Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's Successor Falls Flat in Co-op Play

With its release now several years behind us, it may come as no surprise that many fans have begun to question whether Activision has managed to recapture the magic that made previous titles in the Call of Duty franchise so successful. While some might argue otherwise, Modern Warfare 3's attempt at reviving co-operative play for PC users appears to be a step back rather than forward.

In this article we'll take an in-depth look at why playing MW3 with friends online has lost its appeal and what could have been done differently from the developers' perspective. We'll also touch on some of the key features that may or may not keep you coming back for more - even if it means enduring subpar performance issues along the way.

The Good, The Bad And Everything In Between

Let's start with something positive: Team Deathmatch is still very much alive and kicking in Modern Warfare 3. For those who aren't familiar (which might be anyone not part of the Call of Duty community), this mode involves two teams competing against each other to eliminate all members on the opposing side before reaching a set score limit.

While it may sound simple, there's actually quite a bit more depth involved than meets the eye - especially when played with experienced players who know how to work together as a cohesive unit. However, even though this classic multiplayer mode hasn't changed much since MW2 (or indeed any other Call of Duty game), Modern Warfare 3 still manages to disappoint.

For one thing, lag continues to be an issue on PC platforms - something that shouldn't really be happening at this stage in the gaming industry given how far technology has come. Combine this with often choppy frame rates and you're left with a less-than-stellar experience overall.

Another major problem is the lack of dedicated servers for competitive play modes like Search & Destroy or Domination. Instead, Activision relies on its own matchmaking system to pair up players looking for casual matches - which more often than not results in games filled with rubber-banding noobs who just want a quick win without putting any actual effort into actually playing the game properly.

What Could Have Been

So what went wrong? Why did Treyarch and Infinity Ward fail so spectacularly at creating an engaging co-op experience for PC users like us?

One possibility is that Activision simply didn't care enough about pleasing their core audience anymore. After all, Modern Warfare 3 was always intended as a console title first and foremost - something clear from its lacklutoriness on platforms other than Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.

Perhaps if Infinity Ward had focused more resources towards making sure the game ran smoothly across multiple operating systems rather than nickel-and-diming us with microtransactions at every turn, we might not be here today wondering what could have been. But I digress...

In conclusion, while Modern Warfare 3 still offers some fun moments - particularly in co-op play when played against AI opponents who aren't quite as skilled yet (yes, it happens!) - overall I'd say that Activision has failed to live up to expectations once again with this latest installment of the Call of Duty franchise.

So if you're looking for a solid multiplayer experience on PC without all the hassle and frustration associated with lagging connections or teammates who just don't care about actually playing competitively, then maybe it's time to look elsewhere. Because based on my experiences so far, Modern Warfare 3 simply doesn't cut it as an option worth considering - especially not when compared against other superior titles currently available for download via Steam or Origin.

Rating: (out of 10)

Final Verdict:

While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's sequel may still offer some brief moments of entertainment value in co-op play, its numerous technical issues and lackluster design choices ultimately make it feel like a disappointing follow-up to what came before. Unless you're desperate for more MW3 action or just can't resist the urge to throw money at Activision through microtransactions every chance they give 'em (which let's face facts - who hasn't been guilty of doing that once or twice?), then I'd personally recommend giving this game a hard pass altogether.

Rating Breakdown:

Graphics: 6/10

Soundtrack: 7/10

Multiplayer Experience: 5/10

Overall Rating: 5.8/10

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