Infinity Ward's latest entry, Modern Warfare 4, delivers a single-player campaign that stands tall among the best in the Call of Duty franchise. Building on the studio's legacy of strong narrative experiences, the campaign weaves together two distinct storylines, one centered on a Korean conflict and the other following the iconic Captain Price.
A Tale of Two Fronts
The campaign presents simultaneous narratives. One follows Sierra-1, a joint US-South Korean military unit, as they combat a North Korean invasion. Players experience intense battles through the fictional Hajin City, desolate snowy landscapes, and critical missions to prevent a nuclear reactor meltdown. The other story brings players into the shoes of Captain John Price, now on the run after assassinating General Shepherd. Price's pursuit of a Russian defense minister known as the Archer, voiced by Mads Mikkelsen, leads him and his unconventional cartel allies across global hotspots like New York, Paris, and Mumbai, before also converging in North Korea.
This blend of geopolitical tension and familiar Modern Warfare intrigue grounds the campaign, making its narrative feel relevant and impactful. The distinction between the survival-focused experiences of soldiers like Sierra-1's Park Hyun-Jun and the politically charged missions of Price and Ghost provides varied perspectives on the conflict.
Memorable Moments and Evolved Mechanics
Modern Warfare 4 distinguishes itself from less successful recent Call of Duty campaigns, such as Black Ops 7, by focusing on memorable moments rather than nonsensical detours. From the opening EMP strike in Hajin City, plunging the player into darkness before facing paratroopers, the campaign consistently delivers impactful sequences. The game draws inspiration from cinematic war films, featuring missions that echo the intensity of Saving Private Ryan's D-Day landing and character moments reminiscent of John Wick as Captain Price navigates a New York nightclub.
Infinity Ward has also refined stealth and hand-to-hand combat mechanics. Several missions place players in scenarios where they are severely outnumbered, encouraging tactical infiltration or close-quarters engagement. These segments foster a palpable atmosphere of tension, drawing comparisons to horror titles like Outlast when navigating enemy-controlled environments.
Experimentation with Open-World Elements
The campaign introduces an open-world framework in the "Stranded" mission, a departure from its typically linear structure. This section offers an experience akin to a mini Far Cry, with enemy outposts to clear, supply crates to gather, vehicles to commandeer, and a base to return to for crafting weapons and equipment. This continues a trend seen in previous titles, with varying degrees of success.
While "Stranded" provides player agency and multiple objectives, its slower, more deliberate pace contrasts sharply with the high-octane, set-piece-driven nature of the rest of the campaign. Players can opt to bypass the open-world elements via fast travel, but this limits access to crucial supplies and equipment, making subsequent mandatory objectives more challenging. Notably, skipping this section significantly reduces the campaign's overall runtime.
Technical Hiccups and a Swift Conclusion
Despite its strengths, Modern Warfare 4's campaign is not without its technical issues. Some bugs proved humorous, such as squadmates mistaking a player-controlled drone for the player character. Other glitches, like grenades failing to register on enemies during animations, bomb drones malfunctioning, and environmental collision errors, contribute to a sense of jankiness. One notable bug required a full mission restart after saving and quitting.
Even with these minor annoyances and the relatively brief playtime of around eight hours, Modern Warfare 4's campaign is a resounding success. While the Sierra-1 storyline reaches a definitive conclusion, Captain Price's narrative arc feels incomplete, hinting at future installments. The two main storylines also never truly intersect, with Price's missions seemingly occurring prior to the South Korean conflict. Nevertheless, the campaign's narrative ambition, engaging gameplay, and memorable moments secure its place as one of the all-time greats in the Call of Duty series.