So how do you go about reviewing not only the biggest gaming release of the year, but also the direct and indirect sequel to the two biggest entertainment launches of all time? Well, with great difficulty it seems. There’s a key disparity between the expectation and actual execution of the fifth Call of Duty game in as many years, one that will split views with a polarity that few other games manage.

The initial feeling of Modern Warfare 3 is that we’ve not only been here before, but multiple times; something increasingly peculiar given the drastic change that developer Infinity Ward has undertaken since the release of Modern Warfare 2. Familiarity is a great asset within games, allowing fans and players of previous titles to get straight in, without the need to spend time learning or mastering the mechanics. The issue we have here is that, we’re not just treading similar ground as two years prior, it is the same ground. The carbon-copy nature of the gameplay, set-pieces, mission variety, even the dialogue and visuals, is far too close for comfort.

Following the Call of Duty formula was something that was always to be expected, it would be strange if it veered too far from the course set out by its predecessors; but it’s a shame that it’s abiding by the rulebook to a tee. There’s little variation from scenes we’ve seen, aside from the obvious change of locale, retaining a look and feel that is increasingly ageing as the years pass, filled with archaic design choices that really should’ve been stamped out. When I can climb the height of a dumpster to move through the predetermined sections of a level, I should be able to vault over a fence that reaches my shins.

It seems Activision has fallen back into bad habits, allowing an incredibly profitable and successful franchise to become tiring and monotonous, entirely absent of any real innovation or ambition. Modern Warfare 3 is an incredibly safe game, it is catered solely for those who wanted an extension of the sub-series’ second outing, but with the price of a full retail release – an inflated one at that. In doing so, much like the once fabled Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk’s franchises, Call of Duty has become highly predictable, shallow in its execution and thoroughly underwhelming. It is now little more than a fleshed-out expansion that once upon time would’ve been exactly that.

“The issue we have here is that, we’re not just treading similar ground as two years prior, it is the same ground.”

That’s not to say it is poor in its execution, far from it. Call of Duty’s strength has always been it’s swift, action packed scenes, with controls that make most other shooters feel like they’re running in mud. On this front, Modern Warfare 3 still delivers, with combat packing punch-after-punch on every occasion.

Linearity is never an issue if approached with due care, something that the franchise has always excelled in and there is no drop in quality here either. Whilst the noticeable forward path is always obvious, you never feel forced to go the required direction. Each level allows you to feel as though you’re finding your own way – in spite of the continued overuse of positional markers.

The almost locked sixty-frames-per-second frame rate helps maintain the ‘twitchiness’ of movement, granting great satisfaction when you take down a set of enemies with blistering speed.

“The almost locked sixty-frames-per-second frame rate helps maintain the ‘twitchiness’ of movement, granting great satisfaction when you take down a set of enemies with blistering speed.”

However, with such a fantastic frame-rate come some significant drawbacks, as visually Modern Warfare 3 has hardly improved over the already adequate showings of previous years. Whilst the rest of the competition steam ahead with not just a graphical prowess that over powers Call of Duty with such ease, but also in terms of overall presentation and design, the biggest entertainment release ever still fails to wow in any way. Character models are disappointingly blocky, compounded by low-quality textures and sub-standard visual effects, all leave it feeling very dated. Many in-game indicators are incredibly low-res, facial animation is equal to that of a budget-release, movement animations are wooden, and the re-use of voice acting, especially during the sniping levels, only solidifies the notion that the series really hasn’t progressed much since the heights of Modern Warfare.

Variety is the core problem with Modern Warfare 3, and it’s a fundamental flaw with a franchise that is so set on rinsing and repeating a ‘winning’ formula. Although the gameplay may well fall into that category these days, everything surrounding it is distinctly repetitive and lacking in any real kick or impressiveness. The campaign is very dull until the latter stages, with any plot shocks poorly disguised using techniques we’ve seen multiple times. It’s a shame ultimately, given the promise the overall setting teased, that the story implored cheap and unnecessary shock tactics, beyond just that of the “David Family Vacation”, to try to pump some life into a thoroughly disappointing and predictable script.

