December 2011 Currently Playing... Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Single Player Campaign
I usually start out on a game by playing the single player elements, but I thought I would skip it here and dive straight in to the multiplayer action. I got the game on the release date after all, so why waste any time advantage against the opposition? Well, as good a plan as that was I received the warning "It is strongly advised that you play the single player campaign before..." blah blah. The message struck the very core of my gamer genetic make up. I quickly got back in line and accepted the warning, jumping into the single player campaign.
The levels are big, violent and varied. Not quite as varied as previous Call of Duty games, but still, nicely mixed to fit in with a half decent story. The story is gripping because it brings war to your doorstep (if you're in Europe or America).
There is one scene where the aim of the developers is to shock and disturb. I won't reveal too much but the scene is very similar to a well known, and very distressing scene in Homfront 2. I'd go as far as saying it's based on that (which, if it were to be true, is pretty shameless and unoriginal). As wrong as it sounds (us gamers can be a bit sick in the head), the scene was disappointingly fake and tame. When you see it you'll probably agree that it's intended to be equally as shocking as the Homefront clip, it's just a bit of a fail!
Multiplayer
This edition of Call of Duty sees some interesting changes. Weapons are no longer purchased (as they were in Black Ops), but are earned at certain levels. The add ons for these weapons are neither purchased or unlocked at a specific player level. They are instead earned by leveling up the weapon in question. For example, to unlock the ACR with a Red Dot sight, you would have to reach the required player level to unlock the ACR and then you would have to use the ACR enough to unlock the Red Dot sight add on. Weapon Proficiencies, Add ons and Camouflage is unlocked in this way, meaning it will take a bit longer to unlock the load out you prefer and a hell of a lot longer to unlock every weapon and add on in the game. It's worth noting that the gold camouflage is also unlocked by leveling your weapon high enough. Still going to prestige? Oh, I guess you're wondering what a weapon proficiency is. Well, it's a 'quality' your gun will have, kind of like a perk for your weapon. The first one you'll unlock, for example, is "Kick" which will reduce recoil.
Also new to the table is the way kill streaks are prepared and earned. The kill streak option is now part of your class, meaning you can vary your kill streaks in-game by selecting a different class (as long as you have a different kill streak in the new class). When setting up your kill streaks, there are three options, or types: The first is "Assault" which, if you're familiar with the Call of Duty franchise, is exactly what you'd expect. Kill x many people without dying to unlock x kill streak. The kill streaks here require less kills and are generally more aggressive. The second is "Support". With this type selected, your kill streak will continue to count even when you are killed. As you might expect, these kill streaks require more kills and aren't so aggressive. They exist to support your team. Finally there's "Specialist". These kill streaks require you to stay alive to earn them and only require two kills to progress to the next one (2, 4, 6 kills). The reward is not a traditional kill streak, but an extra perk. It's not something I've used much, but it adds a tactical twist to the game.
Of course, there are new weapons, all new maps (all very good!), lots of new kill streaks (including the Juggernaut!), and some new game modes. Recently released is the game mode "Drop Zone" where the aim is to occupy a temporary zone for as long as possible to earn points for your team and care packages (which are dropped on the zone). The game promises lots of kills (great for leveling up weapons) but is absolute explosive mayhem and hard to play for points without full team coordination. Also introduced this time round is the prestige unlocks. Instead of automatically getting a new class, you can have double XP and double weapon XP for a set amount of time as well as other options. It's not a lot if you consider how long it takes to prestige (80 levels!), but it's an option. You get two unlocks free as soon as you start playing. I'm regretting going for the double XP options!
