Are We Being Too Harsh About Modern Warfare 2's Story?

[JSF16]

I find it very absurd on how the entire bloody world didn't just notice the entire Russian Navy steaming across the Atlantic toward the states. Did all patrols and surveillance suddenly cease?

 

[Jacco]

Yes, we are.

It's a "get gun press button fire gun kill enemy reload gun repeat" game. Not a literary masterpiece. It's an FPS made by the makers of FPSes. It's not an RPG. It's not relying on it's story like mass effect. you should be grateful there even is a story other than "Kill enemies to win". Because that's what it could be, and i wouldn't complain.

After making COD4 they should be ashamed of themselves for making MW2 the way they did.

For deciding that really, all the story was unnecessary seeing as the storyless multiplayer was the best bit?

What I was getting at was that COD4 was a primarily single player game with (very good) multiplayer elements. As such, the campign was good, the story made sense, etc. MW2 was a primarily (poor) multiplayer game with (even poorer) single player elements.

The decision to make it focus primarily on multiplayer was a poor one to follow COD4 with. If they wanted a multiplayer franchise, the should have opted to eveolve it over time or GOD FORBID spend the extra 1/2 a cent to include two CD's in the case containing each part of the game.

 

[Jacco]

I find it very absurd on how the entire bloody world didn't just notice the entire Russian Navy steaming across the Atlantic toward the states. Did all patrols and surveillance suddenly cease?

That is about the only thing in game that isn't plausible in any way whatsoever. (excluding the super human jumps the characters make of course)

 

[The Funslinger]

Yeah the plot does have many a plot hole but to be honest people over react, its story by videogame standard are ok (nothing more) but cod is the thing the cool kids hate.

^This. It's basically "only the really cool kids know the difference between Call of Duty and Medal of Honour. And frankly, I'm one of them!"

I do, however think that the story of the Modern Warfare games pales in comparison to the story in World at War and Black Ops. I seriously don't get the flak that game's campaign gets. I think it's just people using shit story-telling as the go-to criticism, like with Halo.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

As long as you make an effort to fill in the plot holes with detail that would pretty much make the most amount of sense, it's really not that bad.

I saw something on TVtropes about the storyline, and those people made it sound like Shakespeare.

Plus, if you think about how wars are started in real life, that really isn't much of a stretch.

 

[Avatar Roku]

The problem with the plot are the holes in it, particularly surrounding the Airport massacre;
1) How do the Russians know Allen is an undercover US operative?
2) How do they not identify the two other bodies as being members of a Russian terrorist cell?
3) How can they not identify Makarov from the survallence footage, whilst Taskforce 141 can tell where Makarov's ammo came from?
4) Why doesn't Price get shot for being a bloody warcriminal; he would revert the USA back to the stone age with that EMP blast, yet somehow doesn't.

1) Fingerprints handily not removed from the systems by Sheperd when Allen was made CIA deep cover?
2) Maybe they assume that US is funding the group and had a mamber as a senior operative during the massacre.
3) See above. Also 141 has the most sophisicated systems in the world at their disposal (presumably)
4) Only part was hit. He stopped the invasion cold for a while and also ended up on the run after literally the next assignment. He was too good to shoot then and Shep probs guessed he would be 'KIA' before the week was out.

1.But why would russia have access to America's finger prints?
2.But the US and UK helped put down this movement in CoD 4
3.That still doesnt explain how the Russians werent able to recognise Makarov, remember the entirty of russian authority would inspect this.
4.Il agree with you on the one.

points of my own.
1. why not just kill makarov in the elevator, would certainly save alot of lives.
2. while i know American satelites were down, doesnt explain why no other country noticed a massive russian fleet moving past Scandanavia, past the UK, Greenland, Iceland and through the entire atlantic, youd think people would be on alert of that terrorist attack.
3. How does causing massive casaulties, damage and possible economic failiure for the US help shepard make a stronger US army?
4.no reason why shepard decided to kill everyone at the end.

First set:
1)Because Shepherd was a traitor who gave them the finger prints (or just, you know, told them)
2)They TRIED to take out this movement, and they did take out its leader. However, the civil war must have continued, not inconcievable.
3)Who says they didn't? Remember, these were the Ultranationalists, they just wanted an excuse
4)Not much to say here.

