*ignores imminent shitstorm argument*
... Modern Warfare 3
I actually tried starting it last week and the very first mission gave me this overwhelming feeling of "Ugh, I played this fucking game multiple times before!!" and promptly quit.
Then yesterday I didn't feel like playing Skyrim, so I fired it up to give it another shot. This time I somehow managed to get into it a bit more and finished the first mission. I kept playing and about five missions in something unexpected happened: I realized I was having a blast.
Maybe my expectations were simply too low because of Modern Warfare 2, but I think the game is a shitload of fun. They really cranked up the "crazy thrill ride" factor, and that's what I like most about the series. It seemed like every other mission made me giggle and grin like an idiot because of how ridiculously insane, over-the-top and downright fucking badass it all was.
It probably also helped that they replaced the "regular soldier" part of the campaign with a fucking Delta Force squad. I'm easy to please when it comes to this: put me in the role of a special ops guy and make me go through missions that make me feel like a complete badass and I'll have fun simply getting into character. ...unless the game is too easy and kinda boring... *cough* Medal of Honor *cough*
It's by no means a perfect game nor does it breathe new life into the series. It's not as good as COD4 (which I don't think the series is ever going to top anyway) and they break new ground in the art of having a ridiculously short campaign (main menu says I completed it in 5h12mins! ). But it's nowhere near as stupid as MW2 and I thought it was a lot of fun.
Really glad I didn't buy it, though. I'm probably the last person on earth who still plays COD for the single-player, so with no interest in MP, there's really no way to justify paying 60 bucks for this.
Only way I'll be buying this is the same way I bought MW2: two years later, for 15 bucks on Steam.
And now, just because holy shit
Oh, and the Dualshock is the best controller, period.