Modern Warfare 4: Why the new characters outshine Ghost and Price

In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, players fight on two fronts: While a group of South Korean soldiers attempts to repel a North Korean invasion, Captain Price is pursuing his own mission around the globe. Alongside familiar faces, players encounter plenty of new characters – and these newcomers seem to be particularly popular with fans. In a recent Reddit thread, players are discussing their favorite characters, with the new additions somewhat overshadowing the series' established icons.

Dunn and Ko Jin-Hyuk are currently leading the popularity contest. The two are locked in a close race in the comments for the title of most popular character. Kal is also proving popular with many players. Surprisingly, familiar faces like Ghost and Captain Price are receiving relatively little attention, with only a handful of users naming them as personal favorites. That's particularly remarkable considering that both are among the most recognizable characters in the entire franchise.

I think the new characters' popularity has a lot to do with the story. While Modern Warfare 4 still delivers spectacular action, it also explores the human side of war. This is particularly evident in the storyline involving the South Korean soldiers, who suddenly find themselves caught in the middle of a war and have to deal with fear, loss and difficult decisions. In my opinion, the developers have succeeded in creating characters that players can genuinely grow attached to. The fact that some of them are even more popular than longtime fan favorites certainly speaks to the quality of the storytelling.

The campaign is receiving an excellent reception

The enthusiasm for the campaign is also reflected on Steam: An impressive 92% of more than 3,600 user reviews are positive. However, it's worth keeping in mind that multiplayer isn't playable yet. If Infinity Ward fails to maintain the same level of quality there, the ratings could certainly take a hit. For now, though, the surprisingly strong campaign is already a promising sign. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 officially launches on October 23 and costs $69.99 on Steam.