26 replies to this topic

[vdub_bobby]

Anybody getting this? I'm very tempted, but I'm going to wait for reviews...

Here's all I could find so far - an "Impressions" from Vooks (?)

Quote

However, we’ve had some time with the game today and tried out a few missions and some online and are happy to report that it’s not actually that bad- in fact, it’s quite good.

Not exactly overwhelming enthusiasm...

[maximebeauvais]

you can't go wrong with COD

However, I prefer WW2 theme over modem theme.

[HammR25]

They said it was quite good. Apparently that's a surprise for any Wii game that isn't a compilation of mini games.

[Cybergoth]

It'd be rather surprising if the Wii port of CoD4 was worse than last years spectacular CoD5 port - it's from the same team after all...

[vdub_bobby]

Cybergoth, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:36 PM, said:

It'd be rather surprising if the Wii port of CoD4 was worse than last years spectacular CoD5 port - it's from the same team after all...

I've never seen COD: WAW described as "spectacular" anywhere before

It got decent reviews - 83% at GameRankings.com - but most of the reviews I read said it was pretty good but nothing real special.

If CODMWRE is also just "pretty good" than I probably won't be dropping $50 on it. And when they down-port something to the Wii you wonder what is going to suffer... E.g., Dead Rising was supposed to be awesome...until it wasn't.

Also the news that online multiplayer was going to support 10 players max and not support Wii Speak (both downgrades from The Conduit) have made me skeptical. I'll wait and see.

EDIT: Actually, am I wrong about Wii Speak support? I've seen conflicting things...

EDIT II: First review, from The Official Nintendo Magazine UK:

Quote

Yet despite packing in all the features from the original and the comprehensive online modes, Reflex isn't the perfect shoot 'em up experience and predictably it's the visuals that let it down. The whole fuss around the original Modern Warfare arose because it was a punchy depiction of modern, dirty combat and unfortunately, this Wii version with its flat and muddy textures and short draw distances just can't compete. Given the extra two years Treyarch had to squeeze every last drop of polish from the Wii, this is underwhelming visually. It looks okay for a Wii game - that's the dreaded caveat - but it's not even up there with Metroid Prime: Corruption.

The give it 80%.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:34 PM.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

I will be buying it, but I'm not in as big a rush as I had been for The Conduit. Don't get me wrong, it looks good "for a Wii game" and I have enjoyed all the CODs so far on Wii and this looks like a new edition worthy of enjoyment. But given the lackluster sales for Conduit, a part of me is thinking this means we're all just going to get COD games, once a year, every year from now on to get our FPS fix and that's if we're lucky. It kinda bums me out.
This video review guy says it has almost everything the original COD4 Modern had and looks a little jaggy but is otherwise pretty close, so that gives me confidence in the title. I'm just a bit depressed Conduit failed. I'll get over it. I guess it's COD forever for us Wii owners, and not much else when it comes to FPS'es.

Edited by ComputerSpaceFan, Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:24 PM.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

This is supposed to be the most advanced FPS visually for the Wii. I am looking forward to it.

[vdub_bobby]

ComputerSpaceFan, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:23 PM, said:

But given the lackluster sales for Conduit, a part of me is thinking this means we're all just going to get COD games, once a year, every year from now on to get our FPS fix and that's if we're lucky. It kinda bums me out.
...I'm just a bit depressed Conduit failed. I'll get over it. I guess it's COD forever for us Wii owners, and not much else when it comes to FPS'es.

I dunno...this next year looks like the best FPS year for the Wii so far - we had The Conduit in June, Metroid Prime Trilogy in August, CODMWRE now, Red Steel 2 scheduled for February, and The Grinder (and, yes, another COD) in Fall 2010.

And if you want a cheap fix, wait a few months and you'll probably be able to pick up Jurassic: The Hunted and Marines: Modern Urban Combat for peanuts.

And The Conduit...I don't know that I'd call it a failure, exactly - it wasn't the huge hit some people were expecting, but I think expectations were a little goofy. It's sold almost 300K through four months, which isn't great, but isn't too bad either.

