Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Campaign – A Mix of Nostalgia and Disappointments

In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Campaign, the story continues from the previous game, Modern Warfare 2. Captain Price’s Task Force 141 is back, facing a new threat posed by Vladimir Makarov, a significant antagonist from the original Modern Warfare series. While the campaign starts with a thrilling introduction, the inclusion of Open Combat missions disrupts the narrative flow and leads to an unsatisfying conclusion.

The campaign brings back familiar faces like Captain Price and introduces new characters like Kate Laswell, Farah Karim, and Alex Keller. Despite past betrayals, General Shepherd and Commander Phillip Graves return, aligning against the common enemy, Makarov.

The story kicks off with Operation 627, a stealth mission into a gulag, offering a visually appealing and enjoyable experience. However, the introduction of Open Combat missions, meant to provide player freedom, creates a jarring shift in the game’s atmosphere. These missions offer choices in weapons and strategies but sacrifice the cinematic tension seen in traditional missions.

Open Combat missions become problematic, particularly after emotionally charged scenes. The player-controlled character, Farah, experiences a significant loss, but the subsequent Open Combat mission feels detached and lacks the emotional impact that a scripted mission could provide.

The absence of iconic set pieces and mission variety contributes to Modern Warfare 3 feeling stale compared to its predecessors. While attempting innovation, the Open Combat missions sacrifice the series’ signature moments and fail to deliver a fresh gameplay experience. Even the attempt to shock players with impactful scenes raises questions about the necessity of such content.

The narrative, focusing on Makarov’s extremism, starts strong but loses momentum due to the disruptive Open Combat missions. The campaign concludes with an unsatisfying resolution, setting up the potential for a sequel but leaving the current story feeling forgettable.

Nostalgic moments, revisiting Warzone’s Verdansk map, provide some highlights, but these rely heavily on the appeal of reminiscing rather than offering enjoyable gameplay. The campaign, stripped of its free-roam elements, reveals impressive graphics, intense action, and satisfying gun mechanics. Unfortunately, these moments are overshadowed by the disappointing aspects of the Open Combat missions.

Modern Warfare 3’s campaign fails to serve as a seamless introduction to the multiplayer mode, with limited new weapons and a disconnect between the campaign and multiplayer. The game’s 14 missions may seem extensive, but the Open Combat missions contribute to a shorter-than-usual playtime, around 4-5 hours.

In summary, while Modern Warfare 3 Campaign has moments of nostalgia and visually impressive elements, the inclusion of Open Combat missions disrupts the narrative and weakens the overall experience. The absence of iconic moments, abrupt pacing, and an unsatisfying conclusion make it the weakest entry in the otherwise strong reboot series.