Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a smash hit, as any new CoD game is on first release. A story mode inspired by the complexities of real-world warfare is seen by many as a return to form for the franchise, while many changes came to multiplayer game modes to give them a new flavor. These changes have been divisive for many and the game does have its faults, but for the most part the attempts to refresh the iconic series have done more good than ill. As many shooters these days get a lot of attention from developers after release, players will also likely see balancing changes implemented to fix some of the more egregious faults that the game currently has.
Many of the changes that have taken place in the new Modern Warfare seem inspired by other popular first-person shooters. While Call of Duty remains one of the most influential FPS games ever, learning from the successes of its competitors is a good way to improve the game in the long run. Whether it be in individual mechanics or in some of the many new game modes offered in Modern Warfare, the influence of other popular shooters can be tangibly felt.
Battlefield
Battlefield likely has the largest influence on this Modern Warfare title out of any modern shooter. The Battlefield games pioneered massive player counts in huge multiplayer maps, and their most recent games set in World Wars I and II have managed to be truly cinematic experiences. These games have had massive maps with various objectives, historically accurate weapons to unlock, and a slower pace to combat than other shooters. Because the huge maps often favor long-range combat, traversing wide areas and finding cover becomes a focus in navigating the battleground and gaining the upper hand.
The most obvious parallel between Modern Warfare and Battlefield games is the new Ground War mode added to Call of Duty, which allows two massive teams to duke it out on huge maps. The tactical realism has also increased in this Modern Warfare title, with a focus on realistic current-day weapons and environmental gameplay. Even outside of the large Ground War game mode, many of the maps in Modern Warfare are large, asymmetrical, have long lines of sight, and require more attention payed to traversal to avoid being caught in the open. Larger maps have caused some issues when applied to a Call of Duty playstyle, but as players learn the maps and updates are made to the spawn system, more complex arenas are beginning to show their merits.
Counter Strike and Rainbow Six: Siege
Some of the new game modes in Modern Warfare eschew the tried-and-true run-and-gun gameplay in favor of modes with more focused objectives and without respawns. Cyber Attack allows players to revive each other as they seek to destroy the other team's objective, while Search and Destroy features no respawns or revives and two objectives to protect or destroy.
These modes encourage teamplay, communication, and slower strategies reminiscent of tactical shooters like R6 Siege and Counter Strike. These slower, more punishing modes offer a different kind of intensity than the usual fast-paced sprinting and blasting of Modern Warfare team deathmatches. These modes may help add some diversity to the style of play that Call of Duty can offer, and those who don't like it can always remove them from their matchmaking preferences.
At the same time, other modes offer very fast-paced gameplay that ought to satisfy many long-time franchise fans. The Gunfight game mode may be the best multiplayer mode available in this regard. Gunfight pits two teams of two players against each other in very small maps, with the objectives, sides, and weapons constantly changing.
This mode has some very unique elements. the randomly generated loadouts are reminiscent of some of the wacky game modes that are available in Halo games, while its small maps and intense team coordination make for an endlessly entertaining experience.
Pros and Cons
Changes to any franchise take time to get used to. No matter what, adding new features and taking away old ones will always alienate some fans who just long for their old favorite games to be new again. There is something to this; anything new will have plenty of faults to work out. It will take time for some of these mechanics to find their home in the CoD formula, but in the long run they will likely serve to keep the game fresh and give gamers something new to hone their skills with.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.