Hands-on first impressions | Xbox Series X | Campaign completed | DMZ and Multiplayer played | Unscored
After finishing Modern Warfare 4’s campaign on Xbox Series X, one thing is clear: it’s a brilliant send-off for the rebooted story. DMZ, meanwhile, has brought back the same urge to keep dropping in that made Al Mazrah so hard to leave.
“This DMZ is so good.”
That was the message in our Call of Duty squad chat after the first few runs on Hajin. A few Xbox screenshots followed. There wasn’t much else to say at the time; it just felt good to be back in DMZ.
The original Modern Warfare II DMZ beta took up countless evenings on Al Mazrah. The new version has brought those memories straight back. Add in a campaign that genuinely delivers on years of Modern Warfare storytelling, and MW4 has already given plenty to talk about. These are impressions from a finished campaign and the opening hours of DMZ — not a score for the whole game.
A fitting end to the rebooted Modern Warfare story
Let’s start with the campaign, because it was excellent. Every entry in the rebooted Modern Warfare series has been enjoyable, but MW4 had the toughest job: finishing a story that’s been building across four games. It could easily have lost its way trying to tie everything together. Instead, the ending left a real impression.
The 16 missions take us from the Korean Peninsula to New York, Paris and Mumbai. One thread follows South Korean soldier Private Park Hyun Jun during the North Korean invasion. The other picks up with Captain John Price, on the run and determined to get to the people pulling the strings. Activision explains the starting point in its official campaign briefing.
Playing both sides of the conflict works surprisingly well. Park’s squad is trying to keep going as the invasion tears through South Korea, while Price is following his own increasingly reckless path. One moment you’re caught up in the fighting on the peninsula; the next you’re back with Price, wondering how far he’s willing to go. The two stories gradually come together without either feeling like filler.
There’s no shortage of big set-pieces, but the quieter character moments are what stayed with me. Just when the direction of the story seems obvious, someone makes a decision that changes everything. Some of the betrayals are properly shocking. The biggest ones are worth experiencing without warning, so they’re discussed only in the spoiler section below.
What makes the darker turns work is the history between these characters. Price and Ghost, in particular, have been through enough that their final scenes carry real weight. It’s not simply a case of finishing the last mission and watching the credits roll; this feels like an ending the series has earned.
The campaign was finished on Xbox Series X on 20 October, with the Hold the Line achievement unlocked at the end. That’s the full 16-mission experience covered here. Anyone who’s yet to play can safely read on: all the major twists and the ending are kept behind a separate spoiler panel.
Official Modern Warfare 4 campaign trailer (Activision).
Ghost is still the standout character
Ghost has been my favourite Modern Warfare character for years. He’s still the Operator of choice in Warzone and Multiplayer, but it’s his part in the campaign — especially his complicated relationship with Price — that makes him so memorable here.
There’s a lot of history between the two, and MW4 doesn’t brush it aside. Their scenes were among the parts of the story I enjoyed most. Explaining exactly why would ruin the ending, so the details can wait until the spoiler section.
Ghost is also included among the Vault Edition Operator unlocks for Multiplayer and DMZ, if you’re looking to play as him outside the campaign.
A world worth stopping to look at
The North Korean Wilderness was one of the places that made me stop and look around. Snow-covered mountains rise above a valley of winding roads, buildings and waterways. It’s a lovely change of pace from the intensity of the fighting.
Instead of heading straight for the next objective, I spent a while taking in the view and grabbing screenshots. The one below shows why. The tactical map also had plenty to investigate, including a SAM Site, Jamming Station, Base Camp and Bunker.
DMZ brings back that Al Mazrah feeling
Al Mazrah could turn a quick DMZ session into an entire evening. We’d drop in with one job in mind, get distracted by loot or an unexpected fight, then face the familiar question: do we risk another objective or head for the extraction helicopter? That was the fun of it.
Hajin has brought that feeling back almost immediately. Movement is smooth, there’s plenty to explore, and collecting gear before trying to get out alive is still a great loop. It plays like DMZ, but the map has its own character rather than trying to recreate Al Mazrah.
There are autumn-coloured woods, rivers and built-up areas to move through, with room for runs to go in very different directions. The parachute screenshot below gives a better sense of the size and variety than a map description ever could.
