Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone's Season 5 Guns Can't Keep Up With Season 4
The new season of Modern Warfare and Warzone is rich with content, from a top-notch battle pass to hidden secrets not mentioned in the update notes. The two new weapons, the ISO SMG and the AN-94, are both interesting additions to the game's meta, but they might just pale in comparison to the additions from Season 4. When put up against the Fennec and the CR-56, most weapons in Call of Duty would have a run for their money, but the new guns also have a few tricks up their sleeves that don't appear at first blush.
In Modern Warfare and Warzone, balance patches are relatively frequent and usually much appreciated because they help keep the meta balanced and well-rounded. For example, the FAL was recently rocketed into a new league of power until the most recent patch brought it back to a more reasonable level. Patches aren't the only way to change the game's balance, though; new weapons can do the same and have the added benefit of filling holes in the roster of weapons that other guns couldn't quite make up for. How well a new gun fills a much-needed niche is a good judge of how strong a weapon it is.
The Fennec didn't fill a gap in the meta so much as it carved out a new spot above previously good guns. The Fennec's brutal rate of fire, strong headshot multiplier, and minimal recoil combined with good accuracy allowed it to replace the MP7 as the close-range DPS king. Its only real downsides are that it blows through ammo far too quickly and has a pretty harsh damage dropoff at range. As soon as it was introduced, the Fennec became a go-to choice depending on the map and game mode being played and is now a staple of competitive loadouts in both Modern Warfare and Warzone.
While the MP7 is still a strong choice with the right attachments, the Fennec certainly carved out its own niche at the expense of the older gun. Meanwhile, the ISO is clearly a way to bridge the gap between the most popular SMGs in the game, combining the best of both worlds with some well-balanced downsides. The ISO feels something like a mix between the MP5 and the Fennec. Its fire rate is right between the two, with a lower RPM than the Fennec and less damage per shot than the slightly slower MP5. It has the benefits of smooth recoil from the MP5, and the good accuracy of the Fennec. However, it has low ammo counts, terrible iron sights, and as a jack of all trades, it is sadly a master of none.
In the end, the Fennec wins out over the ISO by a wide margin. Not only is the Fennec based on the iconic, well-loved Vector, it is also just a cut above in sheer damage. A balanced, in-between gun like the ISO may be the practical choice, but it just can't top any of its compatriots in what they specialize in. While the ISO does fill a niche, it wasn't all that necessary, nor does it actually change the meta in any significant way. As balancing changes are made and new loadouts are discovered, that may change, but for now, it seems unlikely.
The matter of the AN-94's competition with the CR-56 is a much closer comparison. The two are physically similar—both are technological upgrades to the ageing AK platform—and in many ways they feel alike in handling, but other than that their differences are myriad. The CR-56 AMAX is pretty much a direct upgrade to the AK-47, with better handling and recoil plus a speedy fire rate that lobs out powerful 7.62 caliber rounds with deadly rapidity. The AN-94, though, is such an unusual weapon that it's hard to identify any gun that directly competes for the same kind of utility.
The CR-56 AMAX is based on the Galil ACE, a direct upgrade to the AK platform that attempted to modernize the iconic weapons system with new materials and better manufacturing. In-game, the presence of the CR-56 means there is little reason to use the AK-47, except in rare circumstances that require the AK's wealth of unusual customization options. The CR-56 certainly filled a much needed gap in the meta for 7.62 caliber guns. It is more accurate and better at range than the AK, offers fully automatic fire that the FAL lacks, and has more ammo and better handling than the SCAR 17. All-around, the CR-56 is hard to beat.
However, the AN-94 does not compete with the CR-56 directly. The new AR is perhaps the most unique weapon in Modern Warfare, with a "hyperburst" function found nowhere else and a standard ammo caliber only present in one conversion for the AK-47. The 5.45 caliber ammo is closer to 5.56 in damage and ballistics, and the closest thing to the hyperburst function is the FR 5.56's three-round bursts. The first two shots fired on any trigger pull of the AN-94 come out at 1800RPM, after which the gun will fire at around 600RPM until the trigger is let off and pulled again. That alone brings the AN-94 up from a one-off oddity to a possible game changer.
With hyperburst active, the AN-94 has some of the fastest DPS in the game. Repeated hyperbursts in semi-auto mode give the OP FAL of last season a run for its money, despite the slight pause between followup shots. Even though the CR-56 and the AN-94 operate so differently, they are each a fun addition that fills a unique spot in the meta, making them both of equal value to the game. Right now, Season 5's weapons sit behinds Season 4's due the lackluster performance of the ISO, but if the rumored new LMG can be anywhere near as groundbreaking as the Rytec AMR was when it was introduced mid-Season 4, there might be hope yet.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone are available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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