Call of Duty 4 has been released:

The community-oriented Call of Duty 4 multiplayer gameplay features a robust levelling system, variety of unlockable perks, hot-join and matchmaking, as well as create a class and party capabilities to ensure that players of all skill levels can join in the fun for up to 18-players on Xbox 360 or PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and 32-players on Windows PC. Additionally over 100 challenges and a host of new game environments and modes deliver unlimited possibilities. Infinity Ward has also included Kill-Cam, a fan favourite feature that they created in Call of Duty 2 which allows for spectator instant replays.

Sadly in classic game developer style they've announced all these awesome multiplayer features and failed to release a standalone dedicated server, so setting up multiplayer mayhem is annoyingly frustratingly painfully difficult.

The game carries an in-store RRP of $99, but apparently a few retailers are selling it a bit cheaper. If you wait until November the 12th though you can pick it up on Steam for around AU$55 (assuming the Aussie dollar holds strong against the US). Don't forget you can check out the demo!

(assuming the Aussie dollar holds strong against the US).

you can just buy it now thought, so it works out to around $60AU, much better then the 99$AU EA want for it at their online download store.

already bought mine on pre-order. drool

(if i can get myself away from wic and coh)

yeah, seems that we have a glut of new good games at the moment after a drought for a 6 months prior to orangebox/bioshock.

I just pre-purchased it off steam. yay me!

I seriously cannot think of a single flaw in CoD4, and trust me, I looked for them. From the amazing graphics to the intense and compelling single-player campaign to the feature loaded and addictive multiplayer, this game has it all.

gamepro review

you could have at least linked to the first page of the review :)

I played the Beta, was pretty good.

I dont know when i am going to find time for it though, playing through phantom hourglass at the moment, and still want to play this, mass effect, bioshock and orange box. !?!

i linked to the page i quoted from :p

Haha @ that review. Something like:

"Some claim the gameplay only lasts 6 hours. But if you play it on the hard difficulty, the way it was meant to be played, you get 8 hours!!"

Whatever. I was considering buying it, if I didn't know I'd probably run through the whole game once the same night.

What's the MP like?
I'd be tempted to buy COD4 but unsure of the MP quality (TF2 still has my MP love attention atm, but you can only play so much of it).

you can pick it up on Steam for around AU$55 (assuming the Aussie dollar holds strong against the US).

At this rate, it will be $50 :P

J the MP is pretty awesome. i'm sure its detailed in a review somewhere, but it has an XP system that unlocks weapons and different abilities. Its really the core of the game.

Sounds like its trying to be BF2 with all the fancy pants unlocks.

If they really do give you a considerable advantage its a bit poo if you have to invest many hours to get the good ones and are only a casual player.

last edited by rubba-chikin at 16:13:26 07/Nov/07

I don't really trust a single word gamepro print, half the time its like they've just asked the publisher "So what should I say about your game and how much are you willing to pay me to say it?"

well there are a dozen other reviews raving about it

wow 8 hours, that's some serious value for money right there

Sounds like its trying to be BF2 with all the fancy pants unlocks.

If they really do give you a considerable advantage its a bit poo if you have to invest many hours to get the good ones and are only a casual player.

sounds like its trying to be an ET rip off.. oh wait thats BF2

wow 8 hours, that's some serious value for money right there

Depends on how many hours of multiplayer you get out of it... the singleplayer in BF games is complete s*** but you still had squillions of people playing 1942 (ie before the series got raped by EA)

From the sounds of it, the multi beta was great.

i can safely say the sp is some of the best the cod series has offered to date. the assination level is hands down awesome.

I still haven't figured out what platform I want to get it on. I've played the beta on 360, and the controls didn't bother me at all. Seemed much more responsive than the average console FPS. But it's still not quite a keyboard and mouse.

