Activision is going in guns blazing with its latest Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3. For weeks, the company’s been showing off new media from its upcoming sequel, hoping to catch up on some thunder that’s been stolen by EA’s Battlefield 3. But fans needn’t worry. This latest entry shows no signs of slowing down on action – especially as far as its new Survival Mode is concerned. Activision invited us to go hands-on with the new mode, which kind of resembles the Gears of War Horde Mode in a way or two. Only with explosive dogs. Yep, dogs rigged with explosives. That’s just one of the obstacles you’ll face as you go through each passing stage, each one becoming increasingly more difficult than the next. That’s the way these progressive co-op stages usually work nowadays, and Modern Warfare 3 is right up there with the best of them, judging by our hands-on time with it. First off, the interaction between players works very smoothly. Granted, it helps to have a headset so you can keep a clear line of communication with your teammates, setting up defensive perimeters and keeping an eye on each other’s backs when enemies start appearing in your area.
But from the time we spent playing with an Activision rep, we experienced no problem working alongside him and clearing our way to level eight before running into any serious problems. Secondly, there is a leveling up system, though it’s separated from any ranking you earn in Modern Warfare 3’s story mode, nor its multiplayer. You can use cash and experience earned from each round to effectively stock up for the next round of battle, using three virtual shop locations. The first location is the most basic, giving you access to a number of handguns, ranging from pistols to firearms that mean more serious business, such as the assault rifle. You’ll want to use these sparingly, as stocking up on weapons while under the line of fire could easily spell the difference between success and failure. Then there’s heavy firepower, indicated on the map by a grenade. You’ll have access to a number of items that will help you out in a pinch, such as a turret that automatically fires on enemies that get into range. (These are very helpful, along the same lines as the ones featured in the director’s cut of Aliens – though a tad less powerful.)
The final useful tool is highlighted with a plane icon, and calls in air support during more dire situations. We’re talking three guys in flak suits that won’t go down without a fight, or bomb-strapped dogs who pose a much bigger threat than you could’ve anticipated. Calling one of these bad boys in clears the playing field, albeit temporarily. You’ve got the next successive wave of enemies to worry about. We were only shown the one map in the hands-on session, a dusty village with an underground bunker nearby and a few buildings and cars scattered about. There was nothing significant about it in terms of surprises or anything like that, but it’s a terrific map when it comes to keeping an eye open for enemies and finding a shady spot if the heat becomes too much – though you won’t be safe for long, judging by the game’s well-balanced difficulty. These guys want you dead, and you’ll know it within seconds.
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