All great so far, but this game does have a few disappointments. First of all, the side game modes from Black Ops are no longer a main feature (remember One in the Chamber and Gun Game?). I agree, they weren't the strongest point of Black Ops, but they were good fun with a few friends. The good news is that some of the game modes do exist if you set up a private game. Also missing from Black Ops is the Cross Bow. Not such a bad thing for most of us, but there will be a few that might just pop the old game in to have another play with it. The theater option is still present, but, unlike Black Ops, you can't place multiple static cameras when filming a scene. I guess that this isn't a feature that was used much in BO, but it was very powerful and I for one will miss it. There is currently no option to upload your clips directly to YouTube either. :(
The biggest let down for me though is the lag I experience. It's not bad until you notice it, but when you do, it's almost enough to put you off playing online. If you've ever been sure that you've got around a corner, or shot your gun first only for the kill cam to show otherwise, you've experienced lag. I'm not sure what causes it but I'm told that having random players (or even most suitable players) hosting instead of a dedicated server is a big issue. You can experience it first hand if you and a friend play a game (ideally Search and Destroy) online, on the same Xbox, split screen. When one player is killed, have them spectate the living player. The time delay between the two is the lag you're experiencing. This will vary from game to game depending on where the host Xbox is, what their connection is like and what else they have connected to the internet. All things out of your control!
Overall, I'm enjoying the odd multiplayer session online and am working towards unlocking all of the weapons. Once done I'll work towards leveling them all up, but I won't be prestiging (starting again!) on this game. (EDIT: Guess what, I prestiged!)
Spec Ops
Spec Ops is a separate part of the game where you will level up independently to your multiplayer avatar. As you level up, more missions will become available in mission mode and more maps, weapons and add-ons will become available in Survival mode. Your achievements here will be kept on an online leaderboard where you can compare yourself to your Xbox friends, your Facebook friends (if you've set it up) and every other Xbox Live player (you can select the desired option). In this leaderboard you will be able to see your score, how far you got (Survival mode), the difficulty (Mission mode), and time taken.
Spec Ops are split into two categories:
Survival Mode
Very much like the 'Zombies' games seen on earlier Call of Duty games, Survival sees you (and an optional friend) fight off multiple waves of AI infantry. Before you start a game, you can see your friends' scores on each map. You then try to steal their crown by surviving for longer than they did. When you start a game, you will have a basic load out, The load out will usually consist of a pistol, a couple of grenades and a couple of flash bangs, but it varies map by map. As you kill enemies you can take their weapon / ammo and you earn cash. This cash can be used to buy / upgrade weapons, buy perks, air support and equipment. After each wave of enemies you'll get about 30 seconds to collect ammo and make purchases. The three places you can purchase from (Weapons, Air Support and Equipment) are spread evenly throughout the map so you have to be tactical in your decision making. You won't have time to visit all three in one go. How you spend your hard earned cash is entirely up to you, and that's the beauty of this game. Every decision you make plays a big part in your final score. The game is all about tactical decision making. You first play a map blindly, then you build upon your previous attempt, learning from your mistakes. Can you beat 25 Waves on Underground in Solo Mode? Add Pringleman83 to your Xbox Live friends list to show off your scores! I'll share some of my tips soon!
Missions
The Spec Ops missions are the same sort of thing as you might have played in Modern Warfare 2. They are a good challenge on your own, especially if you have completed the single player campaign, but are a great, fun alternative to traditional multiplayer warfare. I haven't played all of the games available yet, but there's plenty to keep most players busy for a while.
Summary
Without a doubt this is a must have game for your collection. The single player campaign to any of the Call of Duty games often goes overlooked as the multiplayer option is the most popular. Let me tell you that if you don't check out the campaign, you're missing out on a huge, beautiful and massively impressive part of the game. When you do get around to playing the multiplayer game you'll be hooked trying to unlock 'that' gun, 'that' add-on and 'that' camouflage. You'll be trying to beat daily and weekly challenges and you'll be mastering the bucket loads of new maps until you know them like the back of your hand. When you're bored of that, Spec Ops will keep this game's grip on you for even longer as you plough through the extra missions, on your own or with a friend, and then try to survive your favorite and most hated maps for as long as possible.
The first time you see the option menu you'll be thinking "This looks just like Modern Warfare 2.", but as soon as you play you'll notice the more detailed maps, the vastly improved sound and the more active surroundings. A friend of mine initially suggested that it's just an expensive map pack for MW2. Even if that was the case, it's far from expensive if you consider what you get. The truth of the matter is that it's much more than that.
The only real let down for me is the lag. It ruins multiplayer gaming, but I guess everybody has the same disadvantage, so I'll learn to live with it.
This game is going to be played until the laser on my Xbox burns a hole through the disc.