Second set:
1)Because Shepherd wanted him to succeed, so he told Allen not to under the guise of wanting to find out more about him.
2)This is true.
3)Because it would make America dependent on the Army, in addition to getting the public back on the army's side. Thus, he can get more funding and, possibly, restructure it as he sees fit. Not especially smart, but whatever.
4)Because they were an international task force, and he didn't want anyone but America having that sort of power. Plus, they might know or find out too much, and it's better to take them out when they trust him than to wait until they are actively fighting him.

 

[Jake0fTrades]

MW2 didn't have the most inspirational story, but it was told pretty well. Well, good for a video game at least.

 

[enzilewulf]

Let me tell you why the plot is shit.

Its USA vs. Russia with the British in the mix. That's why it is shit. Why can't there be a story where America doesn't go to war with Russia? Why can't we find another planet and go to war with them? This plot device is so over used that its no surprise to me when a new game is revealed and said to be a realistic shooter, I already know the plot. We are going to fight Russia. USA vs. Russia. I mean why can't we go to war with China? Fuck that even, lets go to war with Pakistan. At least it would be something new. As some one who loves BF I hate its story for that reason as well. Were fighting Russians. I didn't even honestly like MW1 for that matter really...

Btw this thread is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy over done. If you read this bit then please, in the future, lets not make this thread.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

I find it very absurd on how the entire bloody world didn't just notice the entire Russian Navy steaming across the Atlantic toward the states. Did all patrols and surveillance suddenly cease?

They vaguely mentioned something about Satellites being hacked and not noticing the the enemy fleet till it was too late.

 

[Avatar Roku]

I find it very absurd on how the entire bloody world didn't just notice the entire Russian Navy steaming across the Atlantic toward the states. Did all patrols and surveillance suddenly cease?

They vaguely mentioned something about Satellites being hacked and not noticing the the enemy fleet till it was too late.

Fine, America couldn't see them with the satellite, but what's to stop other countries from just looking up, then giving America a call and telling them?

 

[Monsterfurby]

I actually thought the story was pretty good. Better than most action movies, and really, that's the only standard to hold it to. Also, it provided an exciting backdrop for the game's dense atmosphere to play out, what else was it supposed to do?

 

[JoesshittyOs]

I find it very absurd on how the entire bloody world didn't just notice the entire Russian Navy steaming across the Atlantic toward the states. Did all patrols and surveillance suddenly cease?

They vaguely mentioned something about Satellites being hacked and not noticing the the enemy fleet till it was too late.

Fine, America couldn't see them with the satellite, but what's to stop other countries from just looking up, then giving America a call and telling them?

Because America slept with their girlfriends or something and they hate that guy.

 

[Rawne1980]

but cod is the thing the cool kids hate.

Yeah because no-one could dislike CoD due to finding it a boring generic shooter with nothing worth holding their interest.

They obviously dislike it to fit in with the "cool kids".

So i'm a 31 year old bloke who dislikes CoD and finds it mind numbingly dull. Bit too old to fit in with the "cool kids" though.

 

[ReaperGrimm]

I found it more entertaining and making more since to me than Black Ops story.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

The Escapist is too harsh on ANY story that isn't great. It's odd to see a site community with such a majority devoted to gaming as a story-telling medium.

Whereas I care fuck-all for the story in most cases.

 

[ZeroMachine]

The problem with the plot are the holes in it, particularly surrounding the Airport massacre;
1) How do the Russians know Allen is an undercover US operative?
2) How do they not identify the two other bodies as being members of a Russian terrorist cell?
3) How can they not identify Makarov from the survallence footage, whilst Taskforce 141 can tell where Makarov's ammo came from?
4) Why doesn't Price get shot for being a bloody warcriminal; he would revert the USA back to the stone age with that EMP blast, yet somehow doesn't.

