Invasion of a South Korean city, chase in the streets of Paris… The new opus of the “Call of Duty” video game saga, available Friday, revives the explosions and moments of bravery that made its success to revitalize a series in decline.
What is the scenario?
The fictional countries of Eastern Europe or the Middle East are no longer in the game: “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4” places its story in a South Korea invaded by its northern neighbor, against a backdrop of tensions between the United States and Russia. It follows several plots in parallel: the survival of a squad of young American and South Korean soldiers plunged into the heart of a violent conflict, the wanderings of a former soldier hungry for revenge and the power struggle around a new North Korean leader who it is even possible to embody for the duration of a mission.
Throughout the 16 stages constituting its campaign, which is completed in half a dozen hours, “Modern Warfare 4” gives pride of place to battlefields shaken by shots and explosions. It notably depicts the invasion of a South Korean city and the flight of its inhabitants under bombs.
The very realistic graphics make the experience particularly gripping and the game returns to what made the first opuses successful: frenetic action and large-scale clashes experienced at the level of a soldier. Not recommended for those under 18, the title presents several shocking scenes, including the hanging of a North Korean deserter and several summary executions.
What do gamers and critics think?
If the story mode of “Call of Duty” has always been a showcase for the general public, it is the online multiplayer clashes that attract a good portion of players each year. “The feeling of the movements is incredible, it’s very fluid,” enthuses Nolann Noy, 21, who came to test the title Thursday at Paris Games Week, where it is being previewed. For Alex Hernandez, 42, “it’s really very well done, the game is lively and responsive.”
Several specialist media having had access to the game’s campaign before its release highlight the quality of this new opus: the Insider Gaming site sees it as “the best campaign ever created”, while Eurogamer Germany depicts “a real action blockbuster” despite “a weak storyline”.
What is at stake for publisher Activision?
Developed in parallel by several studios, the “Call of Duty” games have been available in two series for more than 15 years, alternating releases each year. “Modern Warfare” depicts military conflicts in modern times, inspired by international tensions, while “Black Ops” takes place in an alternate reality where the Cold War never ended.
This “Modern Warfare 4” was developed by the American studio Infinity Ward, at the origin of the saga in 2003, and which piloted the relaunch of its Modern Warfare version, in 2019, in which this episode is part. He has the difficult task of correcting the situation after “Modern Warfare III” (2023), developed by Sledgehammer Games, which was very poorly received by the public and critics. It will also have to do better than last year’s episode, “Black Ops 7”, outpaced in sales in the United States by its main competitor “Battlefield 6”.
Unlike its predecessor, and in order not to cannibalize sales, “Modern Warfare 4” will not be available upon release in Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription offer. For the first time in 16 years, “Call of Duty” will also be available on a Nintendo console: the Switch 2, more powerful than its big sister, will host this new opus.
