In regard to its campaign alone, Call of Duty has felt a bit like a dog chasing its own tail since the 2019 reboot. A superb solo campaign in that game went awry almost immediately after, with the frankly ludicrous coalition of dev studios that attempt to steer this franchise by committee struggling to tell a coherent story in either this universe or the Black Ops one. While 2023’s Modern Warfare 3 was a stark nadir for the series, the campaign in last year’s Black Ops 7 was a woeful mess of dream sequences and disjointed set-pieces. Happily, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is easily the best this campaign has been since 2019.
Once again we take control of John Price, grizzled veteran currently at the top of several “most wanted” lists after popping his former CO in the forehead. Bent on vengeance for all his lost comrades, he’s still pursuing villain Markarov, and while this instalment does its best to give us some much-needed closure over Soap’s traumatising end in MW3, the overall villain here isn’t even as compelling as Markarov – and that’s saying something considering it’s none other than Mads Mikkelsen. Though it’s not down to his performance or writing, but rather the fact that pendulous narrative simply doesn’t give him enough screen time.
He plays The Archer, a Russian arms dealer who Price will stop at nothing to kill. Unfortunately that means teaming up with the beautiful but ruthless Cartel boss Valeria Garza and going completely off-book. This is as reckless, obsessed, and unhinged as Price has ever been and the writing does a good job of showing just how far the thirst for vengeance has caused him to fall. He’s a beloved character and has been since way back when we crawled through the grass beside him in All Ghillied Up, and seeing him this driven is both thrilling and a little upsetting.
As is standard practice the story is split into two main prongs. Price’s element actually begins five days in the past, while the other follows Private Park, a South Korean soldier who is part of a mixed squad of American and Korean troopers. Park’s story carries more emotional weight, his rookie status allowing us to see the horrors of war through uninitiated eyes as North Korea invades South. A new leader has just been instated, but it’s his sister who is pushing for war and bloodshed, a genocide backed and equipped by The Archer. Inevitably, the two stories barrel through time towards a joint conclusion that ties up the new Modern Warfare saga in about the only way it could after the uneven ride we’ve taken to get here.
That said, this campaign also has some of the best set-pieces of the recent series, and actually does some things the franchise hasn’t tried before. For a start, there’s a good deal of first person parkour and melee combat in it, which can be a little hit and miss but is generally solid and pleasingly cinematic. The melee mostly involves blocking at the right time and then punishing the enemy, while the parkour sections see Price running after or away from various parties. The dual story allows Infinity Ward to roll out the urban military squad action we’re used to while also dropping Price into street-level shenanigans like a breakneck race through Paris and a shootout in a packed nightclub. The campaign never outstays its welcome and never feels less than explosive.
One area it could have gone wrong is in a somewhat experimental mission in the latter half of the campaign. It utilises mechanics from the new DMZ mode, which is essentially Call of Duty’s answer to Escape from Tarkov. Here you are dropped into an expansive area, following objectives in the world while also searching for hidden loot, foraging for supplies, and basically trying to stay alive. It could easily have gone wrong, and certainly feels like a departure of sorts, but it’s handled wonderfully well, and never feels like a gimmick that’s been jammed in where it doesn’t fit.
Of the sixteen missions on offer, Stranded is easily the strongest. Not only does it set you up with a makeshift FOB, but it lets you tackle the map objectives in any order and ensures that they still feel meaty and challenging, while the narrative weaves in and out to keep you connected to the grander plot.
It also sets you up for the DMZ mode, which is arguably the most accessible version of the extraction shooter format I’ve played. While you still drop in with up to two other players, and will lose the loot you scavenge if you fail to extract, it feels decidedly less punishing. Rival players are thinner on the ground, there’s great visibility, and the AI enemies are no tougher or smarter than the ones you face on Regular difficulty in the campaign. I can see myself losing plenty of hours here, and I don’t usually like extraction shooters. It does oust the usual Zombies mode, though, which might upset some, though after last year’s Zombies I’m happy to have something that feels new again.
It’s a little early to dive too deeply into the multiplayer element, but initial impressions are fairly positive. Being a self-proclaimed “filthy casual” means SBMM doesn’t bother me as much as it bothers veteran players, and the greater mechanics seem mostly untouched as usual. That being said, movement does feel smoother. New animations for clearing low barriers make darting around the maps feel joyous, cranking up the already breakneck pace we’re used to. I will add, my usual lone wolf approach led me to struggle more than I normally do on some maps. The new “Nautical” map, which takes place on a Korean ferry someone kindly set on fire, favours tight communication, as its relatively small area makes it easy to lock down if you know what you’re doing. Come up against a coordinated team here, and you’ll struggle.
Elsewhere it’s the usual mix of CoD multiplayer maps, some favouring snipers thanks to long lanes and open spaces, and others forcing you to get up close and personal a little more often. My favourite is arguably Reactor U-92, which feels even more frantic than usual as it forces you to fight to the death as a reactor goes into meltdown around you; but those who favour the outdoors might prefer Rooftops, which sees you fighting across snowy roofs in NYC and feels pretty reminiscent of some of the campaign missions.
As is always the case, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is stunning. The cutscenes look better than real life, while in-game environments are rendered with almost psychotic detail. Even the streets of Paris that you barely see as you careen through them have been painstakingly created here. Character models are phenomenal, too, and the voice acting and motion capture is the best it has ever been. The writing isn’t necessarily strong, but it’s solid enough and the line delivery by every member of the cast sells every word. It’s like watching an instalment of Bond or Extraction, and I’m here for either. Similarly, the sound direction is peerless, whether you’re blasting North Korean soldiers off a bridge with a mortar or sneaking across rooftops. Obviously Activision aren’t short of a few quid, and it really shows here.
In the end, you don’t need me to tell you whether to play this or not. And yet I will confirm once again that this is an excellent campaign backed up by some exceptional multiplayer modes. The campaign itself not only tries some new things with a degree of success, but doubles down on all the things that make this series good when it’s good. It’s loud and exciting and full of memorable set-pieces, solid voice work, and writing that stays just on the right side of the quality spectrum. The dual story serves the setting and narrative really well, and to top it all off it looks absolutely ridiculous in motion.
After last year’s poor showing I didn’t expect to be so eager to recommend a Call of Duty campaign in 2026 but, well, here we are. As for everything else, well, if you’re a fan of this franchise at all you’re unlikely to be disappointed by the DMZ mode, while the PvP feels as tight to me as it ever did. As a package, Modern Warfare 4 is unarguably the best Call of Duty has been in some time.
