The Call of Duty franchise, renowned for its high-octane action and, more often than not, narrative-driven single-player campaigns, has hit a stumbling block with its latest installment, Modern Warfare 3. Players who had accessed Modern Warfare 3 early through digital editions were met with a campaign that failed to live up to even the lowest standards. A plethora of early access reviews and firsthand accounts have painted a disappointing picture of the game’s campaign, one that not only feels abbreviated but is also lacking in depth and respect for its predecessors.
The first grievance comes with the campaign’s length. The duration of a typical Call of Duty campaign ranges from five to eight hours. This has been a hallmark of the series, striking a balance between brevity and entertainment. However, Modern Warfare 3’s campaign is alarmingly short, even for a Call of Duty game. It averages around three to five hours to complete, which is a significant reduction in playtime compared to previous iterations. The internet couldn’t help but poke fun at Modern Warfare 3’s abbreviated campaign, with many expressing dissatisfaction at its brevity, especially as a full-priced game. Worse still is that Activision tried to justify Modern Warfare 3’s humongous file size due to how much content it has at launch, which is now a laughable claim given how bare and empty gameplay feels.
Secondly, the campaign’s structure and execution have raised eyebrows. The game features 15 missions, which is a slight decrease from its predecessor’s 17. The campaign’s narrative thrusts players into a globe-trotting adventure, including a revisit to locations such as Verdansk. However, players have criticized the overuse of certain locales and the purported “open-ended” missions which, instead of offering meaningful freedom, come across as directionless and isolated, devoid of the team dynamics and high-stakes choreography that fans have come to expect from the series.
Finally, Modern Warfare 3’s story and character development, or lack thereof, are points of contention. Players lament its underdeveloped plot and the absence of compelling character arcs, especially when juxtaposed with previous titles like Vanguard, which, despite its flaws, managed to infuse its characters with depth and engage players on an emotional level. Modern Warfare 3, in contrast, has been criticized for presenting a narrative that feels disjointed and uninspired, leading to an emotional disconnect with what was supposed to be some of the franchise’s most iconic characters.
TLDR; Modern Warfare 3’s campaign feels like Activision phoned it in.
Coincidentally, shortly after its launch, Modern Warfare 2 was said to receive a “premium-priced” DLC, which apparently turned out to be Modern Warfare 3. If these unconfirmed rumors are true, then it makes sense why Modern Warfare 3 feels like half a game.
While Activision isn’t the only developer guilty of releasing half-sequels – we’re looking at you, Sony – at least the other developers experimenting with these shorter entries don’t shortchange their fans.
Ultimately, the sales will speak for themselves. If Modern Warfare 3 sells as well as Vanguard, which is one of the worse-selling Call of Duty entries in years, then Activision might go back to the drawing board. If that isn’t enough to compel it, then maybe if Treyarch and Raven Software come up with a banger next year, we’ll finally see Activision reconsider its yearly cycle. Either that or Microsoft will force Activision to shift strategies, similar to what it probably did when Arkane Studios released Redfall earlier this year.
Speaking of, expectations are high for Treyarch’s next installment in 2024. The studio has been busy providing support for both Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games in recent years. Its most recent entry, Black Ops – Cold War, sold well despite the mixed reviews. But, it’s worth noting that Treyarch cobbled it up with a rushed development cycle in the middle of a global pandemic. Now that Treyarch has had more time to work its magic, next year’s Call of Duty might be worth slogging through the dull entry that FPS fans are getting this year.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 still isn’t available on the Game Pass and it likely won’t be until next year.
