There’s no escaping that Name of Obligation is at the moment in a little bit of a rut. Though there are vibrant spots in Fashionable Warfare 3’s multiplayer and Zombies mode, it in the end feels all too acquainted. And the marketing campaign? Our reviewer Simon Cardy mentioned it was “maybe the worst Name of Obligation single-player marketing campaign I’ve performed.” It at the moment has a disappointing Metacritic score of 56 and, unsurprisingly, Fashionable Warfare 3 didn’t make into IGN’s high 10 Name of Obligation video games (spoilers: it got here backside of the pile).
Fortunately, Name of Obligation has been distinctive at occasions and, years on, a lot of its best moments nonetheless stand the check of time. So we’re wanting again to resolve which Name of Obligation video games are our absolute favorites, and we’re speaking in regards to the full package deal – marketing campaign, multiplayer, zombies, all the things. IGN workers voted on all of the video games, and you may learn all about why we picked what we picked beneath. After, you’ll want to tell us how we did and share your favorites within the feedback beneath!
10. Name of Obligation: Black Ops Chilly Struggle
Name of Obligation: Black Ops Chilly Struggle units itself other than different entries within the legendary franchise by how a lot it excels when your gun is definitely holstered. Whereas Name of Obligation is clearly identified for its world-class shootouts with explosions round each nook and edge-of-your-seat moments, Black Ops Chilly Struggle added one other wrinkle to that formulation.
The marketing campaign takes place throughout probably the most vital moments of the Chilly Struggle and we get time to be taught extra about our covert ops crew at our safehouses and sneak round KGB headquarters as a Russian double agent. These moments are quiet in the very best methods, they usually make the louder ones much more impactful.
Black Ops Chilly Struggle’s multiplayer fell somewhat brief however its Zombies mode was a spotlight. Positive, we might have cherished some extra content material, however it offered extremely polished and tense gameplay periods we nonetheless take into consideration immediately.
9. Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 3 (2011)
There have been some huge points with 2023’s Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 3, however 2011’s Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 3 did an amazing job of iterating and enhancing on what got here earlier than. Its multiplayer added new parts equivalent to weapon development, proficiencies, and extra, however what it did greatest was create one of the crucial compelling and addicting Name of Obligation multiplayer experiences ever made as much as that time.
The marketing campaign was enjoyable sufficient and although it isn’t one among our favorites, it had the superb setpieces and “wow” moments that made this franchise so well-liked. It was additionally the conclusion of one of the crucial beloved Name of Obligation trilogies ever and that in itself was one more reason it was definitely worth the admission value.
8. Name of Obligation: Black Ops 2
Name of Obligation: Black Ops 2 was notable for a lot of causes, together with that it featured the collection’ first branching narrative and arsenal of futuristic weaponry. Whereas it continued the Chilly Struggle-era story from the unique Black Ops, it additionally took us to 2025 to expertise an entire new Chilly Struggle that centered on Alex Mason’s son, David. Oh, and don’t neglect that Raul Menendez is without doubt one of the greatest villains in the complete franchise.
Black Ops 2’s multiplayer additionally had a number of firsts just like the Decide 10 system and Scorestreaks, including a welcome degree of depth and customization to the expertise. Throw in its Zombies mode, which was the proper, laugh-filled different to the marketing campaign and multiplayer, and Black Ops 2 continues to be a standout Name of Obligation sport over a decade later.
7. Name of Obligation: World at Struggle
Name of Obligation: World at Struggle introduced us again to World Struggle 2 after the roaring success that was Fashionable Warfare’s up to date setting, however it did so differently. As an alternative of merely going again to Normandy and D-Day for the umpteenth time, the story targeted on the Pacific theater and the Purple Military’s reversals of the tide at Stalingrad to the Fall of Berlin. The marketing campaign was crammed with a ton of close-quarters fight moments, a lot of which had been in tight, packed trenches, and for the primary time allow you to play with as much as three different associates.
What World at Struggle could perpetually be remembered for, nonetheless, was its introduction of what we now know because the Zombies mode, or Nach der Untoten because it was referred to as. Its multiplayer was additionally a success because it introduced in a lot of what made Fashionable Warfare nice and tailored it for the period the sport was set in.
6. Name of Obligation
Name of Obligation first appeared on the scene in 2003, at a time when Medal of Honor and Battlefield 1942 had been on the high of their sport and proving what could possibly be finished within the WWII style. However Name of Obligation did plenty of issues that may instantly set it aside, together with chosing to inform its story from the angle of not solely the US, but in addition Britain and the Soviet Union.
