Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has returned in the form of a reboot.
Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen; Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is here and is taking the world by storm. After long, stressful months of the community being bombarded with rumors, leaks, and confirmations, it is a relief that the game itself is finally available to everyone of us to enjoy. This is also the time when people would call in sick. It isn’t wise, but this is the impact the franchise has on people.
The first question you are probably thinking to yourself is, what game mode will you be playing first? The campaign, the multiplayer? Or Spec Ops? Well, you wouldn’t be in the wrong to start with any of them. However, for Warzone fans, Warzone 2.0 is off the table for now. 16th November is when it releases.
So, a little more patience is needed. But the bright side is that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II can keep you busy. Or better yet, you could be playing both from now on, and with the latest installment, there are motives why you probably would.
After a three-year hiatus, Infinity Ward returns to the scene. Although this is a remake, it will be very difficult for this version to replicate the iconic 2009 counterpart’s impact, but if it comes close, then that’s good enough. Moreover, seeing that the predecessor, Modern Warfare 2019, is arguably one of the best games in the franchise in recent years. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this were the case for the latest installment.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s story welcomes you to the war with open arms as it takes you through an intense campaign. Whether you are fighting from vehicles, boats, or boots on the ground, in the air, underwater, or in different countries, you are filled with total non-stop action.
Yes, the playthrough is relatively short, but you are enduring experiences like never before, and you can make a case for this being one of the best gameplays in a Call of Duty story, maybe ever.
And what is a good story without the characters? Although a few of them were remade, it doesn’t take the identity or the nostalgia away from the 2009 version’s characters. They weren’t better or worse than the original, but they were just as great, in different ways. In fact, the remade characters were done so well that you would love both forms. Think of it like those movies where characters are remade, but you still end up liking both versions.
In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, it becomes more natural to exchange conversations, have banter, and occasionally select your character’s responses to keep the chatter flowing. Plus, with newer characters, including Laswell, bad boy Alejandro, and eye candy antagonist Valeria, who executed a chokehold on not only the game but social media around the world. Her beauty, intelligence, elegance, and sassy attitude have become one of the main talking points within the Call of Duty community. All of this was a recipe for an epic story mode.
What follows are the outwardly revolutionary graphics that leave you in awe—exquisitely pleasing photorealistic visuals and animations are shown, and more of this is unraveled in the cinematics. It’s like watching clips from a movie.
If you were to compare the locations in the game to real-life photographs, it’s a guarantee that you will struggle to differentiate them. Also, pay close attention to the motion captures of the characters in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Their emotions and how their mouths move when they’re speaking are extraordinary.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’s multiplayer mode plays just like the last game, as expected. The gameplay and the mechanics are almost identical. But it’s still enjoyable, and it’s just like you are carrying on, but in a new game.
The core playlist is fun and still contains an impressive list of activities to choose from. However, only two probably stand out the most. The 3RD Person Moshpit and the brand-new Prisoner Rescue game modes have some potential.
You are getting existing and newer weapons and a few variants, loadouts, killstreaks, and much more. You are also getting a large group of new operator skins that are split into two teams. Plus, if you are a football fan, you will be delighted to know that in this installment, you can acquire both Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar and Juventus’ Paul Pogba skins and kick off from there.
Seemingly reskinned maps from past Call of Duty titles and replaced them with locations that are finely redesigned. Although a few are questionable. The new daily challenges are achievable, including a bonus one. And it’s easier to get gold camos on weapons. Ground War plays better, and Invasion is doing its own thing.
Most importantly, skill-based matchmaking is still in place and challenges you to play smarter. This is probably the hottest and most prolonged topic in modern gaming. It has frequently met with mixed reviews. Some say that it makes you a better player.
Others have expressed that there’s no point in working so hard in every game when there’s no reward and you are being fundamentally punished for doing so well. Therefore, it’s killing online multiplayer gaming and should only be in ranked modes.
Both sides raise compelling points, but regardless of the mixed reactions, skill-based matchmaking is living up to its intent. It benefits all skill levels and seemingly creates fairness for everyone. This begs the question of why ranked modes are still a thing in this franchise.
The biggest problem in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II multiplayer is the new perk system. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. You start matches with your base perks, and then later on, you unlock your bonus perk and ultimate perk. Kills, assists, or objectives help players get their perks faster, and because of these, it encourages more camping in a game already plagued with these types of players.
It’s dismaying that they stuck with this revamp, even though the majority of the Call of Duty community in the beta panned it. It’s a mystery why they would initiate such a drastic change to something with very few issues to begin with. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Also, Dolphin Dive should be ditched. It makes you more vulnerable, and there’s no point in using it to evade enemy attacks when you are almost certain to die. Despite the mode’s inconsistencies, it possesses more than enough elements to leave players satisfied and have them grinding.
Survival mode, or Spec Ops as many people call it in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, is back and is a major upgrade from the prequel. It’s a six-wave mode, has a new format, puts your resilience to the test with bigger challenges, and is more gratifying after completing each stage because of the mounting difficulties. However, the mode would’ve been better if the junctures were endless and the number of players per game was four instead of just two, just like how it’s done in Zombies.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II had some big shoes to fill, and it did pretty well to fill them. The story accommodated a breathtaking plot combined with jaw-dropping visuals. For multiplayer, you are pretty much getting more of the same from the predecessor, but with more content and a few alterations, that’s fine.
However, the new perk system needs to be intensely evaluated. And the returning Spec Ops is a sizeable step in the right direction. A culmination of these formulates a remake that should be viewed respectfully.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows. Follow our website for the latest video game reviews.
