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Name: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

The original Modern Warfare was quite a trendsetter. Not since the original Halo had a game influenced the shooter genre in such a way - delivering a progressive multiplayer experience with the addition of Perks, as well as bestowing a 60 frames per second experience to console gamers. High expectations are being placed on this title, but will it surpass what many still consider to be the best shooter around? Infinity Ward has created their own fierce competition, but here's how they hope to curb it.

For those unacquainted, this addition to the Call of Duty franchise, just like any other, follows the same gameplay archetype. It's a first-person shooter to its very core, where through the perspective of a character, you're given a gun and you shoot stuff. What Modern Warfare brings to the party however, is refinement. From the sleek iron sights shooting, to the ease and speed of melee combat, the Call of Duty franchise has always delivered a package memorable for its competent, addictive gameplay.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the first direct plot sequel to a game in the Call of Duty franchise since Modern Warfare 2 continues after the final events of the original. Familiar characters return, such as formerly-playable character "Soap" MacTavish, who now ironically fulfils the mentor role that Captain Price once held. After the death of Imran Zakhaev at the finale of the original game, a former subordinate by the name of Vladimir Makarov exploits the situation and attempts to seize leadership in the ensuing power vacuum. Hence, a joint U.K. and U.S. task force is established, inventively-named Task Force 141. From the footage released thus far, we know of one playable character, named Sergeant "Roach" Sanderson, who is a member of the aforementioned military body. It has been confirmed that there are more playable characters, just like the original Modern Warfare, but no further details have been bequeathed to us just yet.

We have been told that the single-player game in Modern Warfare 2 is to be about the same length as the original, hitting about six hours. If you felt that was too short the first time, it's the same again, but Infinity Ward feels that that game is suitably lengthy for the tale they wish to tell. Nonetheless, if the trailers that have been released for public consumption are any indication, it promises to be just as intense as the original, if not more. The concept of an exploding castle is enough to get anyone excited, as well as the possibility of an enemy success, as we watch Washington D.C. burn!

Yet the crux of the Call of Duty franchise has always been multiplayer. While single-player has always been a draw, it's the competitive modes that are the heart of each package. It is no less the case here, with a plethora of new content announced. Much of the multiplayer has been kept under wraps, but Infinity Ward has thrown some nuggets our way, for example, there are a lot more Killstreak bonuses, whereas the first had set awards for reaching three, five and seven kills without dying, there is now a choice from about fifteen from what we've seen, with most having to be unlocked through play. One that has been shown off was the AC130 gunship, which flies around the battlefield firing at your unfortunate foe. We've also been shown a remote-control missile strike that can be controlled by the player to land exactly where you want it. How many perks are there? That has not been confirmed, but some have been detailed; The Copycat perk allows you, on death, to duplicate the same loadout as the person that killed you, any weapons that you haven't unlocked will still be available during this time, and this gives you an indication of your murderer's play style that you can consider utilising to improve your own. How many maps are there? Infinity Ward has stayed mum – it seems we'll just have to wait until it's released to know more.

A new mode has also been introduced, called Special Ops. This is a co-operative mode that can be played with two players online or on your lonesome with an AI-controlled ally. This mode was inspired by the success of the Mile High Club epilogue mission in the original Modern Warfare, and involves short, action-packed scenarios that can be played multiple times to gain the quickest completion time and other various accomplishments. Examples that have been revealed include a snowmobile race down a mountainside, and a survival challenge where you are completely surrounded by enemies in a forest glade, including camouflaged snipers and Juggernauts, a special enemy that takes a pointedly unspecified amount of bullets to take down. While the number of missions hasn't been openly discussed, we know that there are 69 "stars" to be earned in this mode, and each scenario will give 3 stars. Thus, my benevolent mathematical know-how can discern that there are a whopping 23 scenarios in Special Ops. There are high expectations of this mode, and it is definitely something I'll be paying a lot of attention to.

Stay tuned for our full review of Modern Warfare 2, which releases on November 10th on PS3, PC and Xbox 360.