What The Critics Are Saying About Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is officially out in stores, and over the past day or so, reviews have been flying in from critics who had the chance to go hands on with the game's campaign and multiplayer modes. What's the overall feeling so far about the new Modern Warfare? It's a solid effort, with an interesting campaign and at least one new multiplayer mode that could play a big role in the series' future.

We've gathered some of what the critics have been saying about the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare reboot, so without further delay, let's dive into it.

By all accounts, Infinity Ward has mostly succeeded in reminding players that it was the studio behind the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as well as Modern Warfare 2. This latest go-round attempts to go where those games did with their stories;  you know, back before Activision started taking less risks and started hiring more big-name actors for its Call of Duty campaigns.

There are a lot of uncomfortable moments. Players are put into some unenviable positions and are asked to make some tough decisions. Game Informer noted the many "intense and disturbing moments" players will encounter during their playthroughs. And Games Radar wrote the new campaign is "less Shock and Awe, and more contemplative overall; more precise and more consistent in its creative vision, direction, and execution than its spiritual predecessor."

But not everyone heaped praise onto the campaign. GameSpot, for example, found that the game didn't go as deep as it should have, as "the questions raised by your actions aren't interrogated further." So while this may be one of the better Call of Duty campaigns in recent memory, there is still room for the series to improve.

Call of Duty's standard deathmatch multiplayer mode has definitely evolved over the franchise's many years. What used to be a fast paced guns-only affair is now something a little bit different. Case in point: there are now killstreaks, which reward those going on a tear in multiplayer with the opportunity to score even more kills via a flyover from a fighter jet. And those kills, to many, feel kind of cheap.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's Gunfight mode, however, appears to be a saving grace for the purists who want to compete in a less arcadey affair. It's a mode that a lot of old school Call of Duty players are going to flock to. And it could become the new Twitch-slash-esports hotness if Activision plays its cards right.

GameSpot, for example, calls Gunfight "the antithesis of TDM 20," the new mode which basically takes the 6 vs. 6 deathmatch mode and makes it 10 vs. 10. GameSpot found that mode to be a bit too "bloated," and preferred the small maps and fast action of Gunfight instead. PC Gamer railed against Call of Duty's decision to continue on with killstreaks in its main multiplayer modes, yet found Gunfight to be a "bastion away from that chaos." And over at Game Informer, that outlet's critic had the following to say about Gunfight: "I can't stress just how fun and frantic these battles are; I couldn't get enough of them."

We're definitely getting a different vibe from this year's Call of Duty. The annualized nature of the series means that, come hell or high water, we're getting a Call of Duty game every year. And in an effort to keep the series feeling fresh, the various studios behind the game sometimes reach beyond what makes the franchise special in the first place. Call of Duty really came into its own with Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2, and by rebooting the Modern Warfare subseries and trying to emulate what made the original great — a gritty story and best in class multiplayer — the team behind this new entry might have created the best Call of Duty yet.

The folks at Games Radar say the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is "fast and frenetic, setting a new benchmark for fidelity and high-pressure FPS action." Game Informer states that the series "continues to pound out excitement" with this latest release, but Modern Warfare does so "in ways you might not expect." And PC Gamer says simply, "For now, it's the Call of Duty to beat."

Those are quite a few kind words from those who've already played through the game and seen what it has to offer. The question is, will they convince you to do the same?

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.