My Epic Review of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III – The Thrilling Conclusion to the Trilogy

As a passionate gamer who has played every Call of Duty (COD) title since the original launched in 2003, I was filled with eager anticipation for Modern Warfare 3. This first-person shooter series has been one of my all-time favorites across years of gaming. The Modern Warfare trilogy stands at the pinnacle of the COD franchise, featuring exhilarating campaign stories along with endlessly addictive multiplayer.

MW3 did not disappoint when I dove in on release day for what would become a months-long marathon playthrough. Across three diverse modes of campaign, multiplayer, and special ops, this game kept me hooked with intense combat, cinematic moments, and continual progression systems. It delivered an unforgettable experience that still holds up solidly 8 years later.

In this expansive review, I’ll cover every aspect of MW3 and why it deserves recognition as one of the greatest entries in the series. From the apocalyptic single player story to the refined online multiplayer to cooperative special ops, let’s dive in to the epic conclusion of the Modern Warfare saga!

Immersed from Start to Finish in the Single Player Campaign

The visually stunning campaign picks up just moments after the cliffhanger ending of Modern Warfare 2 with the climactic invasion of the United States by Russian forces. Main protagonists Captain Soap MacTavish and Captain John Price are still in pursuit of the sinister Vladimir Makarov, the Russian terrorist mastermind behind World War III raging between Russia and NATO countries.

Desperate Missions Across the Globe

As expected with COD, players immediately thrust into the action as members of elite military special forces. I was hooked instantly by the constant urgency as the globe-trotting missions range from the ravaged sights of New York City to violent skirmishes in Sierra Leone to stealth operations in Siberia. The variation kept things intense yet fresh with dire stakes.

Some of the large-scale combat zones that had me constantly on the edge of my seat include:

• New York City: Frantically fighting off Russian forces across land and sea alongside the US Navy. Destroying enemy helicopters and then repelling down the Statue of Liberty to plant explosives on naval boats while under heavy fire.
• Paris, France: Desperately chasing after Makarov through the city as named landmarks erupt into flames around you from missile strikes. Barely surviving ambushes on the streets before reaching the Eiffel Tower as it crumbles from explosions.
• Prague, Czech Republic: Engaging in a running urban battle within a sprawling hotel complex to capture Makarov’s right-hand man Volk. The close-quarters combat here was sublime.
• Dubai: Infiltrating the tallest building in the world and then BASE jumping from the flaming tower through sandstorm winds to reach your extraction chopper. Such an iconic moment as debris flies past you on the way down.

From these locales to cliffside monasteries, MW3 featured extremely detailed and destructible environments combined with non-stop combat against intelligent enemies. It made for an exhilarating ride the whole way through even while playing solo.

Satisfying End to Captain “Soap” MacTavish’s Story

The developers Infinity Ward did an amazing job weaving together plot threads from across Modern Warfare 1 and 2 to provide closure. Price, Soap, and new character Yuri continue chasing Makarov’s trail in their goal to prevent his attacks from escalating into global nuclear war. Along the way, we get answers to many lingering questions about Makarov’s motivations while the uneasy alliance with Makarov continues.

This all builds to the climatic moments later in the game when Captain “Soap” MacTavish meets his heroic yet tragic end. As someone extremely invested in Soap’s character arc across three games, this was an important moment not just in MW3 but the entire trilogy. It delivered emotional weight after experiencing Soap’s journey from green recruit to battle-hardened commander. I couldn’t help shedding tears watching the cutscene of Soap bleeding out from his wounds sustained saving Price. His final act was sacrificing himself when they finally eliminated Makarov for good.

Thrilling Final Missions

Of course, the game saves some of the most intense large-scale combat for the final chapters as World War III nears the brink of catastrophe. The epic “Down the Rabbit Hole” has you holding off endless waves of enemies outside a Russian mine entrance as missiles rain down. “Dust to Dust” then sees Price and Yuri pursuing Makarov into underground ruins as a sandstorm rages, leading to the satisfying confrontation with your arch-nemesis. These end missions left my heart pounding as MW3 reached a definitive, fitting climax to close out the trilogy.

Multiplayer as Addicting and Refined as Ever

Moving on from the dramatic campaign to multiplayer, MW3 continues the trend of revolutionary online play that Call of Duty is celebrated for in the gaming community.

Across the 16 intricately designed maps suiting close-quarters, mid-range, and long-distance combat, I kept coming back to multiplayer daily for that addictive shot of adrenaline. The sprint into action, the split-second skill shots, the relentless drive to top the scoreboards with kills and objectives completed…MW3 sinks its hooks in deep and never lets go thanks to extremely polished gameplay.

Blazing Fast Combat

As a run-and-gun player, I loved how sharp the controls felt compared to previous COD games. Functions like vaulting, mantling onto objects and surfaces, sliding, and weapon swapping were more fluid. Players move swiftly, increasing the pace of combat beyond the already chaotic Norms of COD. Combined with new point streak bonuses tied to combat actions rather than kills, playing aggressively became my preferred style.

