The usual variations of virtual control options should be available when the game ships, too, though I was quite adept with the default setup. There's also support for gyroscope aiming, though I've never been able to get very comfortable with that sort of thing, and I'd imagine support for Gameloft's sort of strange Duo Gamer controller will be in there as well.

As is typical with games like this, the opening scene of Modern Combat 4 is incredibly intense and wastes no time throwing you right into the thick of things. Reminiscent of storming the beaches at Normandy in the famous scene from 'Saving Private Ryan', you and your squad will arrive via boat to the beaches of Hawaii with all manner of hell breaking loose around you. You'll then follow your squad commander as he leads you inland and through both indoor and outdoor environments picking off enemies as they come. There are various objectives to complete along the way before finally arriving at an extraction point which signals the end of the level.

The gunplay in Modern Combat 4 is satisfying. Enemies displayed intelligence as they utilized cover, split up to try and flank your group, and were generally aware of when it's a bad time to be out in the open. The combat scenarios still had that kind of mechanical feel which is typical of these games – progress a bit through the level, wipe out a group of baddies, progress a bit further, run into more baddies, and so on – but a smarter enemy AI and the use of the Havok physics engine for enemy death animations creates more of a natural vibe. Enemies will instantly go ragdoll once killed, creating some interesting death animations, and they appear to utilize their skills in different ways each time you play. I ran through the same section of the first mission twice, and it felt different enough each time that it helped eliminate the cookie-cutter feeling that these scripted sort of events can sometimes create.

Another welcome aspect of the game, and one that's often used in previous Modern Combat games and other similar titles, is breaking up the gunplay in various interesting ways. For example, at one point I encountered a quick-time event where I had to defend a knife attack with swipes. Another time I was able to remotely control a miniature tank as it forged its way ahead of our squad, allowing me to lay waste to as many bad guys as I could using its turret in order to clear the path ahead. Similarly, at one point I hopped in the back of a military jeep and manned its turret, being speedily swept through an on-rails section where I got to – you guessed it – blast away at more bad guys. These sections were fun and definitely offer a nice change of pace from the regular shooting.