22 Dec, 2011
Title: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Platform: X360 / PS3 / PC / Wii
Developer: Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games
Publisher: Activision
TL;DR: Shoot things. Michael Bay.
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If there ever was a game that was an homage to all things Michael Bay, then look no further than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. There are so many explosions and pointless flashes of light that it almost felt like Michael Bay himself directed this game. Alas, he did not.
In all seriousness though, if you are a fan of military shooters, then by all means, this game is certainly up your alley. If you were a fan of previous Modern Warfare titles, then this game is for you. However, if you are not, or are looking to get a bit of a “realistic military shooter” education, then don’t even think about touching this one with a forty-foot pole.
Perhaps the one thing that Infinity Ward will continue to impress with is the framerate of their games. It is perhaps one of the best I have ever seen in a game. It moves very smoothly, there is minimal freezing, and there is next to no slicing when it comes to the display on your screen. All in all, very impressive considering the amount of action that is happening on your screen at any given time. There’s always enemies around every corner, lots of gunfire, and there’s always background explosions. Being able to keep up with that and have no lag or freezing is incredibly impressive.
One thing that definitely isn’t impressive with Modern Warfare 3 is the plotline of the single-player campaign. It has more holes in it than your backside on Veteran mode. It’s obvious that those in charge of writing assumed that everyone who picked up the game had a working knowledge of all the previous Modern Warfare games.
You begin the game as Frost, a member of Delta Force Team Metal during the fictional events of World War III. The opening scene places you in a situation to neutralize Russian forces that have taken over New York City, specifically the Stock Exchange. After taking care of business there, you move on to destroy a Russian sub that has been parked in New York Harbor.
Then the perspective is changed for a moment, and you take the role of Yuri, an operative in India that was introduced to players in previous Modern Warfare titles. As you proceed with the campaign, it becomes quite clear that the storytelling is designed to go together through different perspectives, with one section taking place as Frost, another as Yuri, and some other sections with other characters.
However, it’s also obvious that Infinity Ward and Activision’s intentions were to give players training ground for the ever-popular multiplayer. Clearly, their focus was not on an award-winning campaign. With a very short three-act campaign that can easily be capped in less than six hours, there really is no reason for people to play this game unless they want to go straight to the multiplayer. Or if they like achievements.
That’s not to say that this game doesn’t have entertainment value — it has plenty of it. If you like to mindlessly shoot things and watch things explode in fiery glory, this will keep you entertained to no end. If you like to grab a bunch of friends, snipe them off of ledges and into oblivion, then this will definitely keep you entertained.
The multiplayer portion of the game offers a wide variety of maps, game types, and other things to keep multiplaying shooter fans happy. However, as someone who doesn’t like to play those types, I can’t really comment either way on whether it’s terribly exciting or terribly terrible. All I can say is that a majority of Xbox Live players are playing Modern Warfare 3 right now, and you’re probably missing out on a heated match.
Modern Warfare 3 is definitely the right game for military shooter fans. However, if you’re looking for a more fulfilling gaming experience, this is a game you’re likely to not appreciate.
The Good
Great framerate in a game that has so much action going on. Multiplayer varieties will definitely keep fans of the genre happy.
The Bad
Lackluster campaign experience. The game seems to be carried by multiplayer only, and not by much else.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is currently available at all major retailers across all major gaming platforms.
Family Focus
This is definitely not a family title. With an ESRB rating of M and a PEGI 18 rating, no. It’s war, killing other people, and a close up of the disasters of conflicts. If you’re one of those people who let your ten year-old play it on Xbox Live or whatever, then you’re a bad parent. End of story.
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