Video Game Review: Modern Warfare 3

Yep, it’s that time of the year again.

It has started to become a habit for millions first-person shooter fans everywhere that when fall comes knockin’ on the door, and the landscape turns into a mesh of vibrant reds and gold, it’s time to start the countdown for the new Call of Duty (COD) game.

And if you’ve been an avid COD player like I have been in the last few years, you’ve probably read just about everything there was to do with the game before the release.

And if you have played the COD games since the pretty much flawless first Modern Warfare game, you’ve probably also noticed that each year, gameplay has slowly been creeping towards mediocrity and there seems to be a general lack of innovation with each new game.

If you, like myself, found Black Ops to be a bit of a bore (aside from the zombies mode), you probably were a bit apprehensive about this new COD game, and I have some good news and some bad news, depending on what you were hoping in this game.

To be honest, my hopes for this year’s COD installment weren’t very high. In fact, I was seriously considering to not even buying it (traitorous, I know).

The fact of the matter was that, all the tidbits of gameplay and leaked info simply didn’t excite me. In my eyes, the game seemed exactly like Modern Warfare 2, almost down to the pixel.

But after putting a good bit of hours into the game, I can say that it was much better than expected. Yes it is very much like Modern Warfare 2, but now with all the rough edges worked out and about as balanced of a first-person shooter game as it possibly can be.

Graphically, it’s what you come to expect from a COD game. Not exactly top of the line or as pretty as say a game like Battlefield 3 (especially on the PC). But where it lacks in graphical beauty, it excels in delivering top notch gameplay at a super smooth 60 frames per second, which is all glorified in the campaign. You can expect to blast through the campaign in a solid six or so hours, which has become pretty standard for COD games, but it is was fun while it lasted.

The storyline is much more cohesive than previous games, and I found the campaign to be much more enjoyable than the earlier releases (in which I found campaign to be entirely skippable).

The game is quite the cinematic experience and there are plenty of explosions and slow motion scenes to go around. The frequent change in setting, from

African jungles to the bitter cold mountains of northern Europe, was also a plus and helped keep me on my toes.

The spec ops mode is an absolute blast as always, teaming up with someone, be it split-screen or online, to complete the numerous missions is some of the best kinds of fun you can get from a video game.  Whether you and your partner are trying to beat your best time at the firing range or disarming nuclear submarines, each mission is packed with adrenaline pumping fun.

The new spec ops “survival” mode is also another great feature that will keep cooperative play fans coming back for more and more as you take on increasingly harder waves of enemies. Players can then save up money gained from kills, and can stock up on guns and equipment, including various turrets, as well as killstreaks to blast the poor baddies to hell. Think of a Gears of Wars’ horde mode, and you should have a good idea.

Multiplayer feels very similar to the previous COD games, with players racking up kills and calling in killstreak rewards, but there is also a distinct difference.

Killstreaks (arguably one of the most important elements of COD games) are now separated into three categories.

The assault strike package, which features your standard killstreaks such as predator missiles and AC-130 etc., which reset when you die.

The second is the support strike package, where killstreaks include UAVs and other non-‘killing’ killstreaks (aside from a few like the stealth bomber). These killstreaks do not reset when you die, but continue to add with every kill you get no matter if you die or not.

Then there is the specialist package, which instead of actual deployable weapons, you gain perks with each set of kills until all the perks in the game are attained.

These, along with new game modes like “Kill Confirmed” (one of my favorites), help mix up the game well enough to keep you interested and the seemingly thousands of unlocks and achievements can keep you busy for hundreds of hours.

So onto the verdict, if you were a fan of Modern Warfare 2, this is a game you should definitely pick up – if you’re willing to cough up the 60 bucks. For those who have hated just about anything COD related since the original Modern Warfare game, you probably will not enjoy this game. But if you just absolutely have to have your dose of competitive first-person shooter gaming, you could rent it for a day, and see how it feels.  Other than that, Battlefield 3 might be a better choice for you, another solid game in its own right.

This game is a solid release by Infinity Ward and definitely exceeded my expectations. It is essentially everything that Modern Warfare 2 could have been, with much of the bullshit perks, like one man army and other issues in the previous game, worked out and polished into a very well balanced gaming experience. Of course, this is a COD game after all, so rage quitting is a given, just maybe not as much as usual.

With that said, Modern Warfare 3 is game for the COD fanboy. You want new guns, maps and killstreaks? Buy this game. But don’t go into it hoping to find a shiny new concept, but there are definitely enough shiny new guns to own the lamenting noob.

Advocate Staff