Modern Warfare 2: Stimulus Package Review

By Simon Parkin Published 1 April, 2010

Warmongering.

Version tested: Xbox 360

What's in a name? Infinity Ward's choice of title for Modern Warfare 2's first map pack is telling. It implies an injection of content designed to revitalise an ailing economy of players, stirring up dulling passions and reversing waning success. Despite what community manager Rob Bowling may say, Activision must be concerned by the speed at which rival Battlefield: Bad Company 2 has been closing the gap between the two games in recent weeks, both in terms of sales and online engagement. So is this a stimulus package to overwhelm the competition? Perhaps it wasn't originally planned that way, but today, the hope must be there.

Then, of course, there are the financial undertones: the implication that a Stimulus Package is somehow a gesture of generosity for the Modern Warfare faithful in lean times. But many players would contend that at 1200 Microsoft Points (Ģ10.20 / €14.40) - a quarter of the price of the full game itself - this pack of five maps (only three of which are new to the series) represents anything but value for the penny-pinched.

And what of the wider context to this add-on? Infinity Ward is now a headless goliath, its two founders and studio bosses fired by parent company and arch-villain-du-jour Activision in a messy, public manner last month. What of the staff left behind to craft and polish these environments, those men and women who no doubt feel split loyalties under their new, and probably unwelcome, management? They will be unsure of their futures, made insecure by the way their leaders were taken out back and shot, and at the same time prevented from expressing discontent in public by enough legal threats to sink a Langdell.

It's enough to make you wonder if the severe technical hiccup in getting the map pack out to players on Tuesday afternoon was deliberate sabotage - or, at the very least, someone's punchline to the map pack's choice of name, a gift to gleeful headline writers: the Stimulus Package didn't work! The Stimulus Package didn't work!

1

Bailout.

Regardless, a few hours of frenzied Twittering and title-update-dissemination later, the Stimulus Package did work, in the most immediate sense at least. Five maps: three entirely new, two plucked from the previous Modern Warfare, each playable with the full range of game types. In the multiplayer shopping list of playlists, Stimulus - as it's now known - enjoys its own separate entry, allowing you to dive in with the new maps exclusively, leaving the familiar 16 bundled with the game to one side.

The first, Storm, is an abandoned warehouse district caught in the birth pains of a storm, the sound of gunfire mixing with the pitter-patter of determined rainfall. Perfect for games of Sabotage and Search and Destroy, a main warehouse area is surrounded by messy, industrial loading bays and driveways. Empty wooden pallets, stacked like impromptu staircases, allow players to hop up onto the haulage containers piled loosely at the feet of a crane that dominates the skyline.

The wire-fenced backdrop is bleak in the same way every Modern Warfare 2 map is, being a playground for brutality and fierce twitch competition, but the failing light gives Storm a melancholy edge, enemies sinking into its muted colour palette even as they dip behind the trucks that punctuate the area.

Bailout, by contrast, is a bright American apartment complex, one newly built if the "FOR RENT" banner is anything to go by. But with walls pitted with bullet holes, and giant blast bites taken about of supporting walls, these houses will remain unsold. The long connecting corridors and expansive communal area overlooking an empty swimming pool provide long, satisfying sight lines.

But there's little scope to set up camp here, as every look-out point has its own flank weakness, giving the flow of combat a cyclical, washing-machine style and ensuring players stay on the move. Nevertheless, the three-storey block of flats allows for tense cross-court shootouts, while inside, you peek around arcade and pinball machines in search of a headshot.

Salvage is the weakest of the three new maps, as the frequent voting down by players two days in testifies. A frozen salvage yard, here's another area with a large crane as its defining feature, this one backed up by a corrugated wall adorned with tyres, bonnets and other assorted car parts. Around this central area, stacks of used vehicles form aluminium corridors, shepherding players around the area's icy borders.

There are few camp points here outside of a derelict filling station and a few segments of concrete tubing, presumably intended for a pipeline that will never be. As a result, the map forces fast and frenetic movement around itself, lest a puff of misty breath give your position away.

2

Overgrown.

Two of Modern Warfare's most popular maps complete the set. Overgrown is a large, overrun rural area of Russia, perfect for snipers in ghillie suits who can blend in with the thick shrubbery that envelops the area. Meanwhile, Crash is a Middle Eastern city centre, based around a downed Sea Knight helicopter in the town square, which provides a swivel point for the action. Probably the best map in the Modern Warfare canon for team games, its addition is more than welcome, familiarity somehow not breeding contempt for the majority of players.

