There is a touch of opportunism in the news gathering. General news stories do not often just come along and are handed to the reporter, and those that do are often of questionable news value, barren of obvious and in most cases, any controversy. They merely serve to fulfil the sources own agenda-most commonly, I found, of the council and parliament. In the minimal sense the stories I picked and wrote are news worthy. The Edinburgh trams, public transport and other multimillion pound investments and developments are surely of significant importance to anyone, especially those within the city itself. However, despite this I found it difficult to find and construct an especially news worthy narrative therein.

I found myself constantly aware when writing my articles, of the importance of further investigation, something that online archives and even Wikipedia is a valuable asset with regards to. Though it may not make for the most exciting portfolio I did feel that following and reporting relatively similar news stories in many respects represents good, and even logical journalistic practice as information gathered from one article allowed me to better understand later and familiar developments in the same field, and those close to it such as the councils treatment of the tram and waterfront developments.

I also worry about the professional structure (the inverted pyramid) that my article were constructed and presented in, and the language used to convey the narrative unique to print journalism. Though I feel I may have been achieved this it still remains a worry as it is a process that can eat up a lot of time should you be less experienced as I was and because of it the articles lacked a certain bite that the introduction of an opposing view, quote from the opposing party and controversy could have delivered.  Like the proposed use of TIF to fund the waterfront development which unfortunately had no obvious opposition as it was a generally sound proposition, if a bit risky idea in the current economic climate. Opposition was difficult to find and with the time constraints of the news room I was often unable to write the articles I really wanted, and had originally intended to.

Videogames are something that interests me. I am a fan of all mediums of entertainment and artful/crateful expression. I read numerous blogs, news sites and rss feeds on just videogames alone so the launch was something I was familiar with without further investigation.  There had been a news worthy videogame related story earlier on in the week with the launch of the long awaited and record breaking ‘call of duty: Black Ops’ game, but I accepted that since the live rolling news day was two days afterwards and the nature of it, being such an obvious story, I felt that there would be no news worthy to be found within.

Instead I opted to write a report on the launch of Kinect, something that has similarly been long awaited yet treated with a healthy dose of scepticism by the news sites I follow. I found it difficult however, to construct the story I really wanted. The ‘midnight launch’ event held at a local game store to which I was an attendant for journalistic purposes , proved to be a disappointment, paling in comparison to that of Call of duty just two days before; and the actual construction of a narrative worried me.

I had originally intended to present both sides of the argument but I felt that doing so would put off and alienate our supposed target audience. There was a degree of controversy in that many of the gaming community were worried that it would lead to a ‘dumbing’ of videogames as companies further chase the honey pot that is ‘family’ gaming. Many game reviewers and even developers wrote articles with regards to how Kinect represents an non- immersive experience ( like one you would find in a good book or film) as it is difficult to capture while the player jumps up and down rapidly, punching the air without any physical feedback.

I attempted to get in contact with the manager of Princes Street Game but unfortunately he was unable to comment on actual sales figures and felt uncomfortable talking about the Kinect itself. However, unlike most other articles I didn’t feel the quotes were necessary or integral to the nature of the article itself. It was a small and light hearted approach to introducing video gaming itself to an audience who may or may not have had some contact with it in their lives, an approach that was in many ways similar to the Kinect peripheral itself. It was an impressive piece of gaming technology and I believe something that our target audience would have been interested in.  My expectations for the articles I was writing changed as I found myself running out of time and new encountering obstacles.  In many senses the newsroom can be a binding and frustrating experience at times. Perhaps that is why our group worked so well together as we all empathised with the difficulties we all were facing, and we felt compelled to offer some light and friendly advice, perhaps a fresh perspective, on stories were it was needed and time permitted.

In summary I felt I performed relatively well. Indeed, the experience has affirmed that I do not lack the creative spark needed to construct a good article, but I need to be able better seek stories out, get quotes to support the narrative I want, and that the ability to write in a concise and focused manner is not absent, but a skill that needs to be developed so as not to be an obstacle in itself, something that will only come with practice and work.

