Call of Duty: WWII

If you were worried that Call of Duty would not deliver on the promise to go back to its roots, please try the game. I was skeptical, especially after the beta. I thought there was no way it could happen. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they made good on that promise. Call of Duty: WWII has an amazing, engaging, and emotional story. It is very worthy of the title and will go down in history as one of the best single player experiences Call of Duty has offered.

As a whole package, Call of Duty: WWII has a little something for everyone to enjoy, but that has been the story of this series for a long time. No, this homecoming is far, far better than the sum of its parts, a true return to form in practically every respect. It feels alien to be looking back on a new Call of Duty release as anything other than enjoyable yet unremarkable triple-A fare, but here we are. Call of Duty: WWII delivers on all fronts: compelling and heartfelt in its storytelling; imposing in its sense of scale and spectacle; and unremittingly addictive in its gunplay.

The new Call of Duty is like a shopping list, in which the devs list one second-rate cliché after another. It's not always for the sake of it, but it's already making the WWII unique that everybody should play. [Issue#280]

Call of Duty WWII embraces the series’ beginnings and tells its story through a gripping, thoughtful campaign, continued excellence with Nazi Zombies mode and an expanded (but still formulaic) online multiplayer experience. Anybody who remembers the good old times they had with the franchise’s earlier titles should eventually take a look, as Call of Duty WWII is a return to form.

Call of Duty: WW2 offers a surprisingly fast-paced and fun World War II experience. The campaign features a more personal story, while the new War multiplayer mode alleviates some of my frustrations with the generally small multiplayer maps. Of all the parts, though, Nazi Zombies is a standout with its wonderfully creepy setting and puzzle-like tasks. It’s mostly what you’d expect from a great Call of Duty game, and a near-miss for a spot in the lineup of top Call of Duty games.

The Call of Duty franchise has had a long history filled with ups and downs, and WWII stands on the better end of the series. It has a strong campaign filled with interesting characters, mission variety, and over-the-top set pieces. The multiplayer is satisfactory thanks to its deep customization and new modes like War, and Nazi Zombies is as crazy as ever. It’s a shame that loot boxes and CP make a return, but there’s still much to enjoy.

WW2 drowns a partially good story in a jumble of action and bombast. Multiplayer and Zombies are convincing, though.

The latest CoD game’s Single-Player Campaign could be regarded as a missed opportunity of sorts, mostly opting to stick to established clichés and “wow” moments (with a few notable exceptions) instead of producing something truly unique and memorable. Its Multiplayer modes, on the other hand, are for the most part a welcome throwback to the glory days of “Modern Warfare”.

I can almost picture the early pitch sessions for Call of Duty: WWII in which they conceived of a game that has something for everyone. But if everyone gets something, no one gets everything. If I were in charge, I would have scrapped the no doubt very expensive but entirely lackluster single player campaign entirely and focused on the core multiplayer, making more maps and expanding on the War concept, which works quite well. The co-op works reasonably well, and pleasantly scratches that itch for people who prefer to work as a team against AI rather than people. So Call of Duty: WWII is a pleasantly rounded package which lands it solidly in the middle of the everything pack.

In terms of bringing old-school Call of Duty up to modern standards, Call of Duty: WWII does fairly admirably, but at the same time every end of it feels like something is missing. The campaign is a tour and spectacle of the terror and intensity of the conflict as the Allies fought their way into to the Eagle’s Nest, but the forgoing of nearly all outside perspectives in favor of an all-American campaign feels narrow in comparison to previous COD outings that have tackled this subject matter. Likewise, multiplayer is as tight as ever and War mode is a solid addition that we hope to see built upon in all further Call of Duty content, but the hub feels tacked on. Zombie Mode is still Zombie Mode and fans will find a lot to discover and challenge in the new scenario, but the stark tones might put off the more lighthearted fans of the mode in its previous incarnations. COD: WWII is far from the worst of the series and players will find a wealth of well-crafted moments and design here, but a few too many oddities and omissions keep it from being the best that Call of Duty has ever offered.

If you are a Call of Duty fan, you’ll have a good time (hacks aside). If you aren’t a Call of Duty fan, there isn’t much reason to come back. Playing CoD: WWII is like eating a great salmon filet; if you’re into fish, you’ll have a great time. If not, you should go find a burger or something.

A magnificent, but also a sympathetic, unpretentious return to the roots of the series. Yet the campaign is short-lived, and your next experience depends on how much you enjoy the multiplayer and/or shooting Nazi zombies.

This game is a definite downgrade from last year’s Infinite Warfare. More scripted scenes and QTE, less freedom, no side missions, but — hey! — medkits are back. Call of Duty: WWII proves yet again that World War II has run its course in video games. Let’s put it behind for good and get back to starfighters, cyborgs and laser rifles.

Shallow story combined with historic inaccuracies and very buggy multiplayer gave us a game that leaves a bitter taste in stark contrast with big expectations. War Mode is a bright spot and is currently the only thing really worth playing, but there’s still hope that the game might improve over time with patches.

A drab campaign doesn't do the history justice, but Call of Duty: WWII’s multiplayer recalls the glory days of Modern Warfare.

Call of Duty is built like a theme park ride that goes too fast for you to examine the details closely. That went smoothly with previous installments, but WWII abandons health regeneration in favor of old-fashioned health packs, which forces you to play slowly and carefully – and that lets you notice things you weren’t supposed to. [Issue#225, p.60]

An insipid and muddled campaign holds back Call of Duty: WWII just as it disembarks. And the plain, inconsistent, and restrictive multiplayer does not quite reach the heights of its predecessors. Its best features come from the new online War mode and the reliable Nazi Zombies, both of which lack the tidal force to wash all the blood from the sand.

I think we’re at the stage now where ‘good enough’ just doesn’t cut it with Call of Duty. There are so many alternatives out there that an average COD isn’t just a waste of money, it’s a waste of time. If you want the full experience and continued support from the map packs, you’re looking at a $100 outlay. That’s on top of the insidious loot crate mechanics. While it’s purely cosmetic based, for now, data mining has hinted weapon drops will be coming in loot crates soon. Call of Duty: WWII really isn’t a good enough game to justify those costs. The three game modes mean there’s probably something in here for everyone, but it’s doubtful many will get their money’s worth when you take the short campaign and the obligatory map pack into account.

Familiarity breeds contempt. [Issue#269, p.49]