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The Call of Duty franchise, with over 16 installments spanning past, present, and futuristic settings, has seen its share of iterations since its 2003 debut. As the franchise matures, Activision has begun revisiting and remastering earlier titles, starting with the Modern Warfare series. Following the successful 2016 remaster of the original Modern Warfare, Activision has released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered. But does this updated campaign deliver a compelling experience for modern players?

Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered features updated graphics and environments.

A Familiar Story, Polished Presentation

Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered picks up the narrative threads left dangling after the first game’s climactic battle. Skipping ahead five years, the Ultranationalists, the antagonists of the original Modern Warfare, have secured political power in Russia. However, they aren’t the primary threat this time around. The campaign introduces a new, archetypal villain, complete with the necessary malice and cunning to motivate players on their quest to bring him down. The narrative features a predictable betrayal that most seasoned players will likely anticipate. However, the real highlight lies within the diverse missions spanning the game’s three acts.

One of the most significant improvements is the graphical overhaul. Remastering older games is a common practice, but the quality of these remasters varies greatly. Some simply receive a resolution bump and a few added effects, barely justifying the “remastered” label. Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, however, has undergone a more substantial transformation. Environments, textures, and effects have been redesigned to align with modern graphical standards. The lighting system has been refined, creating a more atmospheric and immersive experience. Character models also benefit from improved animations and facial details, resulting in more fluid and expressive movements.

Character models have been updated with more detailed textures and animations.

While the remaster is generally well-executed, some reused assets and less-refined effects betray the game’s age. For instance, certain fire effects appear flat and dated, and some less-traveled areas show minimal improvement. However, the weapons have received significant attention, with completely overhauled visuals and high-quality sound effects that enhance the overall audio experience and allow for better differentiation between weapon types.

The game retains the original campaign’s level design, allowing players to revisit iconic missions like “Takedown,” “Of Their Own Record,” and the controversial “No Russian,” which now includes an option to skip for sensitive players. Beyond minor adjustments to cutscenes and environmental details, the core gameplay remains unchanged, offering a nostalgic experience for veterans and a thrilling introduction for newcomers.

The remastered version retains all original campaign missions, including the controversial “No Russian.”

A Campaign-Only Experience

Unlike the 2016 Modern Warfare Remastered, which included both the campaign and multiplayer, Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered focuses solely on the single-player experience, offering a relatively short 4-6 hours of gameplay. To compensate for the lack of multiplayer, the campaign is priced at $19.99, half the price of the previous remaster. Bonus items, such as character skins and weapons, are included, but these are only accessible within Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) or its Warzone battle royale mode.

Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered does not include the original game’s multiplayer component.

The omission of multiplayer raises questions about Activision’s marketing strategy and whether this release primarily serves to promote the latest Modern Warfare title. While some classic multiplayer maps are being reintroduced in Modern Warfare (2019), the absence of a dedicated multiplayer component in the remaster may disappoint some fans. However, this decision arguably prevents player fragmentation and potential technical issues that could negatively impact the core campaign experience.

Bonus items included with the remaster are only usable in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019).

Conclusion

Ultimately, the lack of multiplayer doesn’t detract significantly from the overall value of Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered. The enhanced visuals, improved audio, and faithful recreation of the original campaign offer a compelling experience for both returning fans and newcomers. While some minor shortcomings remain, the remaster successfully revitalizes a classic Call of Duty campaign for a modern audience.