We covered the Hajin Worldbuilder trailer ahead of launch, and Activision’s Hajin deep dive goes into the map’s locations and systems. The screenshots in this feature are from the Xbox Series X sessions themselves.
Official MW4 DMZ First Look trailer (Xbox).
Getting out with the gear is still the reward
There’s still nothing quite like seeing that extraction helicopter arrive when the backpack is full of gear you want to keep. One of the first successful runs brought that old DMZ tension straight back.
That run ended with seven hostile kills, four loot containers opened and a Dynamic Operation completed. The after-action screen showed 5,900 in banked cash, a backpack worth 6,400, two valuables and a printer ingredient. Those are the results of one deployment, not a typical haul.
The 58-second Xbox clip below follows the final approach to the helicopter, boarding and take-off. The extraction results are in the screenshot underneath.
It’s not just about winning a firefight. It’s about getting out with the loot after everything that happened along the way. That feeling hasn’t gone anywhere.
There’s plenty to do between deployments
Back at the Forward Operating Base, there’s more to think about than the next deployment. The stash and loadout screens are already useful, with crafting materials to collect, DMZ Orders to complete and a 3D Printer to unlock early in progression.
The first three orders — Gear Up, Crackshot and First Op — are done, earning rewards including a medkit and a two-plate armour vest. Beyond those introductory jobs are the story chapters Counterfeit, Underground and Human Intel. Counterfeit alone lists six orders before its final mission, Operation Silent Ledger. There’s plenty here that hasn’t been tackled yet.
Activision’s Forward Operating Base guide confirms that DMZ has its own 70-level progression path. Multiplayer weapon and attachment unlocks can be used in the DMZ Gunsmith if there’s enough in-game cash to pay for them. Playing DMZ also earns XP towards your overall rank, but Multiplayer and Warzone XP won’t advance your separate DMZ level.
How well those missions hold up over the next few weeks is another matter. Right now the systems are interesting, but it’s much too early to judge whether the progression stays rewarding.
A few games into Multiplayer
Multiplayer is live now, and I’ve managed a few matches on Xbox Series X since launch. I’m already at Level 5 (Private V), with Ghost back as my Operator. After spending so much time on the campaign and in DMZ, it’s been good to get a few traditional matches in as well.
Ghost was always going to be my first choice. The class I’ve started with has an M4 assault rifle, an Oris 8.6 marksman rifle, smoke grenades and Semtex. It’s still early days for the loadout, but the screenshot below shows where things stand.
The Career screen also shows Level 5 and the first win/loss and K/D figures. After only a few games, there’s not much point reading too much into those numbers. There’s a lot more Multiplayer to try before deciding how it all feels.
There’s plenty still to explore, including 12 Core 6v6 maps, Ground War and Gunfight maps, and modes such as Hijack and Inflation. Activision has also confirmed 33 weapons at launch, up to 12 custom loadouts and Apex Attachments to unlock.
Movement is one thing I want to spend more time with. The slower feel of Warzone during the beta was a concern, as mentioned in our earlier hands-on coverage. DMZ has felt good so far, but a few Multiplayer matches aren’t enough to make a fair comparison. That’s something to come back to after more time with the game.
Warzone changes on 6 November
Warzone is due to receive its Modern Warfare 4 integration with Season 1 on 6 November 2026, two weeks after the main game’s launch. Warzone remains free to play, and there’s no need to buy MW4 just to play it.
Hajin will also be used for Battle Royale. After roaming the map in DMZ, it’ll be interesting to see how different it feels when the only goal is to be the last squad standing. Zodiac is coming to Resurgence, while Verdansk and Rebirth Island are set to stay in the rotation.
There’s a lot to keep track of with weapons and Operators as well. Our earlier Warzone Carry Forward guide covers what happens to older weapons and how they’ll fit into the new version.
Movement remains the big question after the beta. That’s something to revisit once the updated Warzone is actually playable, rather than call it either way now.
Hajin with the squad is still to come
Most of these early DMZ runs have been about finding my way around Hajin and learning the systems. Some of the regular squadmates haven’t bought MW4 yet. We’ll get back to running missions together whenever everyone’s ready.
