A new Ground War mode sneaks in vehicles and Battlefield-ish maps with the promise of large-scale combined arms multiplayer warfare, but the illusion is shattered by the lack of destruction. Every time your Infantry Fighting Vehicle runs into a bit of scenery and stops dead in its tracks you’ll be reminded that this isn’t Frostbite.
In the campaign, white phosphorus is a horrific set-piece accompanied by screams and whimpers. That’s some heavy shit. In multiplayer, white phosphorus is a reward for competent play that brings high-fives and fierce guitar licks. That’s some badass shit, Bro! You can have this cake and you can eat it, Modern Warfare assures us. In past installments, this dissonance would be funny, but here, it’s another reminder that these are really two separate games, and never shall the twain meet.