Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2 is here, and that means there is a whole slew of new maps to explore, new guns to level up, and new content to sift through and enjoy. The most important new content is, of course, the guns. Last season, the new weapons added in free tiers of the battle pass ended up being two of the best weapons in the game, with the RAM-7 arguably standing out as the new best weapon of all. If the new guns in Modern Warfare season 2 hold up to that pedigree, they will be very interesting indeed.

How good Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 2 is compared to Season 1 remains to be seen. There is still plenty more time in the season, with the possibility of more maps, playlists, and features always present. However, topping the weapons from last season will be a difficult task. The RAM-7 dethroned the M4A1, while the Holger was not as competitive, but had a huge fun factor in its customization and versatility. At first glance, the new weapons don't stack up quite the same, but a deeper dive reveals some fairly compelling characteristics.

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What are the New Guns?

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Modern Warfare Season 2 is adding a huge amount of content, just as it should after the lengthy delay at the end of Season 1. Some fixes to the crossbow and light buff to the SA87 were the only weapon balancing changes in Modern Warfare, so shifts in what weapons are the most viable will have to come from new guns. Some small tweaks were made to perks, but for the most part, they remain the same. The most exciting additions may well be maps and game modes, especially if the new guns aren't up to snuff.

The new weapons are the GRAU 5.56 Assault Rifle and the Striker 45 SMG. The GRAU 5.56 is based on the real-world SIG SG 552 Commando, while the Striker 45 is based on the LWRC SMG-45, a weapon based on the popular UMP45. The GRAU 5.56 is an extremely versatile assault rifle, capable of being modded into all manner of lengths and handling characteristics. Notably, it can be shortened down to be practically the same size as an SMG. Meanwhile, the Striker 45 is a relatively large caliber SMG with slower rate of fire but very high damage per shot.

How Good is the GRAU 5.56 Assault Rifle?

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At first glance, the GRAU 5.56 is pretty much entirely middle of the road. It's a 5.56 AR, which is about as normal as it gets in Modern Warfare. Where it stands out is damage range, maintaining a 4-shot kill range out past any other 5.56 rifle. Unfortunately, it operates at a sluggish 700 RPM, meaning that its time to kill is much lower than its more competitive brethren. The weapon handling is very good, with quick, snappy movement and great ADS times. The recoil is also extremely predictable, with a slight upwards push that has almost no random movement. That predictability combined with its long range damage is the gun's primary strength.

Interestingly, the GRAU 5.56 has a lot of modifications that make it even lighter and more mobile. The gun can be cut down to the size of an SMG, making it extremely maneuverable and snappy at the cost of recoil control. Doing so does not play to the gun's strengths of range and controllability, while its low fire rate will actively hamper any attempts to use it as an SMG. At least the gun is very versatile and can be used for a variety of situations with different attachments. The gun is unlocked at tier 15 of the battle pass for any player who reaches it, regardless of whether or not they purchased the pass. Playing through the new Modern Warfare game modes for a few days should be enough to unlock the gun quickly.

How Good is the Striker 45 SMG?

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The Striker 45 SMG is, in essence, a small AK-47. It has the highest damage per bullet of any SMG, dishing out kills in three shots at close range. Just like the AK, it has a very low rate of fire, clocking in at just over 550 RPM. Compared to other SMGs, the Striker has very slow ADS time and handling, with very few modifications available to remedy the situation. It has a wide hipfire radius and abysmal recoil, leaping around in random directions with a heavy kick.

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The Striker does have interesting modifications, including a .45 hollow point ammunition option. The hollow points boost damage considerably, but reduce its fire mode down to a two-shot burst. The bursts can be mashed very close together, but it still isn't enough to keep the total DPS higher than the full-auto option. Regardless, the gun has high range and damage for its class, but loses out in so many other areas that it may not be worth it. The Striker 45 is available at tier 31 of the battlepass, meaning that some players may not see it until later in Modern Warfare Season 2. At least they won't be missing out on much.

The Verdict

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Overall, both of these weapons are far less compelling than their earlier counterparts. Luckily, the Holger and RAM-7 can both still be unlocked, even for those who did not get them in the Season 1 battle pass. The Striker 45 and the GRAU 5.56 both have their strengths and might be useful in specific situations, but there is nothing so special about them that players will be clamoring to unlock them as fast as possible. They both show up relatively early in the Modern Warfare battle pass tiers, at least.

The guns may be mostly lackluster, but the addition of Rust is a great move for the game, while the Atlas Superstore has serious promise as a fun and engaging small arena. At the very least, this season has some other big changes that are worth a lot more than the new guns. One big feature to look out for is the addition of Modern Warfare Battle Royale, which has been teased in a lot of material related to this season. It also remains to be seen what else this season will bring in terms of balance, fixes, playlists, and other small additions that can add up to totally change the game.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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