It additionally had you going into battle with different troopers by your aspect as a substitute of getting you face the horrors of warfare alone, and that led to a extra real looking and compelling expertise. And don’t neglect the “shellshock” characteristic, which visually and audibly confirmed the risks and penalties of enormous explosions and introduced us nearer to warfare than ever earlier than.
Whereas it’s clearly somewhat old-fashioned 20 years on, the marketing campaign continues to be enjoyable to play and it’s not possible to understate the inspiration it constructed for the way forward for not simply the Name of Obligation collection however first-person shooters as an entire.
5. Name of Obligation: Black Ops
Name of Obligation: Black Ops took us to the Sixties to be taught the story of CIA operative Alex Mason. From the primary moments in that chair within the interrogation room to among the finest twists in the complete franchise, we couldn’t get sufficient of the story that additionally had the star energy of Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, and Gary Oldman. We beforehand ranked Black Ops’ marketing campaign as Name of Obligation’s greatest, and we stand by it immediately.
Black Ops’ multiplayer is simply as iconic and among the maps, together with Firing Vary and Nuketown, are nonetheless favorites in 2023 as they’ve been introduced ahead a number of occasions. The multiplayer suite additionally launched CoD Factors, which modified how issues had been unlocked and made development really feel recent once more.
Nazi Zombies returned too, besides this time as a full-fledged mode, and it even allow you to play as JFK, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, or Robert McNamara. There was additionally an unlockable mode that performed like a retro arcade model. It was all great.
4. Name of Obligation 2
Name of Obligation 2 was an unimaginable achievement by itself, however its timing was simply as vital. The follow-up to the unique Name of Obligation arrived as a launch title for Xbox 360 and demonstrated what “next-gen” really meant again then.
Whereas the unique Name of Obligation was spectacular, the facility of Xbox 360 – alongside developments in PC tech – led to a WWII expertise like by no means earlier than. One of the notable examples was the smoke grenades, as they had been an amazing showcase for what the devs may do to make a extra real looking expertise. Not solely had been they a sight to behold because the smoke billowed up and smothered the display, however they is also used tactically to get out of a troublesome scenario.
With Name of Obligation 2, the long run was right here, even when the multiplayer nonetheless solely allowed for eight gamers in a match on Xbox Stay.
3. Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare (2019)
Spoilers: we LOVE Fashionable Warfare and that adoration extends to 2019’s Fashionable Warfare, the sport that rebooted a basic. That in itself was a troublesome process, however Infinity Ward handed with flying colours and created the very best marketing campaign for the reason that unique Black Ops.
Certainly, the single-player was filled with stand-out moments, from Going Darkish’s nonlinear stealth infiltration to Clear Home, wherein a staff of SAS troops clear a pitch-black terrorist hideout utilizing night-goggles, making split-second selections to verify its a risk within the crosshairs and never an unarmed civilian.
Fashionable Warfare’s multiplayer was respectable too, and tried to evolve one of the crucial beloved multiplayer video games of all time to the trendy day with some good additions, however its implementation wasn’t good. That mentioned, its new modes like Realism and the 2v2 Gunfight had been nice.
2. Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 2 (2009)
Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare and its sequel Fashionable Warfare 2 aren’t solely among the greatest Name of Obligation video games ever, but in addition among the greatest and most vital video games of all time. Whereas Fashionable Warfare set the gold commonplace for what these first-person shooters could possibly be, Fashionable Warfare pushed it to an excellent increased peak.
We may speak about No Russian and the stunning, revenge-filled marketing campaign ending all day, however multiplayer is the place this sport really shines. From its customizable Killstreaks and development challenges, to the give attention to greater maps with a ton of gamers, to the introduction of the cooperative Spec Ops maps, there was SO a lot to like about its multiplayer mode. And the very best half? It simply improved on all the things else we cherished from Fashionable Warfare, which we will’t wait to inform you about subsequent…
1. Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare (2007)
Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 2 could have perfected the formulation that Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare constructed, however new and glossy issues can’t at all times stack as much as what it’s wish to expertise one thing for the primary time. Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare is the proper instance of that, and was a revolution that modified video video games perpetually.
This was the yr that Name of Obligation turned the Name of Obligation we all know immediately, and it was due to a tag-team assault of a incredible marketing campaign and a legendary multiplayer expertise. We’ll always remember being launched to Cleaning soap and Captain Worth for the primary time, or once we acquired to leap into an AC-130 gunship, escape a cargo ship in the course of a stormy sea, play by way of All Ghillied Up – presumably the best Name of Obligation mission ever – and a lot extra.
We’ll additionally always remember the numerous hours we fortunately sunk into multiplayer, incomes killstreak after killstreak, unlocking each gun and problem we may, discovering the proper perks, and successful or dropping alongside our greatest associates. These had been the times we’ll always remember. That is Name of Obligation.