User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2667 Ratings

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  1. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    People should stop comparing this to other games, great campaign that tests you on veteran along with a superb online that also does the same. If you are looking for a fun campaign this game is for you.
  2. Aug 17, 2013
    9
    8.8 out of 10 (rounded off to 9).

    The sequel to the game that revolutionised much of the fps-multiplayer experience had a lot of hype to live up to, and many of the points, it did. The story continued much of the same cinematic drama from the first game, and made a lot of changes to the multiplayer. The multiplayer now has more perks, and more killstreaks to choose from, which is
    8.8 out of 10 (rounded off to 9).

    The sequel to the game that revolutionised much of the fps-multiplayer experience had a lot of hype to live up to, and many of the points, it did.

    The story continued much of the same cinematic drama from the first game, and made a lot of changes to the multiplayer. The multiplayer now has more perks, and more killstreaks to choose from, which is fun. I have found some balancing issues with the game, and so have others, with much complaining on the grenade-launchers and "akimbo" shotguns as secondary weapons, for example.

    This doesn't stop Modern Warfare 2 from being a great and over-all fun experience, which in many ways tops the original Modern Warfare game. So if that's what you're after, this game wont disappoint you.
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  3. Mar 31, 2012
    8
    Modern Warfare 2 was a hugely entertaining first person shooter. It's addictive online component was top of the class, presenting a brace of great maps, a ton of customization options and a pitch-perfect control scheme. The single player was massively over-the-top, like a video game version of a Michael Bay film. Heck, you even played out the shower scene from The Rock! But the campaignModern Warfare 2 was a hugely entertaining first person shooter. It's addictive online component was top of the class, presenting a brace of great maps, a ton of customization options and a pitch-perfect control scheme. The single player was massively over-the-top, like a video game version of a Michael Bay film. Heck, you even played out the shower scene from The Rock! But the campaign was all the better for it's insanity and although short, it was also completely awesome and unforgettable. Expand
  4. Jan 25, 2011
    8
    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a pretty good game that was unfortunately stuck in the role of the bastard stepchild. It fell prey to the pitfalls of most sequels: most notably that developers simply tried too hard to top the original. That was a mountain to climb, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is deserving of its unofficial title of the best shooter this generation. As a result, ICall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a pretty good game that was unfortunately stuck in the role of the bastard stepchild. It fell prey to the pitfalls of most sequels: most notably that developers simply tried too hard to top the original. That was a mountain to climb, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is deserving of its unofficial title of the best shooter this generation. As a result, I think that while things are bigger, faster, louder, and crazier, that doesnâ Expand
  5. JoseM
    Mar 24, 2010
    7
    I bought MW2 on release day and I enjoyed it much... in the beginning. After many hours of playing this is my honest review. Tech: Graphic engine is smooth with 60fps, but looks aged due to lack of HDR lighting and some awful pseudo-reflections. Sound FX are above average. Controls are nearly perfect. Net-code works well after several patches. Art: Music, although generic, is very good. I bought MW2 on release day and I enjoyed it much... in the beginning. After many hours of playing this is my honest review. Tech: Graphic engine is smooth with 60fps, but looks aged due to lack of HDR lighting and some awful pseudo-reflections. Sound FX are above average. Controls are nearly perfect. Net-code works well after several patches. Art: Music, although generic, is very good. Scenarios are beautiful and detailed, although they suffer due to engine's lack of contrast. Good smoke and debris effects. Poor rain effects. Some models, like cars', are pretty bad. Weapons models are very detailed. Animation is above average. Story writing is epic but not very inspired and lacks cohesion. Game Design: Player character moves insanely fast. Weapons have very little recoil. Bullets make severe damage, you can kill fast as well as die. Campaign: It is very short and linear, and the length is mainly due to the insane amount of enemies you will encounter. Sometimes you may even think there are infinite of them (like in favelas levels). There are some breathtaking levels, only stained by the "9999 enemies" design decision. The story lacks cohesion, which means you forget about the relations between chapters, and you won't care about the story until the end. Spec-Ops: They are a set of cooperative short missions, mainly based on moments from the campaign. They're hard but fun to play with a friend online or split-screen. Unfortunately, it feels half-cooked and leaves you wondering why they didn't implement a full cooperative campaign. Online Multiplayer: Here is where most of the people wanted to come. Multiplayer is incredibly deep, fast and addictive. MW2 has a good set of modes and maps and a HUGE set of perks, killstreaks, tags, etc. You will have much fun for the first 50 levels or so, which is not too bad. I said it is addictive but it is also becomes frustrating and eventually boring. This is because unbalanced weapons and perks, loads of campers, lack of team play, huge bullet damage, God-like ninja knifers, annoying overpowered choppers and bizarre speed of movement. In the end, it becomes "run in circles and knife anybody you come across", which is a pity after the great amount of (unbalanced) options devs made for the game. Ending comment: MW2 has great production values and tons of content, but in the end, is very arcade. It rewards reflexes over skill and it gives you much fun quickliy, until you burn it out and it quickly becomes boring. Rent it and get Bad Company 2 or MAG if you want long lasting fun and develop your skills rather than your time of reaction. 7/10 Expand
  6. DW
    Apr 29, 2010
    8
    Okay - first off I don't think this game deserves a 10: but the average score here is WAY off. It definitely deserves an 8. Storyline = well presented. Gets a bit silly, unfortunately (moves more towards WW2 plot than one about modern espionage and special ops) Weapons = Great stuff here. The whole gamut. No drivable land vehicles unfortunately, though. Realism = A bit to be desired Okay - first off I don't think this game deserves a 10: but the average score here is WAY off. It definitely deserves an 8. Storyline = well presented. Gets a bit silly, unfortunately (moves more towards WW2 plot than one about modern espionage and special ops) Weapons = Great stuff here. The whole gamut. No drivable land vehicles unfortunately, though. Realism = A bit to be desired here, to be honest. The single player just doesn't feel realistic enough, given the setting. At least enemies and allies are all subject to the same unrealistic levels of health. No destructible environments - which is a real shame. Sound = Ticks all the boxes Multiplayer (normal) = Styled like the standard fare of FPS, but more polished than than almost all others. This actively rewards skill, whilst goes out of its way to prevent frustration. Buggy peer to peer networking is quite unacceptable, though. Also, a larger maximum number of players would be nice. Multiplayer (co-op) = The fact that you must arrange these with friends can be a drag, and also the fact that the maximum number of players is 2. Also a very long scenario (like the Nazi Zombies of COD 5) would be greatly appreciated Single player = The gameplay is too linear and the player is unable to make any plot decisions - but that's the same with almost all FPS games. The AI is top-notch; shame you don't get to see it do more, though. Single-player is a tad short and has no co-op capacity. Expand
  7. Feb 9, 2011
    8
    This is the first Call of Duty game I played. And to be honest, it was fun. Awesome gameplay, awesome graphics. However, while I think the game is indeed good, I honestly think there are other games more deserving of this game's billion dollar success.
  8. Nov 2, 2010
    7
    Neither the masterpiece the media claims it to be, nor the horrible bland game the haters want you to think about it. It's simply a good game that happens to be overhyped. It's still an enjoyable game, just not earth-shattering.
  9. Mar 30, 2011
    10
    Best Call of duty game in my veiw. Gripping Campaign, Brilliant multiplayer and i cant stop playing even though its 2011. the graphics are even better than black ops still 2 years ahead of MW2 i prefer it and many people i know do aswell.
  10. Nov 13, 2011
    7
    While it is pretty similar to the first modern warfare, it does have some exciting moments. The gameplay is the same as previous games in the series.
  11. Jan 2, 2014
    7
    This game carried on the legacy of the first and came with mixed results. Not much changed except for the tweaks that were troubling n the first. The campaign was fine for the start, but had an awful ending. Overall the plot just didn't fit together. The Multiplayer was carried in from the first with success and had the same result. Some additions were added, but some felt repetitive fromThis game carried on the legacy of the first and came with mixed results. Not much changed except for the tweaks that were troubling n the first. The campaign was fine for the start, but had an awful ending. Overall the plot just didn't fit together. The Multiplayer was carried in from the first with success and had the same result. Some additions were added, but some felt repetitive from the first. The new great thing about MW2 was it's Co-op Special Ops mode. With different objectives, it gave a change to the Modern Warfare feel, but doesn't mean it's as god as other Co-ops on the market. Overall MW2 just didn't bring back the greatness MW1 had, and for that reason it makes it feel like the game that slipped from awaiting glory. Expand
  12. Mar 8, 2014
    8
    My review is solely for the multiplayer.
    Yes, it's unbalanced, but it's satisfyingly addictive and rewarding. Unfortunately, it is the last smooth experience you'll have on a Call of Duty game. The main gripe is about the community; filled with minors, exploiters and hackers. That shouldn't detract from the game, but it does detract from the experience of playing online. Overall, it's a
    My review is solely for the multiplayer.
    Yes, it's unbalanced, but it's satisfyingly addictive and rewarding. Unfortunately, it is the last smooth experience you'll have on a Call of Duty game. The main gripe is about the community; filled with minors, exploiters and hackers. That shouldn't detract from the game, but it does detract from the experience of playing online. Overall, it's a decent experience. It doesn't take long to learn the basics, nor does it take long to discover and accept the discrepancies and faulty mechanics that coincide with this title (every CoD title has them). The experience isn't perfect, but it's not completely broken. Learn what to expect, and once you do realize and accept its faults, you'll have a blast.
    Expand
  13. Apr 1, 2020
    8
    +Best story in COD series.
    +Gameplay is improved.
    +Action sequences.
    +Characters
    +Diologue -Rangers missions arent as fun as task force missions.
    Cant say anything about multiplayer.I played it 10 hours but that was a long time ago.
  14. Sep 15, 2020
    9
    Moder Warfare 2, tiene sin lugar a dudas una gran historia, el modo campaña es de lo mejor de esta saga. Y el modo multiplayer es satisfactorio teniendo también pantalla dividida para dos jugadores en versus, también tiene una gran variedad de armas las cuales podremos personalizar para adaptarlas según nos parezca y el online siempre es divertido.
  15. Oct 24, 2020
    8
    - Campaign: 8/10
    - Spec-Ops: 3/10
    - Multiplayer: 5/10