According to research conducted by the ‘Audit Bureau of Circulations’; ‘While British Newspapers such as the Times may have enjoyed a steady 726,349 newspaper sales a month in 2000; it’s readership has now dropped to 617,483; a drop of over 100,000 readers a month, and it would be fair to say newspapers such as the Times are the lucky ones. ‘Popular’ and ‘low brow’ red banner, the Sun, has experienced a readership drop of over 400,000 a month since 2000. It’s also important to note that these falling rates in newspaper sales, are not exclusive to the British isles. American newspapers such as the New York Times have also reported a fall in sales as well as those in Europe and Asia.

Unless people in general just aren’t as interested in the news today as they were ten years ago, the figures from this research would suggest that a vast amount of the general public are now getting their news from a new and more appealing source, which in many ways is exactly what they are doing.

The ‘Internet’ or, ‘World Wide Web’ as it is sometimes known came into existence in the 1980s but use of it by the general public did not become really popular until the 90s. The internet today is now extremely accessible, as anyone within walking distance to one of the millions of internet cafes or a simple laptop or even mobile phone, can now ‘surf the web’. The internet has affected society far and wide. Similar to the ‘East India Trading Company’, railways, the telegraph, or the telephone in their day, the internet has changed the face of the world. If pre- mentioned company brought about globalisation for countries, the internet has brought globalisation to the people themselves. Almost every single individual in the world has access to the internet and so in theory, everyone can contribute to ‘the death of journalism either by using it as a new primary source of news, neglecting newspapers, or by creating their own news feed heightening competition with the industry.

The internet holds many advantages over other sources of news perhaps explaining why internet journalism is fast becoming the most popular news medium both for retrieving and receiving news. Every second, an unfathomable amount of data is uploaded to the internet every single second, thanks to websites such as word press, and youtube that rely on user generated content and legitimate news sites such as bbc news and online newspapers. With the internet, publshing is easier then ever.

Newspapers even before their decline in popularity were quite exclusive when it came to who and what was published in them. This is because many newspaper have a target audience to whom they wish to appeal to meaning certain news was highlighted more then others as well in a certain style and certain angles taken. This is to help ensure their continuation and survival. Because of this the most many new journalists could ever hope for was to have letters published on the comment pages as it was difficult to break into and is possibly another reason why they are in decline today.

Looking back at the impact of the internet on newspapers and journalism as an industry, in many respects the internet is the liberator of the people by given each individual the potential to voice their opinion to the world. Citizen journalism is the act of journalism practised by an individual without extensive experience or training in the field. The first use of it was in newspapers or magazines when photographs were sent in by the public. Today however, citizen journalism has entered a completely new generation. Now anyone, with access to the internet has the ability to be a published journalist through blogging. Blogging is now the most common form of citizen journalism in the world with literally millions of individuals practicing it. According to Biz Stone, co- founder and director of the popular blogging website ‘Twitter’:

“Blogging kick started a revolution in hyperconnectivity…we now know that the potential exists for everyone to have a voice”

The act of blogging is the collection of information or data on a space of the internet known as a blog. There the user known as a ‘blogger’ can write whatever he or she wants to be viewed by everyone on the internet. Blogging exists in many forms with many sites offering people the ability to blog. On the video hosting site ‘youtube’, individuals can create video blogs and on ‘wordpress’ videos, text and sound bytes can all be used to express oneself freely, and for no fee. In many respects blogging is a good thing as it gives people the ability to document current affairs and news, communicate with each other, express themselves more freely promoting democracy, and offering a genuine insight into everyday occurrences. This offers users millions of different views and perspectives, and offers documentation of how people lived for future generations to study. A downside to this however is that with so many people blogging, it’s difficult for an internet user to differentiate between quality blogs and those that are not, and even harder for a blogger to become well known. Most popular blogs are those written by celebrities either in journalism, or identified as one in another field. Most people view these blogs simply for entertainment purposes,or a supplement to news obtained either via newspaper or online new sites. However, there are journalists in the industry that believe citizen journalism is in effect stealing their readerships which is a worrying thought as news often found on a blog website is unregulated and so open to manipulation, bias and opinion.

Because many those who practice Citizen journalism through blogs are laymen and the work goes unregulated, it means that news written by them does not need to meet professional standards and in most cases does not. When writing for a publication or company, journalists are obligated to follow a code of conduct and any piece of work that does not abide by the rules of it shall, or should be, rejected by the editor of the company. This means that those who rely on citizen journalists solely for the purpose of news are in danger of being mislead, whether it be the intention of the citizen journalist, or by mistake. However, one must remember that blogs are foremost used for entertainment. Although there are blogs that offer true, and intellectual insight into current affairs the vast majority of them do not and should not be considered real news.

