Surviving in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s online multiplayer isn’t just a matter of skill, or how quick you can pull the trigger. It’s all about being at the right place at the right time. To do that, one should be familiar with the maps. If you’re having trouble remembering things, then at least you should know the difference between a good hiding place and a deathtrap.

The video above provides some good hiding tips. Of course, there are just too many crevices in Call of Duty 4 to mention. Bottom line, it’s all about making sure that no one would be able to sneak up from behind. The best hiding places provide impeccable cover from the rear. At the same time, the spot isn’t isolated from passers-by as well, since it’s useless to just hide and not score any kills.

Of course, if your Call of Duty 4 skills are nonexistent like mine are when using a controller, then that great camping site hiding place you just found useless.

Post from: EveryJoe

Clip shows suitable hiding places in Call of Duty 4 multiplayer

I finally had the nerve to play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare online today (not before upgrading my PS3’s firmware to 2.20). Sadly, my first foray wasn’t very encouraging. To make the long story short, I never managed to take anyone down. I don’t even know if I was able to land a single bullet at an opponent.

It was good to see that I hardly encountered any lag while playing, so I guess I have no excuse for sucking completely.

“It can’t be that bad,” you say. But it is. It was so bad that I was knifed several times by opponents. Yes, I was using a high-powered rifle when I was sliced into two in several occasions.

I don’t know if it was just me, but my opponents seemed to have taken a liking in giving the level 1 n00b a particularly tough time. If my suspicions are wrong, is knifing really necessary? Based on my experience on PC multiplayer games, those kinds of takedowns are usually reserved for humiliation—something that I think is unnecessary since my no-kill tally is disgraceful enough.

Image for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare courtesy of Activision.

Post from: EveryJoe

CoD4 adventures: Knifing n00bs is fun (for non-n00bs)

I wonder what name Qadaffi uses in Xbox Live.

Post from: EveryJoe

Qadaffi reviews Call of Duty 4

However, I’m a bit disappointed that the review focused on the Xbox 360 version even if the game was available on other platforms, namely the PC and Playstation 3. Aren’t you wondering how Call of Duty 4 performs with today’s PCs? While the PS3 may be a more powerful beast, does the shooter look better in Blu-ray?

After all, more hardware muscle doesn’t automatically translate to better graphics.

On a happier note, it’s good to see that the franchise’s trademark excellence in multiplayer is still here. Would this necessarily translate to loads of people playing in Xbox Live? Would you stop playing Halo 3 for COD4?

Post from: EveryJoe

Call of Duty 4 video review

You have to deal with not-so-responsive controls and not-so-satisfying action. I should have taken the choppy sounds in the menu as a warning. Indeed, Metroid Prime Hunters is a tough act to follow.

Imagine my surprise when Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was announced for the diminutive Nintendo handheld. My kneejerk reaction was “this game is going to suck eggs.”

When I read Joystiq’s hands-on preview, my preconceived notions are in danger of being challenged. According to Zack Stern (the lucky journo who played the game):

“The DS version feels full of care and craft, from thought put into controls, to the segmented sessions that play well on a handheld.”

Well, Zack thinks the controls are good. Is this good enough for me? Perhaps not. Nothing personal Zack, I just want to try it myself before I do put my stamp of approval. However, I take this as a sign of hope that the game would not be as bad as Brothers in Arms DS. The question now is: would the difference between these two games be significant enough to change my mind?

Here are a couple of videos to show us how it looks, but not how it really plays.

Post from: EveryJoe

Call of Duty 4 for the DS might not suck like other handheld shooters

No, your eyes don’t deceive you. Yes, you can shoot through walls, and it’s not some form of wallhack. It’s great to see that ballistics can pass through walls, just like the real thing. I just hope Infinity Ward balances this feature because I wouldn’t want to get hit by a .50 caliber bullet when I’m hiding under a thick concrete bridge.

Post from: EveryJoe

Shoot through walls in Call of Duty 4

Infinity Ward has the same idea for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and they share their thoughts in this trailer:

It’s nice to see that the series has abandoned its World War II setting, and is moving towards a more current backdrop. Like any Call of Duty game, we’re expecting to see huge battlefields and many scripted events (e.g. the spiraling helicopter that crashed to the ground).

According to art director Richard Kriegler, Infinity Ward will be using bump maps made from normal maps that’ll make the textures and lighting look über-real. As with any upcoming shooter, I have a concern: Call of Duty 4 may look spectacular, but the power the game will require is sure to punish many of today’s PCs, mine included.

So folks, if you can’t afford a burly PC to run all of this eye candy, get an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 (hey, an 80GB PS3 is actually cheaper than a cutting-edge PC) and play the game with a controller. Either way, you’re screwed.

Post from: EveryJoe

Call of Duty 4 is lighting it up