Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is shaping up to be an exciting game, and fans are finally starting to get some official info to accompany all the interesting leaks. Alongside confirmation of the Task Force 141 members and the announcement of a release date, the promotional material has a clear sense of style that clearly evokes the original MW2 due to its use of the color green.
While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has good foundations to build upon, as the previous Modern Warfare game did a solid job of bringing the series forward to the modern day and innovating with new modes like Gunfight, its predecessor was not perfect. As such, when Modern Warfare 2 officially releases later this year, many fans will be hoping that it does not repeat certain mistakes from the 2019 reboot.
A Return To Form For Spec Ops in MW2
In the original Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3, Spec Ops mode was a highlight. This mode saw two players completing a series of focused missions with a single objective, with these brief levels being varied and challenging on high difficulty levels. From racing down a mountain on snowmobiles to completing slow motion room clears, Spec Ops felt like a series of co-op campaign setpieces with some clear passion behind it.
This is in clear contrast to the Spec Ops mode from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019, which felt like an afterthought. Instead of the focused missions that took place in a huge variety of locations from the campaign, players battled through areas from the Warzone map Verdansk, which had already been seen in multiplayer's Ground War mode. Reused assets were the least of the mode’s worries, though, as the missions were incredibly unbalanced and repetitive. Players fought waves upon waves of overly strong enemies, with only a few different objectives. The drop from 23 missions to just 8 was noticeable, too.
While the attempts at four-player co-op and a greater focus on storytelling were commendable, most would agree that this mode was unenjoyable. As such, if Spec Ops returns in Modern Warfare 2, it needs to be a lot more comparable to what was featured in the older titles. However, with leaks suggesting a horror-focused, PT-like mode as well as something comparable to Escape from Tarkov, Spec Ops will likely be left in the past in favor of something new. If it is anything like the 2019 version, though, this would hardly be a bad thing.
A More Balanced, Fast-Paced Approach Is Needed For MW2
Part of what made Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 feel fresh was its slower, more tactical style. In a vast majority of Call of Duty games, arcadey combat and constant fighting are the norm, with players rushing from one battle to the next. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 differed in the sense that more often than not, it was best to hold down one area and take things slow. For many, this was a refreshing change of pace after years of the same gameplay style.
Despite many enjoying the slower approach, though, others disliked it. Those that were down on the change took issue with the fact that it was the only real way to succeed, as players had to be incredibly skilled to make a rushing playstyle work in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare multiplayer. While a major change was welcome, the fact that it completely replaced the old way to play in the eyes of longtime fans proved problematic. As such, Modern Warfare 2 should strive to make both rushing and camping playstyles viable. This way, all sides are happy, with the game not being a campfest but still accommodating those that prefer to take things slow. While a traditional mini map, changes to super sprint, and a longer TTK can all help with this, something else will be important.
Another way to make more gameplay styles viable is to keep a better eye on balancing, with Infinity Ward needing to deliver a varied arsenal of viable guns that does not lean too heavily in one direction. Everyone that played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 early in its life will likely remember the 725 meta. Ludicrously overpowered, this Shotgun was a guaranteed one-hit kill in the game’s first few months, meaning that campers were virtually unstoppable. As such, avoiding a similarly broken gun should be a must. With some classic MW2 weapons leaked in the form of the Intervention and ACR, making sure these guns are not too overpowered will also be key.
More Small Maps in MW2 on Day One
Perhaps the biggest downside of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019 on launch day was its map lineup. While there was a decent if not amazing count, making it less offensive than Black Ops Cold War’s roster of launch maps, few maps were a big hit with fans. Most were average at best, with only a few play spaces like Hackney Yard becoming hits with the community. The most common criticism was that maps like Grazna Raid and Euphrates Bridge were far too large and unfocused.
However, as soon as Modern Warfare 2019’s post-launch Seasons began, this criticism started to fade away. The multiplayer map Shoot House was an instant hit with the community, with many finally happy to have an old school three lane map with a far smaller scope. From there, smaller DLC maps like Shipment continued to be added and were met with praise, with fans making it clear that a balance between small, medium, and large maps is a must.
With several Modern Warfare 2 remasters leaked, this should thankfully not be a problem in 2022’s Call of Duty title. With Shipment and Nuketown being some of the most legendary maps in franchise history, Activision and the series’ developers should always remember to have a few of them ready to go on day one. Assuming that Spec Ops is improved or replaced, gameplay is more fair to rushers, and some small maps feature in the day one lineup, Modern Warfare’s sequel has a good chance to outdo the first game in the rebooted series.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 launches October 28.