There’s an irony that MW 2 presents the audience with a set-piece as brutal and somber as “No Russian” before bombarding them with snowmobile chases, a wild running battle through a favela, a sabotage mission on an oil rig, a trip to outer space and, perhaps best of all, a ridiculously explosive rescue mission at a Russian gulag. While no one would suggest the original Modern Warfare was strictly believable, its sequel was definitely the entry that began the franchise’s love affair with truly over-the-top action sequences. to hold fast on the front line of suburbia, while black ops outfit Task Force 141 – led by the hardened General Shepherd – must hurriedly uncover the truth behind the terrible incident that left hundreds of Russian civilians dead, and Uncle Sam carrying the blame. “all out of friends,” it’s up to the country’s Ranger Corp. With the country under siege and the U.S. But for those who didn’t experience Infinity Ward’s hugely anticipated follow-up to the genre-defining Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, here’s a quick refresher: In the aftermath of the aforementioned airport massacre, an accusatory finger points at the United States, which leads to a full-on Russian invasion of North America. Given that Modern Warfare 2 sold well over 20 million copies in total, it almost seems redundant to relate the campaign’s plot. And it’s why today, over a decade later, it’s still an indelible sequence to almost everyone who experiences it.Ĭall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered (PS4, PC, Xbox One) It’s why I mentally recall the scene every time I visit an airport (not dissimilar to how Jaws affected a generation of beach-goers). That’s why people are still talking about it. And let’s face it, we know exactly why it’s so upsetting: it’s representative of real-world atrocities, far detached from the comic-book safety of exploding zombies and decapitated ninjas featured in other “shocking” games.ĭespite MW 2‘s toothless “This Game is Fictional” opening salvo, “No Russian” remains a little too close for comfort. Modern Warfare 2‘s notorious “No Russian” is actually violent.

They’re violent like, say, The Running Man is violent.

When talking about violence in video games, it’s always the usual scapegoats that get name-checked – your Mortal Kombats and Resident Evils. But ultimately, what actually causes the chills, is the real-world relatability of the situation. Despite the tell-tale “gaming” reminders (a quick glance around reveals a very repetitive use of character models), it’s the little things: the cop who slowly draws his gun in disbelief the guy trying to pull an injured loved one to safety the hapless trio of tourists who think surrendering will save their lives. It’s still really distressing… It’s been over 10 years, and it’s still one of the most disturbing moments in the annals of video games.

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