Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered Impressions

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is almost nine years old. It’s hard to believe, but time flies when you’re having fun. We were doing so at Activision’s Call of Duty XP 2016 event, and managed to snag some hands-on time with the upcoming remaster of this iconic entry. Take a gander at our impressions below.

Visual Refresh

Modern Warfare was an impressive display of graphical prowess when it released in 2007, and the remaster is looking great as well. While not the best-looking shooter out there any more, simply due to the point in time that the original assets were created, textures have been upgraded, effects have increased in number, and even the lighting has seen an HDR upgrade. Even if the frame rate was not confirmed at the event, it never faltered, and gameplay remained silky smooth.

Perhaps it has been too long since I last played Modern Warfare, but one thing that stuck out to me is that there was no music playing during matches. This shows a difference in the way multiplayer was approached back then. Since you can hear enemies coming, paying attention to the game audio was very important, something which is less of an issue with the newer games thanks to traits and attributes which show visual indicators of enemy locations. This is a subtle but important difference between entries of Call of Duty.

Change of Pace

I never thought I’d see a day where Modern Warfare felt tame. But after playing Infinite Warfare and Black Ops III, the entry that really put the Call of Duty franchise on the top of the FPS world now feels surprisingly slower-paced comparatively. With a more grounded take on combat (though still far from realistic, many would claim), there are none of the staples of the newer games present here. That means no double-jumping, no power sliding, and especially no wall running. Your soldier can’t even sprint for a very long time before having to slow down. It feels like a trip down memory lane, one that I was happy to take.

Without all the flashy future tech to assist gamers, you have to rely on your reflexes and strategy to earn your kills. Picking the right loadout for not only the map, but game mode, can make all the difference in the world. Also, whereas Infinite Warfare usually allots you just one lethal grenade, Modern Warfare allows you to carry up to three. It’s easy to forget just how much of a ‘nade fest matches used to be. Still, if this mechanic were modified, this wouldn’t really be a remaster so much as a re-envisioning of a classic game.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare may be old by, well, modern standards, but its gameplay holds up very well. Controls are responsive, and missing your target is usually simply your own fault. With a graphical overhaul that ensures buttery-smooth play, if you were a fan of the original, you can expect to lose plenty of time replaying this classic. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered will be available later this year for those who buy the Legacy ($79.99), Legacy Pro ($119.99), and Digital Deluxe ($99.99) editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.