Summary
It’s no secret that theCall of Dutyfranchise has largely stuck to the same formula for the past two decades now, but that’s far from a bad thing. WhileCall of Duty’s annual release scheduleis another matter, the series' adherence to a bombastic action blockbuster plot and over-the-top set pieces is what’s continued to make it stand out over the years. But as time’s gone on, variousCall of Dutydevelopers have tried to put their own unique spin on the formula, and that’s especially true for Sledgehammer Games, though it might not have gone far enough withCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Rather than give a truly unique spin on the usualCall of Dutyformula, or instead do the opposite and deliver a formulaic but set-piece-filled campaign,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3ends up doing neither, feeling like one of the most generic single-player experiences in franchise history. But there are definitely glimpses of Sledgehammer’s unique vision inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and while they definitely don’t work here, they could potentially pave the way for a new type ofCall of Dutyspin-offin the near future.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Paves the Way for a Stealth-Focused Spin-Off
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Has a Strange Abundance of Stealth Missions
One of theCall of Dutyfranchise’s defining traits is its focus on over-the-top action, usually delivered through loud and explosive set-pieces, usually involving some kind of intense chase and escape from certain death. ButCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3chooses to forget this basic franchise principle, instead delivering a campaign that has virtually no action set-pieces at all, but instead has a strange focus on stealth.
A good portion ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s campaign tasks players with infiltrating an area, sneaking around, stealthily dispatching targets, and completing various objectives. These sequences usually take the form ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s Open Combat Missions, the latest series gimmick that’s proving to be incredibly controversial. Rather than deliver linear set-pieces and a clear narrative, these Open Combat Missions throw the player into an oldWarzonelocation and task them with repeating the same objective multiple times, such as collecting mobile devices strewn across the map.
While these Open Combat Missions can technically be completed in a variety of different ways, stealth is clearly the most encouraged playstyle, and that’s even the case with some ofModern Warfare 3’s regular campaign missions, some of which also revolve around sneaking through a base undetected. While stealth sequences have usually been a highlight of some of the franchise’s best entries, they’re used much too frequently inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and they feel extremely half-baked. Though these stealth missions might not work in a mainlineCall of Dutyentry, they could be used to great effect in a spin-off.
A Call of Duty Stealth Spin-off Would Need a Lot of Work First
The general structure ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s stealth missions are solid, working off the great foundations laid by Infinity Ward’s previousModern Warfaretitles, and it’s a structure that could easily inform the basis of aCall of Dutystealth spin-off. But before that,Call of Dutyneeds to iron out a few kinks with its stealth system. One of thebiggest issues withCall of Duty’s stealth mechanicsis the inconsistent enemy detection, which plagues all ofModern Warfare 3’s stealth missions. The lack of distraction tools and the speed at which guards can be dispatched are also some slight issues that aCall of Dutystealth game would need to look at, though there’s definitely some real potential there. However, exploring that outside the main series since fans will always be expecting action-packed moments from the campaigns would be ideal.
