Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 is finally here and the series signature multi-player already has me hooked. Based on first impressions, it seems like the latest installment in the award-winning franchise is the bestCall of Duty yet.
Players will immediately see the similarities between Modern Warfare 3 and its predecessor. The game runs at a liquid smooth 60 frames per second. Aiming and shooting feels sharp and accurate, and there is no aiming delay while using sniper rifles. This allows players to “quick-scope,” a sniping technique players either loved or hated in Modern Warfare 2.
While the series’ reputation for smooth gunplay is upheld in the latest installment, players will immediately notice the visuals of Call of Duty are showing their years. The game is graphically on-par with Modern Warfare 2, which was released two years ago.
This is not to say Modern Warfare 3 is a bad-looking game. It is evident that developers, Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have put great care and creativity into the weapon models, the environments and the lighting. However, when compared to games like Rage, Gears of War 3, Uncharted 3 and (dare I mention) Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3 just doesn’t pop.
Most of my time with Modern Warfare 3 has been in multi-player. While I’ve only logged about five hours of playtime, I can already tell this is the most fully-featured Call of Duty yet. There are tons of unlockable guns, perks and titles for players to work toward as they play the game. Players are rewarded constantly as they accumulate time online.
Adjustments to the create-a-class system make the game much more balanced. Shotguns cannot be used as secondary weapons and the new “strike-package” system allows players to assume a support role for the team.
In my limited time with Modern Warfare 3, I was able to complete the first three missions of the single-player campaign. From the moment the player begins the game, the game is an all-out adrenaline roller coaster.
Over the course of the first three levels, players will battle through the New York Stock Exchange, guide predator missiles into hordes of Russian soldiers, shoot down Russian attack helicopters while dodging and weaving through skyscrapers, blow up a Russian submarine and drive a boat through hundreds of exploding battleships.
Think of a Michael Bay movie and multiply it by 10–you’ll have a snapshot of Modern Warfare 3. While I haven’t played Modern Warfare 3 enough to give it a fair rating, it’s safe to say this game is a must-play for fans of the series. Be sure to check back for a full review next Tuesday.
