Platform: PS3/Xbox 360/Wii/PC
Overall Rating: 4.9/5
Graphics: 7/10
Game-play: 15/10
Story: 6/10
Soundtrack: 6/10
Price: Varying depending on platform and retail method.
The award-winning FPS franchise Call of Duty is back with their latest installment, Modern Warfare 3. Set immediately after the events of Modern Warfare 3, you play as a wide range of characters and factions based in the world war initiated in MW2.
The series returns with a wide range of new features and improvements. This includes a new "Spec Ops: Survival" mode, based of the "Nazi Zombies" mode from Black Ops and World at War. The objective is simple: survive. As you kill waves of opponents you earn cash which allows you to buy weapons, equipment, perks, and air support (including a team of computer controlled Delta commandos. In Spec Op: Survival you can play either solo or with a second person.
The multiplayer is also significantly different from Black Ops, with the maps having less choke points has more paths to choose from. These can slow the gamplay down like in FFA with the bigger maps, but otherwise work better than in the previous CoD title. The MP is quite fast paced, and often quite frantic, particularly in modes like Team Deathmatch and on the smaller FFA maps. Unfortunately the hardcore modes do tend to be a bit campy since respawns have a rather long timer. There is also the introduction of a new mode called "Kill Confirmed" where after killing an opposing team-member the player (or a team mate) must confirm the kill by picking up the dog-tags dropped upon death, and "Team Defender" where one team controls a flag for points by having it held by a player while the other team try to take it by killing the flag holder. Think of it as being similiar to king-of-the-hill, with the hill being a flag (sort-of).
The multiplayer is also significantly different from Black Ops, with the maps having less choke points has more paths to choose from. These can slow the gamplay down like in FFA with the bigger maps, but otherwise work better than in the previous CoD title. The MP is quite fast paced, and often quite frantic, particularly in modes like Team Deathmatch and on the smaller FFA maps. Unfortunately the hardcore modes do tend to be a bit campy since respawns have a rather long timer. There is also the introduction of a new mode called "Kill Confirmed" where after killing an opposing team-member the player (or a team mate) must confirm the kill by picking up the dog-tags dropped upon death, and "Team Defender" where one team controls a flag for points by having it held by a player while the other team try to take it by killing the flag holder. Think of it as being similiar to king-of-the-hill, with the hill being a flag (sort-of).
Killstreaks have now been removed from the game and replaced with "Pointstreaks". These function similarly to Killstreaks except now following objectives and getting assists will also contribute. With the Pointstreaks comes Strike Packages which allow each of your classes to have different rewards for going up the Pointstreak ladder. These come in the form of the Assault Package, the Support Package, and the Specialist Package. The Assault Package provides offensive rewards and reset upon death (like the traditional killstreaks). The Support Package provides defensive and supporting rewards and do not reset upon death. The Specialist Package allows you to accumulate perks (going 2, 4, 6 and upon 8 you get all the perks, and at 25 you can call in a M.O.A.B. These allow each class to be focused towards a different play style. It also helps focus the
There also has been the introduction of weapon proficiencies. As you use a weapon you will increase and this unlocks weapon attachments, camouflages and proficiencies. Proficiencies improve a certain aspect of the weapon including recoil, stability, cover penetration and allowing for 2 attachments.
Another rather large change is the way that the guns handle. Both Black Ops and MW2 (though particularly MW2) had notably absent recoil and almost laser-like accuracy from rifles when the player aimed down the sights which many players found annoying. This however has been changed with weapons having idle sway when ADS is engaged, and all weapons actually have some level of recoil and inaccuracy (which makes pinning the trigger less of a viable option).
The perks have also been reworked for better balance. For example with several of the over-popular perks being separated, i.e. Ghost is now Blind Eye and Assassin, Sleight of Hand has had the traditional pro variant moved to a separate perk, etc.
One of the let downs of the game were the maps, while they were enjoyable and well suited to the fast-paced, enemies-at-10-feet-away style of FPS, they were lacking a sense of size and I found even the bigger maps smallish and undeserving of sniper rifles. Perhaps I have been skewed by the massive maps of BF3, but I still think that sniper rifles really don't belong much in these sized maps and unfortunately as a side result, we end up with sniper rifles being used for just quick-scoping, while being a neat skill,IMO is really abusing the properties of how sniper rifle are coded.
There also has been the introduction of weapon proficiencies. As you use a weapon you will increase and this unlocks weapon attachments, camouflages and proficiencies. Proficiencies improve a certain aspect of the weapon including recoil, stability, cover penetration and allowing for 2 attachments.
Another rather large change is the way that the guns handle. Both Black Ops and MW2 (though particularly MW2) had notably absent recoil and almost laser-like accuracy from rifles when the player aimed down the sights which many players found annoying. This however has been changed with weapons having idle sway when ADS is engaged, and all weapons actually have some level of recoil and inaccuracy (which makes pinning the trigger less of a viable option).
The perks have also been reworked for better balance. For example with several of the over-popular perks being separated, i.e. Ghost is now Blind Eye and Assassin, Sleight of Hand has had the traditional pro variant moved to a separate perk, etc.
One of the let downs of the game were the maps, while they were enjoyable and well suited to the fast-paced, enemies-at-10-feet-away style of FPS, they were lacking a sense of size and I found even the bigger maps smallish and undeserving of sniper rifles. Perhaps I have been skewed by the massive maps of BF3, but I still think that sniper rifles really don't belong much in these sized maps and unfortunately as a side result, we end up with sniper rifles being used for just quick-scoping, while being a neat skill,IMO is really abusing the properties of how sniper rifle are coded.
The campaign is unfortunately not as enjoyable as the multiplayer, but it does provide the same high-quality campaigns we have come to expect from Infinity Ward. The characters are both realistic and emotive and provide an enjoyable 10 hour campaign. The Spec Op missions are also enjoyable, but can get boring quick for some.
The soundtrack for MW3 is also quite impressive for a mainstream FPS, featuring a wide range of instrumental soundtracks which will play at certain points in missions as opposed to the whole time. This made the emotional scenes in the campaign really come alive, and makes the last minutes of a multiplayer match seem all the more frantic.
On the PC side however things aren't looking quite so great. The PC release has been received with quite some critism, with the matchmaking being poorer that console, and many servers being classed as "un-ranked" due to strict rules by Activision. Also, there has been some complains about the FOV being locked at 60-65. While this works on console since consolers sit so far away from the TV, it's not so good for the PC, so many have had issues with it.
On the PC side however things aren't looking quite so great. The PC release has been received with quite some critism, with the matchmaking being poorer that console, and many servers being classed as "un-ranked" due to strict rules by Activision. Also, there has been some complains about the FOV being locked at 60-65. While this works on console since consolers sit so far away from the TV, it's not so good for the PC, so many have had issues with it.
Despite these hiccups, it is easily one of the better games of the year, and definitely on par with Battlefield 3. Albeit, in a different manner
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