Over the past few years, Call of Duty established itself as a memorable first-person shooting series, dragging players into the harrowing era of World War II. Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty 3 further advanced the series on current-gen consoles, both with enhanced single-player campaigns and impressive multiplayer bouts. For the next release, however, developer Infinity Ward abandons World War II in favor of something more current as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare melds well-known gameplay with exciting new scenarios.

Throughout the single-player campaign, players overcome enormous obstacles to achieve the near-unreachable goal of peace. A powerful mercenary by the name of Zakiev has, attempted to pick up the pieces of Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union tyranny. To ensure his health, a group of right-hand men known as the "Four Horsemen" and a large army are ready to back him up. Players fill the shoes of brave soldiers on a strike team, all committed to securing prosperity to the land and stopping Zakiev before he completes his realization.

While attendees at the recent Infinity Ward event in Los Angeles weren't able to play the game, it appears to mimic the control scheme of previous Call of Duty games. Players move around, shooting whatever soldiers Zakiev put in place. Holding down the left trigger lets players look down the barrel of a gun for precision aiming, while the right trigger fires the weapon.

Several new modern-day tools come into play, give the game a more contemporary touch. During the game's darker stages, gamers can activate a night-vision cam to get a better look at what lies ahead. In addition, the game introduces new weapons, the most notable being the Javelin. With this particular device, players can launch a distanced shot, watching it rain down a massive explosion. (It comes in handy during heavy ambushes and assaults when other weapons can't finish the job.) However, Infinity Ward really impressed with a pair of gunship sequences. Players hop into a helicopter and make use of an AC-120, able to destroy enemies and their surroundings with volatile cannon bursts. The effects from this sequence look as if they were yanked directly from an Army television report. The puffs of smoke look particularly nice, showing real transparency.

In general, the visuals look unbelievable. One stage takes place at night on a cargo ship in the middle of a rainstorm, coasting along the Black Sea. The weather and lighting effects combine, creating an echelon of ambience never before seen in the Call of Duty series. Another stage offers deployment from a helicopter in broad daylight, as several other helicopters hover about, engaged in battle with Zakiev's forces. Players can catch a brief glimpse of their exchange before making their descent to the ground.