Expectations. That is the key word surrounding one of the most anticipated games ever. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was projected to shatter the video game day one sales record, but high sales numbers do not automatically mean that the game is great or even above average. Let me preface this review by saying that I put countless hours into the first two Modern Warfare (MW) games and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them. These games shaped my expectations for the third installment, and this game was not what I was expecting. When I started to consider what I would say about this game, I had to take a step back and remove myself from my expectations. How does this game compare to its competitors and predecessors? Does the game offer a flashy experience that ends quickly or does it have lasting appeal? Is this a quality game or a work-in-progress? There are no straightforward answers to these questions, but I hope to provide an objective perspective on MW3 to those of you who have not yet opened up your wallets to Activision.

If you played either of the first two games, you will notice right away that the controls are identical in MW3. The button placement is solid and moving around in the game environments is fluid and easy. The environments look good, but I was disappointed that they did not look truly amazing. There was also a lack of variety in the levels when compared to the previous games. The campaign and the multiplayer environments look as though they were ripped out of MW2, rearranged, and then renamed. The only things that feel any different in the multiplayer maps are the variations in the elevation of the terrain. Most levels have distinct high and low points; very few are just flat. Even with all these similarities to the previous games, there is a good selection of small and large maps. Even after playing multiplayer matches for hours each day, I was still encountering new maps and attempting to learn them all. In terms of gameplay, if you were expecting a giant step forward, you will be disappointed. The game plays well and I would assume that the developers figured it would be best to not make many changes to what has worked well in the past. Even though I was expecting more, this does not really affect the game in a negative way.

A developer can keep the basic controls and gameplay mechanics and still keep things fresh by giving the player new and exciting content in other areas, such as the storyline. While there were a few moments where I thought to myself, “that was pretty cool”, I spent most of the campaign thinking, “didn’t I do this before?” Not only does MW3 rip off its predecessors, it rips off itself throughout the campaign. Most sequences start with something simple and after an “oh crap, it just crashed” moment, throw you into a frenzy of getting out of the bad situation. After this third game, I cannot even begin to count how many times I have experienced being shot over the course of the three games. What went from being a pretty cool and unique sequence has become the go-to move for the storyline. As with the previous games, the campaign is rather liner and the only wandering you ever do is searching for pieces of intelligence. It almost feels like a movie directed by Michael Bay; lots of action and flashy sequences, but often lacking substance. I was also disappointed by the length of the storyline. I took my time playing through the campaign and still finished it in less than five hours. Hardened and veteran difficulties provide a bigger challenge, but you may find some areas of the campaign rather frustrating. Once again, it comes down to expectations. If you want more of the same, then MW3 will partially satisfy your craving. If you have not played any games in the series, MW3 is a decent example of what the series is all about. If you expect to find anything new in the first-person shooting genre, then you need to look elsewhere.

The special-ops section of the game is similar to MW2, but there is one significant difference: survival mode. This mode pits you against endless waves of enemies, much like horde mode in the Gears of War series. As you gain levels, you unlock new weapons and air support options. After a few attempts, I made it past wave 20 rolling solo on the easier difficulties. Your level in special-ops is independent from your level in multiplayer, so you do not have to worry about losing all of your hard-earned upgrades when you prestige in multiplayer. The missions in special-ops can be completed on harder difficulties to earn more stars that unlock new missions. I found myself wanting to play special-ops more than any other part of the game. Survival mode adds more long-tem appeal to this section of the game and really boosts the overall value of the game. I did not know what to expect from this part of the game and I was pleasantly surprised.

The multiplayer held the biggest expectations for me. I spent over a hundred hours playing the multiplayer in each of the previous games, and I expected to do the same with MW3. You now prestige at level 80, which is the highest prestige level in any of the MW games. I really noticed the new feel of the guns in the multiplayer matches. The kick, precision and amount of bullets you can take all feel about right. It is rather easy to upgrade your perks, which I think can be really nice when you prestige and you do not have to do a ridiculous amount of challenges to earn back some of your decent perks. Killstreaks now come in three different packages. I really liked the support package and the ability to have your killstreak last through death. Since support packages do not rack up the kills on their own, I think this is a rather balanced manner to have killstreaks set up. Regardless if you have played the previous MW games, the killstreak options are widespread and intuitive.

Even though all of these little additions were made to the multiplayer mode, it is hard to put them to use if you cannot get into a match. I have had a pretty horrendous time finding matches in MW3. Even when I was able to get into matches, I was often disconnected in the middle of a match. There were also times that I could not get into a party with other people. Many times, there was no explanation other than, “unable to connect”. After we checked our NAT settings, reset our systems, and each tried to invite the other person, still no luck. I had this problem at lot on MW2, in both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. That was a problem I expected to be fixed, but I ran into it within the first two days of playing online. I really wish Activision went to dedicated servers for MW3. It has worked beautifully in Gears of War 3, and it would have made the multiplayer much better in MW3.

You will find the typical games modes that were in the other games, with the addition of Kill Confirmed. This is basically team deathmatch but in order to score points for you team, you must collect the tags from fallen enemies. This adds another dimension to deathmatch and somewhat reduces camping because you have to run around to actually win the match. I did not really expect many new modes in multiplayer, and my expectations turned into reality after playing all of the multiplayer modes. Teamwork is virtually non-existent in deathmatch on MW3, so if you like playing against other people without working on a team, there is plenty here for you. If you expect a multiplayer game full of tactical gameplay reliant on teamwork, then MW3 is not for you. Multiplayer in MW3 is mostly fast-paced and often affected by individual efforts (whether it is one person on your team with 35 kills or one person with 25 deaths) rather than cohesive team tactics.

In the end, I cannot make a general recommendation to pick this game up or completely avoid it. If you expect a refined MW2 with some decent upgrades, then quit reading this and go get this game. If you played the first two games and were hoping for a new and creative experience in the first-person shooter genre, there are plenty of better options out there. If you have somehow not played any of the MW games and you want to see why this series has sold so well, rent this game or play it with a friend before purchasing. This game is definitely not game-of-the-year material, but it can provide many hours of enjoyment depending on, you guessed it, your expectations.