1) Because he was betrayed by Sheppard. That isn't so much hinted to as is it said.
2) They did. Do you really think that a country that is jumping at the idea of hating Aemerica will care? They're going to focus on the American.
3) They never didn't identify Makarov. What the hell are you talking about? And as for that, it's because 141 has some pretty intense intel and double agents helping them out all over the place.
4) An EMP in orbit over DC will NOT send the USA back to the stone age. Think for a second. Their effective blast radius is large, but considering how high it was in orbit, it wouldn't have effected a large area ground side. And why do you think Sheppard can mark them as wanted men? "This man launched a nuclear weapon as the United States, and MacTavish here helped him!"

Seriously, I have to say, people just don't pay any fucking attention to what's going on in that game, or they deliberately ignore details just so they can bash it.

The game's story is awesome. It isn't some amazing thing (it's no BioWare game, it isn't Deus Ex, it isn't Red Dead Redemption, etc), but it's still a blast. An amazing action movie. 24 meets Black Hawk Down.

People are WAY too harsh about it.

 

[Xaio30]

It's a 4 hour interactive action movie. Could a Friday night get any better?

 

[MrJKapowey]

points of my own:
1. why not just kill makarov in the elevator, would certainly save alot of lives.
2. while i know American satelites were down, doesnt explain why no other country noticed a massive russian fleet moving past Scandanavia, past the UK, Greenland, Iceland and through the entire atlantic, youd think people would be on alert of that terrorist attack.
3. How does causing massive casaulties, damage and possible economic failiure for the US help shepard make a stronger US army?
4.no reason why shepard decided to kill everyone at the end.

Second set:
1)Because Shepherd wanted him to succeed, so he told Allen not to under the guise of wanting to find out more about him.
2)This is true.
3)Because it would make America dependent on the Army, in addition to getting the public back on the army's side. Thus, he can get more funding and, possibly, restructure it as he sees fit. Not especially smart, but whatever.
4)Because they were an international task force, and he didn't want anyone but America having that sort of power. Plus, they might know or find out too much, and it's better to take them out when they trust him than to wait until they are actively fighting him.

Mmm, hmm...

1) Remember the cutscene when Shep briefs Allen? 'Makarov is a mad-dog, works for the highest bidder' Allen was told that Makarov would lead them to the hidden hand in the whole affair so don't kill him, gain his trust and he'll tell you where the big boss is. (Ironic, he told Price where Sheperd was...)

2) It doesn't have to be massive. Just an aircraft carrier and other ships on exercise in the North Atlantic could've deployed the advance guard whilst the rest of the ships arrived during the unaccounted 24 hours to fuck some shit up...

3) See the above guy - he was obviously slightly unhinged so don't expect the plan to be a work of true genius...

4) He didn't want ANYONE to know about operations with Makarov and link him back to 'the mad-dog'. It is highly doubtful that he told the Navy of operations in the Gulag, Rio was a 141 only op, so was the Causcaus Raid, the Boneyard Op, the infiltration of Makarov's assault team and the assault on the Russian submarine base. Shadow Coy were loyal to Sheperd only, and it's doubtful they knew of the extent of his treachery. The 141 was loyal to SHeperd, the US Govt, the Govts of each home nation etc. etc.. Too many conflictijng interests and too much knowledge makes for Loose Ends...

 

[ZeroMachine]

but cod is the thing the cool kids hate.

Yeah because no-one could dislike CoD due to finding it a boring generic shooter with nothing worth holding their interest.

They obviously dislike it to fit in with the "cool kids".

So i'm a 31 year old bloke who dislikes CoD and finds it mind numbingly dull. Bit too old to fit in with the "cool kids" though.

He isn't wrong.

You may have legitimate reasons to hate it, but plenty of people seem to hate it because everyone around them does. It happens all the time. So chill out. It isn't like he was targeting you specifically.

 

[twistedmic]

The problem with the plot are the holes in it, particularly surrounding the Airport massacre;

2) How do they not identify the two other bodies as being members of a Russian terrorist cell?
3) How can they not identify Makarov from the survallence footage, whilst Taskforce 141 can tell where Makarov's ammo came from?

Points two and three can easily be explained away. Makarov and his team/group/cell were terrorist mercenaries. They worked for the highest bidder, and the Russians (Ultranationalists?) would just assume that Americans hired Makarov, due to the evidence left behind by Allen.