Is it worth getting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3?
With every year comes a new Call of Duty game. Last year, we gave players Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 from developer Infinity Ward, and this year, we have delivered the next Modern Warfare title from original Modern Warfare 3 co-developer Sledgehammer Games.
The Call of Duty franchise has always been the bread and butter of publisher Activision, and this year saw the release of the latest entry from COD, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. With the first Modern Warfare 3 coming out more than ten years ago for the PS3 generation of consoles, a lot of fans have been wondering if this entry in the series is worth getting; admittedly, the reviews from critics online have been mixed at best
If anything, Modern Warfare 3 has several elements that make or break the game, and while some may hate one, they can praise the other. This article breaks it down into three main components: the Campaign, the Multiplayer, and the Zombies Expansion Mode.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Campaign
One of the core elements of the Call of Duty games has always been the campaign, usually giving players a serious story with memorable characters that give context to all of the action. When it comes to Modern Warfare 3, though, the campaign is considered one of the weakest elements of the latest entry.
Not only is the campaign considered incredibly short, but it’s also said there’s very little variety with the missions, usually resulting in players being told to run to places and retrieve a specific thing. Admittedly, there are some small unique moments in the campaign—like having to rappel down a building and use the prisoners as a distraction for the enemy—but overall, there just wasn’t enough spectacle in this campaign to live up to what’s come in previous Call of Duty: Modern Warfare entries.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Multiplayer
Though the campaign has received much flak from critics, the opposite can be said for the multiplayer element of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. With COD being one of the foundations of the first-person shooter genre, it would only make sense that its multiplayer mode for MW3 would still feel solid for players.
The mode doesn’t present anything new. A lot have commended that the gameplay for multiplayer still feels pretty solid, and the maps available compared with the game modes have all been fun. It should be no mystery that the quality of the multiplayer mode should be honed, as it is the main element that is expected to keep the game making income, what with all the microtransactions and gear that players can purchase and show off online.
Some say that the multiplayer for MW3 is essentially just the multiplayer for MW2, but at least some tweaks have been made to enhance the gameplay experience; some have said that this was Sledgehammer listening to the online community. Having abilities like canceling your slide and reload animations means more efficiency for players who want to go pro.
Probably the best thing about Modern Warfare 3 is that it will port over all of the purchases you’ve made with last year’s Modern Warfare 2, saving you from having to earn all the new gear and cosmetics from the ground up like with every usual new entry.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 Zombies
With Multiplayer mode focused on how players fight against other players, the Zombies mode of Modern Warfare 3 is all about the player going up against the environment (i.e., PvE).
Call of Duty games have gone through multiple Zombie modes before, and MW3’s new version has been dubbed Operation Deadbolt.
Some say Deadbolt feels like an older mode from the previous COD game Warzone called DMZ, but with zombies, it pretty much shows. Admittedly, some players are not enthused about the open world filled with zombies as things start feeling pretty empty.
However, they love the challenge of getting closer to the center of the map, as that area will contain all the tougher enemies. Depending on what you want out of COD, this passes for a passable Zombie mode.
Should You Get Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3?
For now, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 stands with a Metacritic score of 56—and that’s already a score compiled from several other critics online.
Longtime fans of the COD franchise don’t seem thrilled about the newest entry, seeing that there isn’t much that has been changed from the last game, and they consider the story campaign to be a tad lackluster.
Fans who have purchased items from Modern Warfare 2 will be pleased to know that their items from the last game are available in MW3, a feature some hope will be prevalent in future COD games.
For fans new to COD, though, Modern Warfare 3 could be a great entry point into the franchise if you’re unfamiliar with what came before it. Despite the negative reviews, many players admit that Call of Duty still has a very signature feel when it comes to its multiplayer, and the Zombies mode is also said to be a standout when it comes to this latest entry.
So, is it worth getting COD: MW3? As a new COD player, sure, but as a longtime fan? Maybe it’s best to wait for a sale in a couple of months or maybe a year.