With a campaign more predictable than a waltz around a garden center, it holds about as much enjoyment as well. We pick up shortly after the events of Modern Warfare 2, utilising the multi-path approach that the series has implemented so well. Then there’s everything you expect from a Call of Duty game: a short but action-packed campaign, a few stealth missions that, albeit well executed, we’ve done before, the use of mid-mission Predator Drones and other similar power-ups, the half-and-half carry-and-escort missions, and plenty of breaching.

Granted, this may not be anything other than what was expected, nonetheless, it a grave disappointment from a franchise that has packed incredible single player campaigns, year-after-year. Call of Duty is more than just the single player however, with the introduction of Spec Ops in the last Modern Warfare title, and the hugely popular multiplayer mode, how do they fare during this outing?

“Variety is the core problem with Modern Warfare 3, and it’s a fundamental flaw with a franchise that is so set on rinsing and repeating a ‘winning’ formula.”

Well first off we have the co-operative mode of Spec Ops, which sees players team up with another player to either battle through waves of enemies or complete a predetermined objective and it is possibly the best aspect of Modern Warfare 3. Spec Ops is also the mode that seems to have had the most work put into it, with the inclusion of Survival, a Horde-esque survive-the-waves-of-onrushing-enemies type mode, for one. An in-game currency is used within Survival,with money earned by killing enemies, getting headshots, completing rounds and other such achievements, which can be used to purchase weapons, upgrades, ammo and the like. There’s also a wealth of objective-based missions providing an incredibly enjoyable experience in either a solo run, or with another. Increasing it to four-players would’ve been nice, but it’s a small quip at an otherwise very expansive and thoroughly enjoyable mode.

Multiplayer is, as with a large proportion of the game, relatively unchanged. There’s obviously the addition of a new set of maps, perks and whatnot, but there’s little here to entice anyone who doesn’t like any previous multiplayer outing from any past Call of Duty title. That said, it’s still the fast, frantic, twitch-shooting experience that sees over forty millenniums of game time played every month. Racking up series of kills to unlock that all-powerful killstreak is still as satisfying as ever, whilst going on a death streak is just as infuriating.

“Despite its new inclusions, none of the additions greatly improve or worsen multiplayer, resulting in a mode very similar to the last two outings”

With the constant trickle of experience, levelling up and unlocks, to whet your appetite for just a few more games, it’s still incredibly engaging. Weapons also have unlocks for further customisation and experience grinding, adding yet another dimension to the already comprehensive levelling system. It does seem as though ranking up is swifter than previous titles, which can result in you being severely under-equipped unless you played flat-out within the first few days.

It certainly doesn’t help that match-making is still atrocious, never failing to put me in a match where everyone is a good twenty levels better off. There was also a consistent presence of lag in every game I played, although this doesn’t seem to be overly common across the board – it’s just something than when present, is utterly devastating in a game so fast-paced.

Aside from the new maps, there are a few new modes including Kill Confirmed and Team Defender. Both are certainly interesting new additions to the pile of already wealthy game modes, but neither will set the world alight, given the issues with their primary functions – Kill Confirmed is still littered with campers for example.

Alterations to killstreaks is pleasing to see, with the system changed to accommodate your role within the team – Assault, Support or Specialist. The latter allows you to choose perks every second consecutive kill on top of the normal three in your loadout, whilst Support streaks live on after death, but are considerably more supportive than offensive – as the name implies. Assault is the killstreak of old, providing more powerful offensive gadgets and air support in return, including a bunch of new rewards such as the remote sentry gun or the Juggernaut suit. It gives a more flexible approach to killstreaks and will also allow more players to experience the rush you get when you finally earn one.

There’s a distinct lack of scale when compared to all other competitors, both on engine capabilities and map size, and as P2P servers make an unwelcome return, it is perhaps lacking in several departments. This won’t stop those that love the high-octane experience that Modern Warfare 3 brings online, but is certainly one that questions it’s already inflated price.

Despite its new inclusions, none of the additions greatly improve or worsen multiplayer, resulting in a mode very similar to the last two outings – which will either greatly please or disappoint depending on what you wanted out of it.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is certainly not a bad game, it’s not even close to being average, but the fact that we really have done it all before – on countless levels – is a glaring one. The lack of any real improvements or innovation has seen the competition far outstrip what this record selling title can bring to the table. Whilst it may be one of very few to boast such an impressive response time and frame-rate, sadly, that’s really the only aspect it can boast about these days.