(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Game Rant went hands-on with the ‘Modern Warfare 3′ multiplayer during Call of Duty XP. Is it a completely new experience or has it remained relatively unchanged? Read our preview impressions to find out.

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While there are a ton of different events, activities, and game opportunities available during this weekend’s Call of Duty XP, none will be getting as much attention as Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer. Making its debut – in the form of two trailers – during the Call of Duty XP keynote, most of the secrecy has been lifted off Modern Warfare’s most popular mode – except how it plays.

Thankfully Game Rant was on hand at Call of Duty XP and put in considerable time with the multiplayer – in the modes ‘Kill Confirmed,’ ‘Domination,’ and ‘Team Deathmatch’ – and we can confirm Call of Duty fans will be happy. There is plenty of new content thrown into Modern Warfare 3, but the core experience remains unchanged.

Yes, as expected, Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer feels very familiar. It’s essentially a “souped-up” version of the MW2 multiplayer with a few of the Black Ops bells and whistles thrown in for good measure. Some of gamers’ favorite perks have returned, while others have been tweaked/renamed, and others have been done away with completely (good bye Commando and One Man Army).

The addition of the strike package – a gamer preference load out that determines your killstreaks – makes for some tough decisions from the outset, but typically players will stick with the traditional assault, which nets you very similar killstreaks to what has been seen before. The support strike package is more about helping your team – giving the player special UAV’s, drones, and care packages – but it’s also counter-productive to the very kill-oriented nature of the Call of Duty experience. Not to mention the specialist strike package, which is sure to cause the biggest controversy — allowing players to stack not three, not four, not five, but six perks on top of each other. Scary isn’t it?

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“Kill Confirmed,” the new mode that requires players to collect dog tags after a kill, is a new riff on the old formula and allows for matches that are more team-oriented and less “camp heavy.” But, of course, when presented with the option of Kill Confirmed or Team Deathmatch, the selection would be a no brainer, but having a new venue for gamers to avoid modes they might not like is always welcome.

So yes, Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have thrown enough new features into Modern Warfare 3 for it to not feel exactly like a retread, but, at its heart, this is the experience gamers either hate or love. All of the new additions help fine tune that experience – accentuating its positives – but they don’t take away any of the qualities gamers might have had problems with.

If you’re a fan of Modern Warfare you will absolutely love Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer no matter how you experience it. Gamers who were hoping for a big change, like the jump from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 to Battlefield 3, are going to be let down, but those that return again and again to Call of Duty are going to be mighty satisfied. As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke…”

Now having seen and heard about Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer what are your first impressions? Do you think the mode does enough to bring back old fans and entice new ones?

Modern Warfare 3 releases November 8, 2011 on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.


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It gives you the suit itself, I'm pretty sure of that. I wouldn't put my trust in an AI Jugg, that would be a waste of trying to get a 15 kill-streak.

did u ever play spec ops in MW2?

the juggernauts we're pretty clever and nasty

The games looking very good in some ways, however I have a lot of concerns.

From what ive seen sub machine guns look very very powerful, hip fire seems insane even without steady aim. They are pretty useless at range but super powerful at close range, I dunno if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Death Streaks are returning, death streaks were the worst idea ever and i cant understand why the **** they are bringing them back.
(There is a petition on twitter to remove them You must login or register to view this content.)

The option for full stealth is still there, Blind Eye and Assassin are in separate perk slots, Ghost ruined black ops so why they are bringing it back i have no idea, if they were both in the same perk slots they would not be a problem.

Hopefully they change a lot before release, because as it stands there seems to be a lot of unbalance. The game isnt even out yet so who knows things could be a lot more balanced than what it seems. Now onto the things i like.

The new point streak system is awesome way better than killstreaks imo, less kill whores and hopefully less campers. Being rewarded for playing the objective is amazing and im so glad they have finally dome something like this.

Shotguns are primarys, they should never of been secondarys in mw2 as they are way too powerful.

Guns have more recoil.

No stopping power, stopping power dominated the perk 2 slot in mw2 and im very happy they have removed it.

These are just a few things that i dont like and do like about the game, but overall the game seem promising i just hope they listen to the community and tweak a few things before release.

assault jugg gives you armour LMG and scavenger

Also forgot to add, i have no idea what people are talking about because the guns sounds amazing in this game, much much better than black ops and better than mw2 as well, anyone that says otherwise has no idea what they are talking about.

Of course, I've got all trophies/achievements for both PS3 and XBOX

They were rough, but still, I wouldn't go for a 15 kill-streak, just so an AI can **** it up for me. I'd rather enjoy the reward for myself.