[singlepic id=129 w=153 h=237 float=left]Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has a lot to live up to. The first in the series set a new standard for First Person Shooters and redefined the genre with its multiplayer. The second in the series went on to become the best selling game in history, refining everything and presenting us with a gorgeous, epic and breathtaking single player campaign that threw gamers through setpieces all around the world and kicked off with arguably one of the most memorable – and controversial – moments in gaming history.

It’s a series that has had no end of highs, constantly stepping things up and raising the bar… and with Modern Warfare 3 comes the final chapter in Infinity Ward’s trilogy, finally wrapping up all the loose ends and throwing even more features at the multiplayer affair. There’s no question about whether the hotly anticipated game is going to be huge or not; but does it live up to the reputation and standard set by the previous two installments and take things to the next level?

The easy answer (and obvious by this point considering the track record) is yes. Infinity Ward has pulled no punches in making Modern Warfare 3 a hugely satisfying experience.

Although the moments in the game fail to be as jaw dropping as those presented in previous installments, they come thick and fast and never disappoint in delivering that wow factor the series is known for. What’s presented here is an endless array of amazing moments without pause for breath or taking you out the action for a moment. Rarely is there a dull moment with all the twists, turns and gameplay being shaken up to keep things fresh throughout; a nice surprise was a seemingly dull and samey corridor firefight on a plane transforming without warning into a scene ripped right out of Inception.

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Once again, you’ll be jumping in and out of the shoes of various different characters, most notably Delta Squad, which trots about the globe fixing up the mess that Russia has made of the world inciting World War 3. Series staples Soap and Price return once again on a personal mission to track down the big bad Makarov and deliver some much needed justice following Modern Warfare 2’s cliffhanger. With so much happening all at once, the bigger, bolder and sensational setpieces, characters rarely see much development and never feel as interesting as they were. Apart from Soap and Price’s portions of the game, you’ll find it hard to feel very involved with the impersonal story, which has been sacrificed for the sheer scale of the campaign. Considering how exciting a rollercoaster ride it is, I’m not too disappointed, especially as the game closes with easily one of the most exciting and satisfying missions in the series which fans will have been dying for.

It doesn’t take too long to breeze through the campaign – time flies when you’re having fun, after all – but there’s a whole load of content packed on to the disc to keep you coming back for more, most notably that addictive multi-player that dominates the lives of many gamers out there.

It’s all as entertaining as it ever was, although changes have been made to keep things interesting and fresh. ‘Point streaks’ replace Kill-streaks in the game, meaning you don’t have to rely solely on a quick trigger finger to gain some more skills and advantages on the battlefield… which helps those who are a bit inexperienced, like myself. You’ll get your hands on Point streaks simply from carrying out standard objectives in game modes, including capturing the flag in Capture the Flag or planting the bomb in Search and Destroy.

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You get an option of ‘strike packages’ to which your points go to; the Assault Package works the same way Kill-streaks did in Modern Warfare 2; the Specialist Package awards kills with additional perks; the Support Package keeps your streak going even after you’re killed.

The change might seem a bit alien to Modern Warfare veterans, but adds some new elements and variety to the multi-player, especially if you’re one of those people struggling to make a difference to the team because you suck. It also adds a more strategic level to the multi-player component, with some love for those who prefer to support the team to victory in place of running around the map solo whilst spraying bullets into walls.

There are also a few new game modes including Kill Confirmed, which is your basic team death-match mode with a twist; to score points for any kill you’ve made you have to pick up a dog tag from the body, but the opposing team is also able to pick dog tags up from fallen team members to deny the other team the kill. It’s a great new take on team death-match and really evens out the playing ground so that everyone has to stay on their toes.

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Overall, the multiplayer of Modern Warfare 3 remains as addictive and enjoyable as the previous entries with the addition of more modes to discover and makes things a slight bit more universal by offering up some opportunities for new players to get straight into the game and not become completely overwhelmed by long term abd experienced fans of the series.

There’s also the new cooperative Survival Mode to keep your eyes glued to the game. Similar to the Nazi Zombies mode from previous installments to the COD franchise, it puts you and a group of friends up against an endless wave of enemies. It’s definitely more intense and exciting however, as enemies spawn at tactical positions based on your location… zombies are cool and all, but they’re not the most threatening opposition you could go up against.

Survival Mode on the other hand, isn’t shy about wanting you dead; you’ll go up against enemies armed with anything from shotguns, AK-47s and RPGs to dogs and even HINDs raining bullets down on you from the sky. It hasn’t got that lasting appeal and variety that the main multiplayer mode does, but it’s surprisingly addictive and the hours just whizz past when you get down to it.

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For those that haven’t been bitten by the Modern Warfare bug, they find it hard to understand the mass infatuation and whether it deserves the universal praise. Modern Warfare 3 secures itself as proof that it isn’t popular for the sake of being popular, but because the developers have clearly put a lot of love into the game and challenged themselves in delivering the best experience possible for those who play it.

Modern Warfare 3 ticks all the boxes; great visuals and sound, an amazing single player campaign and outstanding multi-player component to match that will keep you coming back for more and more. It’s a game that just about does everything right… and what it doesn’t do right, it does GREAT.