Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Image See the trailer
Activision
Release Date:
Also On: PC, PlayStation 3
Metascore
88
Based on
81 Critics
User Score
3.3
Summary Back to top
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a direct sequel to the previous game in the series, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, with a campaign storyline continuing the struggle of U.S. forces against an invasion by the Russian Federation following the framing of an undercover U.S. agent in a terrorist attack on Moscow. Together with classic Call of Duty multi-character control, Modern Warfare 3 contains deep multiplayer support, including two-player Co-op Survival mode. The game also contains all-new Kill Streak categories and customizable strike packages that offer more options for player combat styles and strategies. Expand
Developer: Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games
Genre(s): Modern
Cheats: On GameFAQs
Rating: M
Critic Reviews Back to top
Positive:
79
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
100
The A.V. Club
Nov 13, 2011
Like a divorced parent trying to win the affection of an only child, the game dishes out rewards with every breath.
95
TeamXbox
Nov 12, 2011
The multiplayer is the strongest it has ever been, and the coop mode has been expanded from an addition to a full-fledged mode. Modern Warfare 3 won't blow away anyone looking for anything new, but it will deliver enough thrills and quality to keep players engaged and coming back for more.
92
Multiplayer.it
Nov 8, 2011
Modern Warfare 3 is what the fans expected - fast paced multiplayer action with some new twists and game modes that are a definitely a fresh breeze. But there are also a great campaign and the usual challenging Spec Ops.
90
VideoGamer
Nov 8, 2011
Modern Warfare 3 doesn't do anything new, but it also doesn't do anything wrong. For better or worse, this is a slick and well-metered trio of modes that make an entertaining package, but Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward are simply looking to augment previous games rather than expand the series into pastures new.
88
Cheat Code Central
Nov 8, 2011
Largely feels like an iterative title...This isn't to say that Modern Warfare 3 is at all a bad game-it's an attractive and polished effort with tight controls, addictive multiplayer, and the sense that one is truly on a battlefield, rather than carrying on a miniature war behind the scenes.
85
GameSpot
Nov 8, 2011
This is an exciting and rewarding game, but the series' signature thrills have lost some of their luster. Modern Warfare 3 iterates rather than innovates, so the fun you have is familiar. Fortunately, it's also utterly engrossing and immensely satisfying, giving fans another reason to rejoice in this busy shooter season.
70
Gamer.no
Nov 8, 2011
Modern Warfare 3 doesn't reinvent gunpowder, but sticks to the recipe of the previous games in the series. With a decent story and good multiplayer it's a game worth playing, but the lack of willingness to add improvements in gameplay show a laziness often found in a complacent game series.
User Reviews Back to top
Positive:
1,503
Mixed:
297
Negative:
2,727
10
Teflon
Nov 8, 2011
MW3 is what every CoD fan should want. A polished version of the great game we all love. I'm surprised how many negative user reviews they are? How many of the bad reviews were written by disappointed BF3 players???? There's no such thing as a CoD killer......... Expand
10
DJ_HMS
Nov 10, 2011
Having played all previous iterations of Call of Duty I can confirm that Modern Warfare 3 is the best of the bunch! The only potential negative I have for you is that the campaign is fairly short (though the time it takes to complete increases dramatically when playing on a more difficult setting!), but it is gripping and enjoyable. Add to this a large suite of multiplayer modes, 2 offline/online co-op modes, CoD Elite, video replays, perks, XP, the promise of 20 pieces of DLC... and you've got some serious entertainment on your hands! (Please ignore the haters - for some strange reason they want you to miss out!) I cannot recommend this game highly enough, 10/10! Expand
9
Phalanx2006
Nov 10, 2011
Forget Black Ops. This game keeps everything that was great about MW2 and fixes what was broken with it. Anyone who gave this game a really low score must have very unrealistic expectations. The campaign was short but the multiplayer will keep you coming back. The Kill Confirmed mode really adds a challenging twist to TDM. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a fast paced shooter. Expand
2
B0M85H311
Mar 9, 2012
First of all lets get it straight that when I rate games I rate them OUT OF 10 so 5 is average 7 is good , 3 is below average etc. As a call of duty fan since the first modern warfare game is the best IMO, I had enjoyed the multiplayer of the past few titles even if they were a little imbalanced as they were immersing, fast paced games which I always had fun playing even in MW2, as it always included me in the game even when I was getting my ass kicked I could always still pull off a cool kill or save my team's ass by taking down a heli. This game was a huge let down compared. The first reason I say this is because, even though the guns have never really had any "weight" behind them, I still felt I was shooting a gun and thought this was specifically well done in WAW however in MW3 especially with some of the guns it just feels as though you are clicking a button to kill someone completely killing the immersion and enjoyment out of a kill.

