Top 10 Best Call of Duty Games of All-Time

Amidst the hype for the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard in early November, we determine the best Call of Duty game of all time.

Since the first COD release in 2003, gamers have seen the game revolutionize year after year for almost two decades. With a new game on the horizon, fans have been debating heavily over various social media platforms, thanks to a tweet from the Call of Duty Twitter account.

Since everyone has been listing their top 10, we decided to do the same. So without further ado, here are our top 10 best Call of Duty games of all-time.

Modern Warfare was not a widely loved game by everyone. However, the brand new game engine provided a very different style of Call of Duty. This was a breath of fresh air for the community after a few consecutive years of stale gameplay.

Campaign: The story was a continuation of Captain Price’s life following the events of the original Modern Warfare series. This brought back nostalgic feelings for long-time COD players. Although it was on the shorter side of campaign length, it was still a very good campaign overall.

Multiplayer: The game had many feels of the older games as far as multiplayer lobbies and scorestreaks within them go. Fast paced and hectic lobbies were the name of the game. Players also saw the emergence of Warzone, one of the fastest growing battle royales in the world. For that specifically, this game needs to be on this list. 

Infinite Warfare (IW) would be the last jetpack Call of Duty released after three years. Its reveal trailer hilariously holds the record for the most disliked gaming video ever on YouTube. Fans were clearly disgruntled with the game set in outer space, with a whopping 3.9 million dislikes to show for it. Despite this, the game itself was fairly decent. 

Campaign: With space and the future being the focal point of the game, it really separated IW from any COD we’ve seen before. While the story was okay, the futuristic aspect made it a fun experience.

Multiplayer: Multiplayer is actually comparable to Black Ops 3 from the year prior. It had good, but not great maps, similar game modes and all of the guns were balanced well. Lasers, reflective bullets and weapon recharging took a lot to get used to, but it all played well.

The World War II trailer was one of the most hyped in years. It looked like old school COD, which meant it was the demise of the jetpack era. 

Campaign: Players have seen different spin offs of World War II stories in years past. This marked the first campaign directly linked to the war, featuring playthroughs of real battles. The way WWII got players immersed in the battles and stories was done extremely well and made it one of the best campaigns to date.

Multiplayer: Boots on the ground gameplay was back and that meant more slower paced play was expected. However, it felt astronomically slower than any BOTG game before, which became frustrating for players. Gun imbalances were a major issue as well, but it was nice to have a 'jetpack-less COD'.

The second installment of a Treyarch Call of Duty had a completely different feel than World at War two years prior. Developers went for a more colorful, arcade-like style for BO1. 

Campaign: The campaign featured characters from WaW, but also introduced fan favorite characters Alex Mason and Frank Woods. The story being set in the 60s gave fans a unique look into the Cold War and Vietnam. The gameplay was straight forward, yet an excellent prequel to the even better Black Ops II campaign.

Multiplayer: The game felt like a very different game compared to the 2009 release, Modern Warfare 2. Sounds, guns, scorestreaks and overall feel were all quite different from the norm. It takes some getting used to coming from MW, but a very fun multiplayer game,

The third game in the Black Ops series was the first to introduce wall running. It was one of the most bizarre additions to gameplay COD has ever seen. What was very strange at first, became an enjoyable element of jetpacking. 

Campaign: The Black Ops 3 campaign was by far the absolute worst in history. The storyline was extremely confusing and boring and it was very hard to find connections with characters. It unfortunately puts a damper on what is a very good game overall.

Multiplayer: BO3 introduced specialists for the first time that provided a very fun aspect to multiplayer. It drove players to push for even more kills and all of the specialists were unique in their own way. BO3 also had the best gun balancing which made the competitive side of things a lot more exciting to play and watch. 

The first Call of Duty developed by Sledgehammer was a revolutionary one. The game took a massive, unexpected step by adding jetpacks into the mix. The advanced movement was innovative and really brought COD back to its feet. It is for sure the best Call of Duty game with jetpacks.

Campaign: The campaign was a great starter for those trying to learn and get used to the advanced movement. The graphics were incredible and the story was well written and really tied you into the characters. It is a must play.

Multiplayer: With jetpacks came new game modes and futuristic weapons. The majority of the maps were great as well. It was the most thrilling game to watch and play competitively, despite the minimal variety of good gun choices. This game was an absolute slam dunk for the franchise. 

The beginning of the Modern Warfare series wasn’t expected to be as good as it was. It became so prolific, Raven Software remastered the entire game in 2017. 

Campaign: The story was not very complex to be fair, yet it still really hooked people to it. Similar to Black Ops, it introduced some notable characters that set up the ongoing story over the next two Modern Warfare games. It is definitely a must play, as it started the best series of campaigns of the franchise. 

Multiplayer: For 2007, the game still plays good to this day. A very basic type of COD, it can be said that other Infinity Ward games were based off of the root of COD 4. It’s clean, simple and fun.

The third and final game of the MW series was yet again another great one. It was often called a copy/paste of its predecessor Modern Warfare 2. Although the games were similar, that wasn’t a bad thing whatsoever.

Campaign: The finale of the Makarov/Price story was an absolute grind. The story really draws players in and emotionally wraps them into it. The MW3 campaign really rewards players who worked through the MW campaigns with an extremely satisfying ending to the story.

Multiplayer: It played very similar to MW2 in online lobbies. The maps were very good and they were also able to bring back maps from older games. What really separated it from any other game was it’s CO-OP. The Survival game mode was challenging and enjoyable whether it was online, or at home with friends. MW3 was a great game all around.

Many people have said BO2 is one of the best Call of Duty games. It is without a doubt in the top 2, but it’s not quite #1. There are too many amazing things to say about this game. From Zombies to the Campaign, to Multiplayer, it is almost the perfect COD.

Campaign: The continuation of the Mason saga, BO2 offers a unique way of telling the story. Alternating between flashbacks and the present, it really ties everything together without confusion. It also offered custom class setups for missions that allowed players to be comfortable with the guns they are using.

Multiplayer: M8A1, MSMC, Scorpion and the AN-94 are just a few of the amazing guns in this game. The maps are legendary and the game modes were solid. Dolphin diving was another movement piece that wasn’t overpowered, but could be really useful. Competitive COD wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for Black Ops 2. Simply a great game.

Modern Warfare 2 is the best Call of Duty game ever made. It epitomizes what Call of Duty is, especially to long time players. Every title has had its fair share of flaws, but MW2 fans are more than happy to overlook the few the game had for the experience. 

Campaign: The MW2 campaign was the perfect in-between story. It continued the story from MW and perfectly teased the story for MW3. It also featured the most iconic moment in COD campaign history. (SPOILER ALERT). Every mission felt meaningful and kept players interested every step of the way, 

Multiplayer: The best and most fun multiplayer is in MW2. The majority of the maps were incredible and some are still being remade to this day. Every gun felt good and of course there was a love/hate relationship with “noob tubes”. Either way, it was just a part of the game that made it the way it is. Sniping also became extremely popular with the rise of FaZe and the trickshotting community. Nothing will ever be as good as Modern Warfare 2. 

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