One first-person shooter based on World War II was the one that caught everyone’s attention back in those days. Electronic Arts’ Medal of Honor was that shooter. The franchise held the WWII FPS sub-genre for some time… until Activision introduced its competitor. Infinity Ward, a development studio, released the Call of Duty first entry in 2003. The rest is history, they say. Many sequels and spinoffs over the years have made Call of Duty a vast franchise that has earned millions (or even billions!) of dollars with annual revenue of over $600 million. We had so many series entries, so we decided to look at them and rank them according to their overall quality.
We will celebrate all the series as it progresses towards the launch date of Call of Duty: Vanguard. Let’s now count down the mainline series entries you and your friends probably played until the early morning hours.
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“Call of Duty: Ghosts”
Many people point to Ghosts being the first downfall of the entire franchise. It’s not hard to see why. Although the campaign was well-constructed, there wasn’t much to it other than a cute dog that many fans fell in love with from the first trailer. Multiplayer was a disappointment because of its complex architecture and expanded maps. This took away much of most people’s enjoyment of the series. Ghosts feel uninspired, and it is a shame for diehard fans.
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‘Call of Duty: Vanguard’
Call of Duty – Vanguard did not innovate in any way, shape or form. It did manage to leave two legacy features, an explosive campaign and decent multiplayer. “Champion Hill,” which is an evolution from “Gunfight,” offered a fun version of Solo’s (1v1) and Duos (2v2) as well as Trios (3v3). Vanguard’s Zombies version felt like a big step back compared to the previous iteration. Vanguard may be the least memorable game in the series.
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“Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare”
You’ll be stunned at how many people didn’t like the trailer for this game. Most COD gamers did not receive the series’ foray into futuristic warfare among stars. Despite the adverse reaction to Infinite Warfare, it is still a decent game. It has a darker narrative tone and an open-ended campaign. This makes it one of the best Zombies instalments to date. Due to the difficulty of taking down your foes, multiplayer was a little disappointing.
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“Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War”
This series entry is popular because Black Ops Cold War’s Vietnam Era Campaign is part of its appeal. Fans loved this series’s unique feel, featuring real-life political figures and a clever approach to solving essential mysteries. Black Ops Cold War’s lacklustre maps and newer modes prevent multiplayer from performing at the high-level COD multiplayer rests. It’s pretty passable as far as Zombies go.
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“Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare”
Advanced Warfare represented a massive leap for the series from a thematic perspective – it adopted a new kind of warfare that could be possible shortly. This series entry was a great alternative to Titanfall. Exo Suit implementation and the Pick 13 system did a tremendous job lifting Advanced Warfare above other franchise entries. Although the co-op Exo Survival Mode in the game was a good experiment, it failed to become anything more than an anomaly.
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“Call of Duty: Black Ops”
Black Ops 3 did not do much to propel the series in any meaningful direction. It was still a satisfying instalment and retained all the popular modes fans are accustomed to. Its four-player coop mode and excellent equipment progression system make the game stand out. Unfortunately, its uninteresting plot hinders its success. Zombies and the multiplayer modes suite follow the same path as previous series entries, making the experience feel stale.
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“Call of Duty 3”
Call of Duty 3 receives some special recognition from fans because it was the first entry in the series by Treyarch. It did an excellent job at giving players a first-person WWII shooter. The campaign was focused on four different fronts rather than the three as its predecessor. This gave players more perspectives to view the War from. The multiplayer was also riveting at the time. This series entry has two main problems: the gameplay aspect of the campaign is the same as before, and the story is weaker than Call of Duty 2.
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“Call of Duty: WWII”
It was a long time before Call of Duty reverted to its roots. In 2017, Sledgehammer games brought back the WWII era to fans with this series’ return to form. Call to Duty: WWII was a compelling campaign that eliminated the regenerating system to make enemy encounters more exciting. Zombies were the series’ standout entry. The multiplayer mode suite also maintained the high level of fun that made this franchise one of its best instalments. Call of Duty WW2’s only flaws is its dependence on loot boxes and the predictability of the Call of Duty formula.
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“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” (2019).
