Summary
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has received criticism for lacking original content, being seen as a glorified DLC for its predecessor.
- Still, the War multiplayer mode stands out in the game, offering large-scale objective-based gameplay that deviates from the usual CoD experience.
- However, War currently lacks content, with only one Operation available, limiting the mode's replayability. Sledgehammer Games should focus on improving and expanding the mode to maintain its player base.
The recently launched Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has faced some criticism for the lack of original content that it possesses. Despite being priced as a full premium release, many fans are characterizing the new game as a glorified DLC for its predecessor, but this is not to say the game has not made some great innovations to previous CoD formulas.
One mode in particular that is shining in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the War multiplayer mode, which offers large-scale objective-based gameplay. Since War is currently one of the shining beacons in Modern Warfare 3's storm of recent criticism, it is important that Sledgehammer Games bolsters the mode while it still has an engaged player-base. The current content limitations of War are clear to see, and the mode would be wasting a lot of potential if it is not expanded soon.
Modern Warfare 3: War Has the Makings of a Great Mode
War was a game mode that was first introduced in 2017's Call of Duty: WW2, which, like MW3, was developed by Sledgehammer Games. The mode plunges players into large-scale narrative-driven missions, with one team attacking and one defending, and objectives drive both teams to either advance deeper into enemy lines or to defend a position to the death.
Many felt that War gave a much more cinematic and immersive spin to the otherwise rapid and wacky gameplay of CoD multiplayer, which worked perfectly with its original Second World War setting. War was a highlight of CoD: WW2, with Sledgehammer Games clearly acknowledging the benefits of the mode via its inclusion in Modern Warfare 3.
With players having to be strategic to achieve their objectives while utilizing unique mechanics such as cover building, it is clear to see why War has already attracted so many players in Modern Warfare 3. Despite this, the lack of content within the War mode is currently a big issue for the experience, with there currently only being one War Operation that players can engage in. Operations dictate where a War match is set and what objectives are available, with Operation Spearhead being set in Modern Warfare 3's fictional country of Urzikstan.
Modern Warfare 3's War is Bare-bones as Things Stand
Spearhead being the only War Operation in Modern Warfare 3 severely limits the replayability of the mode, and many fans will inevitably grow tired of War if this is not changed soon. As things stand in Operation Spearhead, players can only engage with the following in-game objectives:
- Escort or halt a tank.
- Hold anti-aircraft sites.
- Launch or halt missiles.
With these objectives currently being the same for every single War match, the need for a wider variety of experiences for the mode is obvious. Of course, Call of Duty's multiplayer is typified by consistent post-launch content updates, and these would be a perfect opportunity to make improvements to War.
A lot of attention is currently turning toward Season One of Modern Warfare 3's multiplayer, which is expected to launch on December 6 if past CoD seasons are anything to go by. While there are other important content areas that Season One should cover, like the introduction of Gunfight, a brand-new Operation for War could be the perfect way to increase the mode's longevity and maintain its player base.
It would be wise for a new War Operation to feature a brand-new set of objectives for players to carry out, as well as a new setting, perhaps taking the franchise back to the iconic streets of Verdansk. War has been great for giving Modern Warfare 3 its own sense of identity, but this success could be short-lived if Sledgehammer does not flesh out the mode any further over the coming weeks.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 58 /100 Critics Rec: 14%
- Released
- November 10, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- iw 9.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
The war has changed. Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet
- Franchise
- Call of Duty, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- 5 Hours
