Which is the best Call of Duty game of all time? While we can be sure to expect amazing Call of Duty games in the future, SportyTell takes a look at the very best Call of Duty games which have been released in the past 17 years. Read on to find out.
Since its release in 2003, Call of Duty has transcended from just another first-person shooter video game to be one of the most played games of its likes. Call of Duty which is based on fictional World War II story features intense actions as well as dynamic characters and daring missions which captivates the average gamer. Despite being on the scene for long, Call of Duty still matches and in most cases, ranks ahead of contemporary video games, which features the same action. With an official tournament, as well as improved releases in the Call of Duty franchises, the video game is bound to reign for years.
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Table of Contents
The Best Call of Duty Games Ranked
For this top list, we have ultimately ranked the top-15 best Call of Duty games of all-time — from worst to best.
15. Call of Duty 3
Released in 2006, the game focuses on the exploits of an American, British, Canadian or Polish soldier, depending on the player’s choice in the Frontline of the World War II, specifically 1944. The entire game is focused on the Battle of Normandy. In CoD 3, the multiplayer features allow up to 24 users connect via PS3, while 4 via PS2. This mode also is the only online feature available in the game.
14. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Prior to the release of the Infinite Warfare, the gaming community appeared sceptical over aspects of the game. In fact, the trailer of the game was the second-most disliked video on YouTube. But following its release, those negative receptions ware replaced by overwhelming positivity. In the game, players assume control of the character, Captain Nick Reyes. Players are capable of engaging in aerial combats with the jackal, who happens to be Reyes transforming character. The lack of limitation in the aerial combat, as well as cooperation multiplayer zombies mode, is the key reason for the positive review of the game.
13. Call of Duty: Ghosts
Released in 2013, the 10th instalment of the Call of Duty franchise is based on a story told through the narration of Logan Walker, a character who players control for the most part of the game. Aside from Walker, users control Sergeant Thompson, astronaut specialist Baker and Elias Walker. The game contains the first non-human player character in the CoD franchise. The multiplayer feature is a new format entitled squad, where players can pick one out of several modes.
12. Call of Duty
The release of this edition of the Call of Duty franchise paved the way for the successes subsequent instalments enjoyed. This instalment released in 2003 allows players to control an infantry soldier who completes the mission. The setting is set along the front lines and various strategic locations of World War II. The game was a hit among gamers as it was awarded the Game of the Year by several reviewers including the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 2.
11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
This CoD instalment was the last of the franchise’s Modern Warfare instalments. It centres on the activities of the Task Force 141 as it engages in various missions to decimate Russian Ultranationalist party led by a terrorist. In the multiplayer feature, few improvements were made, such as the replacement of the kids’ reward system which was changed from killstreaks to pointstreaks.
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
In this CoD instalment, the second of the Black Ops series centres on a story based between 1980 and 2025. Depending on the years, players control various characters. In the 1980s players control Alex Mason and Frank Woods. In 2025 Mason’s son, a code-named section is controlled by players. The antagonist in the game is the leader of a Nicaragua Cartel, Raul Menendez who is involved in kidnappings in the 1980s and causing a second World War in 2025.
9. Call of Duty 2
This instalment was the second ever released in the CoD franchise. The success of this game had a huge role in establishing Call of Duty as one of the best video games ever. Unlike the previous editions, where gamers controlled a character with a personal notion, this instalment allowed gamers to control various allied force soldiers. The setting is majorly the Frontline of World War II. Call of Duty 2 takes the 9th spot on our best Call of Duty games ranking.
8. Call of Duty: WWII
Received with great acclaim, the instalment released in 2017 saw some old features return to the game. Notably is the boots on the ground feature which revamps the slide movement to the hit the deck movement which allows the characters to jump over obstacles. This along with the removal of the health regeneration feature, which was replaced with the manual search for health packs brought a new sense of excitement to the game.
7. Call of Duty: World at War
If you find the mundane task of completing missions in games by one precise way only exhausting, then you probably will love to try this game. Released in 2008, this instalment of the CoD franchise allows users to complete missions through multiple ways while fighting along with other characters, controlled by AI. The AI-controlled characteristics are particularly noteworthy as it helps gamers in cover-shooting as well as clearing room before entry. New movement positions namely crouching and standing were introduced.