The internet is also capable of supplying to the it’s users twenty four hours news, a feat that newspapers cannot match. In her book; “Qualitve Research in Journalism” Sharon Hartin fully and effectively explains its still growing significance to 21^st century journalists and the transformation of news it has brought with it. She states that:

“Shocking world event can now be viewed almost at the instant they happen- then observed as they continue to develop”

The twenty four news cycle that was first introduced by cable news channels in television and is yet another supposed woe for the professional journalist and indeed newspapers. In the twenty four hour news cycle, newsrooms and news itself moves at a much faster pace. Rather then stories being presented as news on a daily basis as you would find in a newspaper or regular news broadcast, twenty four hour news runs on a twenty four hour basis, processing stories as they come in and presenting them to the public as soon as possible. In theory, it never stops. Whilst from a consumer point of view, twenty four hour news is a good thing, it is yet another factor leading to the demise of newspapers as demand for twenty four news heightens, newspapers being left behind as they are often a day to late in reporting.

Another contributing factor to newspapers demise is the growing realisation that news in no longer localised any more. With the internet also came the a for mentioned ‘globalisation’. Although small and isolated communities do exist, a great majority of the worlds populations live in cities and other urban areas. Localised news no longer has meaning or relevance for many people as everywhere is now interconnected via the web and newspapers cannot communicate on a global scale as the internet can.

Seeing the potential to broadcast news and perhaps, some newspapers set up websites in the 90s, one of the earliest being The Guardian newspaper which founded the Guardian Online in 1999. In this way the internet has created a whole new breed of twenty four hours news. Now news articles can be written, edited, and published even quicker then twenty four hour broadcast on cable television can. Many newspapers now have two newsrooms, one for print journalism and the other for online. Although the online websites make profit from online advertising, it is not enough to compensate for the loss of revenue from falling newspaper sales and so if, it would seem if journalists and newspapers wish to survive as suppliers of news, they must change how they broadcast it; making a transition from print to focus more primarily on internet news- the more popular of the two mediums. This of course does not solve the problem of funding; though recent developments in ‘News Corp’ offer a possible solution.

As of August 09, the billionaire media baron, Rupert Murdoch, head of ‘News Corp’ announced he was planning to begin charging for access to the new sites The Times online, The Sunday Times online, The Sun and News of the world; a move he believes will save the industry and ensure the future of quality journalism and the journalists who practice it. This certainly is a possibility as ‘Wall Street Journal’ has already proved subscription fees to news and articles can be successful. However, Jason Whittaker in his book ‘Web production for writers and journalists’ may disagree. In the book he offers a useful insight into the idea charging for online content puts forward, the following theory.

“The idea is that at present , users may be unwilling to pay for content, but when a fifty- year old database becomes a fully searchable archive, the text and graphics we tend to treat as ephemeral are suddenly given a new lease of life”

There is however issues that first must be addressed before all of journalism conforms to this. Just as musicians and film makers struggle to prevent piracy of their property so to, would journalists and their news. It would be very possible for an independent journalist or indeed another company to pay a subscription and then copy and upload the news data a offer it for free, essentially stealing it. However, should system appear that would solve this problem, online websites such as the Guardian online could well become the new, central, and only home of the Guardian.

Whilst newspapers do still sell, trends suggest that they are to be it quite frankly, a dyeing medium. Being seen as the traditional source of news simply isn’t enough to guarantee its survival as younger generations now turn to the more practical and in many ways superior internet, that can offer twenty four hour news, in text, audio or video form and at any time or anywhere. It’s simply a case of technological triumph over an older form media, much in the same way the dvd replaced the video tape.

When writing my reviews, I drew inspiration from a number of well known reviewers and critics in the industry including: ‘Zero Punctuation’ aka, Yahtzee Croshaw. The bad mouthed critic of the ‘Escapist Magazine online’. As well as better known personality Charlie Brooker. Regular contributor and columnist to the Guardian Newspaper, and creator and host of his own BBC series ‘Screenswipe’, ‘Newswipe’, and ‘Gameswipe’.

