Call of Duty has been in decline ever since Black Ops II. After the majority of developers left Infinity Ward to form Respawn, Call of Duty failed to find its center. The Modern Warfare trilogy was the height of the franchise and propelled the series into modern times. At the time, Modern Warfare 2 was the best Call of Duty game. Until now. The new Modern Warfare is the best Call of Duty game. It is not only set in modern times, but it brings warfare into the modern era. This isn’t a fight between nation-states, but rather terrorists which will kill indiscriminately to achieve as much carnage as possible. It’s a reimagining of the original trilogy, with characters old and new, like the enigmatic Captain Price, who is a fan-favorite. The game is the most intense Call of Duty yet and hopefully its sequel ups the ante.
Captain John Price
Many of the developers who left Infinity Ward for Respawn returned to the former and were intimately involved in the development of Modern Warfare; this is one of the reasons it was so excellent. Treyarch may be good, but OG Infinity Ward is superb and created the best games in the franchise. Up to this point, Modern Warfare 2 took the cake, but Modern Warfare outpaces it in almost every way. The only weak point is the multiplayer maps, but more are being added (for free I may add!), and we may see some classics return. The multiplayer itself though is the best its ever been. There are new and classic modes alike, and with cross-play, Ground War is a wonderful addition with two 32-player teams duking it out. I used to play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on PC, and this emulates that experience rather nicely. Team-based objective modes like Headquarters and Domination return, and the best part about this is that you can actually customize your playlist so that you are only put into matches with the game modes of your choice – no more backing out simply because you don’t want to play Team Deathmatch. As someone who prefers objective-based modes, this is a great feature and allows a smooth playing experience.
Multiplayer
All of your favorite guns return, including the Scar, which is my personal favorite. Infinity Ward couldn’t have done a better job if they wanted to. Although some enjoyed the multiplayer aspects of Black Ops IIII (it was only multiplayer, after all), it was lacking something. After a while, it wasn’t particularly fun. The Blackout battle royale mode was cool, but given how well Fortnite has perfected the battle royale genre, it was a bit of a waste. And that was the selling point of the game. Modern Warfare takes the mistakes of Black Ops IIII and puts the series back on track. Multiplayer and single-player included.
An intense mission in London
While the multiplayer in Modern Warfare is great, it’s the campaign that truly shines. It catapults Call of Duty into brand new territory. Enemies will literally run at you with a suicide vest and if you aren’t quick on your feet, you’ll be blown to smithereens. These are adversaries that know no bounds and are unlike anything presented in the Modern Warfare series within the Call of Duty franchise thus far. It’s refreshing, and incredibly realistic. The game starts out with a terrorist attack in London. Armed with a simple pistol, you have to navigate your way through the city, save civilians, and take out the terrorists as you go along. It’s a riveting mission and sets the tone for the entire game. It’s intense, moreso than any other Call of Duty mission.
The initial warning for the game’s intensity when you attempt to play the campaign isn’t for the faint of heart; this is not a game that should be played by anyone under the age of 17. While Modern Warfare 2 was grand in scope, catapulting the world into a world war, Modern Warfare deals with the harsh realities of war. There are some scenes and some missions that are so shocking they will make your stomach turn, but that’s the point; war is not something to be glorified. Black Ops IIII ditched a campaign, which was a mistake, but in retrospect, it set the stage for Modern Warfare’s excellent campaign and the series’ return to form, which I must thank it for.
An Iconic Character
From multiplayer to its excellent campaign, Modern Warfare is the best Call of Duty game. And the sales don’t lie – Modern Warfare is outpacing Black Ops IIII and earned $600 million in a matter of three days. Fans have been craving another Modern Warfare and its classic characters for years, and now that they have gotten it, consumers are speaking with their wallets. Call of Duty has been off track for years, but Modern Warfare has revitalized the franchise. The fact that the original developers returned to make the game is a testament to the power of the Modern Warfare brand.
Modern Warfare ends on quite the cliffhanger, and longtime fans of the series are now on the edge of their seats waiting for the sequel. If everything pans out to its fullest potential in Modern Warfare 2, it may surpass Modern Warfare and make Call of Duty one of the best franchises in the gaming industry again.