Modern Warfare 3 just landed on PS5, bringing with it the 16 original maps from 2009’s Modern Warfare 2. From Terminal to Wasteland, some of the best Call of Duty maps ever made have received a facelift — definitively bringing them into the modern gaming era. But how much has Infinity Ward actually changed with these classic maps? Is this just a resolution boost? Or has there been a change in artistic direction?

That’s exactly what we aimed to find out, as we wandered the iconic streets and corridors of both the 2009 and 2023 versions of these maps. And what we discovered was quite interesting. You can check out our extensive comparison of all 16 maps over on the Push Square YouTube channel.

Of course the 2023 version sports 4K resolution, higher frame rates, and the more realistic art style that the Call of Duty franchise has donned in recent years. In isolation, Modern Warfare 3 is naturally the better looking game — we’d hope so after 14 years. However, we have to say that we prefer the art direction of the 2009 versions. From more exaggerated sound design to far more vibrant vistas, the original versions just have much more character in our humble opinion.