When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare comes out, many players’ minds immediately jump to memories of the 2000s, when they lobbied with close friends. For Modern Warfare IIIDevelopers Sledgehammer, Treyarch, Infinity Ward and Raven Software come together to deliver an updated FPS experience with all the illustrious nostalgic magic we remember, but with enough innovative features to make it feel new.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III returns us to familiar maps and modes like Rust, Zombies, and Team Deathmatch. But this time the name of the game is player control and expression. After playing for hours on PS5 in the recent Call of Duty Next, I found a game that took me back to my classic COD comfort zone, but at the same time challenged me with tons of new features.
Larger maps, more control, and more decision-making make Modern Warfare III an entry in the series that everyone will remember as fondly as the previous hits.
Read on for game details and multiplayer beta access details.
Nostalgia in more places than you imagine
Modern Warfare III took me back to 2009 with surprising flashbacks everywhere, you’d think I really took a time machine. Modern Warfare III even brings back the legacy map voting option, allowing players to vote on the next map to fight during matchmaking.
There are a ton of maps here, including all 16 launch maps from the original Modern Warfare II (2009). Each map is beautifully updated and optimized for PlayStation 5 and will have you coming back to MW2 to see if it’s just as you remember it. In addition to the impressive graphical overhaul, I’m glad that these recreations don’t miss any steps in recapturing the exact vibes and possible strategies they had back then.
A big highlight is the classic battlefield where all the meat was resolved, Rust. This map returns in all its industrial glory. My eyes widened when I saw all the classic hideouts present, players climbing the tower to get good sniping vantage points, and everyone using their new movement options to traverse the map like never before. I got the same feeling from maps like Skidrow and Favela: two lush urban jungles with plenty of space to play and experiment.
Along with the maps, the classic Call of Duty experience returns in the minimap, complete with red dots to mark where an enemy may be, and in the reintroduction of perks like Silent Movement. With all of these updated classic features present, I was able to jump right in and not miss a single beat, returning to the strategies and decisions I made in 2009.
Your choices drive the experience
Speaking of strategies and decisions, Modern Warfare III makes player choices more important than ever. I was surprised by the player expression the development team allows here and surprised by the number of options present.
Before even entering the game, you must dress up. For starters, there’s a new vest system for building loadouts, each with a different combination of gear. While one can give you access to two tactical weapons, such as Battle Rage, smoke grenades, and scatter mines, others can give you access to additional equipment that will allow you to handle more traversal situations.
Perks and weapon builds are still an important part of the loadout. Select from a wide variety of old and new perks, each of which activates from the start of a match to the end. I was beyond excited to use the new Covert Sneakers perk, which silences your footsteps and opens up a new world of stealthy, undetected travel. And I can’t fail to mention Shrouded, a perk that drops a smoke grenade when you’re downed.
The accompanying perks are a wide selection of weapons, including a host of customizable tools and parts that change the way they are used. Do you want a rifle that sacrifices accuracy for speed of fire? Go for it. Or maybe you’re willing to sacrifice damage for better recoil and sights. You can do that and much more. The entire game depends on what you want to do and everything is designed around this freedom of choice.
Movement is key
Modern Warfare III puts movement at the forefront by giving players more control to move around the environment. One of the biggest changes allows players to cancel slide animations and reload animations.
There were many times where I finished a firefight and went to reload only to be immediately ambushed. Having the power to cancel a reload animation and run to safety is a welcome, life-saving option. These movement changes may seem minor, but they make a big difference during intense firefights.
This is where the new Warzone map, Urzikstan, and the new Zombies map come into play. Both show how much bigger Call of Duty has become. Warzone takes players to a new stage with tons of Poi, including a fully pilotable train that will create interesting moments of travel and battle. On the other hand, there’s the new Zombies mode, which allows up to 24 players to engage in an open-world fight against hordes using monkey bombs, ray guns, Perk-a-Colas, and whatever else they can get their hands on. Each map is an expansive world full of environments that allows you to do whatever you need to do the voice acting. Thanks to the integration of Modern Warfare III, each features all the movement options you have access to in the main game.
And in many modes, there are multiple ways to win. In the new 3v3v3 mode, Cutthroat, players can fight to be the last team standing to reign supreme. Or you can be like me and hide near the flag, capture it when the match time is up to win without using a single weapon. Once again, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is about playing however you want in the exciting sandbox presented.
Create your playstyle in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III when it launches for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 10.
Can’t wait to dive into the multiplayer action? Here are Activision’s details on how you can get in early:
Multiplayer beta details
The first weekend of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III multiplayer beta is available exclusively on PS4 and PS5.
PlayStation Early Access: Players who pre-ordered the game on PlayStation can start playing the Beta on Friday, October 6 at 10 a.m. PT.
PlayStation Open Beta: Starting Sunday, October 8 at 10 a.m. PT, the rest of the PlayStation community will be able to begin playing the Beta. The Weekend One Beta ends for everyone on Tuesday, October 10 at 10 a.m. PT.
PlayStation players can download the Beta from the PlayStation Store. Players who pre-order digitally do not need a Beta code to participate; You are automatically registered to participate in the early access period. If you purchased Modern Warfare III through a participating retailer, you should have received a Beta code printed on your retail receipt or emailed to you on an online receipt.
