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Many gamers buy a Call of Duty title almost every year just to play the multiplayer mode, but let's not forget that the franchise started as a single-player game back when having internet at home was considered a privilege.
The campaigns were memorable, with fantastic set pieces and gripping storylines. Even the introduction of mechanics such as regenerating health was a game-changer as it allowed players to get back into action without delay.
There have been a few duds along the way, as is the case with any major franchise, but Activision has shown with its recent campaigns that the series is capable of dropping jaws every now and then. Here’s a list of the best campaigns that gamers should play through before the launch of Modern Warfare 2.
Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.
Best Campaigns in the Call of Duty Franchise
5) Call of Duty Ghosts
Starting the list with what many would consider to be the worst COD title in recent times. The failures of the Multiplayer mode have overshadowed this great campaign.
Call of Duty Ghosts is set in an alternate reality where the Middle East has been destroyed by nuclear war, and a new world order has been established with private militias on the rise. It tells a pretty coherent and concise story, although there is a lack of any real character development throughout the game.
A few things that set the story apart include:
- A motion capture dog.
- A few surprising twists.
- A cliffhanger ending in dire need of a resolution.
4) Call of Duty
The OG game that started off the entire franchise gets its own place in the Hall of Fame. While it does not hold up to modern standards of game design and storytelling, it still has some unique features and gameplay mechanics.
While there's no health regeneration, the game has a pretty streamlined campaign like the games of yesteryear, it's a great military FPS for the time. Yet, it’s decades away from what COD is known for today.
3) Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
The second part of the trilogy is quite challenging to nail as fans expect more out of it than the first entry. Modern Warfare 2 does an excellent job of keeping up with expectations and even laying the groundwork for Modern Warfare 3.
People who like controversy are pretty well aware of the No Russian Mission, and the developers employed quite a huge risky bet with this one. Other than that, several missions are memorable.
There are quite a lot of action movie-like sequences that make the players feel like the hero of the story. Any good game should be capable of making players feel this way. It literally blew expectations out of the water and, as such, is the best entry in the trilogy.
2) Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War
Black Ops Cold War is quite a divergent game with a couple of bad and a few of the franchise's best missions. Overall, though, this is a mind-bending game. It manages to get the player into the shoes of someone hypnotized into being a double agent.
There are a few missions that players can complete in multiple ways. The rest of the campaign is almost streamlined and offers a linear experience within the Black Ops Cold War Storyline.
1) Call of Duty 2
Call of Duty 2 is the least fictional game on this list, and it’s not lost on the fact that the game essentially puts you in the shoes of characters who are effectively a one-man killing machine.
The game looks to tell the story of World War 2 from the perspective of the Allied forces, and it does a good job at it. There are quite a few memorable scenes that are certain to evoke emotions. The Stalingrad reclamation and a scene that reminds one of Saving Private Ryan, the movie.
There are plenty of other standout sequences as well, and overall this entry represents the best Second World War campaign of the entire COD franchise.
Which of these COD campaigns would you like to play through again? Let us know in the comments section below!
