Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward’s reboot of its classic sub-series arc, is the sixteenth Call of Duty game to date. Just like its predecessors in theModern Warfarearc, the latest title is set in the present day, though it features a darker and more grounded story than previous games. With theCall of Duty: Modern Warfarebeing a soft reboot, the timeline of the four titles in the arc can get a little confusing, so before we go any further, here’s how they’re laid out:
While theentireModern Warfareseries has done wellwith critics and fans alike, it’sModern Warfare 2that has always held a special place with the community. Building on the success of the Infinity Ward’s first experimental step away from the WW2 setting,Modern Warfare 2featured some of the best maps and multiplayer gameplay that theCall of Dutyseries has offered.
One of the maps at the core of this success is Rust, a multiplayer arena set in an Afghani desert. As one of the classic game’s more popular maps,Call of Dutyfans were hyped this week as aleakedMWSeason 2 trailerconfirmed that a remastered version would soon be coming inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Season 2. But what is it that makes Rust so popular, and why is theCall of Dutycommunity so excited to get into it once again?
Steel and Sandstorms
When it was first released inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Rust was considered by many to be the spiritual successor ofCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare’s popular Shipment map, with both being small, square arenas that favorclose-range weaponryand hectic firefights.
Just likeShipment, Rust’s size and rat-warren layout provided a significantly different kind of FPS experience. Sniping took a back seat, with swift movement, close-quarters ambushes and tricky maneuvers all essential to a player’s success.
Rust is set in an abandoned oil yard in the middle of an Afghani desert, with its two opposing sides being the multi-national Special Operatives Task Force 141, and Afghan OpFor. There’s a tall tower in the center, along with a few connecting pipes and outlying buildings, as well as some hidden tunnels. The rest of the map is fairly open, with the only cover being cargo containers and vehicles.
Killstreaks and Close-Combat
Back inModern Warfare 2, Rust was known for being a map that often ended up withhuge kill-countson the leaderboard. This is partly due to the map’s small size, with players often spawning just seconds away from an opponent, and partly due to how perfect it is for certain Killstreaks.
The Killstreak systemallows players to call in special abilities after reaching a certain amount of kills in a single life. Like mostCall of Dutymaps, Rust favored certain Killstreaks over others, and knowing what to equip could turn a good game into a great one.
InCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,the ideal Killstreaks to take on Rust were the Stealth Bomber, Chopper Gunner, and AC-130. All of these were high cost, high damage abilities, with the latter two allowing the player to take directcontrol of the called-in firepower. The beauty of these Killstreaks on Rust was that the small, open-to-the-air map gave other players nowhere to hide, allowing the Killstreak user to rack up huge kills.
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What to Expect in the New Rust
It’s likely that layout of the new Rust will be almost identical to its previous incarnation, with a simple overhaul of textures and props to bring it up to the current Gen. As such, a lot of the tactics and Killstreaks that were so effective back on the original map are likely to still be applicable on theremastered Rust.
The Chopper Gunner and AC-130 (under the new name “Gunship”) Killstreaks have both returned inCall of Duty: Modern Warfare, and are likely to be just as powerful as they were. The closest thing to the Stealth Bomber however is probably the Precision Airstrike, which also calls in ordnance along a line. Unfortunately, unless somethingchanges in Season 2, theCall of Duty: Modern Warfareversion has been dramatically rolled back, dealing less damage over a smaller area, but also requiring less kills to activate.
To trigger these Killstreaks a player will need to be able to rack up a significant number of kills, and again the old tactics of Rust may still be useful. Using grenades to clear out the narrow sections, to avoid ambushes, and careful maneuvering around the few items of cover will remain essential. Above all, players should remain aware of their surroundings, as in Rust’s windswept pipe-ways its impossible to guess where the next attack might come from.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfareis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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