There's no denying Infinity Ward's huge skill in map design, and even a couple of days in, it's clear that the three new maps will bed in well with their older siblings. So, to the question of value. You'll need to play for an hour or so in the Stimulus-exclusive playlists before you've seen all of the maps, and many more than that before you'll have tried each of the game modes across all of them, let alone begun to form workable strategies for each.

So, while on paper this is an expensive set, it seems a little churlish to set about Infinity Ward for its pricing. You'll already know whether the set is worth the money to you, and for those who are investing scores of hours into the game every week, the Stimulus Package will live up to its name, revitalising the game once again by providing new scope to learn, master and dominate.

But these are only new playgrounds to mess about in: the systems and wider structure remain the same, along with some of the balancing problems that exist there. For players hoping for a more radical overhaul of Modern Warfare 2's admittedly distinguished multiplayer, this will not be stimulus enough.

7 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A core contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, he is also a critic and columnist on games for The Guardian.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (110) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • INSOMANiAC #1 2 years ago

    Activision are due for a very big fall as we all turn against them and their 'premium pricing'

  • Monkey_Puncher #2 2 years ago

    Was anyone expecting an overhaul of Call fo Duty's multiplayer? Weird end comment...

    The price is a joke though, no way I'm paying Activision's inflated bs tax.

  • Seabeast #3 2 years ago

    Rip off.

  • mukki #4 2 years ago

    too expensive
    but will get these once they come out for the ps3

  • marcgiu #5 2 years ago

    can anyone believe that this is 400 pts more than perfect dark - are they taking the piss

  • AcheHurts #6 2 years ago

    If this was 800 points or 1200 points with some Special Ops mission thrown in then I would have grabbed it.

    I'll wait for a "Deal of the Week" in 3/6 months time and pick them up then.

  • Stifler #7 2 years ago

    Still very much riding on the BC2 fan boi train atm.

    It just seems to offer so much more in terms of map design and class combat, meaning that two games never really play out the same, sadly I cant say the same anymore fo MW2. People know the exploit areas and it really is full of campy buggers, which BC2's spotting system seems to compensate for brilliantly.

    If this were perhaps even half the price I would consider it, but to be honest at this price I wont be abandoning my squad mates.

  • Skooch #8 2 years ago

    I like the extra maps. I got the game for free and played online for nearly 4 days, getting 5 new maps (I didn't play MW online) was great for me. Pretty expensive though I would admit but I probably will get my money's worth.

  • Zomoniac #9 2 years ago

    Activision are due for a very big fall as we all turn against them and their 'premium pricing'

    Activision won't notice or care when 'we all' turn against them, because 99.99999% of their customers don't know they're run by the grandson of Hitler and will buy this without hesitation.

  • MiniAmin #10 2 years ago

    Boremongering.

  • el_pollo_diablo #11 2 years ago

    If any of you think that this DLC is hideously overpriced but buy it anyway, I'd like to inform you that you are ruining it for everyone, forever.

  • WiseNail #12 2 years ago

    "So, while on paper this is an expensive set, it seems a little churlish to set about Infinity Ward for its pricing. You'll already know whether the set is worth the money to you, and for those who are investing scores of hours into the game every week, the Stimulus Package will live up to its name"

    Sounds like a Eurogamer cop out. I don't think people are suggesting that pound per hour play won't yield value eventually, rather it's a case of Activision charging 1200 points for something that has traditionally been 800 points on live. Yes you'll probably get your monies worth at 1200 points, but you would have got even more for your money at the usual map pack price of 800 points.

    It's Activisions need to squeeze every last penny from the gaming community that has pissed most gamers off.

  • Skooch #13 2 years ago

    "I like the extra maps. I got the game for free and played online for nearly 4 days, getting 5 new maps (I didn't play MW online) was great for me. Pretty expensive though I would admit but I probably will get my money's worth."

    I got negged for this! You do realise that negging is for bad quality posts, right? This isn't bad quality but it IS my opinion, which doesn't make it wrong either.

    Geez, some people.

  • Futaba #14 2 years ago

    "The wire-fenced backdrop is bleak in the same way...."

    You have that paragraph twice near the bottom of the first page.

    Edit: Thanks for fixing it.
    Edited by Futaba at 01/04/10 @ 18:18

  • Douche #15 2 years ago

    I think the map pack is a bit over priced but i'm going to buy it because i play Call of Duty loads and a few new maps with the two best maps from the first modern warfare will go down a treat. If you don't like it, i don't care.

  • Synthesis #16 2 years ago

    I think I can safely say I'd get more pleasure out of burning the money.