Both men, whilst fairly serious about the video games industry as an actual industry, take a light hearted approach to reviewing, and I wanted to achieve the same feeling of being informed whilst entertained, in my reviews. I did however, find it rather difficult to retain my sense originality and humour, whilst at the same time still arguing the actual pros and cons of the game in a structured and easy to understand manor.; something of a necessity in reviews.

Whilst I pride myself on generally being a good speaker, and a fair ability to get my point across to people in verbal debate; writing, and basic sentence structure is not something I find comes naturally to me. When speaking, I need not worry about grammar and people possibly misinterpreting what I really mean. However, when I write, I often try to emulate the effect of my speech and what I am left with is just one long continuous sentence which you can probably see in front of you now. I could blame the influence of fast talking critic ‘Yahtzee’, and at some points in writing my first review I did question whether or not the piece would be better appreciated listened on video with visual aides. In the end, I decided against it and pressed onward. It’s a issue that’s been with me ever since High School and whilst praised as a youngster for my creativity, and articulate style; in the later years I was told it wasn’t effective at getting my often grey and boring point across, and that is exactly how I felt when writing my first review.

Keeping the use of videogame jargon down and ensuring the artcle is accessible to those without a diverse knowledge of video games I also found to be a challenge. Most of the reviews I read are published in specialist magazines or online sites such as Edge, Kotaku.com or Computer and Video Games; as well as the afore mentioned site and television programs. These are sources know the vast majority of their audience will be well informed and able to differentiate between an fps (a game in which you play through a First Person Perspective, commonly used in shooting games), and an mmorpg (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game- an online game in which multiple players exist within the same universe, level up their character, and can influence other players games with the actions made in theirs). These are just two genres of videogame and not something I have to look up. I just know what they are as a welder or welding enthusiast might understand the jargon of the welding industry.

My audience I wanted to be more widespread. Something that although videogamers could relate to and find entertaining and informative, the review would still be accessible for people less familiar with the industry. Something that could perhaps be found in either a videogames website or independent magazine aimed at 15 to 30 year olds. In order to achieve this, after I had finished writing, I handed it to my flatmate. A man who knows relatively little about the games industry, as well as to a number of friends with a sound knowledge of the industry, to look my work over in order to ensure wide spread appeal. After handing it back to me, my flat mate informed me that he did not understand what the letters ‘ea’ meant, or what it could possibly be referring to. Of course, I understood that ‘ea’ stands for ‘Electronic Arts’- a large video game publisher with several developments teams such as Ea Sport and Ea Big working under it and lay claim to such well known titles as the ‘Fifa’ games series, ‘Need For Speed’ and what it was relative to my review: the ‘Rock Band’ series. After editing I fixed it by ensuring the reader knew that ea referred to the games publisher and wasn’t just a random typing error.

Handing over my work to someone else is also something I found particularly difficult. I really have a distaste for being judged. I guess it probably stems from something buried deep in my mentality, but every criticism of me or my work hits me surprisingly harder the I let on. Really, I’d much rather the world just come to a general understanding that the work I produce, and I myself are amazing; and then leave it at that, but I identified that it was a necessary move if I am to improve upon my work in any considerable way. A necessary sacrifice you could say.

In both reviews, I attempted to inform the reader of the videogames good and bad features allowing them to make a balanced and informed opinion of their own. As well as doing so, I also hoped to entertain them with wit and humour. Some people may question my decision not to conform to industry consensus, and grade the videogame with a number out of ten at the end of the review. My answer is simply that I don’t believe a complex opinion such as that you would in a review can be expressed numerically. To do so offers people a lazy option and I don’t agree with that. Was I successful? You can make that decision for yourself.

If I were asked to sum my experience writing the reviews in one word, I’d probably tell you to ‘buzz off’ in a less polite manner; but if forced I guess I would use the term ‘refreshing’. Although I struggled at first with the ‘Modern Warfare 2′ review; the wording and descriptions for ‘The Beatles’ required much less effort, I simply wrote about my feelings for the band, how they reflected in the game, and pretty soon an all round review came quite naturally. Looking back I think that feeling is reflected in the both pieces.

Animations and visuals really are strikingly brilliant.

