Gaming

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Hands-On: Old fan meets new game

Prepare for multiplayer

Published

October 26, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

I remember playing the first Call of Duty. It was a simple time. Crawling through the different theaters of World War II, Activision’s fledgling first-person shooter was a simple game of finding the coolest gun and shooting targets with it. Now, the decades-long franchise is anything but. Inside a typical Call of Duty game today, players will find an endless barrage of overpowered abilities and perpetually optimizable loadouts.

As an old-but-lapsed fan of Call of Duty, my hands-on of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II can easily devolve into a nostalgic waxing for days past when things were supposedly simple. However, this isn’t that. This isn’t the tale of an aging millennial wagging a 1940s Thompson at a zoomer’s decked out M16. This is quite the opposite. I find that I really want to play with that M16 with its dozens of knickknacks and its cheesy Doritos skin.

A mishmash of good ideas

Teasing fans with a tiny dose of FOMO, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II offers early access to its single-player campaign through the Vault Edition, among other gizmos once the game launches for everyone. While players don’t necessarily need the access a week in advance, it does provide a good glimpse of what’s to come for the modern shooting series. And, boy, it’s a doozy.

First of all, the graphics are astonishing. While I won’t claim to know how a modern war would look like up close, Modern Warfare II takes players to a wide variety of locations; each of which was painstakingly rendered to detail. Each level felt fresh and novel.

Of course, I can also thank the level design for that funky fresh feeling. Levels aren’t just simple shoot-em-ups. While most have their share of shooting, each level contains a new idea. For example, one has players controlling the recon and fighting arms of a helicopter. Another will have players reenact Sniper Elite and puzzle out the best way to take out targets with a rifle.

A particular standout has the player sneaking through the streets of Mexico using only scrap metal. It’s a new crafting system that just blends well and offers a great change of pace for the game.

For the most part, the game’s unique mechanics doesn’t overstay their welcome. Most will end and have you thinking, “hey, that was a great idea.” Naturally, the risk of offering so many mechanics is the loss of the game’s identity. Purely based on the campaign, there isn’t much that screams Call of Duty. To its credit, it’s a strength. I’d rather play a mishmash of interesting ideas, instead of a monotonous shooter for several hours. Obviously, it’s a taste test for the coming of multiplayer.

Not a perfect package

Unfortunately, it’s not all candy and flowers. Because it’s a chopseuy of guns, the bad levels end up as real stinkers. One particular pain point is a car chase mission. Though vehicles have existed in the franchise through some form, Call of Duty is not a car game. Movement was simple enough. But, besides the inherent difficulty of shooting a gun from a moving car to another moving car with limited ammo, the sequence also has players physically abandoning their current vehicles, jumping onto a fresh one, and hijacking it ad nauseum. Oh, and the bad guys have tiny drones and mines that are almost impossible to see or shoot.

The story isn’t a blockbuster either. It’s almost a blast-from-the-past recreation of 24. I was almost certain Jack Bauer was going to make a cameo after the credits. Then again, playing a Call of Duty game for the plot is as much a lie as saying everyone watches Pornhub for the story. It only serves to hurry players along to the multiplayer, and it does that job quite well.

Can’t wait for more

Coincidentally, the last Call of Duty I truly played was the first Modern Warfare 2. Even then, the franchise’s mechanics already started showing signs of mania towards absurd powers. Though the past iterations initially steered me away, the fresher and more polished ideas of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has me clamoring for more, eager for the launch later this week.

Related Topics:Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Gaming

Tides of Annihilation opens first public demo at Gamescom 2026

First hands-on

Published

August 6, 2026

Leez

Tides of Annihilation will make its public playable debut at Gamescom 2026.

Developer Eclipse Glow Games announced that attendees can try an extended demo of the upcoming action-adventure game during the event in Cologne, Germany. Players can find the demo at Hall 6, Booth B-050 inside Koelnmesse.

The studio will also reveal a new trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, before the show floor opens.

Demo offers more exploration and combat

The Gamescom demo gives players a longer look at Tides of Annihilation. It features branching paths that lead to different exploration routes and combat encounters. Players can also explore key locations and experience several of the game’s biggest set pieces.

