Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
Developer(s)	Raven Software[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)	Activision
Director(s)	David Pellas
Designer(s)	Amos Hodge
Series	Call of Duty
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 Xbox One
Release	WW: November 4, 2016[lower-alpha 2]
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a first-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. A remastered version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it was released worldwide on November 4, 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It is available by purchasing either the Legacy, Digital Deluxe or Legacy Pro editions of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, with physical versions requiring the Infinite Warfare disc inserted to access the remaster. A standalone edition of the game was released on June 27, 2017 for the PlayStation 4, and July 27, 2017 for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows.

Modern Warfare Remastered builds upon the original by featuring extensive graphical enhancements, lighting and rendering upgrades, updated animations, remastering original sound effects as well as adding new, and offers numerous small improvements while retaining the original core gameplay. Extras such as new multiplayer content and additional achievements and cheats are also included. The remaster received positive reviews from critics, who lauded the improved graphics, sound, and range of amendments from the original game, to the point that some found it more akin to a remake. However, split opinions were given to the campaign and multiplayer, aspects of which were seen as both dated and refreshingly simplistic. Activision also generated controversy for not initially releasing Remastered as a standalone game, among other criticized business decisions.

Gameplay

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered features the same core gameplay as the original version, but includes several minor modifications.^[1] An adjustment made involves moving while in the prone position; unlike in the original game, the equipped weapon is now visible to the player, and whilst crawling, the gamepad will give feedback as the gun makes contact with the ground. The game utilizes "dual render technology" for sniper rifle scopes when aiming, providing the player with a view of the scope and blurred surroundings, as opposed to a black screen representing the scope interior present in the original.^[2] Throughout the campaign, new first-person animations are present on a few occasions, for example, when removing a character's bonds during one of the levels.^[3][4] Pressing down on the gamepad's D-pad in multiplayer when a weapon is equipped will initiate a brief animation, such as allowing the player to inspect the side of a gun that is otherwise hidden in the default position.^[5]

The single-player keeps the same collectibles and cheats as before, with the addition of several new cheats.^[6] The multiplayer features the same weapons, killstreaks, perks, and game modes.^[7] Existing game modes present in other Call of Duty installments such as "Kill Confirmed", "Gun Game" and "Hardpoint" as well as new modes like "Prop Hunt" are also included.^[8][9] A number of original weapons not featured in Modern Warfare were added.^{[10][11][12][13]} The multiplayer also offers a greater variety of customization options for profile personalization, character skins, and weapon camouflage, which can all be unlocked through experience points. Supply drops allow players to receive these same items, but exclude weapons and attachments from the original.^[14] A firing range is present in the multiplayer lobby, allowing the player to test out different weapon loadouts.^[15]

Plot

Modern Warfare Remastered features the same plot as the original game. The player acts as a member of American and British military soldiers and takes on missions to fight against a separatist group in the Middle East as well as an ultranationalist group in Russia.

While the United States invades a small Middle Eastern country following a coup d'etat by the extremist Khaled Al-Asad, a British Special Air Service (SAS) squad infiltrates a cargo ship found to be carrying a nuclear device. The ship is sunk by enemy jets, but the SAS team escapes with its manifest, and then heads to Russia to rescue their informant, codenamed "Nikolai", from the Ultranationalist party. The intelligence from these operations indicate Al-Asad has a Russian nuclear device. The U.S. military launches an assault on Al-Asad's palace, but the nuclear device is detonated, wiping out most of the city along with 30,000 marines.

The SAS team tracks down Al-Asad in Azerbaijan, and discover that he was working with Imran Zakhaev, the leader of the Ultranationalist party. The mission then flashes back to 1996, where Captain Price, who was a Lieutenant at the time, is sent alongside his commanding officer, Captain MacMillan, on a failed assassination attempt on Imran Zakhaev. After killing Al-Asad, the SAS team, with support from U.S. Force Recon and Russian loyalists, attempt to capture Zakhaev's son and learn his whereabouts. They ambush him, but he commits suicide. In response, Zakhaev seizes control of a nuclear launch facility. A joint operation is launched to take back the site, but Zakhaev launches intercontinental ballistic missiles at the U.S. eastern seaboard. The joint teams are able to breach the facility and remotely destroy the missiles before fleeing the area.