The other part of the equation is that it'll look beautiful on my HDTV, and will run flawlessly, which I can't say for my PC.

s*** that was short, i finished it already.

well there are a dozen other reviews raving about it

But they seem to mostly rave about the multiplayer, which I couldn't be less interested in. I find myself completely uninterested in playing multiplayer fps these days on public servers full of s***bags. I just don't find it enjoyable anymore (maybe its just a phase I'm going through), so I've been mostly buying games on the strength of their single player content and COD4 seems to fall a little short. If it was a month with no other real notable releases I would probably buy it anyway, but when it comes out in a month full of Metroid Prime, Mario Galaxy, Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect, I can't justify buying it.

I'm sure my brother will get it cos hes a huge COD fan, so I'll just grab it off him once hes sick of it :P

Some servers to play on might be a nice idea, there are only about 10 Australian servers up, all of which are full 24/7

see: comments about dedicated server

wow 8 hours, that's some serious value for money right there

Lol by that logic TF2 is worthless. I'm sure a decent chunk people planning on getting CoD4 would still buy it even if it didn't have a single player campaign.

Anyway, the price disparity thanks to American based services like Steam is interesting. Like Orange Box/CoD costing $90+ RRP in Australian stores but ~$50-60 thanks to the dollar. Hopefully it will last.

And finally, lol @ yet another game being released without a dedicated server. What practical excuse is there for not releasing one.

last edited by Alt_F4 at 23:42:04 07/Nov/07

Lol by that logic TF2 is worthless.

You can't compare them. TF2 has no single-player component, that's why it's only $30US.

I'm sure a decent chunk people planning on getting CoD4 would still buy it even if it didn't have a single player campaign.

If CoD4 was regular multi-player only (and not of epic battlefield style multiplayer for that matter), it should be cheaper.

But it's not, so purchasers expect something extra for the extra price they pay.

last edited by parabol at 23:49:35 07/Nov/07

wow 8 hours, that's some serious value for money right there

im yet to play a single player game that isnt an rpg that has been released in the last 7 years that takes longer then 8 hours to beat, thats not including frustrating moments you spend hours on to complete, it also excludes titles like skate and animal crossing which are designed to be played for many many hours doing stupid little tasks and of course mmo's which are a waste of time and productivity regardless on how enjoyable they may appear to be.

i finished cod4 in about 3 days playing about 3 hours a night, i enjoyed every moment of it and thought it was one of the best cod games in the series. i played it on xbox360 and found the new control system easy to get use to and found it taylored to the controller really well. the game looks amazing and its storyline was done quite well considering other similar games and the lack of real war material they have relied heavily on in previous titles.

the lack of realism at first seems kind of stupid but when you look back at it you appreciate it as it keeps your attention focused to the action which there is plenty of. they also hide scripted moments quite well fitting them into the game with a natural progression that doesnt stand out like a sore thumb.

i remember one particular moment i was rushing up a flight of stares with my team and an enemy soldier jumped around the corner and started wrestling with one of my team mates, i quickly shot the dude but had to be careful not to hit my own team mate, at first i didnt think this was scripted untill i unlocked an achievement for saving my team mate on the stairs. its moments like those that i feel extremely satisifed with the game im playing.

im yet to try the multiplayer but really it doesnt fancy me, SP content is what im after these days, too many bad experiences playing multiplayer games has turned me off it *though admitedly good titles like tf2 do claim me back to the genre for a short stint*

either way top quality game and well worth the "8 hours"

midda if you buy it on 360 from play-asia (region free) its under $60 (i think)

That's not a bad price, but I still haven't decided what system I want it on. =(

Best single player game of the year, easily.

It is short, I guess. Thinking about it now, I spose it is quite short... but it doesnt feel like it is unless you think about the hours. It felt PERFECT. The quality of gameplay is incredibly high. It really is like a player driven film.

The multiplayer is also excellent fun. Insurgency mod is soooo f***ed because of this :)

we will be doing a cod4 giveaway comp soon. Stay tuned!

pre-loading on steam now, gets released monday or tuesday on steam?

By the sniper mission you mean the one where you are in the gillie suit and the guys walk almost on top of you while your lying down that level is awesome