Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has finally opened its beta, and MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider jumped into the new shooter from minute 1. You can learn about his first impressions and the connection of his favorite new gadget to an air mattress on MeinMMO.
Ah yes, the first moments in a new Call of Duty. With a big grin, I start the beta every year, only to leave the match immediately confused. Forgot settings… invert vertical look axis, disable image filter, raise field of view – much better.
But now: the first moments of Modern Warfare 2 2022. I was curious, maybe even a little hyped. After all, I’m testing not only the gameplay of multiplayer but also the future mechanics of Warzone 2.0.
With the light assault rifle from one of the pre-made classes, I rush into my first death and could not be more relaxed. Because right away, a noticeable change in gameplay is apparent – the beta comes without the normal slide-cancel and my fingers have a lot less to do.
This gave me a pleasant feeling right away; it even brought a bit of relaxation. During the first hour, I felt light as a feather, like on a calm weekend with nice weather, where nothing important is scheduled. I may not go outside, but I can thoughtlessly game until after midnight. Awesome.
On the first evening of the beta, I spent 6 hours in the game and tried everything once. Except for the Lachmann weapon platform that you can only get through a trick. I will share my first impressions on important elements like:
If you also want to take a look at some of my first moments in the game, I will embed a few minutes of unedited gameplay here:
However, I prefer the universe of Modern Warfare. In 2009, with the original Modern Warfare 2, the title that pulled me in completely was released. We played tournaments, had set training days, and wreaked havoc in the then “PlayStation League”.
Except for the titles with jetpacks, I have always remained loyal to Call of Duty and spent many thousands of hours in the franchise.
CoD MW2 Beta: Movement and weapon feel
As indicated: The normal slide-cancel from CoD MW 2019 and Warzone 1 is no longer in the game, even though some pros have already found a way to use the trick. I hope the developers will intervene and completely remove the slide-cancel.
Because – wow – it simplifies movement in a really pleasant way. Before, I thought the trick added something to movement. You feel strong because you’re using this pro trick.
But after a few matches without the slide-cancel, I no longer need it: bunny hops and drop shots are enough, please.
With these two tricks, I can peek around corners and respond to attackers. But I no longer have to mash the controller constantly to keep my hitbox moving and advance slightly faster.
What are slide-cancel, drop shots, and bunny hops in CoD?
Slide-Cancel: By using certain button combinations, you can interrupt sliding. This allows you to utilize the momentum from sliding to be faster and keeps the important hitbox at the head, making it harder to hit.
Drop-Shot: You quickly drop while firing so the opponent cannot just hold down the trigger but must also react to your movements. Additionally, your hitboxes are in motion.
Bunny-Hop: Here, it is also about keeping the crucial hit zones on the chest and head in motion. You don’t only fire but also jump to make it harder for opponents to hit.
This feeling of more relaxed movement carried through my entire first evening. It is not sluggish, but also not at a flip level – I feel comfortable.
For my taste, it could be a bit faster. “Strafing” with the standard assault rifle felt strange and was hardly worthwhile. But with a larger selection of weapons, perks, and attachments, I’m sure something can be worked out later.
Speaking of weapons: I felt overall that controlling the weapons is supposed to be more difficult again. Even after unlocking and attaching all important recoil attachments for the M4 platform, I felt a noticeable kick when firing.
However, it is still too early to give an assessment with exclamation marks on the weapons. The selection is still very limited in the beta; the first real laser could already be waiting in the developers’ arsenal.
Maybe it’s also a matter of habit and, with a bit more game time, the M4 will fire like a laser.
The weapon smith still needs some work, however. I had already dealt with it in advance for an article and still found it a bit overwhelming in-game. You can find the article here:
CoD MW2 Beta: Maps and spawns
Overall, I fought across four different 6v6 maps:
- Breenbergh Hotel
- Valderas Museum
- Farm 18
- Mercado Las Almas
“Valderas Museum” was replaced shortly after the launch of the beta by “Breenbergh Hotel”. All new maps from CoD MW2 and all with a noticeable 3-lane structure.
What does “3-lane structure” mean?
It is a concept that divides maps into certain zones, on which different tactics are more successful. The 3 lanes can usually be better played with certain weapons:
- Lane for short range – submachine guns
- Lane for medium range – assault rifles
- Lane for long range – sniper rifles
There are often hybrid forms to provide variety. With CoD MW 2019, this concept was partly abandoned, and larger maps were introduced instead. This did not sit well with many players.
This benefits gameplay; even the comparatively small maps Farm 18 and Mercado Las Almas felt varied and offered many tactical options. Everywhere are small corners providing cover but are not unreachable.
What is particularly important to me, always in view of CoD MW 2019: That the maps are not too large for 6v6 matches. If I have to wander around for 30 seconds until a hostile face jumps into my view, I get anxious in a team deathmatch.