Anyway, IGN doesn't have a proper review yet, but they posted their "hands on" pre-review a few hours ago...and they aren't too impressed so far:

Quote

I'm currently about half way through the main single-player mode and thus far I'm not sold on the game. While Treyarch managed to do a whole lot more with control customization this time around -- you'll find sliders, dead zone box customization, and dozens upon dozens of options -- the actual framerate and cursor tracking is on par with World at War, if not a little slower. Moving slightly with the Wii-mote doesn't always register in on-screen movement, so trying to dial in that precise pixel-by-pixel aiming is a serious chore. With the framerate also pretty inconsistent at times the cursor takes the brunt of the impact and the only real hope for precise shooting comes with the game's single player lock-on function. Just like with COD4, single player has a basic lock-on that occurs when pulling up into aim down sights mode, and if it wasn't for that option this would be a very trying experience. I'm convinced that some players will be able to find their perfect setup in Modern Warfare Reflex, but the game's choppy framerate will still ensure that a smoother experience can be found elsewhere on Wii with titles like Medal of Honor Heroes or The Conduit.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:06 PM.

[Cybergoth]

vdub_bobby, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:58 PM, said:

Cybergoth, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:36 PM, said:

It'd be rather surprising if the Wii port of CoD4 was worse than last years spectacular CoD5 port - it's from the same team after all...

I've never seen COD: WAW described as "spectacular" anywhere before

It got decent reviews - 83% at GameRankings.com - but most of the reviews I read said it was pretty good but nothing real special.

Just name another HD > Wii port with a Metascore of 83% then

[vdub_bobby]

Cybergoth, on Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:53 AM, said:

vdub_bobby, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:58 PM, said:

I've never seen COD: WAW described as "spectacular" anywhere before

It got decent reviews - 83% at GameRankings.com - but most of the reviews I read said it was pretty good but nothing real special.

Just name another HD > Wii port with a Metascore of 83% then

Fair point.

Another review is out, from NintendoDPad (?) and they like everything but the graphics:

Quote

Overall, the game is just what you would expect from an HD game like Call of Duty 4 being ported to Wii. Everything is there, from the great multiplayer and single player modes, to Wii specific controls that really trump those found on other consoles. The only real bad part is that the graphics needed a major step down for the port, and we would have liked WiiSpeak support for those who prefer that, though it is not necessary.

They gave it 85/100

[vdub_bobby]

Eurogamer has a pre-review up now on their blog, with a gameplay video and a PS3vsWii comparison video:

Quote

Texture detail and geometry levels are savagely hacked down, lighting effects and shadowing are brutally pared back, frame-rate is cut from 60FPS down to the more manageable 30FPS (and even then it has trouble sustaining it in some of the more sustained firefights). The whole lighting model has been adjusted to such a degree that the night-vision section in The Bog is entirely superfluous - despite the game nagging you to don the goggles, the section remains so bright you don't actually need to.

Graphically, Reflex is functional, looking pretty much as you'd imagine a PS2 version to look if handled by a reasonably competent developer, but put it this way - Criterion's Black this ain't. However, stick the Wii game into a side-by-side comparison with the PS3 version and you can see that despite the vast array of cutbacks and compromises, it does a good enough job of capturing the look of the original.

I thought the gameplay video looked pretty good myself, though the comparison video really spotlighted the rough spots.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

Well I actually have the game. I don't agree it's PS2 level graphics. It is definitely beyond PS2 and very good looking. Control wise, I tried playing with the wii zapper, maybe it's me but it's impossible. Playing normally it controls fine.

If you have a PS3 or a PC/Mac that can play COD modern warfare it's gonna be in a higher resolution than 480p, but this is a really good looking Wii game. I only played through the first level (the boat) but the graphics look beyond anything a PS2 or Gamecube could do and the game is fun.




Does anyone play FPS's on the Wii with the zapper?

[S1500]

So it's like Double Dragon for the 2600 then?

