Modern Warfare 4, developed by Infinity Ward, launched its Early Access Beta on August 22. For the first time in Call of Duty history, this beta offers a campaign mission, allowing players to preview the 'Trench' mission focused on close-quarters combat and all-out warfare.

Since the reboot of the Modern Warfare series, as the numbered sequels progressed, the story leaned increasingly toward a "one-man army" style where the protagonist handles everything alone. As a result, players who wanted to see moments of fighting shoulder-to-shoulder and communicating with squadmates during operations were left disappointed. I jumped into the 'Trench' mission to see if it could address those concerns and live up to expectations.

The Good – The Return of Close-Quarters and All-Out Warfare, Plus Immersive Voice Acting

If asked whether the scale of the 'Trench' mission rivals that of classic Call of Duty titles, the answer is "yes." Watching the artillery barrage hit the North Korean trench on Corporal Dunn's order right as the mission begins, followed by USFK troops and Marines charging toward the trench, delivers enough combatants and spectacle to naturally make you say, "Yes, this is what Call of Duty was all about!"

Friendly and enemy forces tangling frantically inside the trench while allied and enemy tanks clash relentlessly outside present a desperate, gritty scene that has certainly been missing from recent Call of Duty titles. It effectively captures the fierce struggles of ordinary soldiers rather than just key named characters.

While it is slightly disappointing that the camera angle wasn't first-person here, the sequence approaching the nuclear reactor in the mid-to-late part of the mission delivers fire and explosions that will satisfy any Call of Duty fan.

The immersive voice acting (in the English audio version) is also worthy of praise. The ROK Marines occasionally speak in Korean or vent their emotions with profanity, mixing English and Korean seamlessly. It feels like watching actual communication between USFK and Korean forces, showing the care the developers put into portraying the joint operation between the two forces.

The Bad – Not Quite the Classic Feel: Armor Plates and Interaction Issues

What Call of Duty players wanted from the Modern Warfare 4 campaign was a return to that classic, pure rail-shooter feel focused entirely on combat. While all-out warfare and close-quarters combat have indeed returned, certain elements hinder that classic feel and end up feeling disappointing.

The prime example is the armor plate system. First applied to enemies in the Modern Warfare 2 reboot (2022) and extended to the player in the Modern Warfare 3 reboot (2023), the armor plate system is confirmed to still be present in Modern Warfare 4. When armor plates become mandatory rather than situational, they turn enemies into bullet sponges that take too long to kill, while requiring players to constantly swap plates to survive—disrupting focus during combat. Because of these drawbacks, many players hoped the armor plate system would be removed from campaign missions, but its inclusion has now been confirmed.

Additionally, the heavy emphasis on swimming to turn off valves and parkour mechanics in the late stage of the mission was disappointing. Players who play Call of Duty or shooter games in general are looking for shooting, not chores. Looking back at the "Crew Expendable" mission from the original Modern Warfare (2007)—which shares a similar escape plotline—the reason it felt so intense was that it plainly conveyed the urgency of escaping quickly without cluttering the scene with unnecessary interactions.

The final part of the 'Trench' mission felt less like an intense, immersive set piece and more like a showcase designed to introduce game mechanics—almost as if the developers felt compelled to show off the newly added parkour system. It leaves one wondering whether dragging out the escape sequence was really necessary.

It's Just One Mission for Now—Don't Jump to Conclusions

Since only a single mission has been made available so far, it is too early to judge the entire campaign. The remaining missions may focus heavily on combat, and the issues noted in the 'Trench' mission might not appear in other missions. Furthermore, the 'Trench' mission itself could still be adjusted based on feedback before full release.

However, one thing is certain: if the drawbacks highlighted in the 'Trench' mission are widespread throughout the rest of the campaign, Modern Warfare 4's campaign may struggle to earn positive acclaim. What Call of Duty players want is satisfying shooting, epic scale and presentation, and the removal of unnecessary interactions—so the developers need to pay close attention to these aspects when delivering campaign missions.