Top 10 Best Call of Duty Games
You love Call of Duty. You've been playing it since 2003, when it first blew your mind with its epic and immersive gameplay. You've seen it grow and change over the years, bringing you new and exciting ways to shoot, stab, and explode your enemies. You've played them all, from the realistic and gritty war stories to the crazy and fun arcade modes. But which ones are the best? Which ones made you feel like a badass soldier, a master tactician, or a legend in the making?From the game that started it all, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, to the latest sensation, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, these are the games that made Call of Duty what it is today.
Released in 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Infinity Ward. The game is a direct sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and is the sixth installment in the overall series. It offers an engaging single-player campaign, competitive multiplayer modes, and a cooperative Spec Ops mode. Modern Warfare 2 has that just-right type of feel. It doesn't push DLC and doesn't feel like a copy-and-paste job like modern Call of Duty games. However, it's new enough to have the best graphics and best updates, such as having multiple kill streaks.
The campaign story might be weak, but the gameplay is the most exhilarating and intense in the series without trying to be over-the-top like most modern Call of Duty games. And the multiplayer is fantastic. All of the great modes are included with some of the best maps on the disc.
Despite there being some hackers, this is without a doubt the best Call of Duty.
Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was released in 2007. It was groundbreaking for its time, offering a robust multiplayer experience and an emotionally charged single-player campaign. This title was the first in the series to move away from a World War II setting, opting for a modern-day backdrop. Call of Duty 4 is by far the best Call of Duty of all time. It was one of my first Call of Duties and I absolutely loved it. The campaign is full of suspense, unlike MW2.
For a game that came out in 2007, it is truly amazing. There is not much difference in graphics between the new one and this one, so I think that Infinity Ward did an outstanding job. In multiplayer, there is not much weapon selection, so I guess the other games win in that aspect.
This game is truly the best Call of Duty ever. It will always be my favorite!
Launching in 2010, Call of Duty: Black Ops was developed by Treyarch and marked a departure from the Modern Warfare sub-series. Set in various locations during the Cold War era, the game features a campaign that delves into espionage and secret operations. The Zombies mode, initially introduced in a previous title, was expanded upon and became a signature feature for Black Ops games. It's better than its terrible sequel, that's for sure.
It was exciting at first, and I really love the '60s-based missions, but compared to World at War, it just fell short.
The plot wasn't too bad, but the 1960s were a very interesting time on their own. Just the whole Cuban missile crisis was a lot more interesting and stressful than Dragovich's deadly Nova Gas plot.
Also, there are quite a bit of historical inaccuracies. There are weapons that wouldn't be around for decades, and then there's the music. For example, Quimbara didn't come out until the '70s, and it was playing during the Bay of Pigs? That's like Gangnam Style or whatever popular pop song now playing in 1998.
Also, there are a lot of missed opportunities with the Vietnam War. Part of the reason I was so excited for this game was because after four World War II games and two Modern Warfares, there was finally going to be a Call of Duty set during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, the campaign only had a few not-so-important missions in Vietnam, and the multiplayer only has like three maps set in Vietnam, while the rest are either in the Soviet Union, USA, or Cuba. What's up with that? They even have a golf course map in Cuba. I mean, what crucial Cold War event even occurred on a golf course in Cuba?
Also, don't these guys ever get PTSD? Or at least some other emotions other than rage and total rage? Which is why Bowman's death scene just came out as campy and hilarious rather than tragic as it was intended to be.
Still, it had its enjoyable moments. The multiplayer isn't bad, and the remake of the WaW Nazi Zombies maps was a real blast. That three-gun perk really spices things up in Nacht der Untoten.
Also, with the campaign, Gary Oldman as Sgt. Reznov again really made it worth playing.
Released in 2008, Call of Duty: World at War was developed by Treyarch and returned the series to its World War II roots. It introduced the Zombies mode for the first time, providing an additional layer of gameplay. The title received praise for its gritty campaign and authentic portrayal of the era. I am surprised that this is not in the top 3 best Call of Duty games. I had never experienced such a serious, breathtaking WWII game. In the previous WWII Call of Duty games, I enjoyed the campaigns, but they all seemed bland and had a generic WWII theme.
