It's like the game subtly demands you to approach missions with senses of restraint and seriousness, which is definitely reflected in the somber, heavy soundtrack as well. This game may have been a watershed moment for big set-pieces and intense action in shooters, but it didn't come off as flippant or dumb fun. Most importantly, there's tension and gravity shot through the experience, as if the world is on your shoulders to push past every enemy line with explosive bravado or exacting stealth. The suave SAS operatives and boisterous USMC soldiers you fight alongside inspire camaraderie, bolstered by brilliant mission objectives and design that emphasise teamwork, such as in 'Shock and Awe' and 'One Shot, One Kill'. The opening levels cement a radical terrorism that goes far deeper than you suspect, eventually revealing the consequences of extreme interventionalism with a growing threat that pulls you in with high and personal stakes. It's strange how so few Call of Duty entries have managed to capture the memorability of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare's campaign, but we know exactly why it persists in excellence.
