My DMZ Pitch

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is here along with a robust selection of modes for players to enjoy, chief among those is the brand new mode DMZ. New game modes however, usher in a host of potential bugs and gameplay issues that need to be resolved and DMZ is no different.

From overpowered AI to visual glitches, there are a few areas that Infinity Ward could address in future patches and seasons that would improve players’ quality of life. Among these improvements are:

Nerf DMZ AI: Few things in DMZ trigger a fit of rage than being wiped by a Tier 1, shotgun toting AI from 100 meters away. In a similar fashion, you clear a building only to turn around and discover a MOAB of Tier 3, armored AI charging up the stairs after you with little to no explanation of how they rolled up on you. Without a doubt, the AI in DMZ needs to be nerfed – DMZ is dangerous enough with 66 other players on the map trying to eliminate all potential threats while trying to complete their own missions. Adding legions of Tier 3 AI enemies who also appear to have wall hacks and aimbots at their disposal is just overkill and it sucks the joy out of an otherwise fun mode to play.

Day Night Cycle and Weather: One area that could push the limits of the game would be to introduce a day/night cycle and weather effects. Why are there thermal scopes for firearms but no real reason to use them? It would add a new dimension to the gameplay for DMZ being able to run missions in the dark of night, during sandstorms, or during rain while using nightvision optics or infrared scopes. Changing up the DMZ formula would add some much needed variety to the gameplay.

Increase Squad Size: In the current build of DMZ, you can squad have up to three people in your squad and have the ability to team up with an additional three people while you’re running your missions. More often than not, when I log onto DMZ with my friends, there is always an odd person out because there is not enough space on the squad for an extra person. The squad size should be increased to four players but keep the on mission limit to six. I argue that most DMZ players already have a squad of four in their rotation from playing Battle Royale and Multiplayer, so it wouldn’t upset game balance that much in DMZ.

PvE Only or Casual Mode: Nothing is more rage-inducing than trying to ExFil with a full load of loot and gear only to be rolled on and wiped out by a marauding group of assholes who only exist to shit all over your day. Not all of us are hardcore, kill anything that moves players. There are a lot of us that just want to enjoy the game plinking away at AI and bullshitting with our friends or play the game solo without the intrusion of people yelling racial slurs and teabagging corpses after they decimate your Thursday Night Casual Crew. The best way to implement this is a PvE only or Bots Only mode. Why this wasn’t included in DMZ is beyond me, but here we are, and it sucks. More and more toxic players are showing up in DMZ and posting themselves at ExFil locations just to grief players as they try to exit the battle players. Even worse, there are players who deliver ultimatums such as “squad up or die”, all the while shouting racial slurs or other insults. We as players shouldn’t have to deal with these types of players in a mode that is supposed to be fun for everyone.

More Variety in Loot Drops: Loot makes the DMZ world go round and unfortunately, there isn’t enough variety in the types of loot that gets dropped by the AI. In the current version of DMZ, AI opponents drop RPKs, Valznevs, LMS rifles, armor plates, stims, and shotguns with little to no variation in the formula. It would be nice to create a tiered system of drops and enemies that actually works, similar to the loot system in the Borderlands series of games. in Borderlands, every so often a “Badass” version of a common enemy appears and drops a better selection of loot. Why not do something similar in DMZ? It would certainly make the combat more interesting and rewarding rather than the same core mechanic over and over again.

In closing, DMZ mode has a lot of great things going for it – no gas closing in to race against, a looting mechanic that encourages players to take on strongholds and special bosses, and an extraction mechanic that makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something. It’s not quite Escape from Tarkov, the complexity of gameplay isn’t there, but it does scratch the Extraction Shooter itch for those of us that just want to whittle away an afternoon with friends. With the above changes, DMZ could be something special, something unique, which makes the purchase of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II worth the price of entry.