This also isn’t just a hype plan however, if you’ve prestiged in Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: World at War or Black Ops then you will receive a prestige token in Modern Warfare 3.

The token doesn’t allow you to prestige right away however; rather, it allows you to buy special “prestige-only perks” or it allows you to choose your a single piece of equipment to keep when you prestige in the future.

The game launches November 8th so if you haven’t already prestiged, I’d get on it if I were you!

The price was confirmed by Major Nelson ahead of the packs launch on XBL next week. The map pack consists of five maps three of which are brand new and two being from Call of Duty 4 (Vacant and Crossfire)

Resurgence map pack will also be a timed exclusive on the 360 meaning PS3 and PC users will get the map pack some time later.

Everyone at Xbox LIVE is excited to offer the Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package first on Xbox LIVE. Infinity Ward, Activision, and Xbox are celebrating the launch and would like to thank everyone by offering the entire Xbox LIVE community free Modern Warfare 2 Night Vision Goggles for your avatar.

This free offer is available until Sunday April 4th night at 12m PT, so don’t miss out.

Add the free Modern Warfare 2 Night Vision Goggles for your avatar to your Xbox 360 download queue

So, without further ado, here is Gamer Euphoria’s Staff picks for ‘Game Of The Year 2009′.

Luke – Assassin’s Creed II

Assassin’s Creed II improved so much on the first by taking out the annoyances and placing in a lot more fun features. The story takes off well after the events of the first and a new main character seems likeable, named Ezio. When I first entered Ezio’s world, I found myself gazing into the landscapes – beautiful visuals of a beautiful era in Italy. Even more beautiful at night, if you head to the right places. It seems rather polished and you begin to notice all these tiny details as you play – the building details, the historical notes etc that you come across.

This is what the sequel treatment should be like. Improve greatly on the previous title, introduce new and worthy features (such as the economy, tombs, races), whilst welcoming users new and loyal. A fluid control system, a fair balance of difficulty is sure to surprise people yet to discover Assassin’s Creed II. Don’t think this is over-hyped…think it’s what the sequel treatment should be. Once you’re done with the story in Assassin’s Creed II, you kinda crave more but unfortunately you’re going to have to wait it out (much like the same feeling I had for completing the first title).

Tom – Mirror’s Edge (PC)

If any of you read my recent Batman: Arkham Asylum review, you would probably assume that it was my favourite game of 2009. However, you would be wrong in thinking that, and you should be ashamed of yourself for doing so. Digressions aside, in a shocking turn of events, my favourite game of last year was actually Mirror’s Edge (the PC version. And before you ask, Mirror’s Edge PC was released in January of last year, so it does qualify).

Seeing as I have always had a penchant for free running, but never really had the desire to actually go free running and risk breaking my legs/completing a session of exercise, Mirror’s Edge seemed like the perfect game for me. Everything from the beautifully vivid colours of the city contrasting its violently totalitarian nature, to the way that the game can get unhealthily frustrating, yet fun, to the superb ambient-electronic soundtrack, really do help the game sell itself. Sure, it has a sizeable catalogue of errors and hiccups, but if you are able to look past all of that, Mirror’s Edge may just, if you allow it to, blow your mind.

Andy – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

While I was kicking myself in the ankles for picking the ‘obvious choice’ game for this feature. Though, without it the feature would lack clarity. As stated in last years review for the game, I stated that Modern Warfare 2 excels at “Keeping you at the edge of your seat, while keeping the story unpredictable and unforgettable.” I stick to that quote, without a doubt in my mind.

It was always going to be hard for a game to follow in the footsteps of Call of Duty 4 – but MW2 does it with such grace and breathtaking sequences. When the lights are on bright, Infinity Ward brought to the grand-stage a game that both satisfies veteran fans, bring new innovative ideas to the table, while keeping the core elements that made Call of Duty 4 a success. Coming from an enthusiast that did not care for the franchise before MW2, calling this my Game-Of-The-Year says it all, really.