Zakhaev's forces trap the escaping joint force on a bridge, and during the fight many are killed. Zakhaev arrives and begins executing wounded soldiers, when a loyalist helicopter arrives and distracts him. The player uses their pistol to kill Zakhaev.

Characters

The player mainly controls British Special Air Service (SAS) recruit Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish for most of the game, starting with his enrollment in the 22nd SAS Regiment. The player also controls United States Marine Corps (USMC) Sergeant Paul Jackson during five of the levels on Act 1. Captain John Price (voiced by actor Billy Murray) is an SAS officer who is playable in two flashback missions from 1996 in which he is still Lieutenant. The player also assumes the role of an American thermal-imaging TV operator aboard a Lockheed AC-130 gunship during one level, and a British SAS operative infiltrating a hijacked airliner to save a VIP in a secret level titled "Mile High Club". Finally, the player may control Yasir Al-Fulani, the president of the unnamed Middle Eastern country in the game before he is executed, although he has no freedom of action beyond turning his head.

Development and changes

Overview

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered was developed by Raven Software, who developed multiplayer modes for several Call of Duty titles in the past, and executive produced by Infinity Ward.^[16] Development of the remaster began in early 2015, as a result of an online petition signed by fans of the original game.^[4] The remaster runs in full 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second. It offers full PlayStation Network trophy and Xbox Live achievement support (trophies of which had been absent from the PlayStation 3 version of Modern Warfare), with the inclusion of several new challenges.^[17] The single-player received a few new cheats from the developers, while keeping the same cheats and intel file collectibles from the original.^[6] The multiplayer featured ten of the original maps at launch, while the remaining six were released as a free update.^[18][8] A wide range of new content was also created for the multiplayer to bring it more in line with recent Call of Duty installments; from December 2016, a supply drop system was introduced along with an expanded array of customization items such as emblems, calling cards, and character skins, in addition to new varieties of weapon camouflage.^[14] Further guns and melee weapons were also introduced in the time since release.^{[19][20][21][22]} Some of the content, including new game modes and variants of existing maps, were exclusive to the game's temporary playlists and seasonal events held since launch.^{[23][24][25][26]}

Design

The majority of Modern Warfare was "rebuilt from the ground up" for Remastered,^[27] with improvements being made to virtually all of its aspects. Designers from Raven Software had pledged to focus on four key areas throughout development: respecting the original game, modernizing the visuals and audio, improving the overall experience with new technology, and redefining what the term "remaster" meant.^[4]

Raven Software's studio director David Pellas recalled that they reviewed a large number of Call of Duty internet forums where active players of Modern Warfare could be found in order to understand what they would want from a re-release of the game. Pellas noted that the risk of negative fan reactions resulting from any small changes made to the original and the desire to meet high expectations was daunting for Raven, saying "There was a realization that this is freaking terrifying, because it's not just important to us". However, he said that they were encouraged by their principle of keeping the core gameplay unchanged,^[1] a decision that remained consistent throughout the process as respecting the experience of the original was incredibly important for them.^[3] Subsequently, Pellas mentioned that any minor improvements they had made to the timing of the game's animations, such as the transition between aiming a sniper rifle and the scope overlay appearing, was designed to be as close to identical as possible to still feel like the original.^[1]

The developers spent much of their time concentrating on updating Modern Warfare's graphics and visuals in order to bring them up to the standards needed; enhancements of the environments and vistas were drafted by using a procedure called "Paint-over", with a larger amount of onscreen objects and effects being integrated into them. Improved textures, physically-based rendering, and light-reflection were used for added depth and detail. Many large objects were also remodeled. In addition to these enhancements, all weapons in the game received improved physics, realistic alterations made to their firing mechanisms, and a new feature that allowed each gun to eject shell casings unique to that weapon; as a developer from Raven explained, "We needed to take the weapons up to the same level of personality as the characters". Character models were similarly updated with realistic modelling, joints, and physics. The majority of the original game's motion capture animation was redone for exposition and reliability.^[28] The artificial intelligence of non-player characters was also improved to respond more realistically with the environment, and vice versa, such as long grass reacting to the player character's presence. New first-person animations were added to the game for further immersion and to improve how the camera made use of the player character's body, enhancing the "body sense".^[3][4] Pellas said, "I think that for [the single-player] campaign, we were definitely more liberal with our animations and additions, as long as they enhanced the true intent of the moment."^[1]

