Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's campaign, now available via early access for digital pre-orders, is proving to be a strong entry in the franchise, offering a blend of intense action, a mostly cohesive narrative, and impressive technical execution. This installment appears to surpass its immediate predecessors, particularly the campaign of Black Ops 7, and may represent the best Call of Duty campaign in years.
The story places players in a tense conflict where friends are pitted against each other, set against the backdrop of a South Korean invasion. The narrative centers on Captain John Price, who is on the run after a betrayal by a U.S. general. His mission is to stop the Russian Defense Minister, codenamed the Archer, from establishing a new Russian empire. This quest forces Price to collaborate with former adversaries, leading to internal conflict within his own team. Concurrently, North Korea launches an invasion of South Korea, seemingly with the backing of a more powerful nation.
While players can jump into Modern Warfare 4 without prior experience in the series, familiar characters and plot points resonate more deeply for those who have followed the franchise. The campaign builds towards a significant conclusion involving the Archer, portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen, and has been positioned by Activision as the final installment in the Modern Warfare reboot series, a fact underscored by the high casualty count among characters by the game's end.
A Focus on Dynamic Action
The campaign's core appeal lies in its action and pacing. Modern Warfare 4 features a revamped combat and movement system that feels more grounded and dynamic compared to recent Call of Duty titles. The developers appear to have drawn inspiration from bodycam-style gameplay and action films like John Wick, with missions often incorporating fast-paced, close-quarters combat and intense firefights.
Despite some familiar scenarios, these sequences are executed with a high degree of polish, effectively capturing the intended tone. The combat feels impactful, character movement is more realistic, and level design emphasizes escalating action. Examples include a fight in a train yard with moving locomotives, a large-scale ground invasion featuring trenches and tanks, a stealth mission utilizing night vision, and a segment where players drive a tank through a war zone. The campaign also allows players to switch between different soldiers during intense defensive stands against overwhelming enemy forces.
Modern Warfare 4 successfully avoids repetitive combat encounters and nonsensical scenarios, instead offering a diverse range of well-crafted set pieces and varied levels that keep players engaged. This variety has been a point of weakness in recent Call of Duty entries, but MW4 delivers it with confidence.
Exploring Open-World Design
In a notable departure, Modern Warfare 4 incorporates an ambitious open-world mission that plays out like a condensed Far Cry experience, complete with outposts to capture, environmental puzzles, and gear upgrades. This is not the first time Call of Duty has experimented with non-linear campaign design, but this attempt is considered its most successful and extensive.
Within this wintry North Korean landscape, players can engage in activities such as taking down enemy bases and discovering hidden locations, all while navigating a map populated by patrolling vehicles and soldiers. The game thoughtfully separates progress within this open-world mission from the main campaign saves, allowing players to return and complete objectives at their leisure.
For those who prefer a more traditional Call of Duty experience, it is possible to bypass the open-world mechanics and fast-travel directly to main objectives. However, engaging with the open-world elements, particularly the new climbing and mantling mechanics, offers a slower, more methodical pacing that serves as an effective