If you want to play with your friends without "pubbies," you have to set up a private match, and, again, one of you will be selected to host the game. If that player quits, the game will pause for five seconds while another player is selected to serve as host. There is no way to upload maps, there is no way to modify the game outside of what the menu allows, and of course there is no console to tweak anything. It's odd to hit the tilde button and have nothing happen. Unless they change this system extensively, it doesn't seem like custom maps will be possible.

It's frustrating to feel so controlled and boxed in, but the game itself remains fun. You'll be leveling up and unlocking new weapons and perks, and the expanded Killstreak bonuses add a whole new level to the game. With just three kills in a row you'll be able to check out enemy positions using an unmanned vehicle; with 25 kills in a row you can drop a nuke and kill everyone on the board. In between those two options are 13 other bonuses that can turn the tide of battle rather quickly. There are also bonuses given if you die too often, which is a nice way to keep demoralized players from rage-quitting, but can make you feel... somewhat special.

There is no easy verdict here, but I'm going to say skip the PC version. Why? The single-player is over quickly. The Special Ops missions are great but there are better co-op games out there. The multiplayer is going to be huge on consoles, but on the PC it's just crippled. There is a lot of fun to be had here, but there are way better ways to spend your money, especially with the $60 price.

The Good
 * Strong, disturbing single-player game
 * Looks, plays great on the PC
 * Killstreaks in multiplayer are a great addition
 * Online play is still addictive
 * Good selection of maps and game modes
 * Special Ops missions extend the life of the game, great with a friend online

The Bad
 * Single-player is over quickly
 * The actual story is a little bit on the paranoid, gun-porn side of things
 * Console-style online play on the PC
 * $60 for a PC release? No thanks, guys
 * Both the company and retailers barely seems to care about the PC version

The Ugly
 * Huge design problems with the multiplayer version
 * The game is already in the expected places. PC gamers will feel spurned and pirate, and Activision will claim they don't support the PC better because of piracy