The existing audio was remastered to enhance the overall ambiance of the game; one example a developer from Raven made note of is that "Layering out multiple sounds now makes a big difference". Other sound effects that were not present in Modern Warfare were also used, including unused audio channels that had been created for the original, but due to restraints had not been included during development.^[3][4] The original voice performances were retained, with the exception of the dialogue spoken by Al-Asad which was amended and re-recorded.^[29]

Marketing and release

Reveal

News of Modern Warfare Remastered was leaked on Reddit on April 27, 2016 prior to its announcement. The leak revealed a screenshot of a reservation card for the online store Target that included the Legacy Edition of Infinite Warfare and the bundled remaster.^[30] Call of Duty's official Twitter account responded with an emoji tweet later that day, seemingly confirming that a remaster of Modern Warfare existed.^[31]

Remastered was officially announced at E3 2016, showing an extended trailer for its campaign, following a gameplay reveal for Infinite Warfare.^[32] After the trailer, it was revealed that PlayStation 4 users who pre-purchased (as opposed to pre-ordered) an edition of Infinite Warfare that came with the remaster would be able to play the game's campaign 30 days earlier, as part of Sony's exclusivity deal with Activision.^[33][34] A gameplay video for the game's "Crew Expendable" mission was released on July 14, 2016, displaying the improved graphics, lighting, and textures, as well as upgraded character models and animations.^[35][36] The remaster's multiplayer mode was revealed during the Call of Duty: XP 2016 convention,^[37][38] and attendees of the convention were able to play it first with others.^[39] In September 2016, official trailers were released for the campaign and multiplayer.^[40][41]

Release

Modern Warfare Remastered was released worldwide on November 4, 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows, alongside Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. At the time, the game was only available by purchasing either the Legacy, Digital Deluxe or Legacy Pro editions of Infinite Warfare, with physical versions requiring the Infinite Warfare disc inserted to access the remaster.^[42][43] The game was later released standalone for PlayStation 4 on June 27, 2017, and for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows on July 27, 2017.^[44] Activision confirmed that premium versions of Infinite Warfare must be permanently installed in order to use the included remaster.^[45]

Downloadable content

On March 8, 2017, it was announced that a remastered version of the Variety Map Pack, originally released for Modern Warfare, would be made available for Remastered. It includes the same four maps, "Killhouse", "Chinatown", "Creek", and "Broadcast", as well as 10 rare supply drops. The map pack was released as a separate purchase on March 21, 2017 for PlayStation 4,^[46] and on April 20, 2017 for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows,^[47] not being included with any versions of Remastered.^[48]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic (PS4) 83/100[49] (XONE) 89/100[50] (PC) 86/100[51] Review scores Publication Score Destructoid 8/10[52] IGN 8.5/10[53] Push Square 9/10[54] Metro 8/10[55] Hardcore Gamer 3.5/5[56]
Award Publication Award IGN Best of 2016 Awards Best Remaster[57]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered received generally favorable reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.^[49][50][51] The game was awarded the accolade for "Best Remaster" of 2016 from IGN.^[57]

Joey Thurmond of Push Square wrote how playing through the campaign of Modern Warfare reminded him of its sheer memorability and how it had long endured with fans compared with other games in the series, saying "there's tension and gravity shot through the experience, as if the world is on your shoulders to push past every enemy line with explosive bravado or exacting stealth. [...] There's a grounded feel to player characters that make you another cog in the machine with the abilities and limitations of an ordinary soldier, not a supernatural saviour." He praised the game's graphical enhancements, saying "Modern Warfare Remastered looks and sounds like a fresh game on par with today's graphical and aural standards" and calling it a "ridiculously faithful remake", but wrote that the game still showed some slight signs of age, such as artificial intelligence problems and pacing issues. In short, he commended Raven Software "for arguably delivering the most substantial, masterful remake we have ever experienced", and that "Modern Warfare Remastered celebrates this legacy with updated visuals and sound that really go above and beyond the call of duty, sprucing up an old care package for a more modern age to near-perfection."^[54]

