Modern Warfare has reached the point where it doesn't need reinvention. The basics of Call of Duty might as well be carved into a stone tablet and waved around on a mountain-top. In the same way that no-one is ever going to create a sequel to football or darts, Infinity Ward certainly aren't going to turn a game cherished by millions onto its perky blood-stained head.
What they can do, however, is polish its inner workings - take out the components that were rattling beneath the bonnet, study them intently with a kill-cam and smuggle in something shiny and new - yet ultimately the same.
Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer is all about bringing balance to the noble art of man-shoot. Its aim is to cater for everyone, from the shouty Youtube types who have strong opinions about quick-scopes and noob-tubes to the everyday (GI) Joes who like to shoot their fellow man after a night in the pub. Its systems are designed to streamline TDM and exotic objective game-types alike and do you know what? It works brilliantly.
It's clear that Infinity Ward are starting as they mean to go on when you see the mainstays that are being dropped from the team. Personal satisfaction be damned, if a perk or ability unbalances the game at large it's being struck from the record. The game ending nuke, the Commando perk that gave you the knife-arm reach of Mr Fantastic, One Man Army's cheeky class-swap: all yesterday's news. Those with a penchant for strutting around the battlefield with a shotgun as a secondary weapon will be similarly disciplined...
The biggest change, however, is an evolution of the Killstreak. Modern Warfare 3 certainly has some impressive rewards for your murderous performance in the fray - squadrons of helicopters strafe over in the skies above, bomb-disposal robots toting machine-guns beetle around the blood-stained floor and flying helicopter drones caper around in mid-air like the droid that once needled Princess Leia on the Death Star with a military face-lift.
What you know currently as a common or garden Killstreak, a kill-count that resets itself whenever you chew on a bullet, is now one of three varieties of 'Strike Packages' that every player can choose to receive. If you're more a team player, for example, you can choose to receiver Support Strike Packages - an entirely separate ladder of rewards to benefit your comrades rather than punish your enemies.
As such in this class we're talking UAV scans, ballistic vests to divvy out between team-mates, Recon drones, SAM turrets and Stealth Bombers. Most importantly however, for those who aren't impartial to rushing into certain death to benefit the team-at-large, death doesn't reset the clock to zero. Support Strike Packages just keep on ticking upwards spawn after spawn...
35 comments so far...
ridinglikesatan on 6 Sep '11 said:
Firstly, love the new OXM look, great job. And secondly, how long are the CoD games going to do this? It's just the same game for yet a fourth time, not even a graphical update. They're in becoming, in one word, Lazy.
KernowDevil23 on 6 Sep '11 said:
I agree with the "laziness" comment but the problem is, Activision are well aware that the COD series has become so popular since the first Modern Warfare that from that day on, anything with the COD tagline will sell millions of units with very little effort from the devs each year.
OXM ETboy on 6 Sep '11 said:
Cheers, riding
Let us know if there's anything you dislike.
I think the new streak system could do a lot for CoD, but as regards the rest of the feature set - you're exactly right. It'll play well and sell millions, but it's hard to get excited about it.
ridinglikesatan on 6 Sep '11 said:
Exactly, if they wanted they could make the disk out of cardboard if they wanted and would still sell millions because fanboys would thing it's a part of an 'easter egg'.
ridinglikesatan on 6 Sep '11 said:
I don't dislike many games, it's just that, as a budding games designer, I find it annoying that the best selling game in the world is so bland and is the same thing over and over. There are so many games out their that get shunned because of CoD, such as Crysis, it is a miles better game than every CoD, but it's community will never be as big.
OXM Jonty on 7 Sep '11 said:
I'm not sure bland is the word, but they've certainly painted themselves into a corner - they daren't change anything because it's so successful. It'll be quite interesting when the shine comes off, I wonder if it'll end up in a Tomb Raider-style wilderness for a bit...
comabob on 7 Sep '11 said:
The only change that will EVER be made to COD is that they MIGHT use a new engine for it next year (or 2013)
it fills a hole in the "highly polished and easy to play FPS category" much like FIFA fills a whole in the "highly polished and easy to play soccer category"
they will release yearly iterations just like they do fifa, madden, tiger woods and need for speed
STE MO on 7 Sep '11 said:
Don't you mean Medal of Honour Jonty?
Will CoD ever die out? If they keep the same formula yes if they change then no. CoD games are so easy to just pick up and play thats the appeal of them.
