Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III launches this week, with the campaign mode and DMZ currently in early access. IW has brought the finale to the rebooted "Modern Warfare" series, but if you find certain missions too difficult on Normal difficulty, don't worry—you're not alone.
Modern Warfare III features 16 missions that cover classic elements of the Call of Duty series, such as stealth operations, cinematic chase sequences, and slow-motion raid clearances. Additionally, there are several intense melee boss battles where your survival depends on precisely parrying attacks.
As a veteran Call of Duty player, I (GameSpot) usually complete all campaign modes, ranging from Normal to Veteran difficulty. The Normal difficulty in Modern Warfare III feels harder than games in recent years. It reminds me of IW's previous title, Modern Warfare II, where NPCs also felt tougher to deal with. Players can easily underestimate the AI's capabilities, as they always seem to see through the player's intentions during stealth missions.
The NPCs in Modern Warfare III aren't necessarily smarter, but they do feel tougher and have better aim than last year's entries, so trying to brute-force your way through their defenses isn't a wise move. I repeatedly hit walls while trying to clear areas densely packed with enemies, even having to retry certain bosses more times than I'd care to admit. I've also heard other players complain about the same issues while playing Modern Warfare III's single-player campaign, so it's definitely not an issue of age or skill—IW has once again crafted a highly challenging campaign.
Overall, the Normal difficulty in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III isn't overly hard; it's definitely manageable, but it does force me to slow down and show more patience. I'll also give Veteran difficulty a try, but that's about the highest challenge I can take on. For players craving the ultimate test of skill, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III also offers a "YOLO" (You Only Live Once) difficulty mode, where you must restart the entire campaign upon death.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will officially launch on October 23, available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