The Beatles music for me represents shining beacon of excellence in musical achievement. Having grown up in the 90s, I was subjected to the swarming plagues of boy bands and numerous forms of the same spice girls; as well as the expansion out into the absurd metal and trance/dance music in more recent times. For years, I just went with the idea that I didn’t really like any music. But then I heard the Beatles and, it was revealed to me that truly, the music of our fathers was the greatest. Beatles music to me isn’t simply good, they are the single band I keep going back to remind myself that for every crazy frog anthem that hits number one, or generic rock single released by ‘Kings of Leon’; at least one point in time music truly was great, and is still worthy of defence even with today scene. As a band, you could say the Beatles are the corner stone of my musical sanity.

If there is one brand of music I can bear through the clattering of plastic guitars, missed notes and drunken singing, it’s the Beatles. So with all that slavouring in the first paragraph, it won’t come as a surprise to hear I had to buy new jeans when ‘The Beatles: Rock Band’ was announced.

Even those unfamiliar with the video gaming world would probably heard of the ‘rhythm’ genre or the recent boom of video games which incorporate it, most popular of which are the ‘Guitar Hero’ series, or my personal favourite, the ‘Rock Band’ series. Rhythm Games involve the player or players hitting buttons in time with the music, usually on controllers shaped like guitars or drums or pick up the microphone and attempt to match the pitch of the note in singing, and with regards to that, The Beatles Rock Band is no exception. Proving popular among hardcore gamers and casual alike, the genre of game is most well known for their heavy advertisement, and appeal, mostly as party games.

With overall feel and presentation of the game, it would be fair to say that like it’s title; ‘The Beatles Rock Band’ truly is a Beatles Game first, Rock Band game second. Up to four can choose to pick up either guitar, bass, drums, or vocals and follow the Beatles through their musical career. All the way from their first appearances in the infamous ‘Cavern’ rock and rock and roll club in their home town of Liverpool, to the windy rooftops of Apple studios. All the great music minus the women, lsd, and annoying Asian artists. Actually, Yoko was apparently very helpful in the creative process of the game as well was McCartney and Ringo which just demonstrates my point of how dedicated the game really is.

All though this game structure is effective for staying true to the Beatles career, because the career mode follows the band in chronological order rather then the traditional method of following difficulty; the curve with regard to difficulty can become a bit eratic at times with game demanding that at one minute you be hastily strumming away to the tune of ‘Boys’ in the beginning only to encounter the calm, and relaxing notes of ‘I am the Walrus’ nearer the end. Of course, it gets to difficult to complete there are multiple difficulties to play on and even a quickplay mode with all songs minus one, unlocked.

However, Fans and veterans of the genre won’t find much challenge in most of the songs. The Beatles were never known for their rocking, metallic guitar solos or inane drum beats and so I went through the game swiftly 5- staring the vast majority of the song list on expert like a true nerd.

The Beatles Rock Band also isn’t much in the way of a party game. Although it features all songs in ‘quickplay’ mode right from the start a feature much missed in previous titles; at today’s ‘banging’ parties you’ll find there to be multiple ranges of people, all of different ages, ethnicities and the most relative difference- musical tastes. So you are bound to find there are people who don’t want to play The Beatles music, no matter how genre spanning and all round amazing their musical career really was. These of course will be the people drinking beer out of the toilets and wearing pants on their heads.

For Beatles fans out there though, and there’s bound to be a lot of them still, The Beatles Rock Band is an absolute treat simply for the fact that it’s the closest you’ll ever come to being one of the Beatles, or touching Lennon. The level of detail truly is astounding. The menus are vibrant and colourful and the presentation in the introduction and outro cinematics are truly astounding and successfully capture the epic effect of the Beatles and the very essence of their musical career. Though previous negative comments of the game still apply it shouldn’t be thought of as a videogame in the traditional sense of the term, but an extension of the Beatles music- a way to enjoy it on a new plane of experience.

Sgt Peppers whimsical Dreamscape

When actually playing tracks, video cinematics act as the background ranging from small, packed cavern, to the bustling and overflowing stadiums of their global tours. They are a crafted with superb attention to detail unseen in a rock band game which adds to all round quality feel of the game; and I feel, successfully encapsulate the essence of the Beatles music to the extent that I may just break down in tears in the middle of ‘Dear Prudence’. The ‘dreamscapes’ in the later levels are to be given special commemoration for creativity. As the walls of the Abbey Road studio( the place in which the band spent most of their later years after they stopped touring) melt away, the player, is transported to a surreal and psychedelic plane of pure beauty which changes with the music crescendos and tones. If this is what the Beatles saw in their minds eye when writing this music I may just pass out in disbelief.

