Infinity Ward invited select members of the media and well-known gamers to Los Angeles earlier this week to go hands-on with the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. After four hours of gameplay and customizing, it was clear that this game is going to be a new addiction for many as the Call of Duty franchise goes back to its best roots from the previous generation of gaming. Taking some of the best elements of the Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2 games, 2019’s new Modern Warfare release enhances the experiences with small new details and new game modes.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The demo was a completely multiplayer-centric experience. The campaign mode is being kept a secret, for now, though the developers noted that Modern Warfare will offer a unified progression system. This means that if a player levels up or unlocks new weapons in a single-player mode, those options and experiences will carry over to their multiplayer realm and vice versa.
The gameplay itself is smooth. Playing on a PS4, the graphics seem to capitalize on every bit of power the current gen offers as maps range in size from accommodating a 2v2 Gunfight mode to a massive Ground War option which will bring in more than 100 players to a single game. The Ground War mode was not on display but Infinity Ward confirmed the game and its massive scale.
In the video above, we dive into a 10v10 Domination match, complete with five objectives. It was a competitive day as some skilled gamers were in town to get their hands on the new game, meaning that the newly returned killstreaks were a bit harder to come by, but each is on display in another video on the site.
The new Gunfight mode pits teams of two players on the opposite sides of a small, unique map. The weapons and classes are chosen at random and applied across the board, offering a level playing field for both teams as they go head to head. As a timer counts down, if players from both teams are alive at the end of the game, the team with the most remaining health points win unless a point of interest marked by a flag in the center of the map is captured.
10v10 matches (and 6v6 matches) are played on larger maps. These maps seem to be going back to the classic feeling of certain locations offering what is referred to as a “power position.” Holding these locations both in Domination or Team Deathmatch offer players a bit of a tactical advantage but also make them a hot target. The design of each map makes for unique paths to attack others, sometimes calling for sneaky misdirects and others calling for straight charges. They seem to be accommodating the run-and-gunner and the camper, all at the same time — offering new advantages to each style of play.
Interestingly, there are multiplayer maps which are full-on dark, all but requiring players to use nightvision. The mode might be a slight a headache but it’s an interesting way to mix up the game and force players to take on new tactics, rethinking their laser sight which is visible to others using night vision, for example.
The weapons system is also quite impressive this time around. An abundant amount of customizations are available for each main weapon — averaging between 30 and 60 customization options for each. Bonus: not only are there the stat bars showing the improvements and declines with each customization for categories like accuracy, control, and more but there is a simple Pros and Cons option.
One last note: the game fully supports crossplay between PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
What questions do you have about our experience with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare? Share them in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter.
