Reviewed On: PC
Review code provided by the publisher.
Call of Duty is one of those series I keep coming back to even when I’m convinced I’m done with it. With a new entry arriving every year, some repetition is inevitable, but lately I’ve had a hard time finding a reason to stick around. Since Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, my routine has mostly been the same: scoff a little at the next announcement, give the game a try, and eventually uninstall it.
Admittedly, I’m primarily here for the campaign. Zombies can convince me to keep an installation around, and Modern Warfare 2019 remains one of my favorite multiplayer shooters, but the entries since then have struggled to hold my attention. After Modern Warfare 3, I wasn’t particularly hopeful about Modern Warfare 4. So, of course, because 2026 has been on a generational gaming run, this is the one that pulled me back in.
I skipped the betas because my attention was elsewhere, and I had pretty much written the series off until release. Then I started the campaign during Early Access and finished it in two sittings. That was the perfect length for me, but more importantly, I wanted to keep playing. This is easily one of the best Call of Duty campaigns we’ve been given in a long, long time.
Whether you’re still invested in Price and the crew or you’ve grown tired of seeing familiar faces, Modern Warfare 4 delivers a story that’s fun, intense, and packed with action. Its campaign moves between two storylines that eventually come together, and both sides give you a reason to care about what happens next.
You begin with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, following Jae, Park, and Dunn. These are instantly likable characters, and I really enjoyed how they balance being scared, patriotic, and completely badass. They’re young Marines facing some pretty overwhelming situations, and that combination makes them easy to root for. Their missions lean into the stealthier, special operations side of Call of Duty. You’ll quietly work through objectives, try to keep situations under control, and hold down locations while waves of enemies push toward you. I’ve always enjoyed the tension of a mission where you’re trying to stay quiet while knowing everything could go sideways, and this crew is a great fit for that style.
The other storyline follows John Price on the run as he attempts to take down the Archer, with Ghost and other familiar soldiers trying to stop him. These missions are insanely fun. They’re fast, aggressive, and full of the kind of action that makes you want to immediately see what the next mission has waiting.
Apparently, Price spent the time between games watching John Wick and Jason Statham movies, because that’s the energy he’s bringing here.
Switching between these perspectives gives the campaign a rhythm I really enjoyed. The Marines’ missions provide that more measured tension, while Price’s sections crank things up. Both have plenty of action, but they approach it differently enough that the campaign keeps moving without everything blending together.
I was worried about how the two stories would eventually connect. Having two enjoyable groups to follow doesn’t automatically mean their stories will fit together, but the connection here feels natural. By the time they meet, it feels like the campaign has earned it.
Around the middle of the campaign, Modern Warfare 4 opens things up with an almost DMZ-like mission. You can explore, loot, take down outposts, and sneak around enemy patrols before moving on to the main objectives.
What I love most about this section is how optional that extra exploration feels.
If you don’t have a ton of time or you’re invested in seeing the next part of the story, you can focus on the main missions and keep going. The game even creates a separate save so you can return later, which is a small touch that I really appreciate. I didn’t feel like I had to choose between maintaining the campaign’s momentum and getting to enjoy everything this area offered.
If you do have the time, though, there’s plenty of fun to be had sneaking around and picking apart outposts. Stealthily taking down patrols and deciding how to approach the next location makes this a worthwhile detour.
An open area can easily slow down a campaign like this, especially when it starts feeling like a checklist you have to clear before the story can continue. Here, I enjoyed having the freedom to spend as much or as little time exploring as I wanted. It adds variety without becoming an obligation.
Then there’s the classic Call of Duty multiplayer, which I’m enjoying more than I have in quite a while.
The biggest reason is the pace. It’s slower, and there isn’t a bunch of crazy movement making every encounter exhausting to keep up with. I don’t need every match to feel like everyone has been launched out of a cannon. Being able to settle into the shooting again has made a huge difference in how much I want to play.
Modern Warfare 2019 set a high bar for me, and while I still have a lot of affection for that game, Modern Warfare 4 gives me a reason to spend time with the current entry. Considering how quickly I’ve bounced off some of the recent games, that’s a pretty meaningful improvement.
That doesn’t mean every part of multiplayer lands equally well. The Gunsmith feels a little lackluster, and the camo grind isn’t quite as satisfying as it usually is. Those progression systems are part of what can keep me coming back, so it’s disappointing that they aren’t as exciting as the matches themselves.
On the other hand, the camo grind does feel more accessible if you’re playing casually. There’s value in being able to make progress without feeling like you need to dedicate all your gaming time to Call of Duty. I just wish it struck a slightly better balance between being approachable and giving me something I’m excited to chase.
Thankfully, I’m having enough fun playing that progression doesn’t have to do all the work of keeping me interested.
DMZ is another pleasant surprise. I originally found the mode pretty boring, so it wasn’t something I expected to be excited about returning to. This version feels like a huge upgrade. There’s a more natural flow to it, and it feels more eventful than what I remember. That makes a big difference for a mode that previously struggled to hold my attention.
My first impression of DMZ had left me with very little interest in giving it another shot, but Modern Warfare 4 has changed that. Alongside a campaign I loved and multiplayer I actually want to keep playing, having another mode that feels worth returning to helps make the overall package much more appealing.
Verdict
I went into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 expecting another brief visit before making room on my PC for something else. Instead, I finished the campaign wanting to talk about it, enjoyed jumping into multiplayer, and found myself reconsidering a mode I’d previously dismissed.
The campaign is easily the highlight. Jae, Park, and Dunn give the story a likable new group to follow, while Price’s missions deliver some ridiculously entertaining action. The two storylines complement each other, the open mission gives you room to explore without demanding it, and the whole thing lasts exactly as long as I wanted it to.
Multiplayer’s slower pace has also done a lot to bring me back, even if the Gunsmith and camo progression leave room for improvement. Add in a much more enjoyable DMZ, and this is the first Call of Duty in a while that I’m happy to keep installed.
I’m still skeptical of what an annual release schedule means for this series, but Modern Warfare 4 reminded me why I keep giving it another chance. This time, I’m glad I did.