A treasure trove of rarely seen or heard Beatles material can be unlocked throughout the game from photos of the band with captions detailing their significance in the Beatles Career to videos such as shorts from documentaries and interviews. From a fans point of view, the dedication truly is a treat. The game even makes headway, small, in terms of gameplay itself. Though admittedly small players of the previous Rock Band games will certainly appreciate the introduction of a countdown after pausing the game mid track- a missing feature it’s rival Guitar Hero have flaunted since the very first release of world tour.

In terms of the track list, it’s all Beatles and so there’s not much issue with what’s there. What is a bit of a kick in the teeth is the criminally short stature of the track list and the fact that genuiely good tracks; tracks that could be said to be more symbolic of the Beatles career are not in included and are in was neglected. From a discography spanning 12 studio recorded albums, 13 Eps, and 22 singles to include only 45 tracks in the game is a bit of an insult, and fans will be disappointed to learn there’s no ‘Help’, no ‘Eleanor Rigby’; not even ‘Hey Jude’ (a song now admittedly ruined for me by ‘Pink’ and that T mobile television advert).

Publisher Ea have promised three albums as downloadable content for the game including the rest of the Abbey Road album, Sgt Peppers and Rubber soul; but such a move I feel to be hollow and is unappreciated by me. Again in terms of quality, it’s the Beatles and I can’t really complain. What I can dispute is the price of them. Songs prices are 160 Microsoft points, or in plain English, around £2 each; and since half of each album is already included in the game, as much as I love ‘A Day in the Life’ I can’t help but get the sense that I’m being ripped off.

I’d urge everyone to buy the Beatles Rock Band, but then again being a fan I would. I’d also urge everyone to cast off those ridiculous skinny jeans I’ve seen them wearing and just listen to the Beatles. In the End, the love you take is equal to the love you make; and also The Beatles Rock Band is necessary only for the fans of The Beatles music. Those used to regular Rock Band or Guitar Hero may find the difficulty perhaps a bit too easy going and mildly repetitive, and it’s a shame because in terms of quality and presentation, regardless of the level of your Beatles fandom, The Beatles Rock Band really has to be respected for it’s effort and dedication. It’s to be thought of as video game per say, but as a new way of enjoying the Beatles music: As something to be enjoyed among a select group of friends with similar tastes in music just as the Beatles themselves were.

Civilians flee the Favela and the inevitable firefight.

Much in the way sheep would, I went through the motions of selecting which version of the game I wanted, pre-ordering the game, fighting through the flock of nerds at the front desk, and then declining the ten pound game guide which will probably be available online in 24 hours and defeats the very purpose of playing the single player for me.

Boasting, the title of ‘best selling video game ever’, and with its fair share of hype churning controversy, it would seem there isn’t console owner alive that hasn’t played this sparkling, gold gift from the gods, (with perhaps the exception of all bored housewives and 8 year olds children with Nintendo ‘Wii’s) and as much as it pains me to admit it; Modern Warfare 2 is proof that sometimes hype is suitably justified.

From beginning to end, Modern Warfare 2 offers exactly what was claimed it would. An explosively, exciting single player and balls to the wall multi-player. Developers ‘Infinity Ward’, have clearly taken in what players of the first game liked and didn’t liked. The result is, more high octane chase scenes, more stealth, and more moustache. A overall more exhilarating experience. There’s not a level in Modern Warfare 2 that doesn’t stand out in my mind. They all really come together in their own ways, each with their own memorable cinematic and set pieces. In terms of the basic formula however, fans of the series will be happy to know classic call of duty is still in here; and in the ‘hardened edition’ of the game, a HD arcade version of the very first call of duty literally is.

In terms of game play, story telling, and all round all round structure, Modern Warfare 2 doesn’t stride to far from the pack of its predecessors. With a story that not so much borrows from some select Hollywood movies, rather, holds them down and blatantly rips them off, the game takes place several years after the events of the first modern warfare. War has broken out between the United States and the Russians who are attempting to enact revenge for a airport massacre they believe to be the United States fault.

