Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare review

When it launched in 2016, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was not well received. A full-scale PR disaster ensued, with the presentation trailer amassing 3.8 million dislikes on YouTube. Activision’s greedy plan to bundle Modern Warfare Remastered into a $ 80 version of Infinite Warfare has failed badly.

To add insult to injury, the $ 100 Digital Deluxe Edition, which comes with the Infinite Warfare Season Pass, does not cover the Variety Map Pack DLC for Modern Warfare Remastered. It’s a shame that Activision’s handling of Infinite Warfare gives it a bad name because, after all, this is a decent Call of Duty game.

Endless war campaign

I can’t say that the Call of Duty campaigns mean a lot to me. Having played them in my youth, I’ve already seen everything they have to offer. Now I just can’t pretend that I care.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised at how decent the Infinite Warfare campaign is. It’s by no means a narrative giant in the video game industry, but there are certainly some positives to talk about.

The overall storyline of rising through the ranks, becoming a ship captain, and bringing your allies to safety brings some relatively emotional themes. The protagonist, Nick Reyes, certainly faces some difficult topics as he must choose between his crew and the greater good of saving the Earth. His naivety is a key factor in the plot as it becomes increasingly evident, despite the support of his allies, that he is too emotional and caring to become an effective war commander.

Overly ambitious plot

One of the main shortcomings of the story is that it tries too hard to be something it could never be: an emotional blockbuster in which character bonds and deaths are supposed to make you cry with every scene. Frankly, Call of Duty doesn’t have writers good enough to pull it off. Without spoiling it, the ending is particularly awkward. Lets you listen to voicemails from family members of those Reyes killed.

Most of these characters get less than a minute of screen time, yet should I feel guilty for killing them? The only difference between all but one and every other generic soldier you kill is an arbitrary tag.

The one exception is Salen Kotch, Infinite Warfare’s main antagonist. He’s not exceptionally well developed yet, but I liked the dramatized evil of him on a Hollywood level regardless. Described as one of the most intimidating men in the solar system, Kotch is a mean guy. He shows several signs of being willing to do anything to crush his opponents. I have been highly motivated throughout history to end this guy’s career.

Also, the robot Ethan is an absolute guy. A good character with a strong sense of humor. It’s not something Call of Duty games since Modern Warfare have been doing well, so credit where credit is due.

The problem with multiplayer

Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward hasn’t been lucky enough to produce strong multiplayer experiences in recent years. Gone are the days when Modern Warfare led the FPS genre, staying ahead of even its fiercest competitors. Both Call of Duty: Ghosts and Infinite Warfare are expected to offer one of the least fun multiplayer experiences in the franchise. That’s not even a surprise, as Infinite Warfare is plagued with too many problems.

The population is practically non-existent with full lobbies outside of prime time nonexistent. I tested it by searching at 4am on a Wednesday night on EU servers and it took seven minutes to get a six-man Team Deathmatch. Only half the lobby being filled during that time, even during off-peak hours, is concerning.

Don’t even think about playing any game modes other than TDM or Domination. There simply isn’t the player base for niche modes like Frontline, Gun Game, and Gesture Warfare to work anymore. Ideally, Infinity Ward should shrink the currently huge playlist to channel more players into the same modes.

Rampant cheating

There is also the problem of cheating in Infinite Warfare, which is rampant, as in many Call of Duty PC games. In my first three games, everyone had a cheat. This isn’t all that noticeable during peak hours, but during off hours, it seems virtually impossible to get a lobby full of legitimate players. It is safe to assume that Infinity Ward will not revisit Infinite Warfare and will address this issue at any time. It is firmly focused on releasing the Modern Warfare reboot in October.

Weapons

If ⁠— and it’s considerable if ⁠— you can handle these problems, you’ll discover a damn good multiplayer hidden underneath them. There are a respectable number of maps and an impressive variety of weapons to choose from.

Infinite Warfare has the most pro-consumer DLC weapon model in the Call of Duty franchise. Instead of having to rely on hateful predatory loot to get guns, you can just complete relatively quick challenges. Take the ballistic rifle, Trek-50 for example. All you have to do is complete 15 matches where you get at least 5 one-shot kills using sniper rifles. It is not a difficult challenge to do.

Fast pace

The multiplayer gameplay is extremely fast, which is not everyone’s liking. Those looking for a Call of Duty in old-school boots on the field might feel shocked at how different it is. As a big fan of Advanced Warfare, I like it. I don’t think the movement is as refined as Advanced Warfare, but it still offers a lot of mobility options.

Call of Duty games with high mobility tend to suit me better, as camping is much more difficult when someone can slide the jet boost all the way to you in a split second. This smooth and fast-paced style of play is probably where the new Call of Duty titles are at their best.

Final verdict

Call on Duty: Infinite Warfare is not a high-level Call of Duty game, but it still holds some value. Of course, Activision didn’t do it any favors with its poor launch and in some ways even worse support. However, I was still able to enjoy multiplayer when the cheaters and lack of population weren’t ruining things for me. The story was short, as expected from a Call of Duty title, but sweet enough not to regret taking the time.

I recommend the console version over the PC version, just because cheating shouldn’t be a big deal. The population should be better too, as I was still able to play Advanced Warfare on Xbox One years after its release. While Infinite Warfare isn’t a great Call of Duty, I have no doubt that a dedicated community still exists.

Despite this, Call of Duty is no longer what it used to be. I think the likes of Overwatch, Siege, and Titanfall 2 all offer superior competitive environments. Given its inferiority to modern rivals, it’s hard to confidently recommend any Call of Duty, including Infinite Warfare, in 2019.