Jim - 1 vs 100 (XBLA)

Given the host of great games this year, I’d have to say my personal favorite this year is 1 vs. 100 on XBLA. Though the gameshow genre has been around forever, 1 v. 100 gave the gaming community some fresh ideas that really should permeate the gaming culture. This was the first game that I’m aware of to be scheduled like TV programming, which is quite wild. Think about it, you want to play Halo, you put in the disc and boom, you’re playing. If you want to get a 1 v. 100 fix, you have to find the schedule and set aside time for it. Though I kinda get the short end of the stick with my personal hours conflicting with the shows hours, it’s still fun.

The level of interaction between players during the game is great fun. You can help or hinder your buddies who are playing with you, or just have a good time discussing the obviously wrong answers the game can give. Though the number one reason this is game of the year for me is that after all the achievements are won, you can still have fun going back and playing again. Looking ahead, let’s hope we have more games that are just fun to play with your friends, ’cause that’s what gaming is all about.

Lee – Assassin’s Creed II

Remember Assassin’s Creed back in 2007? After 3 years of development this was looking to be one of the best games you would ever see featuring lethal stunts, a huge free roaming world and the ability to climb on anything. So after months of hype and excited fans, we were all a little let down by just a few hours of gameplay, repetitive assassinations and a story line that was as far-fetched as pigs conquering Mars.

Assassin’s Creed 2 is everything its predecessor should have been. Gripping story, intense action and non-repetitive missions all add up to create a brilliant experience, and when you finally realise that you’re never going to figure out what the ending meant, you’ll be raring to go for a sequel. This game is brilliant and can be enjoyed by everybody; it’s something fresh, fun and fantastic so if you haven’t already got it, go buy it now.

After selling a reported $550 million worth in the first five days after release we were proved right. Two months on, the game has reportedly now sold over $1 billion worth of copies. As I am sure you can imagine, this is a rare feat for any game, to accomplish it in just two months is unbelievable.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has exceeded our expectations and shattered theatrical box office and video game records,” stated Activision Blizzard CEO, Robert Kotick “There are only a handful of entertainment properties that have ever reached the $1 billion mark, which illustrates the power of the Call of Duty franchise and mass appeal of this game.”

Congratulations to Infinity Ward and Activision for accomplishing something so rare and prestigious. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing both aim above and beyond.

In five short days the game’s worldwide sales escalated to $550 million, dethroning previous record holders Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (only $394m) and The Dark Knight ($203.8m).

“In just five days of sell through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has become the largest entertainment launch in history and a pop culture phenomenon,” Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said commenting on the game’s success. This is, of course, reflected in the number of people downloading unauthorised copies of the game via BitTorrent.

It is estimated their were over 4.1 million unauthorized downloads of the PC version alone, this means the game more than doubles the achievement of last year’s ‘winner‘ Spore, pushing it into second place. Modern Warfare 2 leads both the PC and Xbox 360 lists, by a landslide – despite only being released 2 months ago.

PC Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

as of December 27, 2009

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (4,100,000) (Nov. 2009)
2. The Sims 3 (3,200,000) (June. 2009)
3. Prototype (2,350,000) (June. 2009)
4. Need For Speed Shift (2,100,000) (Sept. 2009)
5. Street Fighter IV (1,850,000) (July. 2009)

Xbox 360 Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

as of December 27, 2009

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (970,000) (Nov. 2009)
2. Street Fighter IV (840,000) (July. 2009)
3. Prototype (810,000) (Feb. 2009)
4. Dirt 2 (790,000) (Sept. 2009)
5. UFC 2009 Undisputed (720,000) (Mar. 2009)

Wii Game Downloads on BitTorrent in 2009

as of December 27, 2009

1. New Super Mario Bros. (1,150,000) (Nov. 2009)
2. Punch-Out!! (950,000) (May. 2009)
3. Wii Sports Resort (920,000) (July. 2009)
4. The House of the Dead: Overkill (860,000) (Feb. 2009)
5. Mario Power Tennis (830,000) (Mar. 2009)

So when is this first wave going to hit? Infinity Ward’s Robert Bowling has said “DLC is planned for the wonderfully vague timeframe of Spring.”

