Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Review

"Modern Warfare 2-2"

Campaign

February 20, 2023 at 7:40pm
By Jason Stettner

While I’m surprised the moment has actually arrived, but alas here’s a second run at the second Call of Duty Modern Warfare experience. I should mention that I am covering this a bit after launch, so this will be focused on the campaign and the regular multiplayer only.

This won’t keep in mind any aspect of the Warzone or Raid experiences that were added post-launch to the game and instead focuses on the launch or well core components of the package. The campaign continues from the events of the previous game offering a range of missions and some really strange situations.

That includes the awful crafting mechanics they’ve introduced and some levels that are almost comical in terms of design such as a weird vehicle chase. I did like some of the additional characters, though the scope of this one from a narrative perspective is a bit tighter and almost lackluster in terms of how it all wraps up.

The campaign is very typical in terms of being linear with large action sequences being shown throughout while presenting combat from a modern perspective of course. This does however present some really high quality visual assets and really in-depth environments throughout its campaign.

I really wasn’t blown away by this campaign effort, but like I said I did find it kind of silly in terms of some missions, some of them being the worst in series. Another mention goes to the wounded hero mission. They do also prey on nostalgia for this one, but at the same time don’t take in too exciting of a direction like with that initial take on this second portion. There are as per usual differing difficulty options to choose from.

Multiplayer

This is where this entry really shines, the multiplayer is some of the best of the franchise. It actually sort of carries this package offering the traditional modes you expect alongside some various new experiments that were fun to take in. From great maps to excellent gunplay and action that feels well paced this was just awesome to take in.

It’s that addicting Call of Duty multiplayer action that I love, at its purest which was so refreshing to take in. There are of course some sillier bits to it that have arisen, but for the most part it’s just a blast. It really does feel like an exciting improvement to what we’ve had over the years and it nestles well. It’s fast paced, but not too rushed and comes across as tactical along the way. The maps are all well done featuring varying unique spaces with differing directions in how you battle along.

From the flow to the locales, they’re very interesting to battle within. There are some nice tactics in how you interact with say corners, or how killstreaks/scorestreaks are deployed. The return of third person is here which was fun to take in, it’s a nice secondary option to explore if you choose. Speaking of modes the usual important ones are here, but they also have a handful of new options that very fun to take in. I particularly loved the prisoner rescue which is a cool twist on search and destroy.

When it comes to unlocks the weapons trees are interesting and different, but also kind of a pain so your thoughts on that will vary. If the traditional play isn’t for you we have Ground War and Invasion being large scale conflicts with vehicles depending on the situation being present. They’re more of a casual space while still being competitive as well.

Coop
The cooperative mode features a few levels that are carved from what became Warzone. They’re just quick missions to take in and aren’t necessarily too thrilling but something extra to do for a bit. Defend some areas, blow up some things and what not. Just additional filler I felt.

Gameplay

As I had mentioned previously this is a very good looking game with some cutting edge visuals to it. It feels somehow like a step up from previous releases featuring stunning locales and fluid gameplay. You get to visit a range of locations from deep cityscapes to sprawling desert landscapes with a bit more of a focus on a cartel type angle.

The gunplay feels really well setup with the time to kill being fairly balanced. You can get a ton of attachments and other aspects that will completely alter how you shoot or take out foes from single player to multiplayer. I didn’t however like the crafting aspects as I’ve mentioned, in fact I quite hated that component of it. I do definitely appreciate them trying new things, while still nailing that core movement and feeling of the series.

There’s a lot to enjoy about this game and with further expansions upon its content it could be a long term favorite, at least for the online components. Anyways, this was played on the Xbox Series X where two modes are present. There’s a dynamic 4k 60fps or a 120fps at like 1440p option present. Both look great and perform well with HDR supporting backing them.

The Conclusion

Call of Duty Modern Warfare II delivers what could be the best multiplayer of the series since the original entry in the Modern Warfare franchise, while providing a very safe and almost disappointing campaign to its side. It balances a very well done gameplay experience with seriously impressive visuals against content that fails in some areas but excels in others.

It’s an interesting mix and it will certainly have some interesting points of interests from differing types of players. I think they really hit the mark online from a robust offering of competitively and more easy going casual play. Enjoy large scale conflict in the Ground War or Invasion segments and then battle on smaller maps that are for the most part just excellent.

The online multiplayer is straight up addicting to take in and if it’s properly supported it could be a very strong offering for a long time. I do think the single player was a step down from the 2019 revamp, I liked some areas but felt underwhelmed by it largely.

Read our Modern Warfare (2019) Review
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Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Review on Xbox Series X
Review Code Provided by Activision

Rating Overall: 8.0