Should we save the Call of Duty soldier? As we write these lines, the last episode of the most famous shooting game (Modern Warfare 3) is taking bullet after bullet, all over the web. A justified grumble? In this review, we strive to see all the qualities (and weaknesses) of this opus. For your information, we equipped our characters with MW3 Camo Boosting for a better experience.
Foreword:
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 was released in a particular context. On November 9, that is to say, the day before the launch of the part, Jason Schreier published a new investigation in the columns of Bloomberg… Inside, the journalist describes a “hurried” production, where the developers had to crunch the night and the weekend to finish the title.
For the first time in its history, Call of Duty is releasing the same “sub-series” two years in a row! Yes, the most famous shooting game is back with a third rereading of its flagship universe… Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 thus presents itself both as a direct sequel to the adventures of Captain Price and his friends – but also as a truly nostalgic package, with the return of maps and features that will please long-time players. We’ll break it down for you and explain whether it’s worth checking out.
A campaign that misses its target
We’re putting our feet into the campaign. As explained above, Modern Warfare 3 is a direct sequel to last year’s episode… We therefore find the formidable Task Force 141 (Price, Ghost, Gaz, and Soap) who will have to do everything to stop the terrible Makarov! A big bad guy whom Modern Warfare fans know well and who is planning a series of attacks to set the world ablaze. Our heroes will then have to empty the charger all around the globe – as part of an adventure made up of fifteen missions (4 to 5 hours of life in a straight line).
Let’s not beat around the bush: the Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 campaign is clearly not the game’s strong point, and it fails to live up to the original episodes! Already because it is really short and it rarely takes the time to set up any stakes (one just has the impression of going from one twisted move by Makarov to the next) – but above all because it feels more like a collection of small experiences than a complete, thrilling adventure. A problem notably caused by the open combat missions, sequences that are much more open than usual and which constitute the novelty of the single-player… Here, you can choose your equipment, approach the objectives as you please, and even find weapons. More challenging phases than usual where it will take several attempts before winning. A nice idea on paper, but it turns out to be clumsily implemented (with one exception).
Multiplayer: simple but effective
But let’s move on to something more enjoyable: multiplayer. A big piece of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 whose key word is “nostalgia”! From launch, Sledgehammer offers sixteen maps from Modern Warfare 2 from 2009. Cult maps are dedicated exclusively to “6v6” games, including the famous alleys of Favela, the roof of Highrise, and the famous Terminal airport. Frankly, what a pleasure to find these battlefields, whose level of design remains as effective as ever. Beyond updated visuals, Modern Warfare 3 adds doors that open and close – this can be important in domination for example – and a few pools where you can swim. Above all, the return of these cards is an opportunity to take advantage of modes that did not exist at the time, such as Strategic Point, Control (from the 2022 section), or even the new “Coupe-Gorge”.
After all, a gameplay that makes the difference?
Because while we’re talking about nostalgia, this opus seeks to “caress the fans in the right direction” with the return of features highly requested by the community. Alongside the vote to choose a map during an online game, we notice the return of two important things: the classic mini-map, where players who shoot without a silencer are indicated by a red dot, at the top left of the screen; and slide-cancel, which allows you to interrupt a slide at any time. A gesture certainly interested on the part of Activision, but it works really well controller in hand. The return of the radar of yesteryear gives an almost asymmetrical flavor to the confrontations, where we must constantly juggle between sound, image, and the interface, while the new pirouette on the ground gives us even a little more control over our movements. Besides, speaking of control, the title introduces a super pleasant novelty. This is the “Tactical Position”, a new aiming mode to shoot at short and medium range without looking through the scope of your weapon. This allows you to be versatile, even with a large zoom, and to put a little more emphasis on the offensive approach. A brand new mechanism that is really fun to master.
So is this game worth playing? Of course!
