As ever, Call of Duty is on the cutting edge of graphics technology, and so looks incredibly handsome from practically every angle. That doesn’t mean there are not some more immediate, base-level thrills to be found while powering through that story, though. Expect less Kathryn Bigelow and more Michael Bay vibes for this chapter. The result is paper-thin, gung-ho characters and a conclusion that can be predicted from barely 30 minutes in. The quality of this story is a substantial step down from its predecessor where Modern Warfare examined the human stories that emerge from military occupation and (lightly) assessed sacrificing a piece of your own morality in order to protect the civilian world, Modern Warfare 2 is more interested in broader, shallower action. They’re heavily embroiled in a plot that involves an Iranian arms deal, stolen US missiles, and the interplay between multiple nations’ special forces.
That’s thanks to the addition of the Las Almas drug cartel to the list of foes, who fulfill the exact same tired stereotypical roles that you’ve seen everywhere from Ghost Recon: Wildlands to Bad Boys. The six-hour campaign whisks you away from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Middle Eastern frontlines and drops you into Mexico for the majority of its run.