Al Mazrah was always better with the squad: agreeing on a mission, helping someone recover their gear, or persuading each other that one more objective was worth the risk. Some nights we extracted with everything. Other nights it went wrong in spectacular fashion. Both made good stories afterwards.
That’s what I’m looking forward to doing on Hajin. The early solo sessions have been great, but the proper test will come when the squad is back together.
Tech Torque Verdict
The campaign is the highlight so far. Its mix of two very different storylines, shocking betrayals and a genuinely affecting ending make it one of the most enjoyable Modern Warfare campaigns of the reboot. Ghost’s role is a big part of that.
DMZ has been just as encouraging in a different way. Hajin is enjoyable to explore, the movement feels good and that first successful extraction brought back memories of the best nights on Al Mazrah. There’s already the temptation to go straight back in.
This isn’t a scored review of MW4 as a whole. The campaign has been finished, but DMZ needs more time with the squad and Multiplayer has only had a few matches. Neither mode is ready for a full verdict on balance, progression or staying power. For now, both have been a pleasure to play.
Availability in the UK
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC, following its release on 23 October 2026. The digital Xbox version is on the official Xbox Store. The game must be purchased separately and is not included with Xbox Game Pass at launch.
Campaign ending: major spoilers
Major campaign spoilers. The following section covers the major betrayals, deaths, Archer’s identity and the ending. Open it only if you’ve finished the story or don’t mind knowing what happens.
Read the full campaign discussion — MAJOR SPOILERS
The betrayal that changes North Korea’s future
Ri Ju-Young shooting her own brother, Supreme Leader Ri Seung-Ho, was one of the biggest shocks of the campaign. He hesitates over the invasion; she doesn’t. With Archer backing her, she murders him and takes power. It’s a brutal way to show how far she’s prepared to go.
It’s also the point where the North Korean side of the story really clicked for me. This isn’t just an invasion led by a distant enemy. A family argument has become a coup, and Ri Ju-Young is prepared to sacrifice anyone — including her brother — to get what she wants.
Ko’s change of allegiance gives the conflict heart
Ko Jin-Hyuk’s decision to help Park’s South Korean squad was another part I really liked. He can see what Ri Ju-Young is doing to his country and decides he can’t follow her any longer. Helping the team get into the airbase and escape is a risk he chooses to take, not something he’s forced into.
By the assault on the presidential palace, Ko has become someone worth rooting for. Ri is defeated, but Ko’s choice to stay behind and help rebuild North Korea is what sticks in the mind. The campaign leaves that country’s future open; it doesn’t pretend one victory fixes everything. His goodbye to Park’s squad felt earned.
The Archer reveal makes Price’s revenge personal
Archer turns out to be far more than the man arranging deals behind the scenes. He supports Ri’s coup, works with Konni and plans to use EMP weapons as part of a wider war in Europe. Then comes the reveal: he’s Vladimir Makarov’s father. That genuinely caught me off guard.
Price has already killed Makarov by this point, so Archer’s determination to make him suffer suddenly makes much more sense. Their feud is personal, even while the threat around them grows far bigger. It’s one of those reveals that sends your mind back through the missions you’ve just played.
A devastating farewell for Price and Ghost
Gaz being executed by Archer is a horrible moment, and it makes the final stretch even harder to watch. When Price finally catches Archer on the frozen lake, he’s already badly wounded. He kills the man he’s been hunting, but there’s no victory to celebrate.
Ghost has always been my favourite Modern Warfare character, and his last conversation with Price was the scene that stayed with me most. After everything that’s happened between them, they finally make peace. It’s a sad ending for Price, but one that felt right for their story. That moment alone made finishing the campaign worthwhile.
The post-credits scene brings the story back to DMZ
The post-credits scene gives DMZ an interesting connection to the campaign. Laswell wipes Task Force 141’s records, then the Watcher Programme points towards new operations in the Korean DMZ. It’s a good bridge into Hajin without undoing the ending we’ve just watched.
Review basis: Campaign completed on Xbox Series X on 20 October 2026; early DMZ impressions based on first-hand gameplay recorded before full release. No review score awarded. Gameplay captures: Tech Torque Media. Game footage and characters © Activision Publishing, Inc.
