'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3' LI midnight release

The newest chapter of the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 3, was released this morning on Long Island. The Call of Duty first-person shooter action series continues the campaign storyline from MW2. American forces struggle against a mainland invasion by the Russian Federation following the framing of an undercover U.S. agent in a terrorist attack on Moscow.

The game has all the classic gameplay of the series, but this time around, MW3 has deeper multiplayer game modes and ramped-up graphics.

Newsday.com video journalist Daryl Thomen braved the midnight release of MW3 in East Meadow. Check out what he saw above and also some early reviews of MW3 below.

* Edge: 9/10: Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare trilogy stands as this generation's defining FPS series -- and Modern Warfare 3 is an emphatic, feature-packed and sometimes stunning final act.

* GamesRadar: 9/10: If you're looking for a new kind of shooter, look elsewhere. Modern Warfare 3 succeeds by doing more -- much more -- of what's always worked spectacularly for the series. We still can't get enough.

* GameTrailers: 9.3/10: If you're expecting a huge departure from what's come before you'll be disappointed, but fans will get exactly what they're looking for. World War III shouldn't be this much fun.

* 1UP: A: I'm glad to say the multiplayer remains addicting and is more balanced than ever.

* VideoGamer: 9/10: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 doesn't do anything new, but it also doesn't do anything wrong. For better or worse, this is a slick and well-metered trio of modes that makes an entertaining package, but Sledgehammer Games and Infinity Ward are simply looking to augment previous games rather than expand the series into pastures new

* Joystiq: 4.5/5: Modern Warfare 3 is a great Call of Duty game, just as every other entry in the franchise is a great Call of Duty game. However, it shares more than quality with its predecessors: Like its forefathers, it leaves you waiting for something perfect.

* IGN: 9/10: Despite its flaws, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 takes the fantastic series we've come to love over the years and iterates on it with great success. The multiplayer is hands-down the best it has ever been, with more features, more modes and a ton of new levels and ways to interact via Call of Duty Elite. The single-player campaign and Spec Ops mode add value to the overall package, creating something that may not be perfect but is too addicting to pass up.

* GameInformer: 9/10: When it comes down to it, Modern Warfare 3 meets expectations. The core elements of multiplayer and the campaign remain fundamentally unchanged, but the game serves as a great example of how many subtle tweaks can add up to an improved overall product.

* GameSpot: 8.5/10: This is some of the best online shooter action around, and with the daunting challenges of Spec Ops and the exciting, globe-trotting campaign, Modern Warfare 3 stands tall as another great descendant of the game that changed a generation.