So, I just finished slogging through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's campaign. Let me tell you, it felt less like a blockbuster thrill ride and more like being repeatedly poked with a slightly blunt stick labeled 'innovation'. And the main culprit? Those darn Open Combat Missions (OCMs). Every CoD tries to wow us with some shiny new gimmick, right? Sometimes it sticks, like creating your own class. Other times... well, let's just say the OCMs are digging through Activision's recycling bin, not forging ahead into the future.

1. Groundhog Day, But with Guns: The "Open" World Illusion

On paper, OCMs sound brilliant! "Approach objectives YOUR way! Freedom! Choice! Replayability!" Yeah, nah. In reality, stepping into one feels like being dropped into a suspiciously familiar Warzone map – because that's literally what it is. Sledgehammer wasn't exactly hiding their copy-paste job here. Assets, layouts, whole chunks of terrain – it's like they raided the Warzone/multiplayer servers during a midnight coffee run and called it a day. Originality? More like 'recyclability'.

The missions themselves are about as thrilling as watching paint dry. Seriously, it's usually:

1. Sneak around (because going loud is apparently forbidden fun).

2. Find Spot A.

3. Press F to Interact™ with Generic Object Alpha.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 for Spots B, C, and maybe D if they're feeling spicy.

5. Mission end. Yawn.

It's a groundhog day-esque routine that feels completely disconnected from the actual story. Where's the character chatter? The urgency? The point? It's just... there. Like finding broccoli on your pizza. Unwanted and kinda confusing.

2. Loadouts? More Like Letdowns (And Stealth is King)

They dangle this carrot of 'multiple approaches' and 'replayability'. "Swap loadouts! Find crates! Try different playstyles!" Sounds good, doesn't it? The reality is brutally different. The whole mission structure SCREAMS stealth. Trying to go loud usually ends with you getting swarmed like a picnic basket at an ant convention. It's messy, frustrating, and rarely feels viable.

So, those loadout choices at the start? Meaningless. The weapons you find in crates? Pointless novelties for this playthrough. Why would I ever choose anything other than a silenced SMG and a sniper rifle? It makes the whole 'choice' thing feel tacked on – like a cheap sticker slapped onto a broken toy. It screams "Look! Feature!" without actually being a feature anyone would willingly use more than once. Total bait-and-switch, mate.

3. The Pacing Killer: Six OCMs Too Many

Here's where the real crime happens. Out of MW3's measly 14 missions, a whopping SIX are these Open Combat snoozefests. SIX! That's almost half the bloody campaign! And each one? Depending on how lost you get or how meticulously you pretend to be Sam Fisher, they can drag on for anywhere from 10 minutes to a whole half-hour of pure, unadulterated boredom.

Imagine the whiplash:

• Mission 1: Fast-paced, scripted, explosive CoD goodness. Over in 10 mins. Adrenaline pumping!

• Mission 2 & 3: Back-to-back OCMs. 45 minutes of creeping around, pressing F, and wondering if your console froze.

It absolutely murders the campaign's pace. You go from high-octane action to a grinding halt, not once, not twice, but multiple times. For long stretches, you feel zero narrative progression. You're just... doing chores. In a warzone. It's immersion-breaking and frankly, exhausting. Who thought this was a good idea? Seriously, hand over the coffee mug.

Why OCMs Flopped Harder Than a Fish on Land

Let's break down the disaster:

Feature They Promised	What We Actually Got	Why It Sucks
Freedom & Choice	Stealth or Pain	Loadouts are pointless window dressing. Loud = suicide.
Replayability	Been There, Done That	Zero incentive to replay the same boring objectives slightly differently.
Innovative Design	Warzone Leftovers	Reused maps & assets scream low effort.
Engaging Objectives	F to Pay Respects... to Fun	Press F simulator. Repetitive, disconnected from story.
Good Pacing	Jarring Speedbumps	Halts momentum dead for huge chunks of time.

Bottom Line? OCMs Are MW3's Anchor

Look, I wanted to like them. The idea had legs. But the execution? It's like ordering a gourmet burger and getting a cold, soggy patty between two pieces of stale bread. The OCMs are easily the weakest link in MW3's already wobbly campaign chain. They feel rushed, unimaginative, and cynically designed to pad out a clearly undercooked experience. They're not innovative; they're just tedious.

So, unless you're a completionist glutton for punishment, maybe just... skip them? Or better yet, skip the campaign entirely this time around. Trust me, your sanity will thank you. Go play something that respects your time and intelligence – or at least doesn't try to disguise filler as groundbreaking gameplay. Save your cash for something that respects your time – like watching paint dry! At least that's free. 😝