The first Modern Warfare 4 campaign reviews are in, and they are mostly positive. IGN scores it 8/10, GameSpot gives it 7/10 and calls it the best Call of Duty campaign since 2019, and Insider Gaming goes as high as 9/10.

The reviews landed as campaign early access opened for digital pre-order players, a week before the full launch on October 23. Multiplayer and DMZ have not been reviewed yet, so these are campaign-only verdicts.

Official Modern Warfare 4 screenshot of soldiers in a campaign mission
Modern Warfare 4 wraps up the rebooted Modern Warfare story that began in 2019. Image: Activision

Modern Warfare 4 campaign review scores so far

  • IGN: 8/10 (campaign, score not final). Praises consistently strong missions, a standout behind-enemy-lines level and large battles, but says it may fall short of the very best CoD campaigns.
  • GameSpot: 7/10. Calls it a visually impressive thrill ride with stories that intertwine well, but finds the final boss fights brief and weak and says it does not do much new.
  • Insider Gaming: 9/10. Its most enthusiastic verdict so far, despite some stumbles.
  • GamesRadar (no score yet): a confident cinematic shooter with a satisfying conclusion, held back by rigid mission design and restrictions.
  • GamesBeat: 4.5/5 for the campaign, though it argues the open-world sections slow the pacing.

Metacritic has not posted a Metascore yet because most outlets are still marked as reviews in progress. Expect final scores once multiplayer is playable at launch.

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Official Modern Warfare 4 screenshot of a large-scale battle
Reviewers single out the large-scale battles as a highlight. Image: Activision

How long is the Modern Warfare 4 campaign?

Windows Central counted 16 story missions that take roughly 6 to 8 hours. GameSpot finished in about eight hours on PC, while Insider Gaming describes it as a six-hour experience. Completionists can add time hunting secrets and exploring the open-world section.

Story, characters and missions

According to Activision's official campaign overview, the story follows Private Park, a young South Korean soldier thrown into his first real combat when North Korea launches a full-scale invasion. In parallel, Captain Price has gone rogue, working outside the system he once served in pursuit of revenge.

GameSpot's review adds that Price allies with cartel leader Valeria Garza to reach the Archer, played by Mads Mikkelsen, while Ghost and Gaz are sent to bring him in. Missions move through New York, Paris, Mumbai and Korea, and include stealth, chases, breach-and-clear rooms and one open-world mission, Stranded, set in snowy Korean mountains.

Official Modern Warfare 4 screenshot of a covert operation
Captain Price operates outside the system in Modern Warfare 4's campaign. Image: Activision

Early access, launch date and price

Campaign early access started on Friday, October 16 for players who digitally pre-ordered the Standard Digital Edition or the Vault Edition, on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PS5, Battle.net, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. The full game launches on October 23, 2026, on the same platforms. The standard edition is listed at $69.99.

What it means for players

If you buy Call of Duty mainly for the story, the early consensus is good news: this looks like the strongest campaign in several years and a fitting end to the Price saga. If you play mostly multiplayer, these reviews tell you little, so wait for launch-week impressions of the online modes before you decide.

Official Modern Warfare 4 screenshot of a soldier aiming in a ruined city
The full game, including multiplayer, launches on October 23. Image: Activision

Getting ready for launch? Read our breakdown of Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer maps and modes and our guide to the PC specs and preload.