Each story sets the tone for the world in which it takes place, and Call of Duty has designed a long series of campaigns to set the mood and style for each entry. Whether it’s the beaches of Normandy or the emptiness of space, the campaign gives players a taste of the look, sound, feel, and mechanics they’ll experience for hundreds of hours in online multiplayer.
While it hasn’t been the main selling point of the series for quite a while, Call of Duty’s many campaigns are still a solid effort with fun levels, amazing set pieces, and memorable characters. When the Call of Duty campaign is done right, the game as a whole is elevated to the next level.
10 Call of Duty: Ghosts (2013)
A new generation of consoles has ushered in a new era of Call of Duty, with all the ups and downs that come with it. Call of Duty Ghosts sees the United States in ruins, new powers emerging, and a desperate struggle to avoid being crushed under the heel.
Ghosts gives players a solid set of unique set pieces and locations to fight through, including algae-overgrown America, snow-buried oil facilities, and submerged underwater wrecks. The main downside is an unfortunate cliffhanger ending that players won’t see a follow-up to. For a good setting and an attempt at a new continuity, Call of Duty Ghosts is a fun adventure that many overlook without a second thought.
9 Call of Duty: World War II (2017)
Back to basics, Call of Duty WWII doubles as a Band of Brothers-style story in the European theater, with all the comrades, tensions, and locations that come with territory. The player’s teammates are little more than talking sponges, each fulfilling specific roles in combat to assist the player or perform special tasks, such as calling in air support or resupplying ammo, giving the game a touch of squad mechanic integration to keep things fresh.
With fierce battles, massive bouts of destruction, and a constant change of setting and gameplay, Call of Duty WWII covers a lot of ground with good pace and character, making the experience smooth and refreshing. World War II may be left behind in the gaming industry, but it gets the respect it deserves when viewed by companies looking for a palate cleanser.
8 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022)
New timeline, same callers shot from behind. Modern Warfare II hits a lot of the expected and beloved beats of a modern Call of Duty game, but adds a lot of heart and charm to the characters, making their dialogue and characters longer than many of the previous outings in the series.
From illegal AC-130 gunfire missions in cartel-controlled Mexico to ambushes in the Middle East, Modern Warfare II brings the heat and keeps players on their toes with intelligent enemy and ammo reserves that can quickly deplete. But the standout mission that makes the story a must-do is Alone, with a new level of tension and thoughtfulness required not seen in a Call of Duty campaign before. From top to bottom, Modern Warfare II is another day at the office, leaving plenty of messes to clean up.
7 Call of Duty 3 (2006)
Treyarch’s first big outing with their iconic franchise, and a solid first step, especially given the tight deadline the project faced from the start. Call of Duty 3 shows the Allied efforts to retake French territory in 1944, with American, British, Canadian, and Polish views of their section of rural France. Gameplay and sound design are punchy and meaty, giving weight and power to every gun and shotgun, while controls are put in place to keep players feeling like a soldier carrying dozens of pounds of gear at every turn.
The collection of vehicle parts was a new addition to the series at the time, and the controls feel good for each vehicle, preventing them from being overwhelmed or floating around when fighting the enemy AI. For an honest tale of the brave few who pull off the impossible, Call of Duty 3 is the place to be.
6 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
The game that forever reshaped the industry, and made modern day shooters the new norm. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare deals with themes of the era, the war on terror, the threat of misuse of weapons of mass destruction, the fallout from Western intervention, and the death of the Soviet Union.
Modern Warfare is outrageously addictive, with a mind-boggling soundtrack, gameplay that captivates and demands constant player improvement, and an environment ready for discussion and thought provocation. There is no reason to wonder how this game brilliantly changed the gaming landscape, securing Call of Duty’s position as a first-person shooter for millions of people. From Crew Expendable to Mile High Club, this campaign will shock, amaze, and engage players with a story that hits close to home in more ways than one.
5 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011)
The world is a push-button away from nuclear annihilation, and everyone is racing to reach the top. Open war has swept across Europe as Makarov plots to use Russia’s nuclear codes to destroy the West, and the remnants of Task Force 141 must evade both sides of the war and track down the hidden mastermind behind this devastating World War III.
Set pieces are louder, the war zone is bigger, and the controls have never been smoother. The New York Stock Exchange, remote African villages, and the catacombs of Paris are just some of the crazy places players are drawn to, and the conclusion to which this high-octane trilogy never fails to impress and satisfy. Price will have Makarov’s head, and he’ll make sure he’s not on top of a pile of ash.
4 Call of Duty: Infinite War (2016)
From here to the stars, but without the candy bars. Infinite Warfare is Star Trek if Michael Bay were in the director’s chair, with one military tanker from Earth forced into a gang war after the Martian people split apart and destroyed the fleet in a surprise attack.
Players will engage in zero-gravity voids, dogfights with enemy fighter planes, explore asteroids and planetary colonies to sabotage the Martian war effort before Earth is engulfed and decimated. With a diverse crew and all the dangers on the table, the fate of humanity is in the player’s hands as they decide when and where to attack, and how they will approach each mission with customized gear. For a futuristic look at war that never changes, look no further than Infinite Warfare.
3 Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
A warming Cold War thriller, Call of Duty Black Ops has everything a Cold War-era action-thriller should come with. Unauthorized and illegal missions in foreign lands, the pursuit of Soviet involvement in Vietnam, and the revelation of a plot to unleash brainwashed sleeper operatives on an unsuspecting public are just some of the story that flaunts the covers of Black Ops from front to back.
Black Ops is a thought-provoking, captivating and shocking thriller that does not hold back from showcasing the brutality of covert operations and testing experimental weapons, giving audiences their first look into a dark period of the past. With sharp gameplay, effective weapons, and a wide variety of locations, Black Ops is a decent piece of espionage that shows that no one is really good in times of war.
2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Apocalyptic, brutal and revolutionary, Modern Warfare 2 is the very definition of iconography. With Russia and the United States deceived into all-out war, America’s suburbs, Washington D.C., and remote Russian cities are where the action takes place, with the US Army’s command and Task Force 141 tasked with fending off Russia’s war effort.
With its stunning and unsettling set pieces, terrifying plot twists, and a poignant soundtrack, Modern Warfare 2 is one of the best sequels ever made and one of the greatest action plots ever made. One man with no title and no office shattered the world, and all it took was one bad day to reignite an old hatred.
1 Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
What’s better than a well-written bombastic campaign? One where the player has input! Black Ops 2 has a wide variety of stories, with different plot twists and outcomes depending on certain decisions made or not made, many of which are not labeled as such, leading first-time players to wild endings they could not have foreseen.
One man can change the world, and Raul Menendez has spent decades building his personal and public relationships to become that man, through all necessary violent means. The level of success in ultimately harvesting his long-standing plans depends heavily on the player’s past and present actions, making Menendez’s threat all the more special to the player. For such a successful outing, it’s a pity that most future Call of Duty games didn’t follow these interactive steps.
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