However, the campaign of World at War was like no other. The graphics were superior to any WWII-themed game I had ever played, and the spine-chilling music really exhibited the brutality and dark times during a horrid war. The enemy AI were generally smarter than in previous Call of Duty games, so the game wasn't exactly a cakewalk, and I do enjoy when enemies are a bit of a challenge. The voice acting was spectacular, and the inclusion of Nazi Zombies was just the icing on the cake.
Released in 2012, Call of Duty: Black Ops II is a first-person shooter in the series, developed by Treyarch. Unique for its futuristic setting and non-linear storytelling, the game was well-received for its engaging single-player campaign and competitive multiplayer. The Zombies mode returned, offering more depth and complexity than before. For me, it's the best COD to this day. The maps were just so much fun to play, and it was still simple without operators with their abilities and such. Zombies is without a doubt the best zombie experience without any competition in sight.
While the fire cracks on the ground ruined Tranzit, the concept with the bus was amazing. And all the base zombie maps have an incredible atmosphere. The DLC maps took zombies to another level with the best and most fun zombie maps ever.
They also have the perfect balance of features and content while still keeping the basic concept. Nowadays, zombies are overloaded with perks and attachments and all that.
Developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 came out in 2011. This title served as the concluding chapter in the Modern Warfare trilogy. The game retained key elements from its predecessors while introducing new multiplayer modes and a gripping finale to the story arc. Great conclusion to the Modern Warfare story. Survival mode makes the game much larger and much more fun. All of the campaign missions are suspenseful and exciting.
Spec Ops is way more improved than Modern Warfare 2's. The only thing I would fix is the main menu. Great maps, and all of the guns are excellent.
Graphics aren't that different from Modern Warfare 2's but still really great. The thing I like the most is that on Spec Ops and survival mode, the enemy isn't too easy. Vast Call of Duty game.
An absolutely spectacular finish to the Modern Warfare story arc with plenty of amazing set pieces and a fast-paced, tense campaign. A buffed-up Spec Ops mode, which is an absolute joy to play with a mate online, lasts for hours whether it's global missions or survival mode.
Lastly, multiplayer: hours and hours of fun with or without mates, which takes the best of the multiplayer and adds more, eliminating the worst of the multiplayer. The definitive title for any Call of Duty fan.
Launched in 2005, Call of Duty 2 is a first-person shooter developed by Infinity Ward. Set in World War II, the title built upon the success of its predecessor with enhanced graphics and gameplay mechanics. Multiple campaigns provide perspectives from different allied forces, such as the British, Americans, and Soviets. This took me way longer to beat than Call of Duty. Twenty-two hours of awesomeness. The graphics were quite amazing back in 2005, but nowadays, they are quite disappointing. Let me say that this game is my third favorite Call of Duty game. My favorite is Call of Duty 4. My second favorite is Call of Duty: Black Ops, and this is my third favorite.
The campaign is one of the best shooter campaigns I have ever seen. It has about nine full missions, each one with three or four parts. The multiplayer back in the day was great, even better than the original Call of Duty's multiplayer. In 2016, this game's multiplayer is not very good at all, unless you enjoy shooting people who are moving side to side at point-blank range.
If I had to rate this game on a scale of one to ten, I would give it a seven in modern day. But back in the day when I bought it in 2006, I would have rated it a ten.
Treyarch developed Call of Duty 3, which came out in 2006. This title was unique for its focus on the Normandy Breakout during World War II. It offered players both a campaign mode and multiplayer options, although it was not as universally praised as other entries in the series. This game took me 18 hours to beat, and let me tell you, I had one heck of a time. Let me start off by saying that the graphics in this game are about four times better than the graphics in the original Call of Duty. The campaign is not very good, as Call of Duty campaigns go.
The campaign is basically a copy of the original's campaign but with better graphics and more guns added. Not many people play the campaign, so I'll move on to the multiplayer aspects. The multiplayer is about as good as Call of Duty 2's multiplayer, except, of course, there are more guns! Everybody knows that more guns are better, so the multiplayer is pretty good.
