Modern Warfare 4CampaignChecked 19 October 2026
MW4 Campaign Review: Scores So Far
The first MW4 campaign review scores are positive: Insider Gaming gave it 9/10 and IGN 8/10, though IGN marks its score as not final. Reviews of the campaign alone began on 16 October 2026, when campaign early access opened, and many outlets will only give a final score once multiplayer and DMZ are live after the 23 October launch. This page is a round-up of other people’s reviews; we have not reviewed it ourselves.
MW4 campaign review scores
| Outlet | Score | Status | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insider Gaming | 9/10 | Campaign review | 18 Oct 2026 |
| IGN | 8/10 | Not final | Quoted by Nintendo Life, 18 Oct 2026 |
| GamesRadar | Early verdict | No score yet | Quoted by Nintendo Life, 18 Oct 2026 |
| Metacritic | tbd | Needs 4 critic reviews on one platform | Read 19 October 2026 |
We list a score only when we have read it on the outlet’s page or in a dated round-up that quotes it. We have not been able to read an OpenCritic average yet. We will update this table as final scores arrive.
What MW4 campaign reviews praise
The ending of a saga. Several critics read MW4 as the close of the story that began with Modern Warfare (2019). The critics quoted in Nintendo Life’s round-up describe it as bringing almost a decade of storytelling to a satisfying conclusion, and Insider Gaming notes that almost every character introduced so far gets an ending, with sequences that nod to Modern Warfare 2 (2009).
Set pieces and pacing. Reviewers single out the spectacle, the performances and the pace: Insider Gaming says the action almost never slows down and that even the forced stealth sections are short. One critic in the round-up ranks it as the best campaign since Modern Warfare (2019); Insider Gaming goes further and calls it the best in the series.
The behind-enemy-lines mission. The semi-open mission in North Korea, Stranded, is called a highlight. Critics point out that it borrows its ideas from DMZ, with side objectives, hidden items and a hub where you upgrade gear. Insider Gaming calls it an introduction to the upcoming DMZ launch.
What MW4 campaign reviews criticise
Length and rushed resolution. Insider Gaming finished in just under six hours on the easiest difficulty, says it wished the campaign were longer, and calls its one major complaint how quickly everything is pushed to a resolution. See how long the MW4 campaign is for other playtimes.
Linear, restrictive missions. Other critics in the round-up mention rigid mission design and frustrating restrictions, a mostly on-rails structure in the style of the Modern Warfare series, and a bloated cast. Several outlets also hold back a final score because multiplayer and DMZ were not live when they played.
Player reception
On Steam, OpenCritic reported that the early access release held 93% positive user reviews, and that the campaign alone passed Black Ops 7’s peak concurrent player count. Both are snapshots from campaign early access, reported by OpenCritic, and Steam percentages move as more reviews come in. Metacritic user scores were still “tbd” when we checked.
Is the MW4 campaign worth playing?
If you have played the Modern Warfare campaigns since 2019, early reviews suggest this one is a fitting end to that story, with the series’ usual linear set pieces plus one large open mission. If you mainly play for DMZ, the campaign is still useful: its Korean missions take place in Hajin City, the same area as the DMZ map, so you get to know the streets and the river before your first deployment. The Hajin map and location guides cover that side.
When will final MW4 review scores arrive?
There was no official review embargo announcement that we could read. What we can see is that campaign reviews appeared from 16 October, the day early access opened. Outlets that marked their scores in progress said they will finish once the full game is live, so expect most final scores, and a Metacritic Metascore, after the 23 October launch.