Review: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 "Stimulus Package"

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been my game of choice since it came out last fall. So, I was very excited to see that they were releasing an expansion, Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package, for the game. Being released yesterday, I headed straight for my Xbox 360 to start the download as soon as I arrived home from work. The Stimulus Package costs 1200 Xbox Live points (about $15.00) and took about an hour to download. After staying up late into the night playing, here is a complete review of the pros and cons of the new Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package.

Pros

New Multiplayer Maps

I have to be honest. I was slightly disappointed with the new Stimulus Package, so I will start with the pros before I begin my cons rant.

The best feature of the the MW2 Stimulus Package is ability to play in new arenas. As with any game, it is easy to get burned out on playing the same maps over and over. Over time, the multiplayer matches become predictable. You eventually learn where the best sniper points are, where to ambush the enemy, and crossfire zones to stay out of. The problem - your opponents also know the same thing. The match eventually becomes a stalemate of back and forth killing.

The Stimulus Package features 5 new multiplayer maps. Personally, I think they look great, and have no complaints. It was refreshing to fight in an unknown territory which felt more like what you would experience in real-world combat instead of paying in a memorized map.

Cons

Just Multiplayer Maps

My main complaint is not about what the Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package contained. It is more about what it didn't contain. Other than the 5 multiplayer maps, the package offers no new features to the game. Personally, I would have liked to see (in addition to the multiplayer maps) a few new weapons, game modes, titles and emblems, and spec-op missions.

Reused Maps

Two of the five maps featured in the Stimulus Package are recycled from the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This is great for those who aren't familiar with the original title. To them, these ARE new maps. Unfortunately for veteran players, if we wanted to play some of the old maps, we would just throw in our original MW disc. Infinity Ward suggest that the old map inclusion in the Stimulus Package is due to their popularity from the original title. The way I look at it - just because Super Mario Bros was so popular doesn't mean that Nintendo should resurrect that old dinosaur, right?

No Option for Just Deathmatch

The thing I love most about the Modern Warfare series is their realism. For this reason, I prefer to stick with the basic deathmatch multiplayer mode. The new map pack features only two paying options - hardcore and random. I really don't care for hardcore so I ended up playing in the random arena. The problem is that many of the game types don't reflect the realism that is reflected in the franchise. You don't see the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan playing capture the flag, do you?

Too Expensive

The Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package offers very little "bang for your buck". Even though the pack contains five maps, only three of them are new. Plus, considering the cost of the full game, the price seems a little much. Currently, MW2 sells on Walmart.com for $38.00. This means that you are paying an addition 40% of your original cost for a measly handful of multiplayer maps. In my opinion, if you want to get the most value for your money, you might be better off saving your $15.00 to put toward a full version of a different game.