Hits And Misses
Isn't it wild how one series can serve up both bangers and flops, sometimes back-to-back? Well, the legendary Call of Duty has been around the block, and let’s just say—some stops were better than others. This isn’t about nostalgia goggles or hate-watching. It’s a clear-eyed look at 10 games that nailed it and 10 that completely missed the mark.
1. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
It's 2007, and the gaming world is about to witness a revolution. Modern Warfare rewrote the playbook entirely, introducing killstreaks and perks that would become the franchise's DNA. Critics couldn't help but shower it with praise, awarding it a stellar 94 Metacritic score.
2. Call Of Duty: Black Ops II (2012)
Black Ops II shattered expectations by selling an astronomical 7.5 million copies on its very first day, proving that players were hungry for innovation. This wasn't just another sequel. It was the franchise's bold leap into tomorrow, complete with futuristic warfare.
Call of Duty: BLACK OPS 2 - Full Game Walkthrough by Bolloxed3. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
When controversy meets commercial success, you get Modern Warfare 2—a game that sparked debates while breaking bank accounts. The infamous "No Russian" mission had everyone talking, but the numbers spoke louder: $550 million in just five days set a record.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) | Full Campaign Playthrough by saladass
4. Call Of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
Vietnam War flashbacks, Cold War paranoia, and a psychological thriller. Yes, Black Ops was a 2010 gaming phenomenon that nobody saw coming. The "Numbers" storyline captivated players' minds, while the game dominated sales charts, becoming the year's highest-selling title.
Call of Duty: BLACK OPS - Full Game Walkthrough by Bolloxed
5. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Sometimes, going back to move forward is exactly what a franchise needs. The 2019 Modern Warfare reboot stripped away the sci-fi bells and whistles, delivering a gritty, realistic experience. It was the game's cross-platform multiplayer breakthrough that had everyone cheering.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2019｜Full Game Playthrough｜Realism Difficulty｜4K RTX by Drakulis6. Call Of Duty: World At War (2008)
Hollywood A-listers Sutherland and Gary Oldman lent their voices to what would become a franchise-defining moment. World at War introduced the world to Zombies mode. This feature started as an experimental bonus but evolved into the series' most beloved tradition.
Call of Duty: World at War (2008) - PC Gameplay 4k 2160p / Win 10 by FirstPlays HD7. Call Of Duty: Warzone (2020)
Free-to-play was the magic phrase that opened gaming's doors to 100 million players worldwide. Warzone reinvented the battle royale bandwagon with the Gulag mechanic, giving fallen players a fighting chance at redemption. The Verdansk map became a character itself.
Official Trailer | Call of Duty: Warzone by Call of Duty8. Call Of Duty: Black Ops III (2015)
Black Ops III pushed the boundaries of futuristic movement, creating a gameplay experience that had everyone climbing walls and soaring through the air. The Zombies mode reached its customizable peak here, giving players unprecedented control over their undead experience.
CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 3 Full Gameplay Walkthrough / No Commentary【FULL GAME】4K 60FPS Ultra HD by Gamer's Little Playground9. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
Sixteen days. That's all it took for it to rake in $1 billion and cement its place in gaming history. This trilogy's conclusion weighed heavily on expectations, and it delivered by wrapping up the storylines. The game added Survival Mode in Spec Ops.
CALL OF DUTY MODERN WARFARE 3 2011 Gameplay Walkthrough FULL GAME [4K 60FPS PC ULTRA] by MkIceAndFire10. Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)
Reagan-era politics were the beating heart of 2020's best-selling game. Here, players returned to the original Black Ops timeline but with modern gameplay innovations that included full character customization. The return of Zombies also introduced an entirely fresh narrative.
CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS COLD WAR Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 Campaign FULL GAME [4K 60FPS PS5] by MkIceAndFireHowever, every franchise has its dark chapters—here are Call of Duty's.
1. Call Of Duty: Vanguard (2021)
When a franchise stumbles, it stumbles hard, and Vanguard became the lowest-rated mainline Call of Duty on Metacritic since 2013. The game's cardinal sin wasn't just poor execution; it was the shameless reuse of Warzone assets that made everything feel recycled and uninspired.
CALL OF DUTY VANGUARD Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 Campaign FULL GAME [4K 60FPS] - No Commentary by MkIceAndFire2. Call Of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
Meet Riley the dog—somehow more memorable than every human character. Ghosts suffered from a creativity drought that left players with bland campaigns and characters so unremarkable they might as well have been mannequins. Sales dropped 19% from the previous title.
CALL OF DUTY GHOSTS PS5 Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 Campaign FULL GAME [4K 60FPS] - No Commentary by MkIceAndFire3. Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
YouTube's dislike button got a workout when another crappy creation trailer became one of the platform's most hated videos. Sci-fi themes felt divorced from Call of Duty's identity. The villain himself, Jon Snow (Kit Harington), couldn't save this interstellar disaster.
4. Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
History was made, but not the good kind. Black Ops 4 became the first Call of Duty to completely abandon single-player campaigns. This controversial decision sparked mixed reviews as developers chose to focus entirely on multiplayer and their first battle royale attempt, Blackout.
CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 4 Full Gameplay Walkthrough / No Commentary【FULL GAME】4K UHD by Gamer's Little Playground5. Call Of Duty: WWII (2017)
"Boots on the ground" became the rallying cry for a franchise trying to win back disillusioned fans. WWII promised a return to the series' roots, but what players got was a shallow campaign retreading familiar WWII settings without anything new.
CALL OF DUTY WW2 Gameplay Walkthrough Campaign FULL GAME [PS5 4K 60FPS] by MkIceAndFire6. Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
Kevin Spacey's star power as antagonist Jonathan Irons couldn't elevate a game that frustrated more than it innovated. Advanced Warfare introduced Supply Drops and extensive gear customization that would influence future entries, yet the campaign received mixed reviews despite featuring Hollywood talent.
"Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" walkthrough (Veteran difficulty) Mission 1: Induction by Zevik7. Call Of Duty 3 (2006)
Rushed development cycles often result in rushed games, and this mess here serves as proof of what happens when deadlines override quality. Bugs and glitches plagued the experience. The game focused exclusively on WWII's Normandy campaign, supporting up to 24 players.
Call of Duty 3 Gameplay Walkthrough Part 1 - No Commentary Let's Play - Saint Lo by AFGuidesHD8. Call Of Duty: Finest Hour (2004)
This spin-off of the original Call of Duty suffered from heavily criticized AI and control schemes that made playing feel like fighting the game itself. The attempt to convey three different Allied perspectives was ambitious, but limited resources were evident in every aspect.
CALL OF DUTY FINEST HOUR Gameplay Walkthrough Campaign FULL GAME [4K 60FPS] - No Commentary by MkIceAndFire9. Call Of Duty: World At War – Final Fronts (2008)
PS2 exclusivity in 2008 was already a questionable choice. Then, a piece enters that makes it worse by feeling outdated. Developed by a different studio with limited resources, this spin-off couldn't even include the Zombies mode that made its bigger brother famous.
Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts (PS2) - Longplay (Full Game) (PlayStation 2) by MikeyTheMachineGaming10. Call Of Duty: Strike Team (2013)
The hybrid approach of combining first-person shooting with a third-person strategy sounded innovative only on paper. Mobile gaming ambitions crashed when Strike Team tried to squeeze the Call of Duty experience into smartphones and tablets. The campaign clocked in at under three hours.