So, Spring! That’s not too far away – you have just got to ride out Spec-Ops and multiplayer for the rest of Fall, then all of Winter.

What do you think this map pack will contain? Multiplayer maps? Additional Spec-Ops missions? Achievements?

In celebration of the success ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2′ brought in: “They’re encouraging British gamers to go online on Xbox Live and play the game during the weekend of 5^th and 6^th of December to raise money for War Child.”

With a figure averaging around one million players, surely this initiative will earn some well needed funds for the charity. But exactly how much money is predicted to be donated, depending on current online statistics – as they have yet to announce how much will be donated per player online, it’s a ball-park guess at best:

An extract taken from WarChild: “The more people who play the game, the more Activision will donate to War Child. The weekend is expected to raise up to £250,000 for our vital work and will enable us to help thousands of children living in the world’s worst conflict-affected countries.”

There is also a Facebook and Twitter page set up to help organize the event. Which helps players arrange a time to set up a party over the weekend. Celebrity gamers will also be taking part – their tags will be shared on the ‘Game For Good’ Facebook and Twitter pages.

The game takes place five years after the events of Call of Duty 4. You pick up exactly where you left off at the concluding scene of Call of Duty 4, although this time, a new threat has arisen from the heart of Russia – Vladimir Makarov. Similar to Call of Duty 4, you begin as a new recruit to the covert operations squad, Taskforce 141. Though, that is as much as I am going to reveal, as the campaign is one which should be experienced entirely for yourself – though I can assure you, it is an action packed adventure which takes you from the heart of Afghanistan to Rio de Janeiro, from the glaciers of Siberia to Washington D.C. You will travel the globe, going from one beautifully crafted extreme to the other – the only place you will not find yourself is a trench.

From the glaciers of Siberia to Washington D.C - It shouldn't look this good

If you remember back to the concluding moments of Call of Duty 4. If you remember that feeling of your heart pumping alongside Soap’s, the anxiety to find out what is about to happen. This is no unfamiliar feeling in Modern Warfare 2. As you will find in more or less every level, there are dramatic sequences that rivals Call of Duty 4′s ending. Keeping you at the edge of your seat, whilst keeping the story unpredictable and unforgettable. Though at times you may wish they had have calmed it down – emotional overkill is hard to digest in large doses. It doesn’t take anything away from the story, it’s just not as shocking the tenth time around.

Unfortunately, much like Call of Duty 4, the story is short – very short. You will not have much problems blasting through the story on regular difficulty in one sitting, while logging in around 5-6 hours game time. If you are a perfectionist, or familiar with the series, it will be no surprise to you that Veteran may take a little while longer to complete – scratch that, it will take exceptionally longer than it did on Regular. Whilst being a lot more forgiving than previous Call of Duty games were on Veteran, you can still expect to die from precise snipers or one-or-two flesh wounds at moments notice. As always attaining completion on Veteran is quite the endeavour.

To make up for the short story, Infinity Ward have left us with a game mode entitled “Special Operations”. They are a variety of stand-alone missions that stray away from the storyline and let the creators flex their creative muscles and deliver us a welcome addition to the fray. If you cast your mind back to the bonus aeroplane mission after the credits, this is a similar experience to what Special-Ops delivers. You can play solo or co-operatively with a friend, with a goal of completing the assigned objectives. These objectives range from neutralizing all hostiles, to sneaking passed unseen. You are awarded stars for the completion of each operation, but to achieve maximum stars, you must complete the assigned goals on Veteran, which, in turn, quickly makes the game pretty sinister. With an operation slogan such as “This probably isn’t even possible”, do not expect to pass on your first attempt.

Spec-Ops will leave you in a meadow, alone, with nothing but a sniper and the will to survive

You cannot criticize Modern Warfare 2 for being a game that rides the multi-player bandwagon while abandoning us gamers who still care for the single-player elements, but it is widely acknowledged that Modern Warfare 2 will ride the success its predecessor created. With Call of Duty 4 still being one of the most played games online, it’s to be expected Modern Warfare 2 will focus heavily on the online – and retain that success. Infinity Ward can now take a slow bow, as they have topped their predecessor in almost every way possible.