[Warriorisabouttodie]

S1500, on Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:07 PM, said:

So it's like Double Dragon for the 2600 then?

it's more like Phoenix for the 2600. It's not as detailed as other versions, but it looks and plays good.

[vdub_bobby]

IGN chimes in with their full review and they are unimpressed:

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The original Modern Warfare is hands-down one of – if not the single best – first person shooters out there when it comes to blending an immersive story and intense multiplayer together. Unfortunately, Reflex Edition on Wii just doesn’t cut it as a Call of Duty branded game or as a top-tier Wii first-person shooter. The framerate is jumpy, the pointer tracking needs some serious polish, and while most of the elements of COD4 are included, none of them are given enough fine-tuning to truly excel. It’s obvious that World at War was given either a larger dev time, larger budget, or larger team (or all of the above) than Modern Warfare’s first stint on Wii. If you can cope with the somewhat unintuitive controls there’s a fun experience to be had. It’s just a shame that amidst the near-endless amount of customization is a ported engine that can’t offer true pointer precision.

They give it a 7/10.


EDIT: Just for kicks, I looked up IGN's scores for other Wii FPSs:
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: 9.5
Metroid Prime Trilogy: 9.5
The Conduit: 8.6
COD: WAW: 8
Medal of Honor Heroes 2: 8.4
COD3: 7.7
Medal of Honor: Vanguard: 7
Red Steel: 6
Quantum of Solace: 4.5
Far Cry Vengeance: 4
Brothers in Arms: Double Time: 3

Edited by vdub_bobby, Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:37 PM.

[remowilliams]

vdub_bobby, on Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:58 PM, said:

E.g., Dead Rising was supposed to be awesome...until it wasn't.

Ah yes, the spine tingling horror of six entire whole zombies chasing you....

[vdub_bobby]

CtrlAltKill.org likes it:

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And that brings me to the bottom line. This game isn’t new, but it’s new to the Wii. As far as the big picture, it’s harsh to say, but it really is a largely downgraded version of a game released two years ago being sold for as much, if not more, than the superior version. From that perspective, it’s not really easy to recommend. On the other side of the coin, as far as Wii games go, it’s easily the best “traditional” FPS on the Wii, and the best HD-to-Wii conversion made to date. Even with all of the visual downgrades, it still looks and feels like Modern Warfare, and no matter how you look at it, that’s impressive.

They gave it a B.

And GameKult thinks it's ok...I think:

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Hélas, si la campagne reste identique au jeu sorti il y a deux ans sur les autres consoles, le côté grand spectacle est évidemment mis de côté vu les limitations techniques de la Wii, avec un rendu et un frame rate ici tout justes au niveau d'une PS2. Quelques options sympathiques ont néanmoins été ajoutées pour améliorer la convivialité du titre, avec notamment un simili-mode coop déjà vu dans la série sur Wii : pendant que le premier joueur vit normalement la campagne, son camarade peut l'aider en dégommant avec son curseur les ennemis. De quoi sortir le Wii Zapper des cartons quand un ami passe à la maison. Côté online enfin, le jeu propose à une dizaine de joueurs de se retrouver sur des cartes tirées de la campagne solo et dans différents modes de jeux. Bref, une adaptation correcte sur Wii, mais un brin dépassée... et toujours aussi courte.

Here's a Googletranslation:

Quote

Alas, if the campaign remains the same game released two years ago on other consoles, the next big show is obviously set aside given the technical limitations of the Wii, with a report and a frame rate here just at d ' a PS2. Alas, if the campaign remains the same game released two years ago on other consoles, the next big show is obviously set aside given the technical limitations of the Wii, with a report and a frame rate here just did of a PS2. Some nice options were nevertheless added to improve the usability of the track, including a simulated coop mode seen in the series on Wii: while the first player lives normally campaign, his friend can help shoot down with his slider enemies. Some nice options were nevertheless added to Improve the usability of the track, including a simulated coop mode already seen in the series on Wii: while the first player lives normally campaign, his friend can help shoot down enemies with his slider. What out the Wii Zapper boxes when a friend goes home. What out the Wii Zapper boxes when a friend goes home. Side finally online, the game features a dozen players to find on maps from the single player campaign and various game modes. Side finally online, The Game features a dozen players to find on maps from the single player campaign and various game modes. In short, a proper adjustment on the Wii, but a bit outdated ... In short, a proper adjustment on the Wii, but a bit outdated ... and always too short. and always too short.