Kallie Plagge of IGN remarked how the remaster wasn't as revolutionary a game when compared with the original, and that certain aspects, such as the pacing and level design, felt notably dated. She praised the range of visual and technical enhancements compared with other remasters, but criticized some minor shortcomings with regards to both graphical and design elements, saying "there are cracks in the facade; a checkpoint-triggered cloud of smoke near the end of the campaign was jarringly rough around the edges, for instance, and there were times when I'd get momentarily stuck on the geometry of a door and unceremoniously shoved to the side by a scripted ally charging through." Despite this, she complimented the gameplay as having held up remarkably well and which felt more gratifying as a result of being unaltered, stating how it left her "feeling relatively weighed down, encumbered, and more desperate in the fray. [...] It feels urgent, and it's still really satisfying even next to a contemporary, faster CoD." She thought the game felt more classic rather than outdated, saying that "It might not have the same effect it did the first time around, but it works as both a great embodiment of what shooters used to be and one that still plays well."^[53]

Destructoid's Chris Carter was positive of all the changes made to the original that showcased Raven's considerable efforts, but stated that the game was still at its core one from 2007. He cited the story as an example, saying that the game's campaign was still worth playing despite being topped by its competition. Carter further noted that the cast were "nothing more than warm bodies at points", but opined that the crux of the story and the relationship between main protagonist Soap and Captain Price was "worth the price of admission". Alternatively, he found the multiplayer to be timeless, and that the design of each map held up well and felt justified. He compared the multiplayer to those offered by other first-person shooter games, such as the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six series, stating "There's a nice, comfortable balance between the two philosophies, to the point where it's not too alienating for folks who didn't grow up with twichy FPSes or feel like dedicating the time to learning the ins and outs of breaching and clearing each and every room, knocking on permadeath's door on every match."^[52]

Metro complimented the visuals of the remaster, saying that "The game still doesn't look quite as good as the last couple of Call Of Duty's, but it's extremely close. And whatever else you say about it, on a presentational level this is an excellent remaster." The multiplayer they praised for being more pleasingly simple than recent Call of Duty games and pointed out how it was sure to bring considerable nostalgia to players of the original, but nonetheless criticized it for feeling limited and shallow. They also noted that the remaster inadvertently felt clichéd and overfamiliar, due to the original having inspired numerous sequels and imitations, but praised the modern-day setting as feeling surprisingly fresh again. Metro summarized their review by saying "One of the most influential video games of all time gets the remaster it deserves, and is still impressively entertaining after all these years."^[55]

Kevin Dunsmore of Hardcore Gamer wrote that the plot was much more grounded and realistic than other recent titles in the series and echoed Push Square's review by commenting on the gameplay, writing "You're not a super soldier stuck in the middle of out-of-this-world set piece, but rather a regular soldier working with a squad to complete objectives." However, he stated that the decision to keep many of the design choices intact from the original was both refreshing and a hindrance. He highlighted examples from the campaign, such as infinitely-spawning enemies, and similarly condemned infamous perks and a lack of killstreak-countering in the multiplayer that had not been removed or fixed, finding it "extremely outdated". Despite this, he complimented the multiplayer as feeling fresh, saying "After years of over-the-top killstreaks, wall-running, and other crazy antics, it's nice to get back to the basics". He heavily praised the visual enhancements on display, saying "Modern Warfare Remastered is the most extensive visual upgrade any remaster has ever received yet, being more in line with a remake than an actual remaster. [...] It's a stunning overhaul." He concluded by saying "What Raven has accomplished is impressive, but it has its limits. A few tweaks would have gone a long way to fixing some balancing issues, but for those looking for a blast from the past, this works just fine".^[56]

Infinite Warfare bundling

Before its standalone version was announced the following year, many criticized the decision that Modern Warfare Remastered would only be available through purchasing a premium version of Infinite Warfare, with Activision being accused of anti-consumerism practices and coercing fans into paying more than necessary. Joey Thurmond disagreed with how a re-release of a classic that had shaped both the series' formula and first-person shooter genre in general had been coupled with a new, poorly-received title, calling the choice "preposterous" and "a bullet in the face to consumers". He argued that selling Remastered separately would actually benefit Activision, forecasting an eventual influx of pre-owned copies of the bundle being sold, devaluing Infinite Warfare's worth in the process.^[58] Forbes' Paul Tassi described the bundling as being "a way to essentially blackmail players into picking up a more expensive version of a base game they may not have even wanted (Infinite Warfare) in order to get something they desperately wanted (Modern Warfare Remastered)", but understood why Activision had made the choice due to the move being "pro-money".^[59]