As previously mentioned, for fans of the series, Modern Warfare 2′s single player structure won’t come as much of a surprise. Throughout the game the player takes control of multiple participants in the conflict with perspective switching level to level. The participants range the Unite States Army Rangers to the British Sas and as it did in the previous call of duties; the system proves hugely effective in keeping the game non linear. Allowing the player to experience dozens of diverse, and unique locations whilst experiencing two very different approaches to fighting.

As for level structure, players will find regular linear, and relatively narrow level achieving in which they are tasked with accomplishing numerous objectives usually involving explosive set pieces and shooting at everything foreigner shaped. All this is done using an excellent and fluid control system allowing the player to traverse the battlefield both satisfyingly and with ease. Through the several protagonists eyes, the player is whisked away far and wide a number of diverse locations varying in size, appearances and tactical demands. Whilst in one missions you can be chasing down a known terrorist through the colourful and deadly slums of Rio de Jinero; pushing through the crowds of civilians, attempting to differentiate between the ones pissing himself and the ones holding an rpg. The next you are fighting in worn torn Washington, fighting for the white house only to once again jump into the shoes of the sas. This time to be blasted from a nuclear submarine and tasked with clearing an oil rig of terrorists, freeing civilians hostages and defusing a bomb. All this action is presented to the player with some of the best looking graphics I’ve witnessed on a console game and with superb attention to detail.

Each level and set piece is masterfully crafted and choreographed to give the player the optimum and most explosive call of duty experience to date. Modern Warfare 2 is the first game I’ve played to truly achieve the great feel of a game with all the story, and visual dramatics of Hollywood movie. However, that isn’t to say the single player is without issue.

Riot shields are just one of the new weapons players will wield and fight against.

While the problem of infinitely re-spawning enemies has now been fixed, it is all to easy just to sit back and let them come to you; and though with previous games in the series, you and only you could make the great leap into the next room, street, or general enemy infested areas; now your AI team mates seem perhaps a little too capable of handling things themselves. In many levels I was left questioning if they really need my help in this war. In the end, though it works out just fine. I could usually be trusted to stand at the front line with my fellow teammates. The game is so brilliantly immersive, and cinematicaly stunning, I felt myself wanting to be at the front line just to experience the next explosive set piece. The only true issue I take with the game is that it is relatively short. Regardless of difficulty level or player skill, completion time should not be expected

to exceed 9 hours. New players who lack experience with the first Modern Warfare may also find plot references and characters as impenetrable as the Gulag itself. In terms of difficulty though, and all round plot, newcomers will find Modern Warfare 2 reasonably accessible and still very enjoyable.

Now inevitably comes the time to deal with the Hippo in the room that I have so conveniently ignored till now: Modern Warfare 2′s controversial airport scene. Early on the game, the player now working as a covert cia agent, is urged to take part in the murder of civilians at an airport in order to gain the trust of a known terrorist by the name of Makarov. Whilst at first the motive for this massacre is not made abundantly clear, the reality is soon brought down upon the player like a sledgehammer as he is shot point blank in the face by Makarov as he attempts to flee the scene. Upon discovery of the body, the Russian government naturally blame the United States for the massacre and so the gears of war are set in motion as the rest of the games plot unfolds.

In terms of gameplay, the level actually offers very little. Your character lumbers around the level slowly and competition doesn’t really act up until a fire fight with the police breaks out as you attempt to flee the airport. I did however, find it crucially important for the story behind the gameplay. Though while some may say such a scene could be delivered to the player in a less interactive and graphic way, I would argue Infinity Ward were just in including the level in the game. One thing I have always appreciated about the first modern warfare was that it never at one point allowed game play to interrupt, or great hinder story telling. It would be a lie to say that the airport level isn’t shocking, but that’s just the point. It characterises the enemy of the game, Makarov, as a serious bad ass and threat. Infinity Ward then uses the hatred generated as the driving force behind the player to chase him down throughout the rest of the game and bring him to justice. I can’t help but feel such emotion couldn’t be achieved through a non interactive media.

Whilst in terms of originality, Modern Warfare 2 doesn’t bring much to the table in the way of gameplay. Apart from some new weapons and gizmos, mission structure and basic level design is very similar to that of previous cod titles. What it does do is offer the player is an original, multi- tierical and twisting storyline, delivered with such intensity and quality, that it’s impossible not get sucked in. Modern Warfare 2 is a must buy for any gamers collection- as long as they are over 18 years of age.