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops III
If you long for creative freedom and a bit of reality in video games, then Call of Duty: Black Ops III is the game for you. One of the major tweaks made to this instalment is the open design which allows gamers to design how the character looks. Tokens are also to be unlocked for access to new gears and weapons. The realistic-mode is a difficult level where the character dies when hit by a bullet.
5. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
One of the best Call of Duty instalments ever released, this instalment comes with several significant changes such as changes to the conventional mode of information display which was the heads up display but was changed to holographic projections from the characters weapons. Another notable addition is the exo-movement which allows characters in the game to exhibit motion typical to an exoskeleton. This movement includes the sky jump, boast and dash.
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Coming in at the 4th spot on the best Call of Duty games ranking is Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 instalment which was released in 2018 and holds a lot of surprises. The game set a record for the most single-day sales for Activision in 2018. Previous editions of the CoD franchise usually include the single-player mode and the multiplayer mode as an added feature. But this instalment heavily concentrates on the multiplayer feature as the single-player feature was not included. The customary health regeneration is replaced by a health bar. Weapon customization which gives gamers creativity in weapon choice and power was also added.
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops
A classic hit, this instalment generated about $1 billion in sales. In the game, gamers control a foot soldier, who employs the use of firearms, two of which can be carried simultaneously, along with grenades to decimates opponents. Aside from guns, gamers can choose to carry out a calculated knife attack on opponents who are close enough. The game which is based on the completion of objective mission revealed by heads up display is 3rd in our ranking of the best Call of Duty games.
2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Away from the battlefields of World War II, CoD 4 centres on the activities of a U.S. Force Reconnaissance Marine aided by a British SAS commando, who engage in several covet operations in Russia, Azerbaijan, the Middle East and other locations, after the breakout of a civil war in Russia and the assassination of the president of a middle eastern country. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is unarguably one of the best Call of Duty games ever released. It was in this instalment killstreaks was introduced. Capable of exhibiting various motions which include crouching, gamers complete various missions. The multiplayer mode includes several modes prominent of which is the death-based multiplayer mode.
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Highly captivating and engrossing, the best Call of Duty game of all time, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is indeed every gamers favourite. This instalment featured fast-paced gunfights which are elegantly carried out by a soldier capable of exhibiting amazing motions such as sprint, pay prone and crouch. Rather than holding on to one weapon at every level, a weapon upgrade is seen at every level. The weapons include guns with heartbeats, flashbangs as well as grenades. Gamers can also make use of the night vision goggles and laser designator.
Background
The success of Call of Duty franchise which has generated about $15 billion in-game sales can be credited to the impeccable designs as well as technically crafted missions which titillate the fantasies of video game enthusiasts. With multiplayer features as well as improvement in the game setting from the traditional War War II setting to the Cold War, the ever exhilarating outer space war settings have had a significant impact in the success of the CoD franchise, the use of it in esports is particularly one single factor which accounts for most of its success.
As early as 2006, when the esports world potentials were still at its Discovery stage, CoD Games had been established as one of the most used games in esports tournaments, even though the tournaments bear no affiliations to the creators of the CoD franchise. This is evidenced by the Major League Gaming esports league based in the US, where the Call of Duty: Ghosts, was a sensation in 2004, as about 15,000 teams competed in the tournament while playing the ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts’ video game.
It probably may puzzle gamers that despite being a sensation in the CoD world, the publishers of the franchise showed no desire to establish an official CoD league which will have gone greatly in promoting the franchise, just like the Dota 2 video game used in The International. Probably, an error on the part of publishers, it probably dawned on the company following the significant rise in competition from other video games that an official esports tournament, had to be established and in January 2020, Call of Duty fans were relieved that an official league became available. These and many more inspired our article which ranks the best Call of Duty games so far in 2020.
Conclusion
There you have it — our top-15 ranking of the best Call of Duty games of all time. What do you think? Which are your favourite Call of Duty instalments? Please share with us in the comments section below.