BarmyArmy on 7 Sep '11 said:
Has anyone here seen the new CoD Trailer?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuOCCeXlszw
It has too be the worst thing I've ever seen, Acti must have fired all the guys who made the old trailers
I despair with my friends who insist that this shit, with it's 2009 engine, is going to be the 'game of the year' - and massively different from MW2. Don't get me wrong, theres a good chance that I will be buying it, but it will certainly be after I've bought Battlefield 3, Skyrim and had a look at Fifa 12 and the Halo remake.
For me, MW3 looks like the weakest title since Call of Duty 3.
comabob on 7 Sep '11 said:
That trailer looks just as good/bad as every other COD trailer! Even whern u watch the streaming trailer attached to COD4 on xbl marketplace it looks the same!
and 2009 engine? wasnt that 2009 "engine" just a tweaked version of the COD4 (2007) engine?
ill still play the game im sure at some point - im sure ill probably have a few hours fun with it
what it does it does very well, but it hasnt done anything new for a long time. and THATS why i cant get hyped for it - or justify 40quid on it
ridinglikesatan on 7 Sep '11 said:
I personally believe that Activision is going down a wobble and somewhat familiar path. Guitar Hero never changed and the ever changing Rock Band knocked it out of the park. Now, I believe the never changing CoD will inevitably be kicked off it's pedestal by the ever changing Battle Field.
Cdr JamesCool on 8 Sep '11 said:
I watched a trailer for MW3 the other day and I actually thought they were showing MW2 in the beginnining to compare them. Turned out THAT was the MW3 gameplay. Why couldn't this CoD be the last one!
whelly1985 on 8 Sep '11 said:
blah blah blah boring cod bashing, do you people not get bored of it? yes we know you dont like cod but theres millions of people who do, i love battlefield and i love cod, you cant compare them as their two completely different games
KernowDevil23 on 8 Sep '11 said:
I really think you need to read between the lines before adopting your adolescent "fanboy" attitude. The vast majority of the criticism seems to be justified so to dismiss peoples concerns as simply "cod bashing" is a little narrow minded.
comabob on 8 Sep '11 said:
Who is comparing anything to anything? People are stating why they dont like or do like COD - if it makes you feel any better - believe me when i say that i myself, are neither interested in COD OR BF3
(cos there BOTH FPS, military shooters with a focus on MP - and a SP campaign that im sure has several moments of "Protect this thing!" or "Plant C4 on that thing!" - oh hang on - i suppose you CAN compare the two"
ridinglikesatan on 8 Sep '11 said:
Ah, finally, a fanboy in our midst. It isn't CoD bashing, it is simply pointing out how lazy the company has become. Their passion for game creation has gone whilst their arrogance has increased.
whelly1985 on 8 Sep '11 said:
adolescent "fanboy" attitude?? right ok, funny as every piece oxm rights about call of duty, battlefield fans seem to do nothing but slag it off i.e why i put cod bashing, how that seems to be an adolescent "fanboy" attitude beats me, but as it seems anyone who dares question or reply to a forum these days gets there head bitten off especially when it comes to anything regarding call of duty
ridinglikesatan on 8 Sep '11 said:
Are you joking? Do you have eyes? CoD hasn't changed for four games now, if it didn't have the CoD title to it's name it would have bombed, and everyone knows it. The only way can wow the majority of people is by actually doing something new that wasn't stolen, like the vast majority of the CoD aspects.
notalktalk on 8 Sep '11 said:
new look not bad, but you need to check out xbox 360 world for their sensational facelift.
hugheyb on 8 Sep '11 said:
I'm rather looking forward to the single-player storyline rather than the multi-player. I feel I've invested a lot into the characters of Price and Soap (maybe because they are Brits, and maybe because they are believable to a degree, I just don't know). The MW2 multi-player was enjoyable, but it was too easy, I felt, for higher level players to totally dominate, and also there was less emphasis on team work, which slightly diminished the experience for me.
I for one will play with the support/team work streaks, figured its always appreciated than one-man Rambo...plus, big helis that chuck out ridiculous amounts of fire power are always appreciated...except by the enemy.
(Also, first comment on new OXM website or OXM ever...got onto it via a friend who is an intern with you guys...Liking the fact everyone is having sensible and informed discussions)
Jensonjet on 8 Sep '11 said:
I think whelly1985 has a point.
In every forum on all the gaming sites I visit, whenever a story or information about Modern Warfare pops up, so do dozens of complaints and negative comments. I can understand people saying negative stuff about games they've played and were disappointed with. I can understand people slagging off demos they've tried. But all anyone knows of Modern Warfare 3 is what they've seen in a couple of videos, a few screenshots and some brief articles about the multiplayer side of the game. Of course it will follow the same format as the other games. It's the biggest selling, most profitable game series in history. Why would it change to suit another audience? If you want paper tanks, arcade helicopters and brick-a-brack destructable buildings, and online passes, you're already catered for.
