The single-player campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has launched early for digital pre-order customers, and initial reviews suggest a strong showing for the latest installment in the long-running franchise. While full reviews will not be available until multiplayer components are more thoroughly tested, early impressions indicate that Modern Warfare 4's campaign delivers a compelling experience that recaptures the strengths of the series.
Critics have lauded the campaign for its engaging missions and pacing, with many suggesting it avoids the pitfalls of recent entries like Black Ops 7's "surreal, always-online co-op campaign." The six-hour, 16-mission narrative appears to satisfy expectations for a subseries now spanning seven titles.
PC Gamer described the campaign as "not to be skipped," highlighting stellar levels that evoke memorable moments from earlier games. However, the publication noted that the story felt rushed, particularly segments involving actor Mads Mikkelsen. IGN echoed these sentiments, finding the overall package impressive and pointing to a large-scale mission reminiscent of "Korea’s answer to D-Day" as a standout.
GameSpot called Modern Warfare 4 a "worthy conclusion for the Modern Warfare series," ranking its campaign as the best since 2019's Modern Warfare. The site praised its pacing, variety of missions, and locations for keeping the story engaging. GamesRadar found glimpses of Infinity Ward's modern approach to military thrillers, even if the experience felt somewhat constrained.
Destructoid suggested that fans of Call of Duty's single-player content would not be disappointed, positing that it could be remembered as one of the series' better offerings and a course correction after years of uncertainty. The game's visuals on PC were also noted as the franchise's best to date.
GameTrend highlighted the gameplay's adherence to Call of Duty's signature gunplay, but was particularly impressed by the campaign's flow and variety. The reviewer noted a mix of stealth, chase sequences, and even unconventional gameplay moments that prevented weariness.
Early sentiment suggests that Modern Warfare 4's campaign successfully concludes the Modern Warfare reboot subseries, delivering on narrative impact and engaging gameplay, even if some storylines and character arcs, like Mads Mikkelsen's role, felt underdeveloped to some critics.