterparts do, which means that your interest in the game will probably wane significantly after you complete that initial play-through."