Anyway, they give it 6/10.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:06 PM.

[vdub_bobby]

Meristation likes it:

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A nivel gráfico no es perfecto. Tiene sus hándicaps, principalmente en cuanto se refiere a la enorme carga gráfica que ha de soportar la consola en determinadas ocasiones, ocasionando pequeños tirones que en ningún caso entorpecen la experiencia jugable global. Tampoco se ha incluido ninguna novedad salvo el cooperativo en materia de contenido, aunque en este caso no podemos reprocharle nada a Treyarch: sí a Activision, que obligó al estudio a firmar que en ningún caso se alteraría Modern Warfare en este sentido.Sea como fuere, Reflex deja tras de sí unas sensaciones inmejorables, con la lástima de no haber podido disfrutar del juego en su día, junto a los homónimos de sobremesa. Una prueba de la capacidad de Wii, de que Infinity Ward se equivoca al no contar con ella en sus grandilocuentes planes de futuro. Una compra obligada si no hemos disfrutado del original, y de momento uno de los FPS que mejor se defienden en la consola de Nintendo. La guerra ha vuelto.

They give it 9/10.

[vdub_bobby]

Gamervision also likes it:

Quote

Coming out two years later, however, is a different story, and while it's still an improvement over traditional Wii ports it still has problems that should have been addressed in the two years since Modern Warfare released. When compared to the Xbox and PS3 version it feels incredibly gimped, but when put up against other Wii shooters, Modern Warfare: Reflex stands out, and proves that the Wii can, indeed, keep up with the high-def generation. It just can't look as good while it does it.

They give it 8/10.

This is also from their review, and I'm seeing similar sentiments in a most of the reviews:

Quote

In fact, it doesn't even look as good as some Wii-exclusive shooters, lacking the polish of The Conduit, Metroid Prime 3, or even Call of Duty: World at War.
...
Even with these downscales, there are times when the Wii simply can't handle Modern Warfare's chaotic gameplay, meaning there are graphical tears, stuck pixels, and a troublesome framerate that will drop down to a crawl once too much is happening on screen. It also makes some of the harder segments of the game even more difficult, since the framerate will drop during hectic portions and it's often hard to see enemies with the low-resolution graphics.

This, to me, is a big disappointment.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:05 PM.

[vdub_bobby]

Vandal Online loves it:

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Este Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex es una gran adaptación y un juego realmente bueno. Es cierto que hay diferencia entre el apartado técnico de este y el original, pero a nivel jugable se mantiene la experiencia que ha hecho disfrutar a tantos jugadores. Además, si lo comparamos con lo que hay en Wii, el juego cuenta con un apartado técnico estupendo, sobre todo si tenemos en cuenta el tamaño de los escenarios y la cantidad de personajes que aparecen en pantalla. Pero no solo en el apartado técnico se ha esmerado Treyarch, sino que nos ofrece un control totalmente configurable para que todo puedan disfrutar de él y un modo online a la altura del original. Sin duda es un gran shooter que ningún aficionado al género debería perderse.

9/10

EveryEye.IT likes it:

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Call Of Duty: Reflex Edition e' in definitiva un prodotto discreto, la cui esperienza ludica globale è leggermente rovinata da una certa imprecisione iniziale nei controlli, e dal frame rate ballerino, ma sostenuta con vigore dall'ottimo multiplayer, e dal buono, seppur gia' visto, single player. Aldilà della questione tecnica, il gioco porta una ventata d'aria fresca nell'attuale panorama FPS per nintendo Wii, e dovrebbe essere tenuto in considerazione sopratutto dagli amanti del genere e delle sfide online.

7.5/10

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Warriorisabouttodie, on Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:05 PM, said:

Playing normally it controls fine.

