All smooth on the western front with Modern Warfare Remastered

All the fighting in the war room

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was a huge game-changer when it came out in 2007. Even if I believe Battlefield should be the series that gets the praise for taking things out of WWII, Modern Warfare shook up the standard FPS formula enough that most newer games feel like shallow imitations. It goes to show how restraint and careful design go a long way to making something memorable.

That being said, anyone worried that the remaster would be a crappy port can put those fears to bed. Digital Foundry has taken a quick crack at the new version and the results are very favorable. The site doesn’t comment on game feel or any changes in geometry, but the frame rate is stable and generally improves quality with no tearing.

Seeing this in motion just makes me wish Activision would get on with announcing a standalone release. I can’t decide between Call of Duty 4 or the original as my favorite of the series, but I really do enjoy both games. This video constantly mentions how low-key Modern Warfare is, but I don’t think that can be stressed enough.

Call of Duty started out as a somewhat accurate portrayal of war (at least in terms of physics and gun handling). Somewhere along the line, Infinity Ward decided to up the ante and the series has never recovered. Each successive games puts more of an emphasis on spectacle and bedazzlement more so than creating distinctive set-pieces.

Maybe that has to do with the original team wanting to go a different route or Activision bringing on completely different studios to tinker with the franchise (something Infinity Ward never forgave it for after Call of Duty 3), but I haven’t truly enjoyed a Call of Duty title since 4 (even if zombies was fun as hell in World at War).

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered PS4 Campaign Analysis + Frame-Rate Test [Digital Foundry]