The Open Beta of Call Of Duty - Modern Warfare 2 has started
I jumped right into it to get a first impression.
And to give you a short peak... it was not that bad, even for me who hasn't touched CoD since Black Ops 2.
To my surprise, the game runs pretty well despite all reports found online claiming game crashes and disconnects.
But that's what an open beta is for, to be fair.
Another big surprise is the amount of available game modes already available.
But step by step:
As of now, you can rank up to Rank 30 while giving you unlocks at each level. This will NOT transition to the final release, just in case you plan to spent a lot of time in the beta ;)
Unlocks range from weapons to perks and other equipment.
The default loadouts are pretty basic but useful.
As if CoD ever had issues with raging players... right?!
Game Modes
My game mode of choice for the Beta: "Ground War"
32v32 Players on large maps. Not as large as e.g. Battlefield 3, but pretty large in CoD-standards.
Ground and air vehicles included.
Capturing objectives on ground.
"Invasion"
20v20 Players on large maps with a mix of AI and real players. No vehicles though.
"3rd Person Moshpit"
Small 6v6 maps playing in 3rd person view. A bit too weird for my taste of CoD.
"Hardpoint"
Small 6v6 maps in a "King Of The Hill" style.
"Search And Destroy"
Small 6v6 maps with planting and defusing bombs. Are you a fan of "good old" Counter Strike? Then this game mode might be the right one for you!
"Prisoner Rescue"
Small 6v6 maps where, you guessed it, the primary objective is to rescue a hostage. The other team needs to prevent said rescue.
Last but not least "Knock Out"
6v6 on small maps with revive ability. The intersting part might be, its round based.
With those currently available 7 different game modes, I think everyone should be able to find it's favourite.
Waiting times are short, it took me less than 30 seconds to find a lobby and start a new match.
Player count will probably rise by quite a lot once the game launches.
First Game
So I picked the first default load out.
A basic assault class.
Rifle, Shotgun, Stun- and Frag grenade... everything you need for battle.
I am not sure if the Austria-Flag is by coincidence or because I am actually from Austria. However, a nice touch!
After spawning, it won't take more than a few steps to find yourself infight.
Even the large maps are not that large that you need to run bigger distances like in "Warzone" or Battlefield games.
But that's what CoD always was about, short and intense battles.
I personally always liked driving vehicles in shooter games. Nothing different here.
You either be a driver, gunner or simply sit inside. Warm and cozy.
Gunfights are solid!
The sound effects of guns fire, explosions and engine sounds are pretty well made.
Movement is crisp and fast paced. Nothing to criticize here.
The graphics although are a bit glitchy from time to time. Players floating/bugging around and some textures seem a bit muddy here and there.
Nothing game bereaking, but could be better! Let's see if this changes until release.
In the rare event of your own death, you get to pick a fresh spawn location. Be it at one of your captured points or in vicinity of one of your team mates.
This depends on the game time though!
Prepare for battle!
What I definetly like is the option to spawn in a helicopter and leap out of it where ever you like. Just don't forget to open your parachute early enough!
And keep in mind that flying units can be shot down by RPGs, Javalins and so forth. Nothing lasts forever in the sky.
And as always, the result is what really matters.
And we all know, it matters even more, if your team won! 😉
The game ends with the iconic table of kills and deaths letting you off to the next round.
Good luck soldier!
Conclusion
After a few rounds, the game already seems to be pretty solid.
Core mechanics as movement, combat and sounds are well done. But to be honest, this is Call Of Duty ... those guys should really know what they are doing by now.
Suprising is the amount of game modes wich are actualy pretty interesting. But it remains open if all modes are being accepted equally by the community letting you hope that your favourite mode will not end up in waiting several minutes for the next match.
The open beta is available all weekend. For PC in the battle.net launcher and for consoles on their respectively store.