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No matter what happens each year, for video game fans there's always one sure bet: that a new Call of Duty game will be released sometime in the fall. However, this year feels a bit different for the first-person shooter juggernaut. After a couple of lackluster releases, the series felt like it needed a shot in the arm to bring things back to life. Luckily, this year's game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, sees the series offer up a sequel to the 2019 reboot of the Modern Warfare brand, and after two betas this past September, it seems to be a step in the right direction.
One of the main reasons for this is that developer Infinity Ward has introduced some new ideas to the series in the form of modes that are as fresh as they are exciting. New game types like Prisoner Rescue mode have proven to be interesting takes on the series' incredibly popular multiplayer. However, one of the most interesting modes presented in the game's latest beta takes an idea from the original 2009 Modern Warfare 2 and reinvents it in a new way. This third-person mode isn't just a fresh way to play the game, but a great idea for the series as a whole and something that makes sense for a modern Call of Duty.
This Isn't the Third-Person Mode Call of Duty Fans Remember
When a third-person mode was originally included in the original Modern Warfare 2, it wasn't much more than a novelty. Players could traverse the map, firing from a traditional over-the-shoulder third-person mode. While this was a fun distraction, both the movement and shooting mechanics didn't compare to the buttery smooth gameplay that the game delivered with its first-person perspective. This disparity left it languishing, almost forgotten as a strange inclusion that most fans didn't bother with after one or two matches.
However, for the new Modern Warfare 2, the third-person mode has been totally overhauled. Not only do the character models move and animate beautifully, but with one crucial change to the shooting mechanics, the mode feels viable in a way it never has before. This change comes in the way that players are now able to aim down sights, thus snapping the third-person perspective into the familiar precision aiming to which players are accustomed. This one change makes the mode feel excellent to play and allows for pinpoint accuracy.
In the past few years, Call of Duty has really put an emphasis on creating detailed characters despite players not really getting much view of the models other than for the seconds that an enemy raises its rifle in a player's direction. However, the third-person mode allows these gorgeous models to be fully viewed, and the little details, like how each rifle has a working sling, can be fully appreciated.
Why Third-Person Makes Sense for a Modern Shooter
In a world where Call of Duty has been increasingly concerned with offering up dozens of playable "operator" skins for players to purchase, a third-person mode, which allows players to actually see what is being bought, makes even more sense. Many shooters make a killing on selling player skins these days, but few shooters outside of Fortnite and Gears of War allow players to actually see the models in all their glory. An optional third-person mode that allows players to appreciate a newly purchased skin is a great idea that could not only bring more fans into this year's entry but also deliver a reason for those who love third-person shooters to check back in with the series.
Further, the third-person mode is a great idea simply because it will be optional. Admittedly, Call of Duty is a first-person shooter at its heart and should remain one. However, with more and more games like Grand Theft Auto V, and Player Unkown's Battlegrounds offering gamers a choice in how they'd like to play, it doesn't hurt to switch things up a bit and provide an optional third-person mode for those looking for one.
Time will tell if this year's third-person inclusion could be a turning point for the series, but one thing is for sure -- this time it is not an afterthought. Call of Duty needs to continue to offer fresh ideas, and the new third-person mode feels just like what the series deserves: a unique and competent new idea that could not only bring in more players but exist as a great alternative to the classic first-person shooter combat fans love.