O
n a technicalandmechanicallevel,thenewCallof
Duty: ModernWarfare(seeopposite)isa decent
game, bothlookingfantasticandfeelinggreatto
play. But it’s also agameatwarwithitself,wantingtobe
simultaneously animportantworkofart,whilealsobeing
a big daft lark. Thisis nothingnewforCallofDutyorgaming
as a whole, but in ModernWarfarethisconflictissoextreme
that it completely underminesthegame’sartisticintentions.
The single-playercampaignfocusesona supposedlygritty,
realistic depiction ofcontemporarywar,going
beyond the themesofsoldierlyhonourand
sacrifice that werethekeyhallmarksofthe
series in its earlyyears.InModernWarfare,
the sacrifice madebyitsleadingcharactersis
not one of blood, butofmorality.
The war depictedinitsfictionalcountry,
Urzikstan, is one whereciviliansaretargetedby
artillery and chemicalweapons,wheresoldiers
hide within civilian populations,wherethemurder
of children and other war crimes are committed indiscriminately.
Because of this situation, the game suggests, the player’s
moral code needs to be as flexible as that of the enemy in order
to emerge victorious. As Captain Price himself suggests: ‘We
get dirty so the world stays clean.’ It’s grim stuff, but it does
succeed in creating a level of tension within combat situations,
as well as unease at some of the actions you’re required to take.
The problem is that the game frequently undermines itself
with tonal, mechanical and factual inconsistencies that range
from the silly to the outrageous. For example, when you’ve
just used a drone to blow up several pickup trucks filled
withterroristsduringa grittynighttime defensive battle, is
it reallyappropriateforanachievement labelled ‘Love from
Above?’topinguponthescreen.Howabout ‘Got something
onyourFace?’– anachievementyoureceive for spitting on
yourcaptorduringthemiddleofa torture sequence?
Suchtone-deafjokesareentirelyatodds with what the
campaignistryingtoachieve.Thenagain, the campaign is
alsoatoddswiththatmessage.Onemission, titled Highway
ofDeath,seesyousnipinga convoyprotecting a terrorist
leaderalonga stretchofroad where Urzikstan
civilianshadpreviouslybeen bombed by the
Russiansastheytriedtoflee the conflict.
It’sbasedona real-lifeevent that occurred
duringtheGulfWar,onlyinthis case, the bombing
wascommittedbyAmerican-led allied forces on
Iraqitroopswhiletheystaged a retreat. If you’re
pitchingyourmodern-dayshooter as ‘authentic’
thenmisrepresentinga controversial war act
doesn’tseemthesmartest way to go about it.
Even the presence of the multiplayer mode, with its typically
daft set of wargames, is entirely at odds with the notion of
depicting warfare in an authentic way, especially when that
means frequent depictions of murdered children.
If game developers want to create difficult, challenging
art about the nature of war, that’s absolutely fine, but they
have to commit to it wholly, across all the game modes, all
the achievements – everywhere. Otherwise, the legitimacy
of that work is immediately going to be up for debate, and a
game that could be interesting and thought-provoking ends
up coming across as crass and repulsive.Games
Rick Lane is Custom PC’s games editor @Rick_LaneRICKLANE/INVERSELOOK
CONFLICT ZONES
If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare wants to claim authenticity,
then its message needs to be consistent, argues Rick LaneSuch tone-deaf jokes
are entirely at odds
with what the
campaignistrying
toachieve