    Still, got to laugh at all the stupid people that bought this game even though they raised the price and will buy this 'DLC' even though they charge a relative fortune for it.

    (and yes, I know that many of you who bought MW2 got it from a Supermarket, but that doesn't change the fact that Actiblizz still got away with raising the price, still got the sales and still gets the money from the loss-taking Supermarket).

  • monkeylite #17 2 years ago

    Too many coverage dedicated to just a DLC...

    And then there's all these ads all over Eurogamer...

  • ps3owner #18 2 years ago

    hey. I've got 2/5th of the map pack already... just play MW instead.

    I wonder how much it'll be for the PS3, probably the same I guess. I'll pass

  • Skooch #19 2 years ago

    @Douche

    Good on you. Although the Nazis in this comments thread will disagree and no doubt neg your post like they did mine. They are predictable as lemmings.

    EDIT: Wow, you really are as predictable as I thought.
    Edited by Skooch at 01/04/10 @ 15:29

  • PearOfAnguish #20 2 years ago

    I'm amazed at the amount of coverage this is getting. It must be good for the hits because of the controversy and the massive popularity of CoD, but in the last few days we've had a laughable interview that appeared to have been produced by some kind of PR robot, a news story and now a 2 page review. All for nothing more than 5 maps, only 3 of which are new.

  • AliRay #21 2 years ago

    So let me get this straight: 3 new maps and one is so shit that people don't want to play on it?

    /slow clap

  • Xerx3s #22 2 years ago

    "So, while on paper this is an expensive set, it seems a little churlish to set about Infinity Ward for its pricing. You'll already know whether the set is worth the money to you, and for those who are investing scores of hours into the game every week, the Stimulus Package will live up to its name, revitalising the game once again by providing new scope to learn, master and dominate. "

    Sorry but that's bollocks right there. Your role is to give a verdict on whether it measurably holds ground as an overall package as well as compared against other similar products. That the value is subjective from person to person is bloody obvious, you don't need to state that.
    There are clearly a shitload of similar products on the market that offer more for a lower price. This package is an absolute farce and everybody knows it.

  • DrDamn #23 2 years ago

    "So, while on paper this is an expensive set, it seems a little churlish to set about Infinity Ward for its pricing."

    I think pricing your game and DLC at a higher price than the norm marks them out as the churlish ones doesn't it?

  • Skooch #24 2 years ago

    Look, this is really, really simple.

    If you think it is too expensive, fine, don't buy it and just play the existing maps or BBC2.

    If you think it represents fair value for money, fine, buy it and play it and enjoy it.

    That is all.

  • JahB #25 2 years ago

    This package is an absolute farce and everybody knows it.

    in all fairness, the price is a joke. not having played the maps yet, i'd reserve judgement until you played about 10 games on each.
    Edited by JahB at 01/04/10 @ 14:48

  • Douche #26 2 years ago

    Fuck off Synthesis

    It's one of the most popular online games ever and there is a reason. It's fucking ace. And i'm supposed to miss out becuse i don't want to pay a little bit extra for the game and for some maps. That is retarded.

    Infact, most people got the game for 30 quid when it came out.
    Edited by Douche at 01/04/10 @ 14:51

  • Futaba #27 2 years ago

    That guy's 2x smug grinning face in the ad for this is starting to piss me off.

  • MrE26 #28 2 years ago

    It's bullshit like this that fragments the userbase, so you end up barely playing these new maps you've just shelled out a tenner for unless you stick to the limited DLC playlists.

    Just give them away for free, & let everyone play them. The game's already made you a billion dollars FFS.

  • andywilkie35 #29 2 years ago

    A review for multiplayer maps. My goodness.

  • WiseNail #30 2 years ago

    @Skooch & Douche

    You're right, it's your money and entirely your business what you spend it on.

    The only worry is, how long is it before this sets a precedent and then all map packs for all games become 1200 points? After that, how long is it before Activision charge 1600 points for a map pack, claiming that Modern Warfare is a special case?

  • speedjack #31 2 years ago

    Its ironic that that this overpriced 'Stimulus' contains maps called 'crash' and 'bailout'.

    I predict the next pack will be called 'Bonus' and will feature 'downturn', 'foreclosure' and 'recession'...and will cost us even more.





  • metalangel #32 2 years ago

    Everyone gets the whole bankrupt banks, stimulus package, bailout jokes, yes? I'm surprised they didn't go down the EDF route of saying this pack is 40% recycled material, or indeed the sarcasm of saying 'tired of the same out sniping spots? Here's two maps you played to death in the last game.'

