Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Review

Activision attempts to change the fortunes of the franchise with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The 2019 soft reboot aims to recapture the spirit of the original hit, going back to what made the series great.

After all, recent Call of Duty games have faced criticism for straying too far from the traditional formula. Many fans have complained about gameplay changes that they feel alienated them. Just how successfully they’ve managed to address those issues is something this review will attempt to answer.

Story

Throughout development, Infinity Ward was quick to point out that they wanted to incorporate a more mature narrative. Most Call of Duty games have overblown and action-orientated singleplayer campaigns. However, with Modern Warfare, the studio attempted to have a more nuanced and grown-up story. Real world events inspire important plot points and the game attempts to highlight the moral problems in war. The end result is that the story in Modern Warfare is arguably the best in the series to date. There is tension, drama, and it also raises questions that the series has not explored before.

Controversial moments are not something the series has ever shied away from. Many players will remember the uproar that erupted over the mission ‘No Russian’ in 2009. It seems like both the developer and publisher are still prepared to use similar shock tactics to attract attention. The new game contains several contentious scenes that have attracted criticism. Yet, they don’t detract from the experience too much.