The early reviews of this game were conducted at a hotel under Activision's supervision, using the console version of the game. The launch party in New York featured the 360 version of the game. We were sent the Prestige Edition of the game the day of release for coverage. Very few people at the company seem to care that yes, there is a PC port of the game.
Well, we care, dammit. Call of Duty came from the PC gaming scene, and it was there that it was popularized. Yes, consoles are now the dominant form of gaming from a financial standpoint, but it's sad to see a game that has such a rich history on our favorite platform feel so neglected in its newest incarnation. The port of the single-player campaign is strong; the game looks, plays, and feels incredible on a capable gaming PC. The Special Ops missions are perfect if you're in the mood for a teeny-tiny LAN party (although of course you'll both need Steam accounts to play), but the multiplayer offerings feel like Infinity Ward is trying to cram a round peg into a square hole.
It's not what we're used to, it's not what we want, and the changes made to the online matchmaking set-up and lack of dedicated servers negatively change the online experience. It's just that simple.
There is no easy verdict here, but I'm going to say skip the PC version. Why? The single-player is over quickly. The Special Ops missions are great but there are better co-op games out there. The multiplayer is going to be huge on consoles, but on the PC it's just crippled. There is a lot of fun to be had here, but there are way better ways to spend your money, especially with the $60 price.
The Good
* Strong, disturbing single-player game
* Looks, plays great on the PC
* Killstreaks in multiplayer are a great addition
* Online play is still addictive
* Good selection of maps and game modes
* Special Ops missions extend the life of the game, great with a friend online
The Bad
* Single-player is over quickly
* The actual story is a little bit on the paranoid, gun-porn side of things
* Console-style online play on the PC
* $60 for a PC release? No thanks, guys
* Both the company and retailers barely seems to care about the PC version
The Ugly
* Huge design problems with the multiplayer version
* The game is already in the expected places. PC gamers will feel spurned and pirate, and Activision will claim they don't support the PC better because of piracy.
See the full article and writeup here. And then they wonder why their greed edges on the pirates? Funny, I know of at least 25 people who have already pirated this on the x360. I'm glad that the pirates have set up a bay on the consoles as well! Keep 'em coming boys!