    ....................
  16. Oct 2, 2020
    8
    Actionreiche und spaĂźige Singleplayer-Kampagne, die auch im Jahre 2020 noch viel Freude bringt.
  17. Nov 7, 2020
    10
    Best game i have ever played, it was done perfectly, campaign was god tier, multiplayer is godlike and the spec ops was so great. Truly the best cod game ever
  18. Jun 24, 2020
    10
    The absolute GOAT. By far the greatest call of duty in the franchise's history. So much fun. A classic.
  19. Oct 31, 2020
    8
    With a good but cahotic story, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a decent-good good, with fantastically smooth game mechanics, MW2 will leave a place in your heart, even if it's from rage
  20. Nov 19, 2020
    8
    OVERALL - 85%

    Gameplay - 8/10 Graphics (for time) - 8/10 Story - 7/10 Game Length - 7/10 Characters - 7/10 Level/Area Design - 8/10 Atmosphere - 7/10 Sound Effects - 10/10 Soundtrack - 8/10 Replay Value - 9/10 While the story has some great moments (anything that shocks fragile people gets a thumbs up from me) it's a bit short and repetitive. The online play while a lot more
    OVERALL - 85%

    Gameplay - 8/10
    Graphics (for time) - 8/10
    Story - 7/10
    Game Length - 7/10
    Characters - 7/10
    Level/Area Design - 8/10
    Atmosphere - 7/10
    Sound Effects - 10/10
    Soundtrack - 8/10
    Replay Value - 9/10