  • mingster #33 2 years ago

    Meh.. I just want more SpecOp missions.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #34 2 years ago

    Sorry for the duplicate paragraph nonsense. I am not good with computer.

  • groovychainsaw #35 2 years ago

    Maps packs like this always split the playerbase, and at this high price it will be more noticeable than usual. Map packs always seem to signal the start of the decline in the playerbase, people can't play with their friends or there isn't a good playlist with all the maps on. Here's hoping EA stick to their promise of not charging anything for the expansion maps for BfBC2.
    /Crosses fingers

  • Xerx3s #36 2 years ago

    "in all fairness, the price is a joke. not having played the maps yet, i'd reserve judgement until you played about 10 games on each. "

    The package is made up by contents and price. The price clearly is completely absurd for the contents that you get for it. The 3 new maps might be awesome but the price still makes it an absolute farce, no matter how you spin it.

  • S1Lv3R #37 2 years ago

    Welcome to the "Digital Era"....DLC is here to stay aslong as we the consumers keep paying these ridiculous prices activision and everyone else are free to collect their millions.

    Unless everyone boycotts DLC or atleast all high priced ones such as this they are gonna churn out more and more. Even if 80% of owners of MW2 boycotted it they would still make over Ģ10 million+ from the other 20% so its a losing battle I fear.

    In regards to reviewing DLC...I'm all for it if its the price that we are coming to expect now. Almost everyone I know got it from the supermarkets for Ģ26 on release day. I wanna know if the reviewer thinks they are worth purchasing...especially seeing as they consist of only 3 new maps for almost half price of the full game!

  • Murbal #38 2 years ago

    Messaged my (underage) nephew to say that I hope he isn't paying up. My reply was '2 l8' - translations please? ;-)

  • General_Zod #39 2 years ago

    Anyone who buys this deserves to be raped by Hitlers ghost!!!

  • DUFFKING #40 2 years ago

    I remember when you'd get entire new game's worth of content in expansion packs for 20 quid, not this shit.

    Hell, epic used to give away 3-4 times as much as is in this pack for free with their games. They still do with UTIII.

    I guess it would be better value if it hadn't been surpassed 7-8 years ago by the original CoD in terms of gameplay.
    Edited by DUFFKING at 01/04/10 @ 15:35

  • Skooch #41 2 years ago

    "You're right, it's your money and entirely your business what you spend it on.

    The only worry is, how long is it before this sets a precedent and then all map packs for all games become 1200 points? After that, how long is it before Activision charge 1600 points for a map pack, claiming that Modern Warfare is a special case?"

    @ wisenail - thank-you for at least acknowledging that it is a purchasing decision that is up to the individual. I don't buy into the scenario you have outlined however. It is basic demand and supply, if the price goes higher than the product is worth then fewer people will buy it. It then reaches a point where the seller isn't getting as much as they could have got or even maybe they don't cover costs. It really is that simple. In the same way I wanted to buy the map pack, I have no problem with others not buying it; people will ultimately vote with their feet. Activision obviously thought that with MW2 being so popular they could charge a premium. This happens in every walk of life and I am pretty surprised that so many people have got so up in arms about a purchasing decision they really don't have to take.

  • Lebowski #42 2 years ago

    Each to their own, and I hope people who buy this DLC enjoy it and get their money's worth.

    As for me, I took one look at the price (or, rather, the principle of the price), jumped across to BC2 and haven't looked back. IMO it's a much better game in terms of depth, online community and (above all else) fun.

  • nemesisND1derboy #43 2 years ago

    Glad i got rid of my MW2 for BFBC2 with its FREE maps! Honestly how a company could have the audacity to charge consumers 15€ for maps is beyond me. As long as people keep buying these ridiculously overpriced maps, Activision will keep charging this much. People need to boycott!

  • headrush #44 2 years ago

    Omg, stop whining about a few bucks already. Jeez.

  • lordofthedunce #45 2 years ago

    Who would have bought this is BFB2 hadn't been there?

    I don't even think the games are particularly comparable.

    The hate for this says to me that here were a lot of people playing MW2 because there was no alternative, despite the fact that much of the experience pissed them off big time. Now there is something else people are happy to pile the hate on.

    Edit: clarity

    Edited by lordofthedunce at 01/04/10 @ 15:47

  • Ant1975 #46 2 years ago

    Nice to see some quality fence sitting by Eurogamer. How are we to trust reviews when the adverts are plastered all over the site? Conflict of interest perhaps?

    Bah.