The only problem with the online functionality in Call of Duty 4 was after a substantial amount of game play has been put into the online, the classes, weapons, perks, tactics. become somewhat stale, urging the player to change their weapon set-up, or even prestige just to have something else to aim for. While not being a game altering tick, Infinity Ward have addressed this and have brought more customization and variety to almost every aspect of the game – keeping you satisfied with a steady change of pace and unlockable equipment.

The first thing you will notice when going online is the level cap has been raised to level 70, higher than the previous level 55 cap. Even with this, you will be unlocking equipment left, right and centre. It seems customization was a prime objective this time around – you will find yourself unlocking a new piece of equipment every time you rank up. Leaving it hard to keep up with the constant weapons, perks, attachments and symbols coming your way. While it is good in the sense that you will have so many toys in your arsenal it will be hard for the online to become stale easy, but with the same token, it may seem a little overwhelming for players who aren’t as familiar with the Modern Warfare franchise.

The perk system has had a complete overhaul this time around. Through extensive use they now become upgradable, giving them greater power, and eventually grant a secondary ability. These secondary abilities are often just as potent as the primary, although they aren’t necessarily a linear extension of the primary ability. Upgrading the perk that grants increased melee distance, for example, will cause you to take no fall damage – which allows you to perfect your drop-and-stab manoeuvre.

Another welcome perk change is the new addition of “Death Perks”, which play as an aid for new players – greatly reducing the daunting learning curve. These perks kick-in after you have died a certain number of times consecutively. The Painkiller perk grants you increased health for a limited time upon re-spawning, making it easier to resist getting spawn killed. Copycat allows you to mimic the class of the last person that killed you, potentially granting you the guns, equipment, and perks of a much higher ranked opponent. As a result to these changes you now cannot count out that level 12 underdog on the opposing team – as they might just be the difference maker.

Taking control of an AC-130 in online multiplayer can be the difference maker

Possibly the biggest addition to online multi-player seems to be the customizable kill-streaks, which adds an all new tactical dimension to the game. In Call of Duty 4, kill streaks of certain lengths would earn you rewards like air-strike and attack helicopters. In Modern Warfare 2, you can customize what reward will be granted when a certain kill streak is attained. Rewards vary from unmanned turrets, supply drops, or even a new tactical nuke, which will obliterate every living thing on the map. Long story short, if your team gets this, you have won. Take into consideration though, you can only equip any three rewards at a time. So choose carefully, which will benefit your style better. Would be a waste equipping the Tactical Nuke (25 kill streak) if you cannot get above a seven kill streak.

When you add all these new tweaks and additions to an already acclaimed game, you get a much richer, action-packed game that takes you from one extreme to the other. Fortunately, it usually places you on the right side of hectic chaos. Leaving you turning your console (or PC, if you are OK with the whole “no dedicated servers” business) off after each session feeling satisfied and entertained for months, if not years to come.

]]> http://gamereuphoria.com/2009/11/21/platforms/ps3/modern-warfare-2-review/feed 0 http://gamereuphoria.com/2009/11/13/platforms/ps3/modern-warfare-2-sells-4-7-million-in-24hours http://gamereuphoria.com/2009/11/13/platforms/ps3/modern-warfare-2-sells-4-7-million-in-24hours#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:47:34 +0000 AndyW http://gamereuphoria.com/?p=470 It should come as no surprise – after months of building anticipation for the title, Modern Warfare 2 smashed every day-one video game sales. Selling over 4.7 million copies in the opening 24 hours, these figures are astonishing.

In the region of just North America and UK, Activision estimate sales of around $310 million. Making Modern Warfare 2 the “biggest launch in history, across all forms of entertainment.”

In comparison, North America’s biggest day-one film gross, The Dark Knight, took in $158.4 million during its July 20, 2008, premiere.

Before Modern Warfare 2 took the record, the previous title-holder was Grand Theft Auto 4, which also took in $310 million – but that was counting all global regions – so presuming at least one copy of Modern Warfare 2 sold in Japan, it’s clear Activision has raised the bar.