There’s no escaping that Name of Obligation is at the moment in a little bit of a rut. Though there are shiny spots in Fashionable Warfare 3’s multiplayer and Zombies mode, it finally feels all too acquainted. And the marketing campaign? Our reviewer Simon Cardy stated it was “maybe the worst Name of Obligation single-player marketing campaign I’ve performed.” It at the moment has a disappointing Metacritic ranking of 56 and, unsurprisingly, Fashionable Warfare 3 didn’t make into IGN’s prime 10 Name of Obligation video games (spoilers: it got here backside of the pile).
Fortunately, Name of Obligation has been distinctive at instances and, years on, lots of its best moments nonetheless stand the take a look at of time. So we’re trying again to determine 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, every part. IGN workers voted on all of the video games, and you’ll learn all about why we picked what we picked beneath. After, make sure you tell us how we did and share your favorites within the feedback beneath!
10. Name of Obligation: Black Ops Chilly Conflict
Name of Obligation: Black Ops Chilly Conflict 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 recognized for its world-class shootouts with explosions round each nook and edge-of-your-seat moments, Black Ops Chilly Conflict added one other wrinkle to that system.
The marketing campaign takes place throughout probably the most vital moments of the Chilly Conflict and we get time to study 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 perfect methods, and so they make the louder ones much more impactful.
Black Ops Chilly Conflict’s multiplayer fell slightly brief however its Zombies mode was a spotlight. Certain, we might have liked some extra content material, but it surely offered extremely polished and tense gameplay periods we nonetheless take into consideration at the moment.
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 incredible job of iterating and enhancing on what got here earlier than. Its multiplayer added new parts comparable to weapon development, proficiencies, and extra, however what it did greatest was create probably the most 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 in every of our favorites, it had the wonderful setpieces and “wow” moments that made this franchise so in style. It was additionally the conclusion of probably the most beloved Name of Obligation trilogies ever and that in itself was one more reason it was well 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 sequence’ first branching narrative and arsenal of futuristic weaponry. Whereas it continued the Chilly Conflict-era story from the unique Black Ops, it additionally took us to 2025 to expertise a complete new Chilly Conflict that centered on Alex Mason’s son, David. Oh, and don’t neglect that Raul Menendez is among the greatest villains in the whole franchise.
Black Ops 2’s multiplayer additionally had a couple of firsts just like the Choose 10 system and Scorestreaks, including a welcome degree of depth and customization to the expertise. Throw in its Zombies mode, which was the right, laugh-filled various to the marketing campaign and multiplayer, and Black Ops 2 remains to be a standout Name of Obligation recreation over a decade later.
7. Name of Obligation: World at Conflict
Name of Obligation: World at Conflict introduced us again to World Conflict 2 after the roaring success that was Fashionable Warfare’s modern setting, but it surely did so another way. As an alternative of merely going again to Normandy and D-Day for the umpteenth time, the story centered on the Pacific theater and the Purple Military’s reversals of the tide at Stalingrad to the Fall of Berlin. The marketing campaign was stuffed with a ton of close-quarters fight moments, lots of which had been in tight, packed trenches, and for the primary time allow you to play with as much as three different buddies.
What World at Conflict might eternally be remembered for, nevertheless, 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 prime of their recreation and proving what might be finished within the WWII style. However Name of Obligation did a lot of issues that may instantly set it aside, together with chosing to inform its story from the attitude of not solely the USA, but additionally Britain and the Soviet Union.
It additionally had you going into battle with different troopers by your facet as a substitute of getting you face the horrors of warfare alone, and that led to a extra practical 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 slightly outdated 20 years on, the marketing campaign remains to be enjoyable to play and it’s unimaginable to understate the inspiration it constructed for the way forward for not simply the Name of Obligation sequence however first-person shooters as a complete.
5. Name of Obligation: Black Ops
Name of Obligation: Black Ops took us to the Nineteen Sixties to study 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 whole 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 at the moment.
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 instances. The multiplayer suite additionally launched CoD Factors, which modified how issues had been unlocked and made development really feel contemporary 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 necessary. The follow-up to the unique Name of Obligation arrived as a launch title for Xbox 360 and demonstrated what “next-gen” truly meant again then.
Whereas the unique Name of Obligation was spectacular, the ability of Xbox 360 – alongside developments in PC tech – led to a WWII expertise like by no means earlier than. Some of the notable examples was the smoke grenades, as they had been an incredible showcase for what the devs might do to make a extra practical expertise. Not solely had been they a sight to behold because the smoke billowed up and smothered the display, however they may be used tactically to get out of a tricky state of affairs.
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 Reside.
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 tricky process, however Infinity Ward handed with flying colours and created the perfect marketing campaign because the unique Black Ops.
Certainly, the single-player was filled with stand-out moments, from Going Darkish’s nonlinear stealth infiltration to Clear Home, through which a group of SAS troops clear a pitch-black terrorist hideout utilizing night-goggles, making split-second selections to ensure its a risk within the crosshairs and never an unarmed civilian.
Fashionable Warfare’s multiplayer was first rate too, and tried to evolve probably the most beloved multiplayer video games of all time to the fashionable day with some good additions, however its implementation wasn’t excellent. That stated, 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 additionally among the greatest and most necessary video games of all time. Whereas Fashionable Warfare set the gold customary for what these first-person shooters might be, Fashionable Warfare pushed it to a good greater peak.
We might discuss No Russian and the surprising, revenge-filled marketing campaign ending all day, however multiplayer is the place this recreation really shines. From its customizable Killstreaks and development challenges, to the concentrate on larger 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 perfect half? It simply improved on every part else we liked from Fashionable Warfare, which we are able to’t wait to inform you about subsequent…
1. Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare (2007)
Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 2 might have perfected the system 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 prefer to expertise one thing for the primary time. Name of Obligation 4: Fashionable Warfare is the right instance of that, and was a revolution that modified video video games eternally.
This was the 12 months that Name of Obligation grew to become the Name of Obligation we all know at the moment, and it was because of a tag-team assault of a incredible marketing campaign and a legendary multiplayer expertise. We are going to always remember being launched to Cleaning soap and Captain Value for the primary time, or once we bought to leap into an AC-130 gunship, escape a cargo ship in the midst of a stormy sea, play by way of All Ghillied Up – probably 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 might, discovering the right perks, and successful or dropping alongside our greatest buddies. These had been the times we’ll always remember. That is Name of Obligation.