- Publisher: Activision
- Release Date: Nov 10, 2023
- Also On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Nov 17, 2023Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a disappointing anniversary for a series that really should take a break.
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Nov 28, 2023Having played through the Campaign, Multiplayer, and the MWZ I have to say I have rarely enjoyed myself. At times I felt the multiplayer was inconsistent, the campaign was a laughable waste of time, and the zombies were missing their usual magic. It was always a question whether Activision could get MW3 to the gold standard in just one short year, unfortunately, the verdict is in and it’s a resounding no.
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Nov 16, 2023Modern Warfare 3 is an uninspiring trip down memory lane, hacking together old ideas in an attempt to create something new. With a campaign that even the most die-hard fans would struggle to enjoy, and a multiplayer mode that offers nothing fresh, it’s best to steer clear of this full-price travesty.
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Nov 14, 2023With Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, Activision has unfortunately proved right all those who have been criticizing the franchise since the dawn of time, with arguments that are sometimes a little excessive. This time, it's impossible to prove them wrong. Under the guise of nostalgia, we're treated to maps we've already seen and heard of, and nothing new, nor any major changes, just to get the ball rolling again. The campaign is short and uneven. There are a few memorable sequences, but they can be counted on the fingers of one hand. As for the zombie mode, it's a simple mix of DMZ and Cold War Zombie thrown together on the new Warzone map. Even if it's not all bad news - the game's multiplayer is pretty solid, and the sensations and gunplay are cool - Activision knows that when we hear you talk about a "premium experience", we don't believe it for a moment. And yet it's a very good customer who's telling you here, not without a certain sadness.
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Nov 13, 2023Discounting versions that were developed for dedicated handheld systems, the 2023 version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III represents the series at a low. The campaign is painfully short, and while the open combat missions are a neat idea, they needed more time to feel substantial. Zombies are still fun enough, and the same can be said for multiplayer, but the absence of new maps feels wrong for a brand-new game. If the original plan to make this a DLC package were still in play and the price were reasonable, then one could see it being a recommendation for dedicated series fans. As a $70 full price game, however, what's available is pitiful to the point that gamers should stay away from this title and stick with the older stuff instead.
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Nov 13, 2023Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 misses more than it hits. A fun zombies mode and the return of fan-favorite maps from 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 can’t save Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from its awful campaign and a multiplayer that feels like a step back from the rest of the reimagined Modern Warfare trilogy.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Nov 20, 2023A big failure for Call of Duty saga. Fun multiplayer action isn't enough to make up for a really poor campaign and a simply correct zombie mode. [Not recommended]
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Nov 9, 2023The story attempts to hit a lot of familiar beats, but instead ends up feeling like someone copied the homework of the original trilogy without showing their work. Modern Warfare 3 seems to think nostalgia will carry the load of this story and that players may project their love for the original onto this one without it doing anything to earn that. On one hand, I commend Call of Duty for taking 20 years to deliver a campaign this messy. On the other hand, I hate that it happened to a story that revolves around characters and storylines that fans like myself have so much affinity for. The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 campaign is not a celebration of 20 years of Call of Duty – it's a cry for help. [Campaign Review Score = 40]
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Nov 16, 2023I enjoy Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer in the same way I’ve enjoyed nearly every one of Call of Duty’s competitive kill-fests. When you get down to it, there are few games out there that can match how this series looks and feels in the heat of a firefight. To its credit, this year’s game has brought back some great maps and made some meaningful tweaks to movement and recoil mechanics. But… that’s kind of it for what you get with Modern Warfare 3’s contributions – there aren’t any big new ideas to change up the same gunbattles we’ve had for years, with the most thrilling one being that cosmetic purchases carry over from Modern Warfare 2, which is only possible because so little has changed. Especially when you put those improvements next to a cumbersome and frustrating new progression system, it’s not enough to get excited about. [Multiplayer Review Score = 60]
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Nov 10, 2023Call of Duty has lost its magic. Modern Warfare 3 is miles away from the epic campaign missions of the franchise. The new open combat missions are boring and we are missing the scripted action sequences of the prequels. After only four hours the story is completed, even for a Call of Duty that’s short. We still have the feeling, this game should be a DLC and not a sequel of MW2. [Campaign Review Score = 40]
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Nov 7, 2023Modern Warfare 3 sets what seems to be the final chapter in the MW series. But with a short campaign, a lot of the payoff feels unfulfilled. However, the open-world design does freshen up the formula that's showing its age. Be prepared to spend little time getting through the narrative. [Campaign Review Score = 60]
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Nov 9, 2023There’s a common narrative that Call of Duty campaigns were at their peak in the late ‘00s. That may be true in pop cultural terms, multiplayer having long since overshadowed solo modes for the typical COD fan. But this Modern Warfare reboot began with Infinity Ward firing on all cylinders, embracing brave themes and experimental designs in single-player that excused its occasional stumbles. It’s a shame to see the engine it built sputter and fail, betrayed by a stopgap schedule-filler with nothing to say. [Campaign Review]