Our score: 9.5/10. Our Modern Warfare 4 review in one line: this is a strong all-round Call of Duty on PS5. Our team found the campaign great, with the best visuals they have seen on PlayStation 5 so far and top-tier gunplay. DMZ in Hajin is a tense, high-stakes extraction mode, and multiplayer’s new movement hits a balance between tactical and arcade shooters. The one clear weak spot is a small launch map rotation.
Modern Warfare 4 launched on October 23, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2, at $69.99 for the Standard Edition. Below, our team’s impressions of each mode, with the official facts alongside.
A Modern Warfare 4 campaign scene. Activision says the story spans 16 missions across Korea, Paris, New York and Mumbai. Image: Activision
Table of Contents
Modern Warfare 4 campaign review
Our team’s verdict on the campaign is simple: great story, great visual effects, and the best visuals they have seen on PS5 so far. The gunplay is top tier. Every mission is action packed, and the story content is good.
On length, our time with the campaign hit the right note: it didn’t feel dragged out, and it didn’t feel too short either. For context, early players finished Modern Warfare III’s campaign in about 3-4 hours, VGC reported in 2023. Activision says MW4’s story runs across sixteen missions on the Korean Peninsula and in Paris, New York and Mumbai. You play as Private Park Hyun Jun as he and his squad fight back against a full-scale invasion across the Korean Peninsula, while Captain Price is on the run. Activision hasn’t published an official playtime. IGN’s reviewer took roughly seven hours on PC, as our MW4 campaign length and missions guide explains.
The team’s takeaway: MW4 is a satisfying conclusion to the Modern Warfare story. If you’re hunting the campaign’s extras, our MW4 safe codes guide lists every keypad solution.
MW4 DMZ review: Hajin and the fight for survival
DMZ is the extraction mode, and its map is Hajin (our team’s notes call it “Hanni city”; the official name is Hajin). Activision describes it as an exclusion zone on the borders of Russia and the Korean Peninsula. Hajin City is its main urban district. Our team thought the map is great: there’s a lot of wilderness, combined with an urban environment.
Two things stood out to the team, and both are official features:
- Dynamic weather. Activision’s DMZ deep dive says conditions in Hajin shift from run to run: sudden downpours reduce visibility, and fog banks and overcast skies change how familiar routes play.
- High-risk locations with valuable gear. Every major point of interest has an official threat level, from Low up to Extreme. Activision says players who push deeper can find high-value gear, with bigger risks and rewards. Our MW4 DMZ beginner guide lists the threat level of all 13 major locations.
Rain over Hajin City in DMZ: Activision says downpours and fog can change visibility from run to run. Image: Activision
Missions also change based on what you do during a match, and our team found there are multiple ways to approach them. That matches Activision’s design notes: Dynamic Operations are generated for each match, and the world’s systems “respond to every action”. You can go quiet, go loud, or something in between.
What sets DMZ apart, in our team’s view, is that you actually have something to lose. Unlike traditional multiplayer, it feels like a fight for survival, because if you lose, you have thin chances of getting your stuff back. The rules back that up. If you die, your Operator goes Missing in Action and you lose your loadout and backpack, except items in a Secure Slot. Paying DMZ Cash rescues the Operator and their Traits, but not the gear. Your DMZ XP still counts, so a bad run never wipes your progress.
MW4 multiplayer review: movement, modes and Collateral
For our team, the best thing about MW4 multiplayer is the new movement system. It’s less chaotic and more realistic than the Black Ops series, and the guns are very responsive too. Activision says it rebuilt movement around “fluidity, control, and player freedom” and reworked recoil and handling to follow player input more directly. In our team’s words, MW4 captures a perfect balance between slow tactical shooters and fast arcade shooters.
The game modes are great as always and keep things varied. Our team found the new Collateral mode an enjoyable addition to the usual Call of Duty multiplayer modes. According to Activision’s maps and modes post, Collateral is Search & Destroy with a Buy Phase. Everyone starts with a pistol and $800. Teams attack and defend two bomb sites, and you earn cash for kills, plants, defuses and round wins, then spend it on better gear before each round. There are no respawns and no custom loadouts. Rounds last 2 minutes, and the first team to 6 round wins takes the match.
A firefight beside an armed bomb. Collateral, MW4's new mode, mixes Search and Destroy with a Buy Phase. Image: Activision
To set up your classes, our MW4 best loadouts cover the current meta, and our MW4 best settings for PS5, Xbox and PC cover the controller and visibility options worth changing first.
What could be better: the MW4 map selection
Our team’s main complaint is the maps: they could use an improvement. The notes count 12 maps, which matches Activision’s count of 12 core 6v6 maps at launch, so the core selection feels small. Activision’s full launch count is 20 multiplayer maps: the 12 core maps plus 4 Gunfight maps, 3 Ground War maps and the modular Kill Block. The first free addition, an updated version of Shipment, is due on Tuesday, October 27, according to Activision. Our MW4 maps list covers every map and what’s coming next.
Verdict: is Modern Warfare 4 worth it on PS5?
Yes. After playing 7 to 8 hours a day on PS5, our score is 9.5/10. Here is why:
- Campaign: great story and visual effects, the best visuals our team has seen on PS5 so far, top-tier gunplay, action-packed missions and a length that feels right. A satisfying end to the Modern Warfare story.
- DMZ: a great Hajin map that mixes wilderness and city, dynamic weather, high-risk loot zones and missions that react to you. Losing your gear makes every run feel like a fight for survival.
- Multiplayer: the new movement is the star, less chaotic than Black Ops and very responsive. Modes are strong and Collateral is a fun addition, but the launch map pool is small.
Who it’s for: campaign fans who want a full-length, high-production Modern Warfare story; players who like extraction shooters where losing actually costs you something; and multiplayer players who prefer grounded, tactical gunfights to Black Ops’ pace. If you play almost only core 6v6 and get tired of maps quickly, you may want to wait for post-launch maps.
Modern Warfare 4 key facts
| Detail | Modern Warfare 4 |
|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | Infinity Ward / Activision |
| Release date | October 23, 2026 |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Battle.net, Steam, Xbox app), Nintendo Switch 2. Not on PS4 or Xbox One |
| Price (US) | $69.99 Standard Edition (PlayStation Store, Steam); Vault Edition $99.99 on Steam |
| Game Pass | Not at launch; Activision says it joins Game Pass in Holiday 2027 |
| Modes | Campaign (16 missions), Multiplayer, DMZ (extraction, Hajin map) |
| Multiplayer maps at launch | 20: 12 core 6v6, 4 Gunfight, 3 Ground War, Kill Block |
| New multiplayer modes | Collateral, Inflation, Hijack, Combat Outpost (Ground War) |
| Reviewed on | PS5, by the GamingRoute team (Vault Edition code from Activision) |
Prices checked October 26, 2026. Hitting errors or queue problems on PS5? Check our MW4 server status and error fixes. If you’re grinding for camos, our MW4 camo challenges list every step. For what other critics thought, see our Modern Warfare 4 reviews roundup.
Sources: GamingRoute team hands-on notes (PS5); Call of Duty blog: MW4 announcement, Campaign Early Access, DMZ deep dive, Hajin deep dive, maps and modes, launch post, Game Pass update; PlayStation Store; Steam.
Live: Follow today’s gaming news as it happens
Featured image: Activision
Score: 9.5/10
Reviewed on PS5 (7-8 hours a day). Review code provided by Activision.
