Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | PS5 Review

November 6, 2022 Zack Parkerson

This review is based entirely on the campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Multiplayer will not be discussed here. I’m sure it’s excellent.

I was as surprised as anyone when I walked away from Infinity Ward’s first Modern Warfare reboot having thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was shocked at how often that game would confront the realities of war, and the pain it can cause. As fun as all the shooty bits were, it was the weight behind your actions that made the story feel surprisingly meaningful. So it was with much excitement that I booted up the campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

Your Merry Band of Men

While the first Modern Warfare in this rebooted timeline was mostly fresh faces, Modern Warfare II welcomes back the Task Force 141 fans know and love. Gaz, Soap, Ghost, Captain Price, and even General Shepard are all inserted into this new world. Joining them are characters new and old, but make no mistake, this game is all about that original squad. It brings with it an excellent sense of camaraderie that makes you root for these lovable war criminals.

The narrative doesn’t have the same heft as Modern Warfare (2019), but it still makes no qualms about America being the bad guy. You might be chasing a foreign terrorist, but those kind of people can’t arm themselves. It’s a good story with excellent pacing and loads of fist pump moments, but it’s not as controversial or confrontational as its predecessor. It does, however, make up for it with fun twists, great characters, and a slick sense of style.

Bang.

When it comes to the gunplay, you know what to expect. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, as with all of its predecessors, uses a pop-and-drop style of shooting. Enemies drop as soon as you pull the trigger, but there’s something about the audio and visual feedback that makes it endlessly satisfying. It never gets old, but really it’s the variety of the campaign that makes the game stand out so strongly.

You’re never doing the same thing for more than fifteen minutes. In the course of an hour, I was slowly sneaking past patrols, firing a sniper rifle from so far I had to account for bullet drop, investigating to discover the entrance to hidden tunnels, chasing down terrorists in said underground tunnels, and firing off heavy weapons from an airplane. It’s impressive how often you’re doing new things, and it keeps the game from ever feeling stale. In fact, it’s hard to put down at all because you always want to see what you might be doing next. Add that to characters you actually want to hang out with, and it’s pretty much impossible to put Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II down for its entire five or six hours.

Shock and Awe

I was initially worried that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II couldn’t possibly live up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, but I’m pleased that I was wrong. It may not have the same depth of themes as the original, but it’s still a great deal of fun. So while true it might not reach the same highs, it’s nonetheless a thrilling ride. I want to see more from Task Force 141 as soon as possible.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II on PlayStation 5. It is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox, and PC via Steam.