Columnist Steve Metcalf takes a look at the MW2 Controversy

OK.  I think there might be enough separation from this level that we can have a somewhat intelligent conversation about it.  By now everyone is well aware of what was possibly the most shocking game moment of 2009:  The No Russian level of Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty:  Modern Warfare 2.  If you haven’t played the game I would caution you to stop reading as I will be discussing plot points that may constitute a spoiler.  Now that those four people have stopped reading, we can go on with the article.

Just to recap:  PFC Joseph Allen (one of the game’s playable characters) is recruited into the CIA as a deep undercover agent tasked with infiltrating Modern 2’s main protagonist Vladimir Makarov’s gang to eliminate his contacts and ultimately take him down.  With no real set up, the mission starts at the security checkpoint of a busy Zakhaev International Airport.  Immediately, Makarov and his men open fire, massacring everyone (police as well as hapless travelers).  CIA agent Allen must go along with this horrifying display in order to not be shot as a traitor.  Infinity Ward (the game’s developer) did its part to assuage those that felt the subject matter too distasteful by making the level ‘skippable,’ by putting a warning at the beginning of the game, and by making sure to not include any trophies or achievements within the confines of the No Russian level.

I have two problems with this level of the game, and I’ll tell ya what they are.

Infinity Ward didn’t go far enough with this plotline.  This mission is certainly essential to the story of the game, and certainly leads to the horrific events that follow.  The problem here is that PFC Allen’s storyline is not followed at all after the first couple levels of the game.  We are told through story that Makarov is a total maniac.  We are told through story that Makarov must be stopped at all costs.  Why did Infinity Ward feel it necessary to have the gameplay revolve around this one mission?  Surely they could have included other missions previous to No Russian to set up this horrific act.  How did Allen get into the gang in the first place?  Did he have to fight other separatists to ingratiate himself to Makarov?  Was he in a battle and was recruited?

All we know is that Allen was given a deep undercover mission, and then suddenly we are in an airport shooting everyone.  There’s no set-up.  There’s a payoff to the mission, but we, as gamers, don’t really care.  We haven’t grown to identify with Allen at all.  That’s what made Paul Jackson’s demise in the first Modern Warfare so horrible . . . we had invested so much into the character’s success, that the ultimate result was shocking.  That is good storytelling.  I feel that the No Russian level was shocking for the sake of being shocking.  IW took a storytelling short-cut that they shouldn’t have.  They should have built this conclusion up a bit more either with more info about Makarov or Allen (or both) to make the payoff that much better.

The second problem I have can be summed up with one line from the immensely horrible movie Julie & Julia:  Never apologize.  Infinity Ward should not have been any sort of apologetic.  They put a warning at the beginning of the game . . . totally unnecessary.  This is a mature rated game.  In fact, the last three games in the series have been mature rated.  If you have purchased Call of Duty:  Modern Warfare 2 and are shocked by the language, the violence, or the content then shame on you for buying a Mature rated game.  Grow up.  Infinity Ward decided that they would include what they thought to be a potentially distasteful level in the million plus selling game.  OK.  Great.  Stick with that decision.  Don’t be a pansy and cower behind the “Well, we told you you might find it shocking” label.  It’s akin to cursing a lot on your song and then slapping the Parental Advisory sticker on the cover.  Sorry.  We told you it might be bad.  Don’t blame us for the content . . . we put that warning there.  See it?

I don’t have any problem at all with this mission.  The mission makes total sense within the confines of the storyline itself.  Makarov is demented, crazy, and cruel.  Allen, trying to ingratiate himself into the mob, has to go along with his mad schemes.  I’m cool with that.  I just wish IW would have taken the story to the next level, and shocked us with plot, with character development, and with the story itself – - not just throwing a shocking level design at us.  It was a story-telling shortcut, and I expect more from these guys.

UP NEXT:  I Learned Traffic Laws from Playing Driver.
Steve Metcalf is the award winning author of RESET:  A Videogame Anecdote.  His accolades include Best Dressed Avatar of 2009 and Emperor of Halo 3:  ODST.

 

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Tags: activision, call of dutym mw2, columnist, infinity ward, no russian, steven metcalf

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Columns, Featured Stories, Top Story. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.