Before the invention of Virtual Reality (VR) gaming, first-person shooters provided gamers with the closest feeling to the action as it gets. Games like Medal of Honor & Call of Duty provided the immersion of being on the battlefield with soldiers or the genuine experience of being shot at -but not even Medal of Honor could match the glory of Call of Duty. With these games the esports industry has quickly developed into a lucrative industry for players and sponsors alike with millions of dollars in prize money. The pandemic forced major esports tournaments of 2020 to be rescheduled, or as with Call of Duty, transformed into online formats, as reported by TrueNorthCasinos. We hope the esports industry will return to live tournaments this year and we’ve taken a deeper look into the many Call of Duty games available.
Since the release of the first title back in 2003, the Call of Duty franchise has grown in leaps and bounds with millions of players engrossed in its multiplayer mode, as well as its campaign (story) mode. With 17 different Call of Duty games on the market, I’ve decided to only select ten of the best Call of Duty games ever released, here they are:
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Sequel to one of the best games in the franchise in “Call of Duty: Black Ops”, Black Ops II didn’t hit the heights set by its predecessor but it didn’t do too badly itself. The game’s campaign mode is set in the late 80s and 2025. The game intermittently offers player control between Frank Woods and Alex Mason (both from Black Ops I) in the 1980s, whilst assuming control of David Mason, Alex Mason’s Son in 2025. Both periods involve the protagonists pursuing a Nicaraguan rebel leader, Raul Menendez responsible for sparking a second Cold War in 2025 and kidnapping Woods back in the 80s. Black Ops II also received positive reviews for its multiplayer and Zombies mode.
9. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
Developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the 16th entry of the franchise. The campaign follows British SAS forces, a CIA officer, and a team of rebels trying to resist the invasion of Urzikstan a frictional country from Russian forces. The multiplayer mode supported cross-platform progression and multiplayer for the first time in the Call of Duty franchise. Despite an awesome multiplayer mode, Modern Warfare (2019) received criticism for its depiction of the Russian military and as well as its handling of the campaign’s subject matter.
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
This title can be nicknamed the “black apple” of the entire franchise. For the first time in the main series, Black Ops 4 opted against including any story (campaign) mode instead offering a battle royal mode called “blackout” to the ever-present multiplayer and Zombies mode. Blackout sealed the deal for a host of fans of the franchise, blending classic Call of Duty shooting mechanics with the slow and methodical approach of a game like “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds”.
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The Modern Warfare sub-franchise is a popular one amongst fans of Call of Duty, and Modern Warfare 3 ensured it didn’t lose its standing amongst players. The campaign follows right after Modern Warfare 2, Soap MacTavish, Yuri, and Captain Price, one of the playable characters, continue their hunt for Vladimir Makarov. The game sold 6.5 million copies in the United States and the UK and grossed $400 million in the space of 24 hours, making it the largest entertainment launch of all time.
6. Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone is widely regarded as an extension of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. This free-to-play game involves no campaign mode but features some of the best multiplayer game mode maps ever. It also infuses a style similar to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Apex Legends, creating one of the best multiplayer Call of Duty games ever.
5. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Developed by Sledgehammer games as well as their first individual title and published by Activision in 2014. Advanced Warfare employed the services of veteran actors like Kevin Spacey and Troy Baker to lead an impressive campaign mode. Set between 2054 and 2061, the game follows Jack Mitchell of the United States Marine Corps and his involvement with Atlas, a private military corporation that sells its services to the highest bidder.
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Yeah, another Modern Warfare. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a direct sequel to Call of Duty 4, and was released back in 2009. Also continuing the hunt for Vladimir Makarov, the game puts you in the shoes of Sergeant Gary “Roach” Sanderson, Private James Ramirez, and Captain Soap MacTavish, as the United States Army Rangers defend a Russian invasion into the Washington DC area whilst hunting down Makarov.
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops
So good, it made fans of third-person shooters enjoy the idea of playing Call of Duty. Developed by Treyarch and published by Activision in 2010. Black Ops has a thrilling campaign mode set during the Cold War and partially takes place in Vietnam. The game also debunked conspiracy theories on the role the United States could have played in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Activision employed veteran Hollywood actors like Gary Oldman and Sam Worthington to help in making this amazing campaign mode come to life.
2. Call of Duty 2
The second installment in the Call of Duty franchise received critical acclaim for its graphics, sound and the regenerating health system -a feature that was unpopular at the time. The game is set during World War II, with his campaign mode played through the perspective of four soldiers; one in the US Army, two in the British Army, and one in the Red Army.
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
The first Modern Warfare title is widely regarded as the best in the trilogy and arguably the greatest Call of Duty game of all time. The game’s alluring combination of revolutionary multiplayer, brilliant map designs and compulsive unlocks still has players hooked to this day. The remastered version of the game was released in 2016 for PS4 and Xbox One giving fans a modern display of some of their favorite missions (like “Death from Above”, “Charlie Don’t Surf”, “All Ghillied Up”) from its critically acclaimed campaign mode.