bit-tech Shopping: Activision Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3)

• 1080i (HDTV)
• 1080p (HDTV)
• 720p (HDTV)

Rating: 10

Time with product: 7 Months

Strengths: good online play

Weaknesses: n/a

Summary: this is the best fps i have ever played i have played this game for hrs online the online is y i got it but sumtimes when you try to play online it is hard to get in to a game thay like to stop them half way throw but it is well werth it

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1

Strengths: Immersive singleplayer campaign; deep online multiplayer mode; good graphics

Weaknesses: Singleplayer campaign is short; no rumble support yet; sometimes uneven difficulty

Summary: Like I estimate in my title, this game will probably go on to become the number one first person shooter game of all time. I'm not the only one predicting this either. Some game industry analysts are saying the same thing. A big reason for that is because this game is available on just about every platform capable of running it (PS3, 360 and PC - there is a DS version as well, but that's not quite the same game). Another reason is because this game is good...very good. By now, you've probably already heard of this game and probably already know how good it is and don't need me to say anything more, but PriceGrabber would probably be disappointed if I don't. The singleplayer campaign throws you for a loop right off the bat. You go through a little tutorial/training run and then they send you off onto a helicopter to assault a ship at sea. It doesn't seem all that different from other FPS's but then the ship takes damage and begins to take on water and sink and you and your crew must get back to your copter. Your point of view starts getting tilted as the boat sinks, water is pushing, pipes are bursting, you manage to get topside and leap for the helicopter as it's already beginning to take off, barely catching it and escape a watery grave. And that's just the first mission...you realize this is going to be a pretty immersive game...and, if you still have doubts, while rolling through the opening credits, the game then puts you in the place of a Middle Eastern head of state as he is abducted, taken to a courtyard and put to death in a public spectacle, as part of a political coup. You take this guy's point of view and see everything as he sees it up to the very end. The graphics in COD4 are some of the best yet this generation, despite people saying now that the PS3 and 360 versions are really only 600p resolution. The environments vary widely from outdoors assaulting a village to indoors fighting in and from cramped apartment buildings to a more spacious television studio. Missions sport a wide variety of lighting, from bright lights to pitch dark (when nightvision goggles become a factor). You mainly switch around between the U.S. point of view and the U.K. The game is great but is a bit short (maybe 10 hours for the average gamer), leaving you wanting more as all great games do. Some parts of the campaign are a lot harder than others, such as the mission where you and a fellow sniper who is injured must buckle down and fend off hoards of oncoming attackers until your exit (a helicopter) arrives (the ferris wheel scene, which is tough on normal but near impossible at the higher difficulties). While the PS3 is getting rumble controllers soon, people who imported them are saying COD4 doesn't take advantage of the feature yet (there's a rumor of a patch to add it on). Without rumble, it's not as immersive as it could be. Finally, when you are done with the singleplayer mode, the online multiplayer is the best out there right now. You can sort of customize your character by choosing from a list of special characteristics and build your rank, and, as your rank improves, the better the weapons you start off with. Though I wouldn't say it's anything revolutionary, this game is a must-experience, if only to find out what all the hype is about.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 30

Strengths: Graphics, Multiplayer, Sound Effects, and Fun!

Weaknesses: Single Player is kind of sort.

Summary: I have never owned any of the past CoD games because I never found them to be interesting enough to warrent a purchase. However, I've heard nothing but great thing about this title and I needed PS3 games so I decided to give this a try. While the single player is short, it has powerful moments. Also, the online multiplayer is the most addicting FPS I've played. I highly recommend this game, even if FPS's arn't your usual cup of tea.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Fun online experience

Weaknesses: Pricey as most games are these days

Summary: As a non-crazy gamer, this is a nice, fun game to pick up and play either solo or online at any time. I play online more than the single player, but from what I've heard the single player portion is quite short. I haven't run through it yet. I wish there were even more map settings to play with online, but its possible once I get further in the game that more map options open up. And since I'm not a heavy gamer perhaps there are way more maps than most other games, so who knows. I wouldn't pay the full retail price for this, but I found it on sale a while back and picked it up. Even though I get killed all the time when I play online, its still fun! Try playing online with only the RPG and knife and maybe a handgun. It's hard!

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Month

Strengths: Graphics with great storyline; multiplayer features; online play and ease of controls.

Weaknesses: pricey and the one player mission is way too short.

Summary: Finally a PS3 game worth playing. This game is very intense and you have to be sharply focused or you will die. The up to date battle scenes are contemporary. The online multiplayer is FANTASTIC AND QUITE ADDICTIVE!! A great addition to any collection