  • WiseGuy #47 2 years ago

    Out of curiosity does anyone know when this comes out on the PS3?
    I say out of curiosity as any inclination I had of buying this, had it not gone due to the price, has fallen due to annoyance at having to wait thanks to exclusive DLC agreements (this same gripe will probably see my pass on the GTA extras on disc despite really enjoying GTA4)

  • 00.00.01 #48 2 years ago

    Besides the whole fair/unfair pricing I've (being European) a massive problem with the conversion rate.
    C'mon, U$D 15--> Ģ 9.83--> € 11.07. Or, as EG stated, 1200 MSP= Ģ 10.20 = € 11.50.
    So howthehell does it end up being priced almost € 15?
    Seems to me you get a lot more value for money in the US than you get in Europe. Since it's digitally 'distributed' there's no way to justify these differences.

  • nemesisND1derboy #49 2 years ago

    Btw, did anyone notice on the ads it says 5 NEW maps? thats false advertisement there!

  • VicViper #50 2 years ago

    @nememisND1derboy
    Thats a good point, I guess 3 new maps and 2 MW classic maps doesn't really look as good.

    Activision well sell a shit ton of this pack, I'm betting the larger precentage of those sales will be the less informed MW2 player who problay doesn nothing but play MW2, if you ever check most gamer cards when in the pre-game lobby its usually the only game on thier list and has hours clocked. They will happily pay and get the monies worth out of it.

    Anyone else unless you sink enough hours in your not getting the value, regarding it setting a precedent well theres only so much people will pay eventually they won't and prices will go down again but by then it will unlikely go down to what it was before all this.

    I really wish there was some sort of time demo option for DLC, all this no refunds for broken crap really annoys me, where the consumer rights you get with physical items?

  • telboy007 #51 2 years ago

    No thanks, take your map pack and stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

  • lordofthedunce #52 2 years ago

    I really wish there was some sort of time demo option for DLC, all this no refunds for broken crap really annoys me, where the consumer rights you get with physical items?

    unfortunately software isn't covered in the same way. I guess it's to stop people copying stuff then taking it back, like so many used to do with music CDs.

  • Xerx3s #53 2 years ago

    "Omg, stop whining about a few bucks already. Jeez. "

    How dare you consumers bitch about being ripped off!

  • patchbox360 #54 2 years ago

    tbh i think Capcom with Super Street Fighter 4 is more of a scam - the original SF4 game Capcom charged Ģ40 for and one year later is now charging Ģ25 for what seems to be the game that should have originally been released (take note Namco) - at least with mw2 you have the complete game initially and can then choose to upgrade if you want.

  • kinky_mong #55 2 years ago

    ...WAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAAAHAAAA!

  • Editos #56 2 years ago

    Maps are a rip off no doubt.

    However, they are all really good.

  • dbranchevans #57 2 years ago

    Skooch & Douche nope couldn't give a shit what you blow your money on as fortunately have traded in MW:2 for a game I consider better. However, everyone else who still loves MW:2 suffers because the more people who purchase this piece of crap (and I notice Eurogamer didn't even mention Storm is bugged to hell!), the more Activision will believe its perfectly acceptable to charge for 3 maps. And don't talk rubbish about the work of customising MW 1's maps for 2 as it's pretty much just an enhanced engine!

    Excellent points earlier around comparison on like for like, you can buy a lot of quality for 1200 points...

  • Chupakun #58 2 years ago

    I'm happy that I bought MW2 at Ģ26 from Sainsburys. Poo on you, Activision's MSRP.

    Edit: A minus 8 for not giving in to The Man? Yikes, I think we have some Kotick followers here! Or maybe I skipped a better deal. Or maybe some people here prefer Tesco or Asda: I swear I would've picked up MW2 from those places if Sainsburys weren't closer :p
    Edited by Chupakun at 02/04/10 @ 04:25

  • rudedudejude #59 2 years ago

    I don't think it's about value for money, it's about how much this is a rip off.

    I paid Ģ25 for the entire game brand new from an online store. Paying almost half of that again for 5 maps is a complete and utter joke.

  • Stiggy #60 2 years ago

    Seems this review is almost as impartial as Stephen Fry's review on his free Ipad. Which is ironic as activision are now apeing Apple's business model for overcharging for "popular" products.

  • Trigga_Tybalt #61 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 15:43:01 23-02-2012

  • ignatiusjreilly #62 2 years ago

    Which is ironic as activision are now apeing Apple's business model for overcharging for "popular" products.

    And they are both market leaders. As much as I wish it weren't true, Activision probably made an excellent business decision with the price of these maps, and the price of the game in the first place. This may be a battle but I strongly suspect most of the people in this comments thread (including me) are gonna wind up on the losing side.