It was so satisfying to be back in the sub-series that put the Call of Duty series onto the map. The 2019 reboot of Modern Warfare has one of the most engaging storylines in franchise history. Players can take on different roles in the War from the perspectives of a CIA officer and British SAS forces in the Middle East. Although multiplayer was outstanding, issues with balancing specific modes and weak maps kept it from exceptional. While the Survival and Gunfight modes are great side distractions, the game’s Spec Ops mode is a disaster due to its overwhelming difficulty.
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“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3”
The Modern Warfare 3 third instalment kept the Call of Duty subseries in good stead, thankfully. The campaign was filled with explosive moments and major revelations due to the ongoing struggle between Russia and the United States. Three new modes, Kill Confirmed and Team Defender made multiplayer a success. Infected was also added to the game. Although the Survival and Spec Ops modes were not as exciting as the other parts of Modern Warfare 3, they did not diminish the game’s excellent quality.
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“Call of Duty: Black Ops 4”
Fans were highly negative when they learned Black Ops4 didn’t include a campaign. The game was finally released, but the impact of the missing feature was mitigated by a solid triple threat: multiplayer, zombies and Blackout’s battle royale debut. Blackout produced one of the best battle royale experiences. The Zombies were positive, but the multiplayer was disappointing due to the weak maps and the strange spawn areas that allowed the competition to score easy kills.
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“Call of Duty: Black Ops II”
The original Black Ops was a huge success and became a landmark series. Expectations were high when Black Ops II was released. These lofty expectations were fulfilled, thankfully. The series’ second entry continues the incredible plot of the original and introduces futuristic plot elements that allow players to step into the shoes of Alex Mason’s son. The multiplayer and Zombie games achieved the same high scores as the original Black Ops. The game’s two biggest problems were the Strike Force missions and Picked ten armament systems within competitive multiplayer.
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“Call of Duty: World at War”
Modern Warfare’s resounding success led to the next entry in the annual series, which decided to return to the WWII world. We got Call of Duty World at War, one of the best games of the period. Its campaign was filled with intense violence and gore that perfectly reflected the brutality of the main conflict, which was the Pacific theatre section of WWII. World at War is a top-tier Call of Duty release. This includes the option to play the campaign with a friend and the highly successful Zombies debut. However, some fans feel that World at War doesn’t do enough to be different from other WWII-themed series.
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“Call of Duty 2”
The second Call of Duty maintained the winning streak as the series gained more respect. Call of Duty 2 was a hit with console gamers upon its launch. It’s not hard to see why. The game tickled the FPS itch by offering an exciting campaign that felt more enjoyable due to the addition of regenerating heat. Call of Duty 2’s PC performance is something that cannot be overlooked. This series entry was still able to shine both on a single-player and multiplayer front.
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“Call of Duty”
Here’s the one that started it all. After the very first Call of Duty launched, EA’s Medal of Honor was forced out by Activision to take the top spot in this genre. The Call of Duty campaign was short, but it still managed to be a success. This was due to the high production values, immersion created by the realistic audio and impressive visuals. Online players were thrilled with the 32-player multiplayer battles.
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‘Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2’
Modern Warfare 2 was received with great enthusiasm and fanfare due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the original Modern Warfare. The sequel delivered the same bombastic setpieces, high replay value and fun factors present in its predecessor. Many players felt uneasy about the “No Russian” mission. Also, there was a general lack of innovation in this game. Modern Warfare 2 is our favourite game. This entry features Spec Ops, which is a great game!
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“Call of Duty: Black Ops”
“The numbers, Mason! “What do they mean?” Say those words in public, and at least a few people will approach you to start a conversation about the game’s fantastic campaign. The game takes you through a period between the Cold War & the Vietnam War and gives way to an incredible narrative twist that shocks players. Black Ops was even more exciting because you could hear your character’s voice! Competitive multiplayer is still a top-quality entertainment option. The Zombies variant builds on the solid foundation in World at War.
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“Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare”
Is there another Call of Duty game? The first Modern Warfare must be the most talked about in this discussion! This was the game that broke the internet and attracted casual fans. Everyone and their grandmothers heard about Modern Warfare and were convinced when they played it. Although the campaign was short compared to other series entries, it made a lasting impression on all who played it. The multiplayer? Damn near perfection! UAV reconnaissance scans, attacks, helicopters, and airstrikes have bolstered the gunplay and modes already well-suited to previous entries.