Of course, more methodical players can still succeed by mastering line of sights down corridors and choke points. The map designs cater to all types, giving campers their protected corners and perches. But with destructible environments and lethal killstreaks like the Reaper Drone circling the arena, threats are always looming to take out defensive players. The balance struck here between action and tactics is outstanding.

Evolving Arsenal of Weapons

In my endless journey racing up the ranks and prestige ladder, I lived for unlocking and upgrading new firearms. The selection ranges from quick-firing SMGs like the MP7 for close encounters to hard-hitting machine guns like the MK46with scopes and stability for ranged battles. And few video game shotguns feel as overwhelmingly powerful as the Striker up close.

Beyond base weapons are the huge array of modifications to craft your ideal toolkit of destruction. Extended magazines, grip tape, silencers, tactical flashlights, sniper scopes, heartbeat sensors…I tailored attachments that played into my strengths while covering any weaknesses. It felt great having options to counter enemies who may have previously gotten the drop on me.

Diverse Modes and Maps Keep Matchmaking Fresh

A sizable list of multiplayer modes provides even more replay value beyond leveling up classes, especially for players like me focused on team cooperation:

• Objective modes like Domination to capture points, Demolition to destroy targets, and Sabotage to detonate bombs keep things strategic with risk/reward play. Working as a squad here is crucial.
• The novel Kill Confirmed mode created intense games by requiring you to collect dead enemy dog tags before a kill actually counted on the scoreboards. This had me on my toes during firefights.
• Traditional Deathmatch became even more fast-paced thanks to tweaked spawn logic placing you back closer to ongoing action.

I’m also thrilled they brought back signature small-scale maps from COD4 like Hardhat and Mission for 6v6 matches emphasizing nonstop combat. Meanwhile large player count battles on maps like Seatown, Bootleg, and Dome captured the visual spectacle people expect from the series. Having this diversity keeps matchmaking exciting when grinding for experience.

Weapon Progression Incentivizes Continued Growth

A stellar progression system had me addicted to leveling up through 80 ranks to unlock the full arsenal and fleet of killstreak bonuses. Given you can reset back to Level 1up to 10 times via Prestige mode for added rewards and profile customization, dedicated players like me had months of goals to aspire towards.

The sheer amount of challenges tied to individual weapons and killstreaks also enhanced the drive to keep improving. By completing these challenges, I earned Weapon Experience to advance any gun through tiers granting new attachments and camo patterns up to the coveted gold skin. Even seemingly mundane objectives like “Get 150 kills using an assault rifle equipped with a red dot sight” push you to constantly evolve your playstyle and preferences. It’s a seemingly endless period of fine-tuning and optimization towards the ultimate loadouts and playstyles.

Co-Op Special Ops Continues the High-Speed Fun

Alongside the extensive multiplayer, the Special Ops mode introduced in Modern Warfare 2 returns with new co-op focused scenarios. These objective-based missions add some nice variety beyond just competitive multiplayer for those times I had a regular crew ready for teamwork challenges. Having battled these co-op fights on Veteran difficulty, let me describe some of the standouts:

• Surviving waves of enemies across maps in Survival mode forced coordination like designating roles, purchasing weapons drops, and covering choke points together.
• Overwatch missions included one player using air support controls to provide cover fire from drones/helicopters for a teammate battling on foot through hostility. The interplay was sublime.
• Special Delivery had us escorting an advance team carrying explosive charges to destroy targets like submarines while under constant siege from all sides.
• Holding a bridge alongside AI allies in Hostage Taker culminates in an explosive showdown against Juggernaut enemies.
• Toxic Paradise takes place in a chemical plant with one player donning a protective suit needed to complete demolition objectives as their teammate covers them from vulnerably outside.

The Special Ops battles came down to synergy between squad mates which made victories extremely rewarding. Having options tailormade for co-op beyond campaign and multiplayer was much appreciated.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Review – The Verdict

Looking back over 8 years since its launch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 still represents a high watermark for the legendary first-person shooter franchise as well as the overall action gaming genre. All of my expectations as an eagerly-awaiting long term fan were met and exceeded across the blockbuster spectacle.

It confidently doubled down on the Hollywood-rivalling drama established in Modern Warfare 2’s standout single player story of global conflict. Fan-favorite characters achieved meaningful resolution in their character arcs while newcomer Yuri became a strong ally. The globe-trotting missions kept raising the stakes leading into WWIII with unforgettable moments I recall vividly even now.

In summary, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 excels at delivering heart-pounding and cinematic military combat experiences across all modes of play. The thrilling single player campaign, endlessly addictive multiplayer progression, and specialty co-op missions come together into a complete package that still outshines most of the AAA shooter genre to this day. I wholeheartedly recommend this game for FPS fans looking for best-in-class action.