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #63 2 years ago

    Unfortunately all the little kids that yip yip yip like Paris Hilton's Chiwawa (or whatever) will just get mummy or daddy to buy them it as they are none the wiser. Cant they release a 'bitch kid free' version? wouldn't that please all instead? Although saying that theyd charge 4million MSP for it.

  • rudedudejude #64 2 years ago

    Sheep will rule the world.

    Gradually sheep are dictating and driving the music, movie, and soon to be games industries.

    Chewing the fields of innovation at every turn in place of simple gratification, whatever the cost. Happy to pay over the odds for small amounts of 'exclusive' content.

  • telboy007 #65 2 years ago

    "Although saying that theyd charge 4million MSP for it. "

    Yeah, but it would be worth every penny!

  • bing #66 2 years ago

    moan moan moan but ill still buy it, morons..
    Edited by bing at 01/04/10 @ 20:13

  • rhinoxious #67 2 years ago

    This review is missing some important info:

    How does it work if you don't have the map pack?
    Do the new maps appear on the normal TDM rotation, and if so then does it mean I will never play with people who haven't bought them, or will they just get kicked when a new map comes up?

    Also, what other tweaks, if any, were in the update ... I heard they might be tweaking One Man Army?

  • EvilDavid #68 2 years ago

    TODAY DOUBLE EXP ON ALL PLAYLISTS!! CHECK OUT!!!

  • Derblington #69 2 years ago

    Been playing this all day, and the new maps are superb. The review was a little premature though, as the facts aren't correct. As of yesterday afternoon, the dlc pack has been put into rotation on most/all of the game modes.
    Also, from my experience, Salvage isn't getting skipped but Storm is (I don't really think this particularly relevant though, as all 3 are being played, a lot, but your mileage will vary depending on the preferences of those in the server. Overgrown is actually being skipped more than any of them, and this will all change as people get a proper feel for them).

    As for the pricing plan... Meh, if you don't want it, don't buy it, but don't impose your dislike or justifactions on people who do. I like the game, I play the game, and 1200 points (which was about Ģ9 online) isn't too much for me to pay. I fully understand those who don't want to though.

    Regardless, the maps are good and that's the important part for those on the fence.
    Edited by Derblington at 01/04/10 @ 17:52

  • frankfurter209 #70 2 years ago

    For 1200 points you could alternatively buy DJ Shadow's incredible Endtroducing, or a delicious sandwich from Subway

  • Moonprince #71 2 years ago

    "There's no denying Infinity Ward's huge skill in map design"

    Yeah but there is

  • Masaroth #72 2 years ago

    no-one is really saying that they wouldnt get enough usage out of it to justify 1200 msp. The point is that activision are pushing to see how much money they can fleece out of people. First it was the increase to the rrp which im fairly sure they might try and raise it again for the next cod.

    Its 1200msp for 5maps atm but if enough ppl buy that then theyll think okay what can we get away with this time so theyll push 5 maps for 1600points or 3-4 for 1200msp to see if they can get away with that and so-on. This will inevitably set a precedent that other companys will likely follow. As long as ppl buy this stuff at these inflated prices they wont stop increasing their prices even further.

  • cyber_nicco #73 2 years ago

    I'm getting really sick of all the self-righteous bullshit that's getting thrown around here...

    I haven't bought the map pack, but I might someday - especially if I can get it discounted in a month or two. That's my disclaimer. That being said, if enough people find this worth the money, then it is, in fact, priced reasonably. If not, then the price will come down. It is not decent to go around condemning anyone who disagrees with you and buys the DLC. There was one argument that actually said that the content probably would be worth the money over time, but that it was still overpriced! Huh?

    Basically, take it easy everyone.

  • ronuds #74 2 years ago

    I'd really love to see how this sells, but we'll probably never know. :(

  • Nath_monn #75 2 years ago

    Overgrown, getting skipped? Just like on the good cod. You'd think they'd have actually taken the veto statistics into account before choosing a map as dlc, obviously not or else they wouldn't have charged the mugs for it again! Overgrown was whack on the good cod and no doubt it'll be whack on the shit cod!!

  • sfp_noodle #76 2 years ago

    i dont remember uncharted 2 getting a map pack review? now tht game is fucking ace

  • jambo74 #77 2 years ago

    I'm having a lol at most comments here knowing that the people who made them will end up buying it anyway (if the have not done so anyway), lol.