However, others found that the bundling of the games was a sensible business decision, most highlighting the risk that the sales of Remastered could overshadow those of Infinite Warfare and result in direct competition between the two.^[60][61] Stephen Wright of Gamespresso, meanwhile, agreed with Activision based around the impulsiveness of the Call of Duty fanbase, writing that due to the series' popularity, many of the individuals who felt discontent towards a new title would still choose to buy it regardless. As such, Activision had released the bundle with the knowledge that fans would certainly purchase Infinite Warfare in order to obtain a remaster of Modern Warfare, a game that was held in such high regard. While Wright did disagree with having to pay for an unwanted game in order to obtain another, he expressed faith that the bundle would be good value for money.^[62]

Inclusion of microtransactions

Further controversy arose several weeks after the release of Remastered when Activision incorporated the use of microtransactions into the multiplayer, along with further new content, which had been absent from Modern Warfare.^[63][8] Evidence of micropayments had first been raised some days after release when data miners uncovered hidden content within the game's files that pointed to its inclusion.^[64] The choice was quickly rebuked by fans, who accused Activision of defiling the memory of Modern Warfare and exploiting their feelings of nostalgia for profit.^[65] Connor Murphy at Beyond Entertainment wrote that its release "comparatively blows open Pandora’s Box as to what players may encounter".^[63] Gaming journalist Jim Sterling slammed the "ludicrous" decision to include microtransactions in a re-release of a nine year-old game and compared it to "something a parody of the industry would come up with". He felt that having first used Remastered as leverage in order to sell more copies of Infinite Warfare, Activision's move was "a masterstroke of sliminess".^[66]

Pricing of DLC and standalone version

Following the announcement of the Variety Map Pack in March 2017, Activision was condemned for deciding that the downloadable content would not be available for free. Many argued that charging for it (and at a higher price than its original release) was an unprincipled move. This was further emphasized due to the fact that Activision had already generated additional revenue for Remastered by bundling it with Infinite Warfare (increasing its cost to more than an individual game) and by including microtransactions. Fans also noted that as a remaster, which often includes all previously-released DLC, the map pack should have been released alongside the game.^[67][68][69] Sterling further slated Activision for charging for the DLC, stating that it was "incomprehensible" and that to sell it at a higher price than the original highlighted "just how far [Activision] can mock its customers and get away with it", labeling it as the latest scam to befall the game.^[70] Erik Kain of Forbes similarly argued that the DLC should have been available free of charge, maintaining his belief that charging for map packs "[was] a huge mistake".^[67] However, he felt he could sympathize with Activision, writing that it was easier for them to set price points for early and late buyers. He also noted that the remaster was cheap in its contribution to the overall price for two bundled games and so further costs for the DLC were justified.^[71]

Activision faced further criticism upon revealing that the Variety Map Pack would not be sold alongside the standalone version of Remastered. Fans also took offense to the fact that both the cost of the base remaster and that of the DLC amounted to an almost full-price game. Kain was understanding of the cost of the standalone as selling it cheaply would have affronted those who had bought the Infinite Warfare bundle for the remaster, but had been "almost certain" that the game would have included the DLC. Subsequently, he wrote that doing so would have been "a gesture of good will to the community" and "a smart move for the company".^[72] Mic's Jason Faulkner condemned Activision's previous business practices involving Remastered and found the standalone version to be "a bad deal", criticizing that it was being sold for double that of its cost when bundled with Infinite Warfare, and found it "ridiculous" that with the DLC it amounted to almost full-price. As a result, he advised that fans should wait for the game to be reduced in price before buying.^[73]

Technical issues on Windows version

From the time of release, the Windows version of Remastered was criticized for suffering from a number of technical issues in the multiplayer, with players also being dissatisfied with the game's available settings for PC. On Steam, it received mostly negative user reviews, with complaints including poor performance, a locked 90 frames per second, inadequate mouse support, numerous hackers, and a low player count. Some users suggested that the multiplayer of Modern Warfare would be a more suitable alternative, which still attracted a respectable amount of players and offered better options for performance, modding and customization.^[74][75][76]

Notes

References

External links

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