Anyone familiar with the console FPS market has likely played at least one Call of Duty game. The WW II shooters often took players on a whirlwind tour of the Second Great War, dropping you in the roles of several different war heroes as you fought to rid the world of the Nazi menace. It was a bit of a surprise then, to learn that Infinity Ward's latest offering would be a modern shooter, one which would take you out of the Greatest Generation and place you square in the middle of today's conflicts. It's a gamble that has paid off though, as Call of Duty 4 is likely the closest thing to a perfect shooter we're ever going to see outside of a neat shot of ice cold Smirnoff. No, not Gray Goose, you nerd. Trust me, I consulted a Russian.

What Do You Mean You "Lost" the Missiles? Ok, Just Be Cool, Act Like Everything is Fine...

   Rather than forcing you to jump around a bunch of non-connected stories, CoD 4 centers around one plot. The quick and dirty is that a crisis is afoot concerning a Russian arms dealer with access to nuclear weapons, and a Middle-Eastern extremist who would like nothing more than to use said weapons to blow a rather large hole in America's collective ass.

   You play through the majority of the game switching between Sgt. Jackson of the USMC, and Lt. "Soap" McTavish of the British SAS. While these two are primarily concerned with infiltrating and running and gunning, the game also throws the occasional changeup your way, featuring a mission where you go back in time to better understand the motivations of your commanding officer, a level where you see all the action from the perspective of a gunner on an AC-130 gunship (Tip: 105mm rounds are about the most beautiful thing ever created), and even a level where you "play" as a political hostage (spoiler alert: your ass is going to die, just accept it). The title does a great job of telling a coherent story and keeping you in the flow of the game while still mixing it up enough to keep things interesting and fun.

I'll Come to Dinner as Soon as This Heart Attack is Over.

Enough About That, Can I Shoot My Friends?

   I've just spent all that time blathering on about the single-player mode, but the truth is you can get a ton of enjoyment out of the title without ever even attempting the campaign. Infinity Ward has put together what may be the ultimate console multiplayer experience, one which is fit to (and on occasion has) knock Halo off its throne.

   With up to 18 players in a match, 13 modes, and 16 maps packed into the game you're never at a loss for something to play. All the maps are large yet accommodating, giving you tons of places to hide, set up an ambush, or simply go toe to toe in a firefight with the other guy. And if you're still not satisfied (you greedy bastard) then Infinity Ward will be releasing a new map pack on April 3 with four new locations in which to dole out carnage.

   What I've mentioned so far all seems pretty pat, so you may be wondering why it is that I (and everyone else for that matter) am so high on the multiplayer. The reason is that CoD4 does so much more than any game that has come before it to make playing through it over and over again meaningful.

   Just like in every other game you have ranks, but in CoD 4 those ranks turn into tangible benefits in the form of new weapons, classes, and perks. When you start out, you are confined to one of four character classes, complete with standard issue weapons. However, once you reach level 4 (a feat that only takes a few rounds), things begin to open up and you are able to really start digging in. At this level you can create your own class and customize it with available guns, explosives, and perks. As you continue playing, you'll get access to an even wider variety, ultimately allowing you to create the soldier of your dreams. Once you top out at level 55, you have the option of entering prestige mode where you revert back to level 1 and start the grinding process all over again. It may sound like not much of a reward, but prestige players are noted, and you can wear your prestige status as a badge of badassery and a proud advertisement of the fact that you forsake all other pleasures of life to play Call of Duty.

Polish Up That Medal and Make It Shine

   Just like the gameplay, the technical aspects of the game are brilliant as well. This is one of the most visually stunning games I've ever encountered, and the attention to detail is just astounding. Couple that with impressive explosions and particle effects, no hints of slowdown, a frame rate that never even skips once, and you've got yourself a game that oozes realism. Just don't let any seep onto your pants; it's a bitch to get out.

   Complementing the visuals is a voice-acting cast that completely nails it, and sound effects so good that when you hear the clatter of a grenade you'll likely check the floor of your living room just to make sure those neighbors you never liked didn't sneak one in through the window. Some soldiers claim that it isn't the sights of war that get to you, but rather the sounds, as the constant scream of artillery and crackle of gunfire is enough to wear your nerves to a frazzle. After playing this game, I totally understand where they're coming from.

   Finally, the controls are just as spot-on as everything else, and every command is executed with military precision. Targeting is a snap, and switching weapons or items is as simple as a quick button press. While some shooters suffer from twitchy aiming mechanics or convoluted radial menus this game has none of that, instead opting for a quick, simple interface that only increases your lethality.

If You Don't Play This Game, the Terrorists Win

   There's truly no reason to not play CoD 4. It is, simply, the best shooter on the market right now and quite possibly the best of all time. The game's only fault is the fact that enemies will constantly spawn until you break the invisible progress threshold, but the fact that this game does everything else completely right means one little shortcoming like that simply doesn't matter. A gripping single-player campaign coupled with the deepest multiplayer ever put on a console provides something for everyone. If you don't stop reading this right now and start playing I'm sending Captain Price and his SAS boys after you...

       ... Brad