Whether you love it or hate it, Modern Warfare is a very successful and highly praised series. Now we have finally been given the first details, and there’s a bunch to take in.
Release Date
Let’s get this out of the way first. When can you expect the game? November 8, 2011. This puts it in a month full of large titles: Uncharted 3, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but the biggest one is Battlefield 3. That’s right. The top FPS franchises are going head to head. Better pick your side (or just dish out $120).
Story
Modern Warfare 3’s story picks up right at the end of its predecessor and the U.S. is dealing a surprise Russian assault. If you’ve played any of the recent Call of Duty titles you’re aware that the stories tend to jump between numerous characters. That will be the case once again for Modern Warfare 3. The characters range from “a Russian Federal Protective Services agent, SAS Operative, tank gunner*, and AC-130 gunner* as well as key characters from previous installments and new recurring characters.” Manhattan will be in the process of being overrun in the opening level while the end of the game will close with a confrontation taking place in Dubai. There will be 15 missions in all to flesh out this military story.
*Players will be taking control of the AC-130 again as well as being dropped into a tank from the U.S. Armored Division.
Characters
While specific names weren’t given, it was heavily hinted that we’ll be seeing Soap and Price return. It seems their storylines will be wrapped up, answering all questions players had at the end of MW2. In addition, we’ll be introduced to some new characters such as “Frost” and “Sandman” who are Delta Force operatives. They seem to be getting a lot of attention already. SPOILERS Whether they’ll live to see the end or share Ghost’s fate is something we won’t know until the game comes out. /SPOILERS
Multiplayer
Rumors are spreading that multiplayer could very well have up to 20 maps. While that number does sound pleasing, there’s a huge possibility that some of these end up as DLC or pre-order bonuses. As for the guns, you can check out numerous pictures of their updated forms here.
Here are the names of maps currently believed to be apart of the competitive multiplayer:
-Alpha
-Alps
-Bootleg
-Bravo
-Brooklyn
-Carbon
-Coast
-Dome
-Exchange
-Hardhat
-Interchange
-Lambeth
-Meteora
-Mogadishu
-Paris
-Plaza 2
-Radar
-Seatdown
-Undeground
-Village
Hopefully some of those names are placeholders since a few are a bit too generic. Then again, no one’s gonna buy the game for the multiplayer map titles that are only displayed during loading screens.
If online, competitive gameplay isn’t quite your thing don’t worry. Spec Ops is making a return as well. This time there will be 2 options: Mission and Survival. Mission is basically what you saw with Spec Ops in MW2. You’ll be given an objective and you’ll have to complete said objective. Survival mode is going to be more along the lines of what we experienced in Nazi Zombies…minus the zombies (or maybe they’ll implement them like every other developer has). Players will have to survive wave after wave of enemies that continually increase in difficulty much like the onslaught modes we’ve seen invade games over the past few years.
Here are the names of the Spec Ops maps:
-Carbon (Survival)
-Dome (Survival)
-Radar (Survival)
-Seatown (Survival)
-Village (Survival)
-Civilian Rescue (Mission)
-Flood the Market (Mission)
-Invisible Threat (Mission)
-Little Bro’s (Mission)
-Out of Africa (Mission)
-No Fly Zone (Mission)
-Wing Man (Mission)
Right now that’s all we know about this highly anticipated title. As more information makes its way out we’ll be sure to inform you.
Thanks, Kotaku.