    While the story has some great moments (anything that shocks fragile people gets a thumbs up from me) it's a bit short and repetitive. The online play while a lot more complicated than the original Modern Warfare is one of the best in history.
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  21. Sep 20, 2010
    8
    Modern warfare 2 is a great game, with a pretty good amount of stuff to do that will keep us coming back for more and more. I personally was a late adopter of the cod4 game, but once I got on I was in for the long run. When they announced a second one coming out I could not think of a thing they would add. I thought cod 4 was pretty much as good as that kind of game could get, and well IModern warfare 2 is a great game, with a pretty good amount of stuff to do that will keep us coming back for more and more. I personally was a late adopter of the cod4 game, but once I got on I was in for the long run. When they announced a second one coming out I could not think of a thing they would add. I thought cod 4 was pretty much as good as that kind of game could get, and well I guess I was right. The game is almost the same game with the smallest changes. While custom kill streaks and more perks is great, those are things that I could see being implemented in a add on pack or something, but the only thing that is dramatically better is the single player. I really enjoyed the single player on this one but was still not without fault. I think they were trying to go for a big blockbuster kind of game but for me to be a blockbuster you have to have everything, and to me it just feels like this game was trying to take itself too serious and were afraid of doing something different. Maybe it was the publishers pushing the developers but the game came out like a modern warfare 1.5 more than a true sequel to me. Expand
  22. Nov 12, 2010
    5
    If this game came out and no other games existed, then yes, this game would deserve a 10. Sadly, for IW, it wasn't. The plot-holed storyline made no sense. It also lacked the amount of suspense and awe that MW had. It is more of a shooter and less of a exciting COD title. The multiplayer is horribly unbalanced. The perks are shoddy at best. The reactions and physics are very unresponsive.If this game came out and no other games existed, then yes, this game would deserve a 10. Sadly, for IW, it wasn't. The plot-holed storyline made no sense. It also lacked the amount of suspense and awe that MW had. It is more of a shooter and less of a exciting COD title. The multiplayer is horribly unbalanced. The perks are shoddy at best. The reactions and physics are very unresponsive. You can knife someone from ten feet away but 4 buckshots from a 12 gauge won't bring you down? What? Despite the many flaws, I still had fun during sp. Expand
  23. JamesB.
    Apr 15, 2010
    9
    This is one of the greatest games of all time, but i can see where people are coming from when they give it a low score. Call of Duty has a history of amazing campaigns, but this one just short of what people want. What do i say? There wasn't a single part in the story where i sat there wishing it would just end, each part of it is fun and adds flavor to the game. That is an amazing This is one of the greatest games of all time, but i can see where people are coming from when they give it a low score. Call of Duty has a history of amazing campaigns, but this one just short of what people want. What do i say? There wasn't a single part in the story where i sat there wishing it would just end, each part of it is fun and adds flavor to the game. That is an amazing achievement for any game, but it is really short and dosnt explain the events that well. Voice acting is great, but if you could explain the story better i wouldnt have to wonder 'Why the hell am i doing this' so often. This dosnt cause a problem for me, and it all makes up in the multiplayer. What i like most about it is that accessibility of it. It finds me the game that i want fast and makes it more enjoyable to play. The graphics are the best in any game iv ever seen, they put all the love and care the make it absolutely amazing. Now, the reason its not a 10 in my opinion, the fact that it does get stale after so long. Sure, the maps are nice, but in multiplayer, the computer chosen maps sometimes ruin a few of the settings, such as quarry, its a good map with alot to do there, but they use it so many times it got stale for me. Sometimes by bad luck you play that same map two times in a row, and that sucks. Also, glitches, iv had a few times where my sever died on me, and i was forced out of my game when i was doing so good. Overall, i love the game, but it has a few technical difficulties, but it looks amazing and the diversity of the guns is enough for you to play it over and over again. Expand
  24. TristanL
    Dec 17, 2009
    6
    Gameplay is superb. The single player campaign is decent enough (though a little out there). However this game completely comes crashing down with its online gameplay. VERY unbalanced. There are either very good players, or very poor. There is no in between. The streaks system that they implemented this time is ABSOLUTE OVERKILL. And the servers/matchmaking for this game are the worst Gameplay is superb. The single player campaign is decent enough (though a little out there). However this game completely comes crashing down with its online gameplay. VERY unbalanced. There are either very good players, or very poor. There is no in between. The streaks system that they implemented this time is ABSOLUTE OVERKILL. And the servers/matchmaking for this game are the worst that i have ever attempted to play with on XBL. Expand
  25. Apr 8, 2011
    6
