Is everybody out of the way? Did all the games go, the ones that didn’t want to get ignored; did they get out all right? So, everyone’s gone, then? No one’s left… It’s sort of quiet without the clatter of a hundred games trying to get our attention, and with only a matter of weeks to count down that quiet is going to be well and truly shattered. Modern Warfare 2 is nearly here, and Infinity Ward is going to make sure all those titles that sulked off to 2010 had a very good reason to do so. Call Of Duty is set to break some records.

That’s the plan, at least, and while the success surrounding Modern Warfare has continued to gather steam and grow since its release, the truth for its sequel is in the playing. There’s a level of detail in almost every facet of Modern Warfare 2 that shows that Infinity Ward knows its players most likely better than they know themselves. Surely countless hours of stats from online matches prove incredibly useful at this point too, but even from a purely visual standing, MW2 looks stunning. Even more so when you realise that the level of detail is also pushed online. The new Perk system allows for a far greater degree of personalisation, letting players choose their own kill streak rewards – anyone for a gunship where you fire at players from above? With everything combined, there’s a ton going on and the action is relentless.

Infinity Ward has never been a developer to shirk on content, and we’ve sunken so many hours into COD4’s multiplayer alone it doesn’t bare thinking about, but the recently revealed Special Ops mode will give players an extra reason to become excited. Think of it along the same lines as Mile High Club. Set up as an extra set of missions alongside the single-player, these co-op levels – around five of them in total – will give you and a buddy the chance to indulge in some teamwork, either over Live or split-screen. Revealed at gamescom, Breach & Clear was one of these levels and appeared to be very much in the vein of ODST’s Firefight or Gears 2’s Horde mode, so we guess this is the hot new thing. The new missions will cover a range of objectives and can be played solo, but where’s the fun in that? Storming through a group of soldiers with a friend will probably define this generation’s online experiences.

Breach & Clear also highlighted the range of enemy soldiers you’ll encounter during the single-player. Multiplayer, thanks to the Perks, always felt like you were up against a range of soldiers with different attributes. Now, players will be presented with enemies carrying riot shields, soldiers in civilian clothing and a far greater number of variations. You’ll be able to grab that riot shield too and barge into enemies, though you won’t be able to fire your weapon while doing so. The set pieces found in the single-player and in Special Ops have a far greater range of options and variables, creating a much better sense of being in a chaotic battle. This is what Infinity Ward does best.

Though it could be accused of creating a gaming black hole this holiday, it’s not every day a game with this level of anticipation is released. Infinity Ward has reached Valve levels of success with the FPS genre, and despite innovating and never really revolutionising the way we play, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more polished, slick and downright exciting game this year.