Introduction

"Everybody hates me because I'm so universally liked." – Peter de Vries

Our world is a fascinating place; we love a good snipe from time to time. Whenever someone or something rises up through obscurity and begins to gain vast popularity, its original following seems to all but abandon any signs they were ever fans in the first place.

Watching the Call of Duty franchise’s ascent to trigger-finger domination is a bit like that time you found out about that underground band that uses a mellotron. At first, you’re eager to rush out to tell your families and friends that they simply must listen to this album, even if it means selling a limb. But as the band becomes discovered and its anthems engulf the globe, opinions change drastically.

Now if you ask an original COD enthusiast about Modern Warfare 3 you’ll most likely get two replies: 1) “You’re an idiot! Get Battlefield 3,” or 2) “You’re an idiot! Don’t buy it, MW3 is like MW 2.5.” How times have changed. Naturally, anything that is put on a pedestal is going to get shot from all angles, but is any of it justified or just ill-judged mumblings?





With such an overwhelming publicity campaign, which has seen a release date event eclipsing that of a film premiere and a live-action trailer featuring Sam Worthington and Jonah Hill, it’s easy to forget that there is a first-person shooter underneath all of this. A game that’s had a problematic development, with nearly half the staff of Infinity Ward leaving after the departure of studio founders Jason West and Vince Zampella.

In the midst of everything, Modern Warfare 3 had become a joint effort, with what remained of Infinity Ward handing over to Sledgehammer Games to finish the package. Together, they have created a game that was never trying to redefine and push any gaming boundaries (though you’d think otherwise from some people’s expectations); instead it seeks to appeal to the masses.

How? By performing a sturdy balancing act that welcomes the newcomers in and throws some frustrating, yet rewarding, twists to the multiplayer that will keep the veterans screaming and shouting until they get back to the top of the leader boards.