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Xbox 360: Three reasons why NOT to get Modern Warfare 2

1. Shitty community
2. Shitty community
3. Shitty community

    Did I mention tiny maps, overpowered weapons, rampant cheating, and shitty community?

    I’ve been playing Modern Warfare the first for a couple of months now, since a buddy offered to sell the GOTY version to me for $20. In that time, I’ve had to resort to turning my microphone off every time I join a match or else be accosted with a relative crapstorm of pre-pubescent nerd rage, the likes of which would make Ned Flanders want to drop an F-bomb and slap a kid through his headset.

    Let me give you last night as an example before we move on. I got tossed into a round of team deathmatch with a group of particularly vocal kids who spent more time criticizing the “scrubs” for being “garbage” and playing like “doo-doo.” When called out that, you know, it was a game, they proceeded to question my sexuality, tell me I played like a “n****r,” and told that I probably dropped out of high school, so I should probably just break my disc. Now, nevermind the fact that each of these guys was in his 50th plus rank and were talking about not sleeping to play the game (losing sleep over a non-MMO is a sign of a problem, losing sleep over an MMO is a sign of dedication… funny how that works), but, seriously? Come the fuck on.

    Now, moving past that. Let’s talk about the real problems with the game.

    First of all, the maps are tiny, making battles a complete cluster of “who can pull the trigger fastest.” There is no strategy. None, unless you count hiding behind the wall and sniping spawn points “strategy.” Hell, you can’t even sneak around on these maps because, without fail, someone will always be there before you.

    Second, strategy/skill really doesn’t count for much when you’re firing 800 rounds a minute. Honestly, Infinity Ward should have just stuck with WW2 when they could balance weapons in a meaningful way, other than just increasing the shots-per-minute of ever gun in the game. The result? Two guns get used, assault rifles and sniper rifles. That’s it. Every other gun goes to waste until someone new joins up and decides to step outside the box. And then promptly gets shot in the head.

    Finally, I have never in my life played an Xbox game where cheating is so freaking rampant. That handy dandy little kill cam shows it happening, again and again. Last night alone, I came across at least five different players who were able to get a headshot on me, from across the map, by not aiming at me. I’m running to the left, they aim to the right, and bam, I’m dead. Not to mention, those series of miraculous grenade throws, again, from across the map, that happen to hit exactly the right point so they stop rolling right by my or my team mates feet. Again, the kill cam tells all. These guys’ secret? Throw straight up on the air. Who would have thought it.

    Maybe I am a scrub. Hell, I probably am, not that it matters much. Every single point above is a problem from the first game that works with the design of the MW titles. They’ll wind up carrying over, more likely than not. You know the crazy part? I’d probably forgive the three points I described if the community was there. But, it’s not. Those issues make it so only the most competitive players, and those most willing to cheat, will stick around. The result is a bunch of pre-teens to “I got my first armpit hair” players who spew vomit through their microphones. I know, the solution is to keep my mic off. But, frankly, if the alternative is to turn the mic on and find out I’m playing with the scum of the earth, why bother even buying one of these games?

    Battlefield: Bad Company 2 comes out in Q1 of 2010. Buy that and be happy.


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