Editor’s note: This review focuses on the multiplayer and DMZ portions of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. For more on the game’s story, check out our review of the single-player campaign.
Hey all, I’m back with another look at this year’s Call of Duty. This time, I’m covering Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer experience, including the new DMZ mode.
Plot: Normally, I’d skip this section for a multiplayer review, but DMZ actually includes a series of story missions that connect to the main campaign. That gives players a little more narrative content to explore outside the single-player experience.
Gameplay: It’s Call of Duty multiplayer, so it plays pretty much like other recent entries. While I wish it were significantly different, it really isn’t. There are some new modes, however, including Inflation, where players drop cash when eliminated and teams compete to accumulate the most money by the end of the match. Players can lose cash repeatedly, making every death potentially costly. I enjoyed the Inflation mode immensely.
The other new additions are more hit or miss. Kill Block is decent, but I’m confused and a little disappointed that Team Deathmatch wasn’t available on that map at launch. I’ve heard additional modes are planned, but having Gunfight as the only option initially seemed like an odd choice. Team Deathmatch is one of the most basic multiplayer modes out there, so why not include it?
I didn’t particularly enjoy grinding Kill Block’s Gunfight matches while trying to earn 10 headshots against other players for the launch event. The one-life-per-round restriction made things more difficult, and having my weapons change every two rounds didn’t help matters. Hopefully, additional modes will make Kill Block more enjoyable.
Thankfully, Shipment 24/7 has been added to the playlist options, and I’m extremely happy about that. It’s the perfect map and playlist for leveling up your rank, improving weapons and unlocking camos. The only thing that would make it better would be the option to play Shipment 24/7 in Hardcore mode, but unfortunately that isn’t currently available.
As for DMZ, I’m happy to report that it’s significantly easier to get into and much more manageable for solo players than the original version introduced with 2022’s Modern Warfare II.
Enemies don’t respawn nearly as quickly, and they don’t always track you with seemingly perfect accuracy or behave like unstoppable armored juggernauts. That doesn’t mean DMZ is easy. Some of the more dangerous areas are still extremely challenging, but players can generally avoid those locations while learning the mode and completing objectives.
For the most part, I found solo deployments much more enjoyable this time around. DMZ also feels more connected to the campaign, which I consider a good thing.
There are a few features from previous Call of Duty entries that I really miss, however. First is Tac-Stance, which is no longer available in the same way it was before. You can still use a canted aiming stance with certain laser attachments, but that’s not an option I particularly like because visible lasers can give away your position to other players.
Second, as in the beta, Omnimovement is gone. I’d hoped it might return, but that always seemed unlikely. For something previously described as the next evolution of Call of Duty movement, its absence is disappointing. I understand the desire to return to more grounded combat, but I still miss the additional mobility.
Third, I initially couldn’t find the Spotter Scope tactical equipment outside of one campaign mission. I loved using it in Ground War and the original DMZ because it was incredibly useful for scouting NPC bases, marking patrols, and spotting players camping near extraction points.
The Spotter Scope is apparently available through DMZ’s progression system, although I hadn’t unlocked it during my early deployments. I’m glad it hasn’t disappeared entirely, since it was one of my favorite reconnaissance tools.
Art: The new multiplayer maps are gorgeous, although the environments generally serve as a backdrop to the action, which makes sense for this kind of experience. DMZ’s map is particularly impressive with plenty of interesting locations to discover. It’s also enormous, so players should expect to spend considerable time learning their way around.
Overall: Modern Warfare 4 offers a pretty solid multiplayer experience, even if much of it feels familiar. The Inflation mode is a welcome addition; Shipment remains excellent for progression and the new DMZ is probably my favorite part of the package. It’s much more enjoyable for solo players than the previous version, although I certainly wouldn’t mind never having to worry about other players ruining my day during a deployment.
That said, Modern Warfare 4 faces some steep competition for my time and especially my disk space. I’ve enjoyed several other games this year, including Where Winds Meet, Infinity Nikki, and No Man’s Sky. And with the approaching launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, I think I’m not the only player who might get lured away from Call of Duty for a while.
Still, there’s plenty here to enjoy, especially for fans of competitive shooters and extraction-based gameplay. Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer may not reinvent the series, but the improvements to DMZ alone make it worth checking out.