Ninja Squirrel on 12 Sep '11 said:
I have to buy or rent this just to see where the story goes. As for my interest in the Multiplayer I'm not sure I got pretty bored of MW2 multiplayer after awhile.
Waffles2541 on 12 Sep '11 said:
I have to agree with him. I guarantee that all of you criticizing CoD because they have not changed in ages will still buy it, because it is a formula that works and everyone I now who owns an xbox own the latest CoD game and still plays it tons. Its just a game you don't have to think to much about and just sit down, play it and chill, that's the whole point in it, it is simple
KernowDevil23 on 12 Sep '11 said:
Would you like to place a wager of any kind?
ridinglikesatan on 12 Sep '11 said:
I doubt it will sell any way as much as the previous games, Black Ops opened people eyes to the samey generic game CoD has always been , I will not buy this even if it was £5 brand new, I do not want to play the same game again for the umpteenth time
GHOSTY05 on 13 Sep '11 said:
Looks good fun, but like many have said i think the game is ageing now, its showing its grey hairs and its struggling to make it to the toilet on time.
Battlefield has always been the underdog, yes its a different kind of game, but through heavy marketing COD has always been at the forefront and people have never seen or simply missed out on the battlefield experience.
It is only now that Battlefield has the recognition it deserves and rightly so if the trailers are anything to go by.
I truly feel this is the end of the road for COD, i will pick it up maybe early next year but for now my attention will be paid to Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Kinect Sports 2 and Dead Island (Which i just won, thanks OXM).
I still go back to black ops and MW2 for a quick game, so feel no need to fork out another £40 on the same thing.
Cdr JamesCool on 13 Sep '11 said:
Not true since I won't be buying MW3 and I didn't even bother with Black Ops, yes I tried it at a friends house but I was unimpressed.
GHOSTY05 on 16 Sep '11 said:
Many bashed Black ops but once you get into it, its actually pretty good!
Yes its a lot slower than modern warfare, but this suits the Battlefield player in me i think!
Will pick this up when i'm bored of Skyrim and Battlefield 3!!, sometime around 2014 then.
GHOSTY05 on 18 Sep '11 said:
Well after playing the Game i'm sold on this.
It is fantastic fun, everything is improved, guns feel weighty and meaty with good recoil.
Feels like MW2 but with better graphics, sounds and nice little touches like having to buy your kit.
Heres a photo from gamefest!
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6978/img0322ek.jpg
KernowDevil23 on 18 Sep '11 said:
.......and therein lies the problem in my eyes. However, having not actually played the game, my opinion carries less weight than yours.
GHOSTY05 on 19 Sep '11 said:
That it does, but....
At the end of the day its just COD with better graphics, sound and a new feel to the Game!
It was never going to be ground breakingly different was it?, but after my 15 minutes and reaching Level 12 on co-op horde mode (or whatever mode it was) i was hungry for more!.
The weapons feel great, much better than black ops (most will be happy to hear) and the graphics were very sharp and clean, AI was very good too.
Everytime you killed an enemy you got money and each time you completed a wave you got a bonus, you then had 30 seconds before the next wave to resupply and spend you money at the various crates to buy new weapons, explosive and others specialised equipment.
Example- i bought 10x claymores for about $2000, extra ammo for my M4 for $750 and even a mountable turret for about £4000, all to help with the oncoming enemy waves.
Sure, it wasn't multiplayer but it was as close as you could get and at least i got a good feel for the game. i myself am very bihest toward battlefield, i was not at all interesting in playing COD but decided to try it.
After my time playing i was pleased with the feel of the game, and i will definitely be pre-ordering
Starscream84 on 6 Oct '11 said:
There is a lot of dumb people commenting here. Think to your self for one second please, if the game is selling millions of copies then why change it? if its not broken dont fix it. Some of us just like cod the way it is, if u dont then f$%k off and play battlefield with the rest of the guys who cant play cod. What infinity ward have here is damn near gaming perfection and to change it because they can for the sake of it is crazy. Luckily not everone is a dumb as you twats though. MW3 vs BF3 please...its already over:)
Starscream84 on 6 Oct '11 said:
So what? its popular for a reason u know? name a game thats more fun to play online with ur mates than cod?
KernowDevil23 on 6 Oct '11 said:
Errrrmmm......well that's the beauty of opinions isn't it?
Your opinion is different from mine. Accept it and move on. Oh and for me, I enjoy GOW online with my mates far more than COD but as I say, that's MY OPINION.
Decent_Jam on 7 Oct '11 said:
Seconded, and I haven't even bought GOW3 yet, that's how confident I am