Do you play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2?
Of course you do. This game is a monster; it’s already surpassed the $3 billion mark and we wouldn’t be surprised to see $4 billion in retail sales. It is the greatest entertainment form of all time, and that includes the movie and music industry. It brought in more than $100 million per day for the first five days since its release.
Of course you’ve played this game.
But let’s say you started a bit later than everyone else, especially the online multiplayer. A big part of FPS online multiplayer is memorizing the map layout, but in order to do that you’d have to invest a certain amount of time in it. And as an adult, we have work to do, so most likely we’d get pwned by 12 year old who yell encouraging comments like “You’re gay!” whenever you suck.
Inktree Inc. and BradyGames came up with an idea that might help you if you’re someone who can’t memorize the map very well. Or even if you have a good memory, this product may help you. It’s called “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Tactical Multiplayer Map Pack” which is included for the Limited Edition Official Strategy Guide for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. We’ve received the Map Pack alone from Inktree, so we’ll be looking at the Tactical Multiplayer Map Pack today.
Tactical Multiplayer Map Pack for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
When we first heard about it, we were somewhat skeptical of the idea. But when you really think about it, it’s like having a second monitor with maps while you’re playing your game on the first monitor. It could be a luxurious experience, yeah? We decided to try them out for ourselves, and see if the product delivers.
Our office has a relatively small mail space, and for Letter size packages to fit, it has to be bent a little. We were worried about the postal carrier bending the map, and unfortunately, our assumption was right; he bent the Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope. They never deliver the good news, do they?
Laminated means your map is protected well..
Though the envelope was bent, we didn’t see any damage to the map at all. The whole map is well laminated, protecting the paper from such harm. We just love it when we see high quality products that keep its promise to the consumers. And another feature to point out is that this laminated map can be used with any dry erase marker. Awesome.
This map can either be hung on the wall, or it can be transformed into a triangular, hands-free standing map. Either way though, you won’t be able to see every 16 maps at a time, since it’s both sided map. But I guess that’s the limitations of living in a 3D world.
Size comparision between the maps and PS3 controller.
So, how did our sessions go with the map?
It definitely pointed us in the right direction. Duh. It’s a map! It does what it suppose to do!
But the main question is, did it help in the gamers’ interest?
Yes. It did.
We tested this with our expert CoD:MW2 players. We also did a test with more ‘casual’ players, and a gamer who never played the game. It helped our testers to remember the map, but the cool thing is that the hardcore gamer also enjoyed the physical map being placed right next to his monitor.
They all agreed that the map works well until the player memorizes the whole map. After that, you wouldn’t need it much more than a decor for your gaming room. Seeing the map physically versus mentally is a totally different game, and usually(or hopefully), navigating a map in your head is much faster than on any physical map.
But still, it's nice to have a physical map, yeah?
If you ask us for a final word, we can say that the Tactical Multiplayer Map Pack delivers, and it delivers well for the purpose. Whether it’s for training or memorizing purposes, strategy planning or just to show off your geekness, it’ll be a cool addition to your gaming room. Besides, it’s not just any game; it’s the game that set the world record, so if you REALLY love the franchise, it’ll be cool to own one. The only part that we’re concerned about is the price: $34.99 at the time of review. But this price isn’t for the Map Pack alone; it’s priced for a package of Limited Edition Official Strategy Guide for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It maybe more of a luxury than the mainstream, but with great design, color, and features, it will not disappoint any Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 fans.
Our Score: 8.5 /10
Good things can come in a one perfect package. Too bad the Map Pack itself isn’t sold separately.
Edit #1 (2010/01/26) : Inktree PR clarified that the price of $34.99 was for the entire Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Limited Edition Official Strategy Guide, which includes the maps and hardbound game guide.
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?Product_ID=74527
