COD6: Modern Warfare 2 (first reactions)

Well, I stood in line at GameStop (GS) last night, from 10p-12a, and picked up my reserved copy of Modern Warfare2: Prestige Edition. It's packaged well, complete with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), a 'hardened' game case, and a snap-tite head to hold the goggles for display. I also picked up a strategy guide, for some damned reason; not that I'll ever really read it or use it.
So I got home, and decided I'd start off with checking out the NVGs. I know, I know, put the game in and let's check it out!! Nah, I wanna see these $90-worth of NVGs.. Oh wait, it takes (5) AA batteries.. Not 4, as in what the packs of batteries come in, but 5.. requiring I buy 2 packs. Luckily for me, Google let me know this ahead of time :) so I picked them up on my way to GS.

So after 15 minutes of trying to get the NVGs untaped, untied, and out of the frigging packaging, I get the batteries in, turn off the kitchen lights, and fire the NVGs up.. WOW! They're actually a little better than I expected, for $90-worth.a quick trip out in the yard, and I see their shortcomings. The viewing range is about 40-50' with the setting on HI. On low, it's about 5-10' at best. There's a green/black or white/black setting. The white/black give it that whole "Blair witch" look to everything... I prefer the greener side, as my prior military experience has that engrained in me.
So, back to the game... I fire it up, and it has a lot of that COD4 feel to it. I "private match" into a couple of maps, to have a snoop around. It's pretty cool. The graphics and attention to detail are great. Weapons are, again, following suit of COD4. There's a good bit of realism in this one's design and graphics. On thing I don't reall care for, is that when you receive damage, you get this blotchy, blood-spattered look on the screen, until you regenerate your health.

Moving on to some multi-player gaming, the first thing that we (playing with friends) notice, is that there's no "Party Chat", only a Game-Chat. You can party up with your friends, but you're forced into listening to everyone else in the pre-game lobby. That SUCKS.

I played in a few matches, just trying to get a feel for it all, and it's proven that there are some individuals that had it long before the 12am release last night, which I think is pure crap, but whatever...
Tonight, I'll dip into the Campaign level to see what it's like, and report back on that, tomorrow..

Until then, "Release the Hounds!"