Modern Warfare 2multiplayer has been available for a few days now and players have begun critiquing the game heavily. With features like Skill Based Match Making (SBMM) andthe new Gunsmith, there is a lot to take in with everything surrounding the new release. Although not everyone is happy aboutsome of the content available at launch, there is a range of content for most players to dig their teeth into, including the new co-op missions.
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This said the new maps breathe a new fresh feeling into the franchise as these landscapes dictate how we traverse this universe and how we interact with our team and the enemy. With10 new maps to experience, here are our top pics of MW2’s best maps.
5Embassy
Embassy is a brand-new map that creates some hectic moments using close quarters and multi-level combat around almost all areas of the map. Utilizing outside terrace spaces, and 2nd-floor office rooms, this map provides some great angles for you to take out your enemy in inventive ways.
Although this map doesn’t necessarily follow the standard lane formula of most maps, it does create some awesome choke points and corridors that are essential to control if you want to win. The open exterior area, mixed with the tight indoor office space creates an awesome contrast for different play styles to excel. If you’re a fan of sniping, position yourself in the open areas on the exterior of the map and use the long central corridor to your advantage.
If you prefer using shotguns and SMGs, the multi-level indoor spaces can give you opportunities to catch your enemies on the back foot.
4Mercado Las Almas
Mercado Las Almas was one of themaps available in the betathat was released a few weeks before the launch of the game. This gave players a good amount of time to get to know the layout of the map and understand key locations and choke points to hold. This became very clear the first time we jumped into this map as most players could easily predict when and where enemies would push a specific corner. This map, unlike Embassy, uses a strong 3 lane layout to give players multiple sections to push when the enemy may be focusing on a specific area.
The middle lane does become an absolute death trap as each lane joins at a “crossroads” section in the direct center so we recommend staying away from here for the majority of your matches. It can be great to get a flank using this area if the enemy is making a series push down one side. Mercado Las Almas also has some very close-quarters areas inside buildings so SMGs and ARs can be seen to excel here.
3Farm 18
As another map available in the Beta, Area 18 feels like a much more traditionalModern Warfaremap with a similaraesthetic to the original series. This map has a much larger focus on close-quarters engagements with only a few areas utilizing open space forweapons like Marksman riflesand Snipers. It is possible to get on the roof of one of the buildings giving you good vision of a large section of the map. However, you are very exposed so make sure to stay low when not firing at your enemies.
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Similarly, one side of the map also lets you enter the second floor of a building with a good view of a high-traffic lane. It can be easy to get caught off guard here, so bring a claymore to cover your back. Thecentral area of Area 18can feel like a maze at times, but after learning the layout, you can really take advantage of the close-quarters engagement range.
2Taraq
Taraq can feel a little hectic as the lanes are much less present from a standard map layout. This means players must be much more aware of spawn locations to make the most of the terrain available. This can lead you to some spawn trap scenarios so be patient when spawning on the sides of the map as these sections have some open areas to traverse before you get to the center.
This map is great for snipers as you can really make the most of the open area by staying away from the center and focusing on players trying to reach the fight. We recommend players avoid vaulting the walls in the open areas as this can lead to you being caught off guard and an easy kill for the enemy team.
1Crown Raceway
Crown Raceway is easily one of the most visually intense maps found inModern Warfare 2. Surrounded by an F1 track, you can use the loud engines to hide some of your movement and get behind the enemy. This only works on the pit lane side of the map as this is where the cars are loudest. However, if players are using sound carefully they can still hear you coming.
On the other side of the map, you can find an awesome close-quarters section separated from the map by a long lane that does from spawn to spawn. This section is reminiscent of the map Yacht from the Black Ops series, creating a pocket for engagements in a larger area. Although this map doesn’t feature any multilevel engagement areas, Crown Raceway has a lot of verticality to keep you on your toes.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2is available on Xbox, Playstation, and PC through Steam and Battle.net.