“Gamescom will be an incredibly important moment for our team since this will be our first global playtest and we’re excited to see how first-time players experience our game,” said Ary Chen, Game Director and Co-CEO of Eclipse Glow Games.

“The team has poured heart, soul, and maybe even a few tears into developing the game over the last few years, and it’s finally our opportunity to share it with players. We’re looking forward to seeing their reaction.”

Members of the press and content creators can also schedule private hands-on sessions with the development team during the event.

Arthurian-inspired adventure

Tides of Annihilation blends fast-paced action with a Neo-Medieval vision of modern London. The story follows Gwendolyn after an Outworld invasion leaves the city in ruins.

Driven by a mission to save her sister, she travels between a shattered London and the mythical realm of Avalon. Along the way, she uncovers the mystery behind her newfound powers. She must also decide the fate of reality itself.

Eclipse Glow Games is developing Tides of Annihilation for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Gaming

Street Fighter 6 adds first Filipino fighter Yasmine to its roster

Eskrima fighter joins battle

Published

August 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Street Fighter 6 has officially welcomed Yasmine, making history as the first Filipino martial artist to join the franchise’s playable roster. The new character is now available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 as part of the game’s Year 4 content.

Yasmine practices Eskrima, having learned the Filipino martial art alongside her older brother under their grandfather’s guidance. She wields Karambit knives in battle and embarks on a journey to find her missing brother.

Players can access Yasmine by purchasing the Year 4 Character Pass or Year 4 Ultimate Pass. Her default outfit features traditional Eskrima-inspired combat attire, while a school uniform serves as her second costume. In combat, she specializes in fast, aggressive attacks that build toward an enhanced Bayani Mode.

Yasmine is the first of four Year 4 fighters, followed by Arjun, Tifa from the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, and Bosch. Her release also arrives alongside battle balance adjustments affecting the entire roster.

Onimusha crossover arrives this week

Capcom also announced a limited-time collaboration between Street Fighter 6 and Onimusha. Running from August 7 to August 31, 2026, the event introduces Oni EX character colors, themed Battle Hub decorations, avatar items, and additional rewards for players who log in during the event.

The update also adds new Avatar Arcade courses, additional ending scenes, a Frame Meter option for Avatar Random Match, and refreshed Master ACT rewards.

Philippine launch event set for August 9

Capcom will celebrate Yasmine’s debut with an official Philippine community launch event on Sunday, August 9, at Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant in Palanan, Makati. The event runs from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features a double-elimination tournament, gameplay showcases, giveaways, and community activities.

Attendees can also receive limited-edition Yasmine merchandise, including event T-shirts, lanyards, and collectible keychains while supplies last. Special guests and cosplayers are also scheduled to appear. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to venue capacity.

Gaming

Gangstar Mirage City launches on August 20 with SEA localization

Join a faction now for a chance to win rewards

Published

August 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

Gangstar Mirage City is set for a full regional launch on August 20, with localization for the Southeast Asia region.

Published by Level Infinite, the free-to-play multiplayer, urban, open-world action game is available for download on iOS and Android.

The full regional release features an expanded open world, a new PvP Arena mode, and local languages.

In Gangstar Mirage City, players can team up for up to 4-man co-op heists, drive powerful vehicles, customize their arsenal, build an empire, and fight for control of Rooklyn City.

Players can register on gangstarmiragecity.com for in-game rewards.

In Southeast Asia, players can also register as a member of their respective local faction and get an exclusive in-game Avatar to represent their loyalty:

Philippines: Manila Brigade
Indonesia: War Kanda
Malaysia: Taiko Tedung
Thailand: SIAM APEX

Factions will be ranked based on how many players join and support them. The winning faction will enable all members to get 300 Diamonds, sent directly to their accounts.

Meanwhile, all players, including those who already began their journey in Rooklyn City with the soft launch last July, are invited to join the Global Vault Heist.

Reaching the final Registration Milestone will unlock the Full Tilt Vehicle Pack. These are the rewards up for grabs per milestone: