Zack, who had survived the ordeal, let out a long sigh.
He knew this was all set up in the game.
But he still felt a strange sense of emotion.
Even though it was just a short opening level, and he had been taken out several times in a row.
He had seen those famous quotes many times, but he had to admit Zack really felt thrilled.
It wasn't just the building tension in the game, along with the sounds of bullets whistling and explosions all around.
More importantly, this game made him feel a close bond with the NPC teammates nearby.
In past games, NPC teammates were just simple tools.
He felt nothing for them at all.
But in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, thanks to the strong atmosphere and realistic graphics.
Plus the super smart AI and actions of the NPCs in the game, it all made Zack feel like he was Soap, not separate from Price, Gaz, and the others.
It was as if he had really become a member of the SAS.
Here, Captain Price would save you from danger at key moments and teach you the rules for surviving on the battlefield.
Here, your teammate Gaz would cover the rear, so you had no worries behind you.
Here, Gaz would provide cover fire, helping you deal with enemies better.
Here, no one would abandon a teammate.
This feeling made Zack see these NPC teammates as real people with flesh and blood, not just tools.
At least based on what he'd seen so far, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was by far the most shocking game for him.
No doubt about it!
This thought grew even stronger when he reached the second level called Black Hawk.
But this Veteran difficulty was really tough.
After dying a few times in a row.
Zack quickly summed up some lessons.
The enemies' aim and firepower were basically spot on.
Trying to charge straight ahead like a brute was almost impossible.
Cover was a very important thing in the game.
Because if you left cover, in just one or two seconds, enemies would shoot and hit accurately, like they were all pro players.
You couldn't be greedy for kills; you had to use cover to take them out.
Of course, there was a bit of a trick: move forward slowly yourself, and your teammates behind would push ahead if you stayed still, then work together to kill enemies.
But it was much slower than doing it yourself.
After all, even though it felt real, it was still the player controlling things; the game couldn't just let NPCs wipe out all the enemies.
Though some players really hoped for that.
The reason the NPCs had such smart AI was something Lucas did on purpose.
The main goal was to make players feel how reliable the teammates were.
This would help players connect more deeply with these NPC characters.
In his past life, players could form strong bonds with the SAS and later Task Force 141 members.
Besides the fact that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare wasn't a single-hero game.
More importantly, it gave players a strong sense of immersion.
During missions, the chats and interactions between them, plus the then-impressive AI.
The way teammates supported each other on the battlefield made players see that these NPC teammates mattered, not like useless decorations in other games.
Whether NPC teammates got in the way or helped a lot really affected how players felt about them.
On the other hand, in The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite with Elizabeth, beyond the story, players could really feel the help these NPCs provided.
Though their looks and gender gave them a big advantage too.
But did Call of Duty: Modern Warfare need that?
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, every player could feel the help from these NPCs.
This led to a sense of recognition and emotional ties with them.
"Captain, I've made it over! The rest is up to you!"
In the game, Zack did a quick sprint and slide, then dropped flat on the ground like a pro.
Facing the hail of bullets, Zack listened to Soap's heavy breathing and saw the red screen tint, watching Captain Price, Gaz, and the Russian aid forces with Kamarov eagerly.
They didn't let him down and quickly cleared the enemies around.
"Nice! Great shot, Captain!"
"Awesome, Gaz, that was a perfect hit!"
"Kamarov, do you know Fuze? His explosives pack a punch!"
"Brothers, charge! I'll cover the rear."
The second half of this level was a standard CQB stage, meaning close-quarters battle indoors.
In the game, the player as Soap and Captain Price briefly helped Kamarov and learned from him where Nikolai was being held.
This place was pitch black, giving a feel like playing Rainbow Six: Siege.
Except you couldn't breach the walls here.
The team moved forward carefully.
They breached doors and cleared tripwire bombs on the floor.
Zack stayed crouched at the back of the team the whole time, occasionally yelling "Nice!" to cheer on Captain Price.
No choice; earlier, he tried to steal some glory by rushing ahead.
But he missed a corner and got taken out in one second, seeing those famous quotes again.
That taught him a lesson: don't claim credit for someone else's work.
Just then, a private voice message came in. When he answered, Ben's voice suddenly came through.
"Zack, which level are you on? This game is awesome; the second level's atmosphere is off the charts, especially the Russian army clashing with militants in the mountains, so cool!" Ben shared his excitement without spoiling anything.
"Me? I'm on the second level too, almost done. What difficulty are you playing?" Zack replied.
"Normal, why?" Ben said.
Hearing that, Zack paused for a bit: "I suggest trying Veteran difficulty, because that's where the real fun is! I'm totally hyping up Veteran!"
"On that difficulty, you get a totally different experience, more real immersion, especially the feeling of trusting your life to your teammates—it's amazing, I'm totally hyping it! Plus, you learn a lot."
After saying that, Zack ended the call, then quietly switched the game's difficulty to Normal.
He meant every word; he really wanted to hype Veteran, and he could handle it.
But Zack still wanted to feel involved.
On Veteran, it always felt like a team of pros carrying a noob.
And he was that noob.
On the other end, Ben was a bit confused.
"A totally different experience on Veteran? Trusting your life to teammates? Sounds so mysterious. And learning from a game? What is Zack talking about?" Ben wondered to himself.
But when he started the third level, he switched from Normal to Veteran anyway.
He couldn't help it; he was curious.
(End of chapter)
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