MODERN WARFARE 4: THE WAR CAME TO KOREA, AND IT DELIVERED
8.0 of 10 bananas. The best Modern Warfare campaign since 2019, a grounded multiplayer with a clever new Kill Block map, and a rich DMZ. Short campaign, weak final bosses, strict matchmaking at launch, and a paid edition that helps in DMZ keep it from elite.
By the Alpha. Post-launch review. PS5 listing. Updated Oct 23 2026.
Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. Modern Warfare 4 launched today, October 23 2026, and I have not played it. I built this verdict from launch reviews: Metacritic showed 84 from 11 critics at my check, plus GameSpot, The Guardian, Hardcore Gamer, and Windows Central. My preview said 8 expected; this is the post-launch score. Multiplayer servers are hours old, so I will revisit after the first week and say so if the score moves.
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam and Battle.net), and Nintendo Switch 2, released October 23 2026. Not on PS4 or Xbox One. The Amazon button is the US PS5 Standard Edition disc, in stock and sold by Amazon.com at 69.00 dollars at my Oct 23 check. PC on Steam is 69.99 dollars.
Get Modern Warfare 4 for PS5 on AmazonStore check, Nov 4 2026: new copies on offer, sold and shipped by Amazon.com. Prices and sellers change, so look before you pay.
Sit with me a moment. Last week I told the troop to hold your trust until multiplayer and DMZ proved themselves. Today they are out, the critics have spoken, and I owe you a straight answer. The short version: Infinity Ward came back to basics and it mostly worked.
What It Wants To Be
Modern Warfare 4 sets its campaign during a North Korean invasion of South Korea. You fight as a young South Korean soldier on the collapsing front while Captain Price runs a personal revenge war around the world. Multiplayer is grounded 6 versus 6 with slower movement, and DMZ returns as a large extraction mode with progression and a forward operating base you build up.
What Works
The campaign is the best in the reboot series by most accounts. GameSpot called it the strongest since Modern Warfare 2019, and The Guardian called it a bombastic, thrilling airport novel of a game, packed with set pieces from Paris to a North Korean airbase. Multiplayer feels weighty and grounded, and the new Kill Block, a living map in Gunfight, is the surprise star. DMZ won praise for its map, progression, and base building. Metacritic showed 84 from 11 critics, all positive, at my check.
What Breaks
Listen well. The campaign runs about six hours, and GameSpot found the final boss fights brief and weak. Hardcore Gamer and others report strict skill based matchmaking and long waits at launch, with some map balance issues. DMZ is no longer free to play, and GameSpot flags that the premium Vault Edition gives paying players an advantage there. Servers on launch day are always a gamble. None of this is a deal breaker, but it is a price you pay.
Who Should Play
Play it if you buy Call of Duty every year, or if you skipped the last few and want the best campaign in years. Wait a week or two if you only care about multiplayer and want matchmaking to settle. Skip it if the yearly grind has worn you out.
STRENGTHS
- Best reboot campaign
- Kill Block is fresh
- Rich DMZ mode
- Grounded, weighty gunplay
HONEST COSTS
- Six hour campaign
- Weak final bosses
- Strict matchmaking at launch
- Paid edition helps in DMZ
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