Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2is now available, and though the reception to the latest entry in the longrunning franchise has been a bit mixed, fans are absolutely more pleased with the game than they were withCall of Duty: Vanguard. There may be a fewannoyingCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2bugsto deal with, and ongoing issues like SBMM, but the core gameplay has been well received by fans. Still, there is an area that is lacking in comparison toCall of Duty: Vanguard.
Immediately, fans may assume that this weak point is the mini-map, with most gamers frustrated about the removal of the classic style, as they now see suppressors as pointless and feel forced to run a UAV as one of their streaks. However, the actual biggest downgrade has to deal with something that has become a staple of theCall of Dutyfranchise in the last few years: Operators. In more ways than one, the soldiers players control inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2are lacking in comparison to those seen in Sledgehammer’s most recent release.
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Why Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operators Were So Much Stronger Than Modern Warfare 2’s
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operatorsfelt like a massive step forward for the franchise, as they came with their own XP system attached. Through this system, gamers could level up their Operators to unlock several new items that spanned a wide variety of cosmetic categories. In turn, players could not only make their Operators their own, but they had something to grind for beyond the usual camo challenges.
The lack of such a system is apparent inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, as gamers had nothing to do for the first two weeks beyond camo grinding. WhileModern Warfare 2’s new Prestige system and seasonal challenges help with this problem, Operator XP and unlocks being done away with feels like a massive mistake. Sadly, much like with otherSledgehammer innovations such as Headquartersand customizable killstreaks, Operator leveling may never be seen again.
What makes this so devastating is how much was added through this separate leveling system. While gamers made it clear they did not approve of theOverwatch-like highlight intros, as they slowed down the final moments of a match too much, everything else was exciting. Being able to grind ranks for exclusive gold mastery skins, selectable voice lines, finishing moves, and so on was terrific. Further, the favorite weapon mechanic gave players who do not care about camos a reason to experiment with more of the game’s arsenal, and it doubled as a way to give every Operator a bit more personality.
Beyond the removal of Operator levels and customization, the backstories for the characters have been a step-down. This is because all theCall of Duty: VanguardOperators received their own cutscene that could be viewed from the menus between matches, allowing players to see their character’s story as opposed to just reading about it. These cinematics were beautifully animated, but unfortunately, they did not make their way to the latestInfinity Wardtitle.
With the bios ofCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s charactersalso unable to be fully read due to a bug that cuts off the text, the latest iteration of the system feels like a major letdown in every way. Though players enjoy many things aboutModern Warfare 2, it is hard to argue against the idea that the franchise has started to move backwards instead of forward when it comes to its Operators.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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