GameSpy, IGN, and teamXBOX (but not PS3Blog) were all invited over to Infinity Ward to take a look at multiplayer Call of Duty 4. In case you’ve been in a time warp, Call of Duty 4 is probably going to be the best shooter to be relased this fall, and it’s coming to the PC, 360, and PLAYSTATION 3! One of the journalists (I think from IGN) even said that it might be a better multiplayer experience than Halo 3. Hmmmm….

Anyway, they all got to take a look at Call of Duty 4 multiplayer, and I’ve linked to the articles below. They got to play three different maps, and they report that each one of them are very good. The general consensus, however, is that Crash, with its Black Hawk Down stylings, is the best.

Remember that CoD4 will have a perk system. Here at last are the perks divided up into the three groups. You can choose one from each:

Perk 1

• C4 x 2 – Two C4 charges you can plant and remotely detonate. You can even detonate while another weapon is equipped by tapping the reload button twice.
• RPG-7 x 2 – It’s slow to fire, but it helps when there’s a helicopter on the prowl (or when you can’t aim for s***).
• Special Grenades x 3 – Pack a few more stun or flash grenades in your purse.
• Claymore x 2 – Explosive mines that detonate when stepped on. Great for dropping when someone is in pursuit.
• Bomb Squad – Tired of being blown up by well-placed C4? Now you can see it before it goes boom in your face.

Perk 2

• Juggernaut – Increased health so you don’t die quite as quickly.
• Stopping Power – Increased bullet damage, which really does a number on the opponent who chooses Juggernaut as his Perk 2.
• Sonic Boom – Deal more damage with explosives.
• Sleight of Hand – Faster reloading, which is crucial if you want to carry the SAW (aka big gun that takes a full minute to reload).
• UAV Jammer – Keeps you from showing up on radar if your opponent has a UAV drone deployed. This won’t keep you from appearing as a blip on the screen when firing.

Perk 3

• Extreme Conditioning – Allows you to get extra distance when you sprint, which is important since COD4 maps have lots of open areas.
• Steady Aim – Better hip-fire accuracy for those who like spraying bullets everywhere.
• Deep Impact – Your bullets go deeper (and harder). This is one of the best perks, as it allows you to shred through cover and hit enemies who think they’re safe.
• Last Stand – The most fun of all the beta perks. Once you’ve taken enough damage to have killed you, you get to whip out your pistol and fire until someone shoots you. You can’t move, but if you’re lucky, you can take someone with you. Or you can take the cowards way out and deny your enemy the full XP for the kill.
• Martyrdom – You drop a grenade as you die, which can be quite the surprise for someone who sneaks up and kills you with a melee attack.

[Edit: Note that this is not a complete list. For example, I heard them mention Eavesdrop and Dead Silence perks elsewhere. Hence my confusion below.]

As you play the game in multiplayer mode, you get points for kills, achieving objectives, and other stuff. Once you get a certain number of points, you level up. Level 4 is “Private”, and it’s at that point that you’re allowed to created your own class instead of using one of the predefined ones that start you off in the game.

When creating a class, you can choose the primary weapon, the alternate weapon (a pistol), and which three perks you want to have. For example, you could create a stealthy class by choosing a weapon with silencer (which prevents you from showing up on the radar as a red dot when you shoot), UAV Jammer (which prevents you from being visible from the UAV), and … hmmm. Where’s “Dead Silence”? I put up the video to that one the other day, and don’t see it in these lists… Strange. But you get the idea. You can create up to five custom classes, and you can change who you’ll be at every respawn, which is great. (And similar to CoD2 and 3.)

Anyway.

The graphics are gorgeous, and the frame rate is a steady 60fps. This was from the 360 version, so I hope that the PS3 version is just as good. The game also has a good lobby system, and you can create a party of friends that you travel between games with.

The articles mention Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, and Domination as some of the modes they got to try out. Why does Headquarters never get any love? It’s the best!

This game looks so hot, it’ll burn. It’s definitely on my must-buy list for this fall. Can’t wait.

IGN – Call of Duty 4 Multiplayer Hands-On
teamXBOX – CoD4 Multiplayer Hands-on Preview
GameSpy – CoD4: Modern Warfare Multiplayer Hands-On Exclusive

Preorder CoD4 at Amazon