When the best FPS of 2007 made its way to the less likely handheld console, there was an obvious level of skepticism around it. Seriously, how do you put a game of the scale of COD4 on a console like the DS? But it seems n-Space had the answer to this question all along.
The first brilliant thing that n-Space did was give a nod to the storyline of the home console version of COD 4, and create a parallel story to it. You play as multiple characters in the home console version and only hear about the other teams doing missions that carry forward your storyline. In the DS version of COD4 you play as the 'other' team. Going with a separate story is a brilliant idea, since it not only gives the developers the freedom to create a whole new game on a similar premise, but also helps take away the ridiculous comparisons that fans are likely to make between the two versions.
The good part is playing as the other team doesn't mean that the game restricts you to the boring part of the storyline. You have a lot of missions that are a nod to the console version of the game, including the oil tanker and the chopper gunner missions. As in the console versions, you're not restricted to the regular run-and-gun gameplay.
Controls are taken straight from Metroid Prime Hunters, which in my opinion was the best way to go about it. You use the Stylus as mouse and the D-pad for moving forward, back and strafing. The good part is that even the ABXY buttons mimic the D-pad's button mapping, making the game easier to control for left-handed gamers. The one thing I found initially annoying was that your weapon's aiming mode, which is supposed to pop up every time you double-tap the screen, was set a bit too sensitive by default. You thankfully have the option to modify it in the options menu, so no major harm done.
A DS game review! thts great! i never thot COD4 on the DS cud be a good game, no1 dare call the DS a kids console now!
