It was a disappointing surprise to discover that online play was non-existent as Call of Duty would seem to be the perfect game for it. However, there are more than enough multiplayer modes which I will come onto later but excluding that you're just left with the main campaign mode. It took me just under 8 hours to complete but thankfully a Medium and Hard mode have been added causing a noticeable upgrade in difficulty.
The controls in place work extremely well, simply using the D-Pad to move around and the touch-screen to aim like previous shooters have done. To get those valuable headshots you'll need to double-tap on the touch screen so your gun zooms in. Accuracy is quite an important thing to consider as without getting headshots enemies can take quite a bit of battering before falling. Changing weapons is done via the touch-screen as well as completing actions such as picking up a gun or calling in air support.
The enemy AI is fairly advanced when compared to other DS games having them grab you if you get to close and throwing grenades if you're in range however there seems to be an issue with enemies staying rooted to the same point, no matter how close you get. Although, due to your soldier having a regenerating shield rather than health, as I did you'll probably stick to 'hit and run' tactics instead of stealth.
'Mini-games' are located throughout the campaign missions, the completion of each needed for progression in the game. A common one which pops up frequently is diffusing a bomb where you have to trace wires with the stylus or instead cracking a code by finishing a maze-like puzzle. There's also the chance to control a machine gun mounted on a back of a moving truck and to call in an air strike on enemy territory which all come up at points throughout the campaign mode.
Once you're into the game, like myself, you'll probably start thinking about the multi-player options just before you rush off to find another friend who owns it. Activision have certainly made sure you won't be short of game modes as free-for-all, hunter, team deathmatch and capture-the-flag are all there making an appearance allowing 2-4 player matches. Even better, there's a single-cart mode which allows up to 4 player free-for-all even if your friend doesn't own the game. Sadly, online isn't there and would have for sure turned this great game into a must-have for DS owners, but at least this leaves us with something to hope for future Call of Duty additions.
But what has impressed me most about Modern Warfare, is the work that has been put into the sound and voice which creates a much more realistic atmosphere and allowing characters issuing you instructions to sound crystal clear, you'll see what we mean if you click for the trailer below.
So Activision have added another game to the small collection of first-person shooters for DS but Call of Duty, comes out top for graphics and controls with lack of online being the only real disappointment. If you're a fan of the series you probably won't need my convincing to go out and buy it, but if you're an average gamer looking for maybe a Christmas gift or just a reason to clear the dust off of your system then Call of Duty is it.
Watch the game trailer video here...
Overall:
Best shooter for the DS yet with great graphics and sound however lacking online is a big disappointment.
Fun: 8.5 | Value: 6 | Overall: 8
Source: Nintencast