The music

Why don’t we set the mood with a little music? This video contrasts MWII’s theme, created by prominent games composer Sarah Schachner (who recently disaffiliated with MWII, calling this soundtrack “not [her] artistic intent”) and MW2’s opening theme by Hollywood behemoth Hans Zimmer. Both themes offer sweeping orchestras, rousing in a dignified way, undercut with a little hostility to get you in an appropriate headspace for shrieking at 12-year-olds. I mean, for war.

It is disappointing that Schachner wasn’t able to have a more direct input in how the final soundtrack was packaged and presented to the public, citing an “increasingly challenging” working dynamic with the game’s audio director, but her contribution is still an invigorating addition to COD’s musical canon. Hans Zimmer offered a popular internship at my college which ultimately consisted of fetching him coffee, so I’m a little annoyed at him, but his theme is cool, too.

My verdict: Nice music!

The comments section: “Honestly, I wish they should’ve just brought back Hans Zimmer for MW2 2022’s soundtracks,” one YouTube user said. “That’s one of the reasons why MW2 2009 won a lot of people’s hearts.” OK!