    Ok, let's all be honest with ourselves for a moment: The SP story is B>A>D! Ridiculous, over the top, attempts at controversy abound! Ooooh, how badass! A scene where we mow down civilians... Don't even get me started about the "twist" ending! Utter garbage. The SP gameplay doesn't fare much better. What happened to the well crafted pacing of the first MW? A lot of the action is soOk, let's all be honest with ourselves for a moment: The SP story is B>A>D! Ridiculous, over the top, attempts at controversy abound! Ooooh, how badass! A scene where we mow down civilians... Don't even get me started about the "twist" ending! Utter garbage. The SP gameplay doesn't fare much better. What happened to the well crafted pacing of the first MW? A lot of the action is so overblown that you are usually left with absolutely NO CLUE as to what the hell is going on, let alone why. Same as the story. Wherein the last one jumping around to different locales suited the story... here it just leaves you shaking your head, wondering what the F is going on. VERY POOR. 3/10 for SP. Tops! MP is an entirely different animal, however, and saves the game from being the usual overhyped letdown. MP gets just about everything right. Most of the maps are well balanced. The mechanics solid. Matches are easy to get in and out of. Lag being the only considerable issue here. Why IW doesn't spring for dedicated servers is beyond me! It's not like they don't have the money. Mp gets 9/10. Update: MP was fantastic... right up until it got hacked beyond all recognition!!! Biggest security breach I have ever witnessed! I'm not sure if it's been fixed yet, as I haven't been back in awhile to check it out, but, seriously! Wow! Sadly, the hacking is creeping into Black Ops... Overall: 3/10 + 9/10 = 6/10 Expand
  26. Jul 2, 2012
    6
    This Game is an overrated pile of Junk. The only reason people play it is for the online. It is a pretty good game...... For a Casual Gamer. When i played it i was really happy with it for the First 5-6 Hours. But it's simply repetitive.
  27. Jan 21, 2011
    4
    Thanks to the mindless and downgraded story, a short campaign, a disappointing spec-ops mode, and broken multiplayer, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the biggest disappointments ever in gaming. On top of that, it is just a bad game, and does not live up to the quality that Infinity Ward has given us before. Modern Warfare 2 is a game that even Call of Duty fans should rebel against!
  28. ChrisVanK
    Jan 7, 2010
    4
    This game was made for shareholders, not gamers. If you get all warm and fuzzy knowing that Boby Kotick is laughing his ass off all the way to the bank, then perhaps you might disagree. Give it 10 like all the so called "reviewers" who are all in on the asskissing daisy chain. Oh and dont be to suprised IF and most like when the the all controlling IWNet pulls the plug on MW2 multiplay, This game was made for shareholders, not gamers. If you get all warm and fuzzy knowing that Boby Kotick is laughing his ass off all the way to the bank, then perhaps you might disagree. Give it 10 like all the so called "reviewers" who are all in on the asskissing daisy chain. Oh and dont be to suprised IF and most like when the the all controlling IWNet pulls the plug on MW2 multiplay, cause they want you to buy MW3 in 2010. Expand
  29. Sep 20, 2010
    4
    The biggest follow-up fail EVER. The campaign is solid, but not nearly as good as CoD4's campaign and the multiplayers is atrocious. OMA dangerclose noobtubes flying everywhere, people literally teleporting 80 feet with commando, it is all for the scrubs, and nothing for the experienced players. Things like painkiller which TRIPLE your health make it impossible to spawn trap in dominationThe biggest follow-up fail EVER. The campaign is solid, but not nearly as good as CoD4's campaign and the multiplayers is atrocious. OMA dangerclose noobtubes flying everywhere, people literally teleporting 80 feet with commando, it is all for the scrubs, and nothing for the experienced players. Things like painkiller which TRIPLE your health make it impossible to spawn trap in domination or sabotage anymore. Marathon lightweight makes it ridiculously easy to run around the map in a a second. The The maps are terrible they encourage camping looking out windows., the assault rifles are overpowered, the boosting in Free-for-all is completely out of control and makes winning FFA's now almost impossible. The care package lets people get 11 killstreaks out of a 4 killstreak. Gamebattles have been ruined because of the extremely aggravating "join in session" BS. Sniper shotgun secondaries map camping even more encouraged along with unlimited claymores. Thermals allow people to literally be told where people are. You will be screaming at the TV constantly with this game. Anyone who is not a douche-bag who abuses these things in the game, and did not make the review before Christmas, has down syndrome, if they gave ti above a 6. Infinity Ward made tons of mistakes with annoying glitches like getting under the map in ranked lobbies. It earned the nickname Modern Warfail 2 Expand
  30. May 18, 2012
    0
    Trickshotters ruin this game, little kids spinning around yelling in their microphones.
    The game is ruined!
    Really not fun at all because of the kids
    ...................................................
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. 100
    Modern Warfare 2 crosses into the must-have category of video games effortlessly. It offers an unmatched shooter experience, a compelling story mode, a slick package of mini missions and a multiplayer which is pretty much unparalleled in depth.
  2. 100
    Modern Warfare 2 offers epic gameplay, a stunning Spec-Ops mode and a huge amount of adrenaline.
  3. Despite certain controversial elements, this game is an FPS fan’s dream. Game of the Year? Hell, yeah!