If you have a PS3 or a PC/Mac that can play COD modern warfare it's gonna be in a higher resolution than 480p, but this is a really good looking Wii game. I only played through the first level (the boat) but the graphics look beyond anything a PS2 or Gamecube could do and the game is fun.

Does anyone play FPS's on the Wii with the zapper?

Can I ask how you're finding the responsiveness of the pointer? IGN said there is a noticable sluggishness and you can instantly tell if you hit the Home button and move the pointer around the standard Wii menu. Is it really so bad in-game? They said it was more responsive in COD World at War (and I really enjoyed that game).
I'm going to rent before I buy, this sluggishness might be a deal-breaker for me. Everything else looks good to me.

And count me as one who never plays FPS'es with the zapper. I tried moving around in Link's Crossbow Training on those levels that use the thumbstick and I hated it. I only use my Zapper for shooting range games or fully on-rails games like Ghost Squad. Heck, I don't even use the Zapper for Dead Space Extraction.

[vdub_bobby]

Kotaku gives it a mixed review:

Quote

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex is a good game by itself. Once you tweak the controls, the gameplay is solid and the story really is intriguing. Wii owners looking for real first person shooter experience instead of something on rails owe it to themselves to pick this up.

But again with the frame rate and other graphics issues...

Quote

The varied settings of the different levels -– mountains, desert, snow, nuclear wasteland -– are all pixelated and flat...
...
Frame Rate Drops During Scope Mode: The is the worst possible time for the frame rate to drop. Totally hosed me on the sniper mission with Captain MacMillan.

[vdub_bobby]

Eurogamer has their review up and, shockingly , they aren't real impressed:

Quote

Although still passably entertaining much of the time, stood next to other shooters on the Wii it doesn't even come close to matching the look and feel of games designed specifically for the system. The new market Activision is presumably seeking may end up wondering what all the fuss was about in the first place.

They give it 6/10.

And again with the graphical issues...

Quote

...much of its visual appeal is reduced dramatically thanks to muddy visuals which don't even come close to reaching the standard reached by other Wii titles in the genre.
..
...frame-rate is halved to 30FPS - and it often struggles to even maintain that consistently ...
..
...but it's important to stress this is by no means the best possible port the system could accommodate judging by the quality of games like Metroid Prime and The Conduit.

Others...
Nintendo Power gives it 9/10.
SpazioGames gives it 8.5/10.
3DJuegos gives it 8.1/10.

I think I'll wait for a price drop before I consider this one.

Edited by vdub_bobby, Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:38 AM.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

ComputerSpaceFan, on Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:56 PM, said:

Warriorisabouttodie, on Wed Nov 11, 2009 3:05 PM, said:

Playing normally it controls fine.

If you have a PS3 or a PC/Mac that can play COD modern warfare it's gonna be in a higher resolution than 480p, but this is a really good looking Wii game. I only played through the first level (the boat) but the graphics look beyond anything a PS2 or Gamecube could do and the game is fun.

Does anyone play FPS's on the Wii with the zapper?

Can I ask how you're finding the responsiveness of the pointer? IGN said there is a noticable sluggishness and you can instantly tell if you hit the Home button and move the pointer around the standard Wii menu. Is it really so bad in-game? They said it was more responsive in COD World at War (and I really enjoyed that game).
I'm going to rent before I buy, this sluggishness might be a deal-breaker for me. Everything else looks good to me.

And count me as one who never plays FPS'es with the zapper. I tried moving around in Link's Crossbow Training on those levels that use the thumbstick and I hated it. I only use my Zapper for shooting range games or fully on-rails games like Ghost Squad. Heck, I don't even use the Zapper for Dead Space Extraction.

It's a little sluggish, but you can adjust the sensitivity.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

I've had some time with this game now and while some of the complaints in reviews like the slow cursor (the speed is adjustable in the options) are stupid. I the game has not grown on me. It's a good game but nothing special. I doubt it is something I will still be playing a few years from now, so I would recommend this at a budget price (or used) but not for the full price they are asking now.