Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Review

In Call of Duty, the single-player story in Modern Warfare 3 could be better. It could be deeper and more exciting, and it feels like they copied ideas from the older games instead of making new, exciting missions. The story focuses on remembering the past instead of creating its cool moments.

The plot can be confusing, and it's hard to follow. They tried something new with "open combat missions" by Sledgehammer Games, but it also has the same problems as the rest of the story.

Modern Warfare 3's Flawed "Open Combat Missions"

Sledgehammer Games tried something new in their game's story. They added "open combat missions," like big missions where you can do different tasks in your way. But sadly, these missions don't work well with the game's usual exciting storytelling. They feel like they're supposed to be exciting, but they end up feeling boring and poorly thought out.

This new way of playing fits differently from what people expect from a Call of Duty story. It's different from the awesome stories in the original Modern Warfare games. The game's story is becoming more like the multiplayer mode, and that's different from what players want. You end up spending more time looking for weapons and gear, which makes it feel more like a battle royale game than an exciting story.

So, they tried to make the game more open and flexible, but it didn't work well, and it feels like they took away what made Call of Duty games great.

The Illusion of Freedom

In the game, they try to let you choose how you want to do missions, but sometimes, you end up in big fights with many bad guys if you're not sneaky. The missions feel rushed and need the incredible and new stuff you usually get in a Call of Duty game. Also, you can't work with your team or talk to them, so it doesn't feel like you're part of a team like you should in this game series.

Monotony in the Open Combat Missions

In each battle, they have three very similar goals, which makes the game feel boring. Sometimes, it's fun to find new ways to finish tasks, but that excitement gets buried under the repetitiveness of doing the same thing in different places. It gets tiring every time they ask you to do another open combat mission, showing that they need more variety and creativity.

Bright Spots in Traditional Missions

Even though the action-packed missions in the open battlefield may not be as exciting as we hoped, there are a few other missions with a more straightforward and linear style that are quite fun. Two of them, where you battle it out in a frozen snowy area and another where you have to be sneaky, are particularly memorable.

However, they don't quite reach the level of excitement we experienced in classic Call of Duty missions like "All Ghillied Up." Overall, the campaign doesn't quite deliver the intense and engaging experience we usually expect from a Call of Duty game.

A Shallow Narrative

The story in the game's campaign could have been a great chance to dive into essential ideas, but it needed to go deeper. Instead, the game mostly leads you through battles, and the video clips that tell the story need more detail.

Unlike the memorable moments in older Call of Duty games, this campaign has a lot of movie-like scenes where you don't do much, so you feel like you're just watching, not taking part. This makes it hard to connect with the story on an emotional level.

Missed Opportunities and Superficial Themes

Even though the campaign deals with serious topics like terrorism and fake news, it doesn't explore them deeply. Instead of giving us thoughtful and meaningful stories, it goes for shock and surprise. It only handles important issues with care or depth, even though they are relevant today.

The reinvented character of Makarov, once a layered antagonist, loses depth and complexity in Modern Warfare 3. His one-dimensional portrayal falls short of the mark, with a script needing more nuance. This portrayal undermines the potential for a great villain, resulting in a lackluster character who fails to leave a lasting impact.

A Campaign Lacking Substance

In simple terms, the story in Modern Warfare 3's campaign is a letdown. It's like a short, four-hour adventure with not-so-surprising plot twists, and it relies too much on nostalgia from earlier games. The characters you care about don't feel genuine, and the story ends suddenly without a satisfying ending.

Even though the shooting, graphics, and sound are good, the story feels less clever than the ones before it and doesn't give players the exciting experience they expect from Call of Duty games.

The Final Verdict

The campaign in Modern Warfare 3 could be more inspiring. It's supposed to be a thrilling adventure worldwide, but it needs to catch up. The story doesn't grab your attention, and the new action missions need to fit better with the story.

The shooting parts are still good, but the overall campaign repeats what we've seen. If this is how all Call of Duty campaigns will be, it's time for the series to take a break and remember the great campaigns it used to have.