Taking a break from its venture into the future, Call Of Duty returns back to World War 2 with the latest entry in the series. And you know what, Call Of Duty: World War 2 is still a ton of fun. Regardless of what you come to Call Of Duty for, you’re more likely to find something you like, be it the spectacular campaign, frenetic multiplayer, or the co-operative Nazi Zombies mode.
I’ve enjoyed Call Of Duty campaigns for the most part, even the futuristic ones. They might not tell the most thoughtful of stories, but they offer a fun 6-8 hour ride that never fails to entertain. It’s easy to jump in and get through, and adds significant value to the overall package. The same stands true for Call Of Duty: World War 2’s campaign. It’s tightly paced and tells the tale of bravery, camaraderie, and sacrifice through the lens of one of the most brutal wars waged in human history. You won’t find any poignant commentary about Nazis and their cruelty. It’s mostly a tale of soldiers on the winning side, and it does a decent job of getting you invested in them.
This time around, you play as Daniels, a US soldier enlisted with the 1st Division Infantry. The game begins with the invasion at Normandy, but doesn’t spend too much time on the beach itself. It still looks and feels spectacular, but it also feels really short. That’s not to say that there are any lack of big set-piece moments, because those are found aplenty. There are wider open regions and tight corridors, sprinkled with heavy battles, turret sequences, and quiet moments.
And also, just for the campaign, there’s no regenerating health – you’ll need to rely on medpacks to keep you going. The gameplay feels balanced to reflect this change, and the game never felt too different because of this.
The multiplayer is where the meat of Call Of Duty is, and World War 2 sure is meaty. All the previous game modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination and more make a return. There’s a new War Mode, along with the HQ, which acts as a social space. The HQ is actually kind of cool. It’s interesting to see other players running around doing their thing, instead of shooting the whole time. There are a few activities to do here as well – small social objectives like commending other players, opening lootboxes for everyone to see, a firing range, and even a 1v1 arena. You always see other players open lootboxes, and it’s a flashy affair that’s intended to draw attention. I can imagine folks being put off by having this shoved in their faces, but it’s mostly cosmetic, and I honestly didn’t care.
The maps and modes are immensely fun, and the more grounded gameplay in Call Of Duty: World War 2 feels immediately familiar. There are rifles, snipers, SMGs, and then some. Weapons feel different, each suitable for certain encounters. There isn’t the same variety as you would find in Modern Warfare, but it never feels too less. Map design is fantastic, and the modes work well in them. There’s a bit of a learning (or unlearning) curve, as you begin navigating without double jumps and jetpacks, but the gameplay is as tight as you would expect from Call Of Duty.
The War Mode is a massive new mode that’s objective focused. It reminds me of the good old Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory multiplayer with their multi-stage objectives. These are fun to do, and you will need to keep switching loadouts as the game progresses. It’s really enjoyable, especially if you are communicating with the team. You’ll be building bridges, defending positions, planting turrets, and so on, and all of it is paced really well. This is easily my favorite mode in Call Of Duty: World War 2. Sure, there’s a few wrinkles here and there, but nothing that some balance changes can’t fix.
Nazi Zombies is also back and is great way to jump into some co-operative action with friends. It starts pretty slow, and the objectives can sometimes be unclear. But figuring it out with friends is fun in itself.
If you like Call Of Duty, then Call Of Duty: World War 2 definitely scratches that itch. It’s a great Call Of Duty game with an enjoyable campaign, and a solid multiplayer. It’s doesn’t do a lot of new things, but everything it does, it does right. Also, the multiplayer this time is a lot easier to get a grasp of, especially because of its ‘boots on the ground’ approach. I sure have been enjoying my time with it, and intend to stick around a lot longer.
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