Also every single year the cod franchise tries to add new things to spice up the same formula much like pop music instead of tinkering with the core gameplay itself being afraid they'll mess it up. This time they added gun proficiencies and altered the perks and a few other minor things. Now its almost like there are too many variables for the developers to be able to alter so leads the game to be unbalanced as there are so many combinations. This makes for a frustrating multiplayer for serious players and casuals alike. Third of all the games are quicker online, you die more quickly kills are racked up faster. Im fine with that concept but not how it has been introduced. Firstly when Im playing I feel way more sluggish, Im guessing this is to compensate for millitary realism but in all honesty you don't play cod to feel like a guy in afghanistahn you play because you want to feel like a bad ass soldier out of an action movie shooting guys in the face. I feel so slow and so much less smooth compared to mw2 its like im being left out of the game and I feel that Im just a bystander to the game itself.

The maps are awful generic pieces of crap in all honesty. They have become smaller and smaller throughout the call of dutys due to design laziness and to create combat realistic situations which once again we don't care about if the game isn't fair or fun. There is no safe way to get from one of a map to the other even though they are so small as they are ridiculously open leading to camping being the tactic low level players use as they find it impossible to beat higher level players.

The gameplay and the shooting itself hasn't changed, quickscoping which I enjoyed and thought did take some skill (IMO) has been altered however Im on the fence of whether this is a bad thing or a good thing as snipers were OP in MW2.

The campaign is a hollow corridor shooter which puts you in the same situation in every mission with a different cinematic and new textures. The only way you can use the environment is explosive barrels and you are breadcrumb lead through the missions by your commanding officer whoever that may be. Overall this game is a big lousy corporate sell out which should of been much more innovative and brave in its design. Greed has gotten the better of the franchise to a point where it provokes no feeling when playing the game, its literally like standing in my house doing nothing to me.

2/10 - a ruined franchise for no good reason.
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1
HNNNNNNNG
Dec 2, 2011
You don't need to be good to make a game. Anyone can make a game if they're creative. However, copying and pasting the same exact graphics and gameplay into a game isn't really creative. I find myself hiding in shame when I hear people talk about MW3. Really, I liked Call of Duty back then, but over the years, it's the exact same thing. While it continues the plot, which could have ended two games ago, it had potential to be a good game. That potential seemed to have vanished. Long story short: I don't like paying $60 for a Downloadable Content. MW3 seemed more like MW2.5 for me. The plot was very obvious and many elements of the game seem copy and pasted. I also found something on a website (Link below) about the desperation of the boss to try and boost up its score on this website. http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/11/14/modern-warfare-3-dev-attempts-to-boost-metacritic-score-via-twitter/

People have opinions. Boosting opinions is cheating. Why are they being hypocrites?
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0
medorbust12
Nov 9, 2011
It's incredibly original and the story line is just amazing...I'm of course kidding. Please bring me something original in a modern age fps. Just shows that a whole bunch of money doesn't mean you will produce anything decent. Time to start looking at Half-Life 3 conspiracy forums again, lol. Expand
0
masonstorm2012
Nov 15, 2011
I eagerly pre ordered the hardened edition of mw3 having played black ops to death and was part of the beta for elite then release day came my brother got a midnight copy I had to wait for the delivery next day - getting up the next morning i walked into my brothers room and said did you not manage to get it ? thinking he was playing mw2 glen schofield of sledgehammer says he worked his but off for 2 years - 2 years for a map pack? change career would be my advice...............wake up cracktavision ............ Expand