Infinity Ward's most recent entry into the impressively long-running Call of Duty franchise is a new look at the Modern Warfare brand they established twelve years ago. Their justification for bringing back the name was their eagerness to explore the state of war today versus how it was in 2007.
With the game having just been released, most are in agreement that it meets, and even surpasses, the high standard set by the series. That's not to say everything about it is gravy, however. The following list will detail five things we love about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and five things we wish were a little better.
10 Love: Characters
The single-player campaign is about as long as one would expect from the franchise. In the approximately five hours it takes to go through, Infinity Ward packed in a handful of compelling characters who grow and change throughout the missions. All the playable protagonists get fleshed out arcs, and the supporting cast all have unique personalities. The developer has completely done away with the silent playable character, and this works to the benefit of the story and immersion.
9 Don't Love: Frame Rate
The PS4 Pro and Xbox One X don't suffer from this, but those playing on base hardware will unfortunately encounter moments where the frame rate drops below sixty. People have come to expect a smooth experience from Call of Duty, and it is disappointing to see not every console having one. It never drops below thirty, and the multiplayer stays smooth, but it is noticeable in some of the busier firefights. Some say it is a worthy trade off considering the graphics, but a few may have appreciated the option to tune down the visuals in favor of a rock solid sixty frames per second.
8 Love: Gunfight
Multiplayer games always try to go bigger, but the new Gunfight stands contrary to this trend. This two versus two competitive game puts players into tiny maps where the teams duke it out in rounds lasting forty seconds. Loadouts are randomized and equal for everyone. Like a fighting game, the limited number of opponents and short rounds makes one focus on their enemy, paying attention to their strategies and doing their best to counter. This concentrated experience comes out of left field, but it manages to be one of the best parts of the beefy multiplayer offering, and also something few other games have.
7 Don't Love: Some Of The Shocking Moments
Infinity Ward promised hard hitting drama in their new title, and they mostly delivered. However, some times they feel forced or the game play mechanics included in the segment remove some of the drama. "Hometown" is a perfect example of this.
Farah killing the Russian soldier is turned into a boss encounter, where the player must find a screwdriver and stab the guard several times. Additionally, the soldier is speaking English mixed with some curse words from his native tongue, which doesn't make much sense upon deeper reflection.
6 Love: The Graphics
The franchise finally moved on to a different engine, and the move has paid off in spades. It is an incredibly gorgeous first-person shooter. If the developers came on stage six months ago and said this is how a next-gen launch title was going to look, we would have believed them without blinking an eye. The lighting is an especially standout feature of the visuals. What's more, the graphical enhancements affect game play. One pays close attention to moving shadows or objects way out in the distance they wouldn't have noticed before.
5 Don't Love: Not Being On The Russian PlayStation Store
Sony has opted not to sell the game on the Russian PlayStation Store. It's a curious move, especially since it is still available in the country. Perhaps they want to avoid controversy because the Russian unit under General Barkov's command are depicted as an evil force, but it is unfortunate for fans of the series living in Russia. It is a work of fiction and not a condemnation of an entire country.
4 Love: Night Mode
At the time of this writing, Night Mode has not yet been added into the full game, but plenty got a taste of it during the beta. In this new way to play, maps are sent into darkness, forcing people to play with night vision goggles. Aiming down the sight reveals a laser sight, making one think strategically on when to aim and shoot. It is a subtle change, but it makes for a new way to think about competitive play.
3 Don't Love: Survival Mode Exclusivity
Cross-play is a gift, but not everyone can play every mode together. Survival mode is reserved exclusively for PS4 owners for a year. By then, people will be neck deep in the next entry. Gaming is as much a business as it is an art form, and deals between publishers and console manufacturers hurt players and lock content away from them just because they have the wrong console.
No one should be blaming Infinity Ward, however, since they are interested in making the greatest game possible and would love for as many people as possible to get their hands on it.
2 Love: Cinematics
Long gone are the days of briefings taking place during load screens. This time, the whole game plays out in a wonderfully dramatic fashion. The cutscenes are a notch above most other first-person shooters out there, with top of the line voice acting and animations. Several former Naughty Dog employees joined Infinity Ward to work on this project, and they no doubt brought their narrative prowess to the project. It gets exciting and bombastic at times, but the drama is the most interesting aspect of the story.
1 Don't Love: Villains
As great as the protagonists are, the villains leave much to be desired. There are about three in total, and they all feel one dimensional. They can each be described respectively as the evil terrorist, his loyal henchman, and the evil Russian general.
Past that, they have no characterization. We don't expect them to be sympathetic villains, but they could at least have a backstory or be given more time on screen. General Barkov in particular is given little to do throughout the campaign, except for the flashback missions.
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