I enjoyed this game from beginning to end, and I will remember it as a good time-waster when I should have been working on my eighth-grade project for school. If I had to rate this game on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it a 5. If I rated it on a scale of 1 to 10 back in the day, I would probably give it an 8.
The original Call of Duty was released in 2003, developed by Infinity Ward. This title laid the foundation for the series, presenting a World War II setting with an emphasis on squad-based gameplay. The single-player campaign follows multiple fronts of the war, allowing players to experience events from varied perspectives. The only good Call of Duty game, in my humble opinion. This is the pinnacle of Call of Duty. I personally like knowing that there will be a set number of enemies in a level. I liked how, when your teammates were killed, they were dead, not just some endless wave of useless men. I liked how you had health and didn't just need to sit behind cover for a couple of seconds. You had to think carefully before running through a firefight.
No knife. Most people won't know this, but they had a thing called a rifle butt and a bayonet. Strangely enough, they wouldn't whip out a knife. They would beat someone down with the rifle butt or stab them with the bayonet at the end of their rifle.
The only problem I have with this game is that it spawned so many offshoots that should have been aborted, not born and raised. One last thing, ladies and gentlemen. Call of Duty didn't revolutionize the lone-wolf, run-and-gun style gameplay that has become synonymous with Call of Duty. That would be Counter-Strike, a game that preceded Call of Duty by four years. Sorry, end of story.
Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops III was released in 2015. The game delved further into futuristic technology and had a more sci-fi orientation compared to previous entries. It featured a campaign that could be played cooperatively, as well as an expansive Zombies mode and diverse multiplayer options. This game redefines the Call of Duty games with the new travel system, which includes swimming, wall running, and jetpacks (Advanced Warfare has jetpacks). This is the turning point in the Call of Duty series. It went from a World War 2 shooter to science fiction.
Now I must say, not all people will like this change. Most people will just miss the classics. They will always be "better" than the originals. In a way, they will be. The classics bring back memories and give you that feeling of happiness inside you. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try. If you don't like it, that's fine. Everyone has their own interests and opinions. This top 10 list is just a matter of opinion.
The Newcomers
It's worth noting that there is no distinct game titled "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II." The correct title is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which is a sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and was released in 2009.
Released in 2020, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is developed by Treyarch and Raven Software. The game serves as a direct sequel to the original Black Ops title, bringing players back to Cold War-era espionage and covert operations. Alongside its campaign, the game offers multiplayer and an updated Zombies mode.
Developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was released in 2014. Set in a plausible future, the game introduced exoskeletons, which dramatically changed the movement and gameplay mechanics. It featured a single-player campaign starring Kevin Spacey and a fully realized multiplayer experience. As a long-time fan of the franchise, I can only say that this one right here is the best game in the series. After getting used to the exoskeleton, which takes Call of Duty to a whole new level in terms of enjoyment, the game becomes much easier to navigate, faster, and more fun. In my opinion, one of the reasons we play these games is that we enjoy fast-paced games. We don't like waiting around or being patient. We want quick gameplay, and that's what this game provides for the community.
Weapon variants, online multiplayer character customization, and supply drops are really cool additions to this franchise and just make the game more addicting, in my opinion. As much as I love the other Call of Duty games, it was difficult to go back and play the others after I experienced Advanced Warfare. Honestly, I don't even want to go back. It's that fun of a game!
Released in 2004, Call of Duty: Finest Hour was developed by Spark Unlimited. This title was the first Call of Duty game to be made for home consoles. It offered a single-player campaign that shifted between multiple fronts and armies in World War II, giving players a broad look at the conflict. Rarely do you see or find anyone who played this game. It's a damn shame.
This game makes you cry every time you're in the main menu because of the music. Characters are amazingly done and the choice in music was superb!
If you haven't played this, then you cannot call yourself a veteran of the Call of Duty series.
This was one of the first Call of Duty games I played, and it's very underrated. This one had some of the best characters and level design of the series and is certainly one of the hardest.
This is one I would recommend to anyone who's curious about the older titles.
Developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty: Big Red One was released in 2005. Unlike other titles in the series, this game closely follows a single infantry unit, providing a more intimate story. Available on older console platforms like the PlayStation 2, it was noted for its narrative-driven campaign and simpler gameplay mechanics. This was my first video game. I have so many memories of it. From the times of piloting a tank to the first squad member dying.
When it took you into the B-24, it took my breath away. It goes much more in-depth than the Call of Duty games of today, making you search for ammo and health at the most desperate of times.
By far the best. It had a meaningful campaign with interesting characters and scenarios. Plus, the multiplayer was fun. I easily logged close to 500 hours with this one.
This is among the most underrated games of all time. The missions were great, and the gameplay was improved over Finest Hour. Every Call of Duty/FPS fan has to play it at least once.
Sledgehammer Games released Call of Duty: WWII in 2017, taking the series back to its World War II origins after several titles with modern and futuristic settings. The game features a compelling single-player campaign, classic multiplayer modes, and a new version of the Zombies experience. This is such a great game, although it could have improved on the multiplayer aspect. Don't get me wrong. It had a great multiplayer, but I feel like if the developers spent more time making a few more maps and weapons in the base game (pushing back the release date, but that would be fine considering the quality would be boosted in terms of consumer happiness), this would have been a much better all-around game.
I say all-around instead of just multiplayer because if guns were added, this could easily transfer to the game's campaign and zombies modes. I understand that Activision was looking for quality over quantity, I get that, but the Call of Duty franchise has been more of a quantity over quality thing in the past, so it seemed a bit awkward to have a change like this in my gaming experience. Hopefully, as time goes on, we can see a greater game with free DLC maps. Good game, not great.
Developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Ghosts was released in 2013. It presented a new narrative, separate from the Modern Warfare and Black Ops storylines. Despite its technological advancements, like improved graphics and physics, the game received mixed reviews for its campaign and multiplayer features. It's the best Call of Duty because it has a brand-new, definitive multiplayer and an exciting campaign. Not to mention the ending and the brand-new, real teamwork mode: Extinction. The DLCs have already been the best addition to Call of Duty: Ghosts than any other.
Now you have to buy everything instead of ranking up, which I like. In one map, you can be the legendary horror icon, Michael Myers, with an axe and just destroy your enemies, making them rage and maybe even rage quit out of the match. It's the best. Just take out the Ripper for season pass holders and make them wait like the rest of the Ghosts players, and everything is going to go smoothly.
Launching in 2018, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was developed by Treyarch. Notably, this installment forwent a traditional single-player campaign, focusing primarily on multiplayer experiences including Zombies and a new battle royale mode called Blackout. It received praise for its gameplay mechanics, though the lack of a story mode was a point of contention among fans. This game is good. Blackout is the best battle royale. The multiplayer is also good, but the zombies mode is not the best. I think BO1 and BO2 had the best zombies.
Best Call of Duty and Black Ops game, although it should have a proper campaign.
Best Call of Duty ever. Gameplay and maps are so refined and definitely the best of the Black Ops series.
Developed by Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was released in 2016. The game takes place in a futuristic setting where humanity has colonized the Solar System. It features a single-player campaign with space combat and zero-gravity environments, as well as traditional multiplayer modes. Okay, let me explain why I favor this game. First of all, the multiplayer and zombies are not good. The campaign, on the other hand, has got to be one of the best COD campaigns. I don't care if it takes place in 69,420. It's still an amazing campaign.
It's fun, emotional, and the graphics are stunning. I think this game would've been very successful if it wasn't under the Call of Duty title. As a matter of fact, it would've had a sequel by now if it was its own series.
Anyway, 8 out of 10, better than Ghosts, and Godspeed.
I know this game isn't the best of the best. However, it shouldn't be considered the worst. People hate on this game because A) they see Battlefield going back into the past, B) they are bad at the game and don't like the exo jumping and wall running, or C) they hate the new idea of space and think it's just like Halo, Star Wars, and Destiny.
