Modern Warfare 3 has been the lowest-rated entry in the franchise by quite a margin. The previous title in the series, Modern Warfare 2 stood at a mediocre 75 as per Metacritic. Modern Warfare 3 stands at 57. This means that the drop in score is more than 20 points, a historical low for the franchise, and a large margin between the latest title and the second lowest-rated one, Call of Duty Vanguard is 26 points.
When low-rated Call of Duty titles are mentioned, one almost always remembers Call of Duty Ghosts. Standing at 78, it is also in the same range as the games mentioned above. The game was released in 2013 by Infinity Ward with it being the tenth major installment in the franchise. Call of Duty Ghosts was a standalone installment in the series’ portfolio which features numerous titles that are connected.
The game had a multiplayer and campaign element and the setting was near future. Now, in an Easter Egg featured in Modern Warfare 3, there is a direct reference to a beloved canine feature in Call of Duty Ghosts.
Riley: The Fierce, Fearless Canine Hero Uniting Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty Ghosts
Riley was first featured in Call of Duty Ghosts. The canine is with the protagonist from the start of the game. The four-legged furry companion was the franchise’s first playable character that was not a human. He is a member of the US Special Operations unit. The unit also includes David “Hesh” Walker, Riley’s caretaker, and Logan Walker, David’s Brother and Call of Duty Ghosts‘ protagonist.
When Call of Duty Ghosts was in development, the motion capture for Riley was done by a military dog from the US Military. Before Modern Warfare 3, Riley was also featured in a Warzone trailer and other CoD titles. Riley’s story in Call of Duty Ghosts saw him tracking and taking down enemy patrols as the player controls Logan. Future missions in the game also see players taking control of the good boy to perform recon and stealthily take down enemies.
From clearing out a room fleeting with enemies to fearlessly facing an entire wolfpack. Riley proves to be as helpful as a man’s best friend can be. Not just this, Riley also helps in finding Ajax, a Ghost who is held hostage by the game’s antagonist and is being tortured for information. Following missions also see Riley getting shot in the line of duty to save the player.
Other Easter Eggs and Secrets Present in Modern Warfare 3
Modern Warfare 3‘s campaign has been the worst if not the worst campaign in the franchise’s history. You can read our review here if you want to know more about how the game tarnished Call of Duty’s reputation for delivering good narratives. The game has also been one of the many AAA disappointments this year. As things are unfolding, the title may also be the trainwreck of the year.
While all of this is disappointing enough. There were some Easter Eggs and references in the fans which might put a smile on series veterans’ faces. The game, which was supposed to be the sequel to Advanced Warfare, contains some surprises. While none of them can make up for the display put up. They are worth mentioning and are as follows:
- Operation 627 – In the first mission of the game, we rescue a prisoner from the Russian Gulag in cell number 627. This happens to be Makarov. In the last game of the series preceding Modern Warfare 3. MW2 had a mission where we rescue Prisoner Number 627 who happens to be Captain Price.
- Rook also makes an appearance in the mission Operation 627, this is a nod to the original Modern Warfare 2 which also features Rook.
- Yuri also makes an appearance when he leaks information regarding Makarov and his nefarious intentions in the game. Yuri is seen in earlier games as well.
- In the mission Payload, when you enter a bunker, you can find a Perseus flag hinting that Perseus, the organization from Black Ops Cold War might make a return.
The campaign for Modern Warfare 3 stands at a measly 3.5 hours containing widely criticised open missions. These were some nods to some of the most iconic, some mediocre, and some terrible games in the franchise. Modern Warfare 3 is out now for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S and One as well as PC.
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