Joystiq hands-on: Call of Duty 4 single-player (360, PC, PS3)

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

, literally rocks with action. In an early stage, a freight ship that you siege pitches and rolls, like a giant movie set-piece. While playing a close-to-shipping version of the title, I felt like the action game used these special-effect focal points to drive its frenzied pace and huge scope.

Because of the "modern" setting, I had assumed I'd be plodding slowly with a squad of soldiers, tactically (and tactfully) knocking on doors to root out bad guys. And while there are sometimes AI-teammate elements, I never felt like I had to slow down and proceed with caution. Instead, I often had to speed up and dive for cover; depending on the situation, snipers, RPGs, and essentially armies of enemies are firing at you at the same time.

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While the graphics and sound are well detailed, and the guns are modeled after real-world weapons, I wouldn't call the game "realistic." This is no Tom Clancy adventure. Instead, COD4 plays like a blockbuster. The health meter is just a ring that fills up while you're being shot; take cover for a moment, and your health fully regenerates.

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You'll quickly drop in and out of situations -- sometimes gratuitous -- that require flipping on night-vision goggles. You'll command a powerful arsenal that knocks down waves of enemies. And the story... well, I couldn't focus on the story with the constant explosions surrounding me.

Many of you have ventured into the multiplayer beta, which sounds like it gives a rich, almost RPG-style of character customization. I focused on the single-player game instead, but look forward to 16-player games with its release.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare feels like an overwhelming action game. Its epic sense of scale alone makes it highly anticipated by FPS fans. The 360, DS, PC, and PS3 game will be out November 5.