My first impression was correspondingly positive because that was my biggest wish for the new maps.
They also did not overdo it with the verticality. Once I memorized a few sight lines, most spots were easily attackable or avoidable. For example, a large, walkable roof on Farm 18 serves well.
This spot offers a lot of visibility over a large part of the map, but can also be attacked easily from many sides. The balancing of what is actually a very strong position works great here; I liked that.
I noticed some very strong “head glitches” on the longer lanes negatively. Due to the “gun rest” mechanic, the gun recoil can be significantly reduced, making these spots even stronger.
Often I had to take long routes or take big risks to clear the positions. This was especially bad on the middle lane of Mercado Las Almas. A head glitch massacre that I ran into way too often.
By the way, I had the least fun on the map Breenbergh Hotel, which was added during the evening. Due to the many head glitches and vertical positions, I never really got into the groove here.
However, I was satisfied with the spawns of the beta. A problem that has plagued Call of Duty since CoD MW 2019:
- Casual players complain that they constantly end up in bad positions due to poor spawns, where they have no chance.
- Hardcore players complain that a bad spawn system prevents them from anticipating enemy spawns and developing appropriate tactics.
In the whole 6 hours, I only felt that one match had bad spawns. In that match, my team was clearly outgunned, and the opponents surrounded us at the spawn point. It took a bit too long for the system to send us to the other side of the map.
Otherwise, thumbs up here; there is definitely progress noticeable.
Where I don’t dare to make a judgment yet is on campers. Experience has shown that it takes a while for players to find good spots here. The first few hours in a new Call of Duty are usually characterized by run-and-gun and confused players who are still figuring out the new maps.
CoD MW2 Beta: Gadgets and new mechanics
You can tell I’m satisfied so far and experiencing a solid CoD experience. However, I really had fun with the new gadgets. I want to highlight three of the new equipment:
- Deployable cameras
- Drill grenade
- Inflatable soldier
The cameras fit perfectly into my playstyle. Once placed, the field equipment stays in its spot, and I can observe what happens there.
However, I find the secondary function much better. Because as soon as an enemy runs through the camera’s field of vision, I get a signal. This allows me to secure areas and always know when an enemy runs through that area. The detection can be countered with perks, but is still extremely helpful.
Additionally, I really like these drill grenades. You throw the devices at an obstacle or wall, and they explode on the other side. I had to experiment a bit to understand which obstacles can be drilled through. But once it clicked, the nasty grenades turned out to be an unplanned stress factor for my opponents.
However, my favorite: the inflatable soldier aka Buddy Blimp. What a powerful device. In the heat of battle, the buddy is hardly distinguishable from real soldiers and offers fantastic tactical possibilities.
Already on the first evening, I used the field equipment dozens of times. Opponents came out of their cover to shoot a few bullets at the cousin of an air mattress, and I only had to pull the trigger.
All three gadgets add new tactical components to Modern Warfare 2, which fit sensibly and enhance my possibilities for decoys, surprise attacks, and pressure on enemy positions.
I can say that the new gadgets made the difference for me on the first evening – between a solid CoD experience and a refreshing experience. With the new toys, I had a lot of fun.
Those new “highlight” mechanics couldn’t keep up, such as the weapon smith and the expanded movement mechanics (holding onto edges and the comeback of the dolphin dive). Water, AI behavior, and vehicle mechanics have not been tested so far.
One more thing pleasantly surprised me: the new reloading.
This is now much more realistic. If you have an LMG and start reloading, your soldier lifts the lid up and loads the new ammunition belt. You can no longer cancel the reload, as the lid is still open. Even a weapon switch does not help.
If you run out too early with smaller weapons, a reload that you would have actually canceled doesn’t mean you have to start over. The game remembers the current status of the reload and continues it after the sprint.
This is also a sensible and round mechanism that immediately appeals to me.
Conclusion: Modern Warfare 2 delivers with small surprises
Modern Warfare 2 has technically convinced me and plays well. The movement has an exciting pace, the controls are crisp, and the graphics are top-notch. It offers a good foundation for a few weeks of fun. Maybe even months, if the live service is right.
The new/old philosophy regarding the maps is immediately noticeable. Here, the community was listened to, and steps were taken back to move forward.
Once I was in the match, I had nothing to complain about. Except for some nasty head glitches.
I was surprised by the gadgets and how well they were immediately integrated into gameplay. They really provided variety and completely new possibilities.
However, the menu navigation was terrible – whether for the weapon smith or creating lobbies. That can definitely be better, and I hope for a revised UI at release.
Aside from that, I give a thumbs up. If you’re considering diving into the battle this year, take an evening and play the open beta. You can find the dates for the free phases here.
I also love reading your first assessments on the topic in the comments. If you have any questions or something remains unclear, feel free to reach out.
