Unveiling Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's Intense Open Combat Missions That Will Leave You Begging for More

Highlights

The Open Combat missions in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 offer a twist on the franchise's usual linearity, and it sounds like they will resemble the reboot's Spec Ops mode.

Recent Spec Ops modes have garnered negative feedback from fans who favored the traditional linear format of the original missions and the diverse locations, as all the missions were confined to the Warzone map.

To address this criticism, it is recommended that Modern Warfare 3 incorporate set-pieces in Open Combat missions and ensure a sufficient number of linear levels.

The recent Gamescom presentation introduced new Open Combat missions for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which will offer a fresh twist to the franchise's typically linear campaigns. These missions will feature semi-open worlds and various objectives, leading fans to draw comparisons between them and the revamped Spec Ops mode in the MW reboot.

While Open Combat will bring excitement to Modern Warfare 3's campaign, it's important to consider that recent Spec Ops modes have not been well-received by a significant portion of the Call of Duty fan-base. Many players preferred the carefully designed, linear structure of the classic Spec Ops missions. Therefore, incorporating the newer framework into MW3's campaign may lead to criticisms of the Open Combat levels feeling empty and lacking in memorability.

Why the Similarities Between Modern Warfare 3's Open Combat Missions and Spec Ops Are Concerning

The Open Combat campaign missions in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 offer fans a departure from the usual intimate single-player experiences of the franchise. These missions provide larger playing fields for players to explore and navigate as they see fit. Interestingly, the way these levels operate is strikingly reminiscent of the modern Spec Ops missions, which has created a negative perception surrounding Open Combat even before the release of MW3.

In 2019's Modern Warfare and its 2022 sequel, Spec Ops underwent a significant transformation that sparked controversy within the franchise. Despite retaining the same name, the core mechanics of the original Spec Ops' linear and intimate missions were completely abandoned in the new titles. The initial reception of Spec Ops had provided the MW franchise with a thrilling third mode that could rival the iconic Zombies found in Treyarch titles. Fans had high expectations for the Spec Ops mode in the MW reboot, but unfortunately, those expectations were not fulfilled.

The original Spec Ops game was characterized by a diverse selection of shorter levels, each based on memorable moments from the campaign. These missions allowed players to engage in sequences focused on stealth, timed races, or intense combat encounters. Unfortunately, these aspects were lost when the new Spec Ops modes introduced open areas, narrowing the range of experiences available. Furthermore, all the missions were set in the same type of environment within the Warzone maps, unlike the old Spec Ops missions which allowed players to explore various locations worldwide.

The first Spec Ops formula successfully blended the linear set-pieces of Call of Duty's campaigns with two-player co-op gameplay. However, removing this element from subsequent Spec Ops games has received negative feedback. Losing linearity in the campaign of Modern Warfare 3 could potentially have severe consequences for the game.

Modern Warfare 3 could use the similarities between Spec Ops and Open Combat to address recent criticism. One way to do this would be to concentrate set-pieces in regular missions to compensate for their absence in Open Combat segments. Additionally, it would be wise for Sledgehammer Games to introduce some linearity in the objective locations of Open Combat maps. This would allow certain areas to focus on stealth, while others could emphasize explosive cinematic moments within the map. It is crucial for Modern Warfare 3 to separate Open Combat missions into distinct linear experiences to avoid the campaign feeling like a battle against AI in a Warzone map rather than a proper campaign.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is coming on November 10 to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.