There is a lot of hype for the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which was released a beta version on Sept. 12 on PlayStation 4.

And soon Xbox One and PC gamers will have a chance to test out the beta from Sept. 19 – 23.

 My initial takeaway from the game is that it just feels so real. Infinity Ward, the game’s developer has done a good job with the gun selection, making sure there is a balance of power in the options so they’re not overpowered or underpowered. After a few hours of gameplay, it’s clear that the team at Infinity Ward is in the process of rethinking what it means to move and fight in a mainstream first-person shooter. 

The movement system in the new Modern Warfare was really smooth. The map feels more open than ever before with fewer invisible barriers to slow down players when they are on the run. I also noticed a lot more points of interaction than in previous games. Doors are fully analog and the speed and pace at which I could breach through them are being controlled based on how fast I was sprinting while tapping the button to kick in the door quickly. But if you just walk up to a door it allows players to peek around corners slowly with a weapon at the ready. Once opened, doors can also be closed, again.

The weapon mounting system, I invariably get gunned down. The advantages conveyed by this new style of interactivity are completely wasted in multiplayer because the movement speed in this mode is just ridiculously fast. When enemies can race through environments bunny- hopping all the way, there’s little to no advantage for stopping — even for a moment — to do something as pedestrian as open a door slowly. Why be methodical when everyone is sprinting everywhere, mowing down enemies the moment they see them? The game’s systems and speed of movement seem to be at war with each other, and the fast movement is winning.

This game so far is really good in my eyes. I give it 8.5 out of 10. Infinity Ward worked obviously hard on this game and I can’t wait for the full final version to come out. The game launches on PlayStation 4, Windows PC via battle.net, and Xbox One with the cross-platform play on Oct 25.