Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2: World Premiere May 24th

Details on Infinity Ward's anticipated upcoming shooter Modern Warfare 2 were made available in the most recent issue of Game Informer. The article tells how the game's campaign mode will feature Captain 'Soap' MacTavish, who returns from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, as a non-playable character, and will continue on with the tale of the previous game.

The game's campaign stages, according to the article, will be more open and varied, though the overall length of the campaign will be roughly similar to the six to 10 hour duration of Modern Warfare. Gameplay mechanics will include climbing the icy slopes of a mountain with ice picks and riding on snowmobiles. There'll also be some sort of shift in the way enemies attack. No longer will seemingly endless waves spawn in until you step across an invisible line. Settings will range from a snowy mountaintop in Russia to Rio de Janiero, Brazil, which will be a more sprawling level than any present in Modern Warfare.

A new mode in the game, called Special Forces, will consist of a number of isolated stages not tied to the narrative. There was no indication of precisely how many of these Special Forces stages would make it in, but according to Game Informer it'll be a "major part" of the game. More interestingly, while the story campaign will be single-player only, the Special Forces maps will allow two players to run through co-operatively.

Some of these details that were leaked:

• No co-op in story mode, but separate missions reminiscent of CoD4’s Mile High Club include cooperative multiplayer.
• Ice walls can also be climbed by alternating between the two triggers.
• A live-patching system will be implemented for online multiplayer, forgoing the need for a downloadable patch.
• Game will run at 60 frames-per-second, with better detail than CoD4.
• Riot shields, movable turrets and customized weapons for single-player enemies were mentioned.
• Gameplay’s a bit more open-ended than CoD4 but is still linear.
• Stealth can now be used if you like.

Also according to PSM3, a UK based magazine:

• Swimming mode enabled.
• A ‘Stealthy’ Oil pipeline Scuba Mission will be included in campaign mode.
• A level will definetly be based in Rio De Janeiro.
• Siberian Level will feature in campaign mode.
• Vehicles (e.g. Trucks, Tanks etc.) will be introduced into the Modern Era.
• A ‘Helicopter Based’ Level will be featured.
• An Oil Tanker level will also be featured.
• Ken Lally (Wesker from Resident Evil 5) will be voice acting. Most likely as a Russian villain.

Assault Rifles
FAMAS – Bushmaster ACR – M16 – AK-47 – Steyr AUG A2 – Imbel MD3 – FN 2000 – G36C – M4 – MK. 14 EBR – G3 – TAR-21 – FN SCAR – FN FAL

Sniper Rifles
SVD Dragunov – Walther WA2000

Sub-Machine Guns
FN P90 – UMP .45 – TDI Kriss – H&K MP5

Shotguns
Franchi SPAS-12 – W1200 – Armsel Striker 12 Guage – Remington 870MCS – Winchester 1887 – AA-12

Light/Heavy Machine Guns
RPD – MK46 – AUG HBAR-T – MG4 – M240

Pistols
USP .45 – Glock 18/22 – M1911 .45 – Desert Eagle or Baby Eagle

Melee
Combat Knife – Ice Picks

Explosives/Grenades
C4 – Frag Grenade – Stun Grenade – Smoke Grenade – Semtex

Gun Attatchments
Red Dot Sight – Heartbeat Sensor – ACOG – Silencer – EOTech Sight – Thermal Scope – Master Key

Grenade Launchers
GP-25 Grenade Launcher – M203 Grenade Launcher – AT4 Rocket Launcher (Heat Seaking/Lock-On)