  • EvilDavid #78 2 years ago

    think about halo 3 maps they did cost 800 points, each map was 266,66 ->
    266,66 x 5 = 1333,33...... so we are good with 1200 points, right?
    Edited by EvilDavid at 01/04/10 @ 19:01

  • bing #79 2 years ago

    @unkempt

    probably because it can be all but assured that the ps3 maps will enjoy the same greedy 50% price increase over other COD map packs

  • hiddenranbir #80 2 years ago

    You know Eurogamer, the more you waste hours reviewing DLC, perfectly good(or bad) games which deserve to be looked at to inform the gamers are ignored. Sort it out.

  • Emmit_Assassin #81 2 years ago

    yawn...sold it ages ago...

  • jambo74 #82 2 years ago

    @Emmit_Assassin

    Then why bother reading and leaving a comment. Me thinks you fib.

  • evilrobot #83 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 22:12:53 08-05-2012

  • Waffleaber #84 2 years ago

    Having been a PC gamer for many years I'm shocked people actually pay for any maps let alone over a tenner for 5 of them.

    To be fair I think it's also made my very tight as I've also never bought any DLC for my 360.

    Basically I'm not a very good customer.

  • man.the.king #85 2 years ago

    @Zomoniac

    "Activision won't notice or care when 'we all' turn against them, because 99.99999% of their customers don't know they're run by the grandson of Hitler and will buy this without hesitation. "

    That might be true if MW2 was a more casual-friendly game like some of the waggle stuff you get for the Wii. Casual people playing games might not stay in touch with game-related news. But imo MW2 is more of a traditional (aka hardcore) game for the "traditional gamer", and most such gamers are, I think, Internet-savvy enough to be in touch with Activision/IW-related news and the normal pricing for most games and DLC.

    As such, all in all, I think INSOMANiAC's prediction might not be too far off, at least as far as traditional gamers are concerned.

  • man.the.king #86 2 years ago

    @SHARXTREME

    "I guess you don't see that giant add for MW2 DLC plastered all over EG's front page. It will get even more coverage. "

    I don't see those ads - I use Firefox, with "NoScript" and "Adblock Plus" installed. This combination manages to make 90% of my Net surfing ad-free :)

  • Paulie_P #87 2 years ago

    Fuck you Activision, I should have stuck to my principals and never have bought MW2 in the first place. I traded it in tonight.

  • southpaw #88 2 years ago

    Bought the game for Ģ27 at launch and had some points I bought on sale so I got the maps today. Saying that I think it's awful to split the community by kicking people out of matches when a dlc map appears in the rotation.

    Bad company 2 is stealing all my fps time anyway
    Edited by southpaw at 01/04/10 @ 22:28

  • miiiguel #89 2 years ago

    I don't get it, Activision is a private company, they are selling a product (non-essential goods), don't like the price or the quality, or the relation price-quality, don't buy it, can't you just do it a bit quieter ?

  • Lukree #90 2 years ago

    With Bad Company you're with good company. Welcome!

  • gjgjg #91 2 years ago

    i played mw2 tonight for the first time in months because my bfbc2 online stats and xp were wiped somehow... after one game i gota say they need more than an expensive shot of stimulation, after 2 games i turned ot off. please dice fix this bug, i dont want to go back!

  • kinderkrieg #92 2 years ago

    Personally i dont get all the bashing that ppl do of MW2. I get that the Dedicated servers are unashamedly lame, but i think there is hardly a single complaint to make against it otherwise. The killstreak variation and perk interaction is a significant improvement on the last game, and although im personally not a fan of the newer shinier art style the gameplay is far more involving. I bought BFBC2 and can see the potential. But it still feels like it needs the training wheels removed.

  • Tyronne #93 2 years ago

    Have to be honest, its not worth the price to me as I have already traded in MW2 and got something else.

    The high price these 5 maps was the final nail in the coffin for me ,so off it went to trade and hello new shiny thing.

  • Rodchenko #94 2 years ago

    Trading in one computer game for another one is neither bold, nor heroic, nor particularly interesting. Why then do so many people in this thread have to mention it?

  • Rack #95 2 years ago

    Wait, it's okay to offer poor value as long as you're upfront about it? From a moral perspective I can see the point, but I don't see how it's okay for a review not to consider it.

  • Mr #96 2 years ago

    Great article but I don't agree with you when you say they have a huge skill for map making - the maps are so controlled that they become easily learned and as a result the gameplay becomes automated. Run here, throw a grenade, aim up at the window, run to here, shoot the sniper etc etc etc. I hate to draw a comparison with a different type of game but BFBC2 is such a relief after this blandness.

