Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 424 Ratings

  • Summary: Utilizing the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War throws out the rulebook of war to transform WWII combat through a new enemy, new tactics and an uncensored experience of the climatic battles that gripped a generation. As U.S. Marines and Russian soldiers, players employ new features like cooperative gameplay, and weapons such as the flamethrower in the most chaotic and cinematically intense experience to date. Call of Duty: World at War introduces co-operative play, bringing fresh meaning to the "No One Fights Alone" mantra with up to four-players online for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, or two-player local split-screen on consoles. Nintendo Wii will also support a unique co-op mode for two players. For the first time ever players can experience harrowing single-player missions together for greater camaraderie and tactical execution. The co-op campaign allows players to rank up and unlock perks in competitive multiplayer by completing challenges and earning experience points, adding continuous re-playability and team-based gameplay. Whether playing competitively or cooperatively – if players are online with Call of Duty: World at War – they always gain experience points. Based on a player’s experience rank and rank of the player's friends, Call of Duty: World at War scales dynamically to provide a deeper level of challenge. [Activision] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 36
  2. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Treyarch came back this year with an excellent addition to the franchise. Many gamers may look at this game with an "I've been there, done that" attitude. I am here to tell you that this is the best WWII effort so far, as well as the best game in the franchise.
  2. Call of Duty: World at War goes back to the battlefields of World War 2. The game delivers well staged nonstop action and looks good, but the missions are barely connected, just like in the first three games of the series. It's still a good, maybe even a very good FPS, but not fit to hold a candle to its predecessor.
  3. World at War brings proven Call of Duty mechanics back to WWII with great success.
  4. In fact, World at War is a deeply symmetrical reapplication of CoD4's brilliant design, though executed with noticeably less polish. [Jan 2009, p.44]

See all 36 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 101
  2. Negative: 22 out of 101
  1. Alex
    10
    This game doesn't deserve so much criticism JUST because it goes back to the WWII theme. There have been hundreds of games about WWII and even the BIA HH is also WWII theme and nobody complains about it. I think it has fantastic graphics, unbelievable sound and atmosphere. I have voted a bit higher than I would have just to equal out a bit other users bad votes. My real objective vote would have been a 9. This is just my opinion but I respect others. Expand
  2. SimonF
    8
    Not half Bad.... Overly Manic, and almost the same as COD4 (but with different uniforms and weapons obviously) Graphics are Stunning, Missions ok, gameplay Brutal (Love the Bayonet attack, and the Flamethrower is fun) few graphics glitches, such as Sniper's Gun hangs out in thin air when you kill one in the trees..but this a small problem. I have to say though, that BIAHH is my favourite of the two, But glad I got COD5, But cant see me playing it twice Expand
  3. Nothing's new in "Call of Duty: World at War". The controls will be familiar to you if you play for like 5 minutes, but the muddy dark textures won't. The difficulty changes too much and too often. The multiplayer servers are emptier than a starving man's stomach. The only thing that enlightens me is the new zombie mode. It's enjoyable and well rounded. Overall there's not much to compliment about the product, but if you're a COD fan...buy it? (I guess) Expand
  4. While an okay game, it tries too hard to be like Modern Warfare. For example, they attempt to create WW2 versions of most Modern Warfare killstreaks. Recon Planes replace UAV for example. The campaign was indded pretty good but I found that the enemy AI was lacking in their actions. Why would a Japanese soldier attempting to stab Americans with his bayonet run padt the 3 or so guys in front of em and attack me?! I'm only a regular soldier after all. Enemies focus on you too much. Another poor design choice was the decision to make grenades come out and try to kill you without being thrown form soemone if you stand in place to long. It just gets really annoying. I do enjoy the new weapons they put in such as the Flamethrower though. The multiplayer is a severe disappointment because it attempts to copy MW but the weapons don't feel right. Since when was a WW2 era SMG as accurate as a modern day Assault Rifle? The best part of the game is no doubt the Nazi Zombies. It's an interesting game where you get attacked by Nazi Zombies who have a crappy backstory. Honestly, it wasn't fun alone because I would always get overwhelmed. There should be bots that are able to play with you in case you can't go online because when you do Nazi Zombies Co Op and have good team mates is when Nazi Zombies really shine because it becomes very fun. Overall though, the online multiplayer and co op really aren't fun because even in the middle of the day at the most there will be 6 or 7 multiplayer servers but only some of them will actually have people playign in them. Co Op servers are even more rare with usually about 2 or 3 of them with them often full. The game is okay but NOTHING, I mean NOTHING, compared to MW or MW2. Treyarch needs to be original instead of trying to use the success of MW to help them sell the game. Din't believe the game box, this game isn't AT ALL "War liek you've never experienced it before". Collapse

See all 101 User Reviews