Personally, at the beginning, I thought the whole space idea was stupid. I then played the beta after one of my friends gave me a code, and right after that, I instantly fell in love with the game. It just felt so good in my hands. To me, it was a game that played like any Infinity Ward game. It just had the same game mechanics as Advanced Warfare and BO3 and had some space maps.
People shouldn't hate on a game that they have never played, such as the Battlefield fanboys. To conclude, many people said that the Call of Duty franchise has never changed since MW (prior to Advanced Warfare). There were many people who hated Ghosts (myself included). Because of this, many people wanted change, and the developers delivered with the game changes of AW and BO3. With their successes, Infinity Ward thought the same, and that's why Infinite Warfare was developed. The Call of Duty franchise made these changes for their fans.
Now the fans are complaining because of the change. "I want people to play our new game and say, 'Wow, I haven't seen [Call of Duty] change that much since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,'" (Jacob Minkoff, a design director at Infinity Ward). People shouldn't complain because of the change. They are the ones who wanted it, and now that they don't like it, they shouldn't blame the games. They should just deal with it. The bottom line is that IW should be with all the other CoDs but isn't because of people complaining about the change.
Developed by Rebellion Developments, Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts was released in 2008 as a PlayStation 2 exclusive. The game differs from the main Call of Duty: World at War title by offering an altered single-player campaign and lacking a multiplayer component. Despite these limitations, it delivered an engaging World War II experience. This game has what everyone loves about World at War, with some extras, so the lovers of the previous one will like to see more of it. It's a very good one to me, and I'm sure many others will agree!
Although it didn't include zombies or even multiplayer, the campaign was amazing.
The start of zombies. I love this game.
Developed by Treyarch, Call of Duty 2: Big Red One was released in 2005. Like its namesake, Call of Duty: Big Red One, this game focuses on a single unit throughout its campaign. The title was designed for older generation consoles and is noted for its narrative-driven approach to World War II.
The game is on iOS and Android. It just came out and has all of the favorites from Modern Warfare and the Black Ops series.
It is by far the best game for the phone. Sad that they are getting rid of it.
Released in 2004, Call of Duty: United Offensive is an expansion pack for the original Call of Duty game. Developed by Gray Matter Interactive, the expansion offers new missions, weapons, and multiplayer maps. It expands on the base game by introducing new gameplay elements and scenarios, enriching the World War II experience. The most overlooked and underrated Call of Duty game.
And yes, United Offensive is an expansion pack for the original Call of Duty. However, the amount of sheer content on this brings this in as a whole new game and provides an almost entirely different experience.
The campaign is amazing. It has 3 campaigns ranging from the 101st Airborne in the Ardennes Forest, a simple British aircrewman joining the Special Forces, and a Russian soldier trying to survive the trials of Kursk. Sure, you don't get attached to the characters as much as you would with Modern Warfare, but this game doesn't need it. You get brought up in situations where the combat is so intense that you're just doing your best to survive. You will enjoy the experience and challenge. You're not a one-man Rambo. You're a soldier.
And the multiplayer simply revolutionised all games for a long time. The large maps, introducing drivable tanks and jeeps and all new game modes, and still maintaining a fun, balanced, and smooth gameplay. No easy to acquire kill streaks, no classes to choose from, nothing. Just pick a gun from the faction you're playing as and fight it out with skill.
The only downside I can think of this game is the outdated graphics.
Released in 2021, Call of Duty: Vanguard is a first-person shooter developed by Sledgehammer Games. The game returns to the World War II setting, offering campaigns across multiple fronts and theaters of the war. Alongside its narrative-driven single-player campaign, Vanguard includes various multiplayer modes and integration with Call of Duty: Warzone.
Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released in 2019 as a reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series. The game features a gripping single-player campaign, along with a rich suite of multiplayer options. A key addition was the Warzone mode, a free-to-play battle royale experience that became highly popular. One of my top favorites. The campaign is great, being a prequel to all of the Modern Warfare games.
Multiplayer is very slow-paced and boring at times. Spec Ops: please nerf the difficulty.
It's a fantastic multiplayer offering for men, women, and children.
Why is Black Ops 4 ahead of this masterpiece?
It's really fun. Although, Black Ops 3 and 4 are better.