    I remember (grandad) playing cod when it had a similar freedom - CODUO (bombing across the huge map in a jeep with your mates and taking a base whilst nicking a tank and a grin on your face). That seems like a different franchise now: it's become the haunt of twitchers and tweenies and point chasers and I do really well on it after 65 cups of coffee and 6 red-bulls - where's the actual 'fun' in that?

  • NicolasVH #97 2 years ago

    I've bought every Call of Duty map pack in the past, and still play Modern Warfare 2 a lot. But, as a principle, I won't buy this one. The price is just too high. If it gets to 800MP or less, I'll buy it immediately. It's very hard to control myself and go buy it, but I won't succumb under the pressure!

    Also telling all my friends to do the same, who happily agreed to do the same. I know 20 people or so won't make much of a difference, but it's a loss for Activision and Infinity Ward anyhow. Instead, we'll spend our money on a good (or bad?) company. ;)
    Edited by NicolasVH at 02/04/10 @ 12:07

  • WillyWanka #98 2 years ago

    Actually, it's just 3 new maps

  • zippy75 #99 2 years ago

    Rip-off what do they think they are kinding!

  • zubnut #100 2 years ago

    The next map pack is due next week and will include brand new maps "Armour" and "Horse" with a rehashed versions of three maps from call of duty 2

  • mizcicz #101 2 years ago

    800 ms points ok...more than this for a map pack is a rip off. no need to discuss about that at all. maps are essential for mp shooters. the pricing here is far from being fair. even if you play this game a lot you shouldnīt support fantasy pricing. for me iw is dead. headshot themselves. cheating on their customers. they should be ashamed of themselves. itīs not that i have any problems with paying for dlc...but the price should be fair. dlc should be something that gives something back to the fans that supported the game so it became a success. without that dlc wont even be possible for them to create (and sell). donīt hype the next iw cod, it makes ém greedy. mw2 wasnīt even close to cod4 anyway...go on play a different shooter and let the greedy men play with themselves.

  • mizcicz #102 2 years ago

    @beIIy: youīre right. thereīs much more in life than gaming. but this is not only a gaming related topic. itīs about a real life problem. huge success - milking it no matter what - itīs a problem not only here. itīs a problem in business in general. thatīs why we have crimes like factory farming, finance crash in general and stuff like that...people lose moral way too easy. seems to be strange to make a connection here. but in the end itīs all the same. this is where it starts. itīs ok to tell them that theyīre fuckers.

  • headrush #103 2 years ago

    Yeah its really world politics. Dont buy it and keep bitching on the internet.

  • Cpl.Hicks #104 2 years ago

    I'd complain about the price of this pack, but I only payed ÂĢ26 for MW2 on release day from Sainsburys! The maps are good as well.

    Oh fuck it, it's still too much. 800 points and I'd have snapped them up.

  • JimWest #105 2 years ago

    Ironic how people say they have traded the game due to high DLC pricing, when the main reason DLC prices are high is due to companies losing sales due to the used games markets. Just saying....
    Edited by JimWest at 04/04/10 @ 16:40

  • xero521 #106 2 years ago

    lol at the ppl who buy this map pack coz there will be more, at Ģ10 a go if theres 3 map packs thats more than the game, if u got it from a supermarket lol! They RIP us off coz they can! so they will! the really sad thing is they act like they care, but really they only here to make money!

  • paketep #107 2 years ago

    Wow. EG's integrity is going down the drain, pushed down by the money paid by Kotick to plaster all the backgrounds.

    A pity, after all this time. Activision is not only trying to kill PC's and FPS, but the only good gaming press we had.

  • jambo74 #108 2 years ago

    Maps will be reduced soon enough, then perhaps....

  • Seabeast #109 2 years ago

    1200ms points? for 3 new maps and 2 from CoD4? oh my word. Now if we got 3 new maps and all the good maps from CoD4 then I could see why such a price would be set, but 1200 points? seriously?

    IW really messed up with MW2, a lot of the new weapons and a couple of the maps were really good, but commando perk? people making a ninja class to run arond stabbing on a shooter? Akimbo shotguns which would snap your wrists if used that way for real? tactical nukes? I could go on.

    I really enjoyed CoD4, it was great (apart from that damn M16) but they simply tried to do too much with MW2 and it was total overkill.

    I was really enjoying BFBC2 but I did get bored after a couple of weeks online, it just doesn't quite play well enough for me and the lack of prone was a bit of pain ( I can see why they removed it to try and stop snipers from being overpowered, but still ) but overall a fantastic game and way better than MW2.

    I really hope Medal of Honour turns out to be good, I really do.

  • Mughes #110 2 years ago

    Initially overpriced game gets overpriced DLC.

    Huh, who'd have thunk it?