Xbox Gaming in South Africa

The second map pack for Infinity Ward's first person shooter Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, entitled the Resurgence Pack, has finally landed on Xbox LIVE, bringing with it 5 new maps - 2 of which are rehashed Call of Duty 4 maps - along with a rather hefty 1200 MS Points price tag. So is Activision just cashing in, or is there real value in these "new" maps for Call of Duty players?

First up we see the return of Call of Duty 4 favourites Strike and Vacant, both of which have been faithfully recreated for Modern Warfare 2. Although the layout of the maps are for the most part exactly the same - barring one or two small tweaks - the overall aesthetics have been vastly improved, with noticeable touch ups that produce a more vibrant visual experience. Vacant's dilapidated office building still provides an abundance of close quarter combat scenarios, while Strike's urban setting and maze-like streets can be exploited by teams who work a more tactical approach to their objectives. The only other change is seen in the lighting, with the levels slightly brighter thanks to the injection of colour, which is needed as there's no longer an option for NVGs... well, in-game NVGs anyways. The shadows still offer up plenty of hiding places though, which inevitably draws in the kind of gamers that subscribe to Indoor Camping Weekly. Nonetheless, Call of Duty 4 veterans and Modern Warfare 2 newcomers will welcome the addition of these two stellar maps into the growing Modern Warfare 2 map rotation.

Of course, most gamers won't be purchasing the Resurgence Pack for its nostalgic value, but rather for the addition of three brand new maps: Carnival, Trailer Park and Fuel. Visually all three maps are of the same high standard seen through out the original MW2 maps, with the abandoned amusement park of Carnival in particular providing not only some great visuals with its decaying and decrepit rides and stores, but a map that gives gamers the choice of both long and medium range vantage points, with snipers preferring positions in and around the steel rocket, fun house and opposing castle walls, while medium range shooters can settle their differences in the dodgem and shop areas. Trailer Park on the other hand is a compact map with clear and visible choke points, with short ranged weapons proving deadly. The small size of Trailer Park does mean that some modes work better than others, but overall it's an entertaining, if not hurried, experience. Finally we have the sniper friendly map of Fuel which consists of an oil refinery located in the middle of a desert, offering up large open spaces with multi leveled buildings for different vantage points. The larger size doesn't lend itself well to modes such as team deathmatch, with too much time spent locating other players, but it certainly does a better job of luring players to specific areas of the map compared to other large maps such as Derail. Fuel is the least visually pleasing of the all maps, with its dull, arid look, but it will at least keep fans of larger maps happy, and offer an alternative to those who prefer their drink in a take away cup, rather than a flask.

Those who play Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer daily, or even just a few times a week, will welcome the new content which will add longevity to the much loved online experience. There's no denying that the map pack is pricey, but at the end of the day, the Resurgence Pack DLC bundles together a balanced set of maps that offer enough variations to keep nearly all Modern Warfare 2 fans happy.

Pros:

• Return of two stellar COD4 maps
• Variation in new maps

Cons:

• Price

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