Infinity Ward revamped the modern First Person Shooter as we know it when Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare released in 2007. The game delivered one of the best single player campaigns of this console generation as well as the most addicting multiplayer which is still being played today. Four years later Infinity Ward, along with Sledgehammer Games, is back to deliver the conclusion to the Modern Warfare timeline. Modern Warfare 3 is expected to be an epic and explosive AAA blockbuster title with multiplayer second to none, but does the latest Call of Duty game live up to the high expectations?
I think it is not a big surprise to say that the tried and true formula, which made Call of Duty games incredibly popular and successful, is back with Modern Warfare 3. The game has an absolutely explosive single player campaign that is almost always at 11. While this explosion filled rollercoaster ride always keeps the excitement levels high, it would have been nice to have some more subtle moments in order to truly appreciate how good some of the story sequences really are. It doesn’t happen often that a product so polished and well build hits store shelves. Modern Warfare 3 picks up right after the events of the previous game in the series and plays out in a world of mayhem, where Russian extremist Makarov set the world ablaze. MW3 will take players on a globetrotting journey all over the world, where almost no sacred elements are left untouched.
Modern Warfare 3’s campaign is visually impressive with superior sound design but it does have some flaws. Even though there are several story missions that will have you hold your breath at the edge of your seat, there are just too many sequences that feel like the player doesn’t have much of an impact or control. It also doesn’t help that the Modern Warfare series has delivered some of the best gaming moments this generations and therefore it can feel a bit like rehashed material at times. This doesn’t really set the game back much though, because of the monumental scope and size of the game. Infinity Ward has managed to make another epic campaign which has a rather satisfying ending and could very well be the last Modern Warfare game we will see, as the story is pretty well tied up as the game’s credits roll.
As much as we like the stories in the Modern Warfare games, the multiplayer is where most of the player base will spend its time. MW3 has a lot of features in common with its predecessor but does improve on them enough to make it another bar-raising experience. Playing the competitive multiplayer will probably have you keep the MW3 disc in your console or PC for many months to come, as some new modes like ‘Kill Confirmed’ and new strike packages such as ‘Assault’, ‘Support’ and ‘Specialist’, will bring new players to the game and reward veterans. The gameplay is as fast, smooth and incredibly fun as previous Call of Duty titles but there just seems to be a bit more balance than before, making it more than just a slight improvement.
In addition to the great campaign and excellent competitive multiplayer, MW3 also brings back the fan favorite Spec Ops mode from Modern Warfare 2 which can be played on all 16 multiplayer maps. Spec Ops has been fleshed out to become an even more complete mode which can be played solo or coop. For many, Spec Ops can become the spring board into the competitive multiplayer as it delivers similarly fast and smooth gameplay as well as an all new ‘Survival Mode’ ala Gears of War’s Horde Mode.
As if this package wasn’t already stellar enough, this year Activision has introduced a new statistic and community application called ‘Call of Duty ELITE’, developed by Beachhead. The app can be viewed on the Xbox 360, PS3, on a PC or via the mobile app which all help players to improve their game. ELITE houses all stats and accomplishments throughout players’ ‘careers’, it also features social capabilities and Call of Duty ELITE TV. The service has a lot of free features but can be extended into a fully comprehensive experience via a ‘Premium’ subscription which also includes upcoming DLC map packs.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is exactly what fans of the franchise, specifically the series, wanted out of it. Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer have successfully tied up the high octane single player story. Even though it may not be the best in the series, MW3’s plot is a short but epic experience. The competitive multiplayer with its new additions will have us call out sick a few times and the coop will bring us the water cooler moments we are used to from previous years. Call of Duty ELITE, though only partially functional during review, is a solid free service that can be expanded into the ultimate Call of Duty experience. Modern Warfare 3 delivers once again and is definitely worth your 60 Dollars.
Score: 9 / 10
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on November 8th. A retail copy of the Xbox 360 Hardened Edition was provided to us by Activision for reviewing purposes.
