Call of Dutyhas seen many different time periods in its lengthy history, but the two most prevalent time periods the series has explored are World War II and the modern era. The franchise began as aWorld War II shooter, butCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfarepropelled the series to new heights, making the modern age just as recognizable of an era forCall of Dutyas World War II.
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While both may be equally as influential, each time period does things the other cannot. These are five reasons why World War II is the best era forCall of Duty, as well as five reasons why theModern Warfaregames are better.
10WWII - Historical Accuracy
There’s a reason why so many video games, movies, and other forms of media choose World War II as a setting. There’s just something about that time period that draws people in. The grand scope of the global conflict creates a perfect backdrop for emotional and compelling stories, and the earlierCall of Dutygames were no exception.
Unlike other forms of media, video games are interactive, letting players experience the intense battles firsthand. History buffs can appreciate the attention to detail as well as getting their hands on weapon and equipment they’ve only ever read about or seen in movies, and less informed people are content with immersing themselves in another time period.
9Modern Warfare - Customization
Because technology has advanced so much since the 1940s, there are so many more things to put on a weapon these days. TheModern Warfaregames, particularly the latest one, allow for immensely deepweapon customization. Camos and attachments allow players to personalize their weapons to make them their own, and very few people will have the exact same weapon setup in their loadouts.
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There are also many more weapons to choose from in the first place, being able to draw from several different weapon manufacturers all over the world. Player customization has never been as good inCall of Dutyas it is inModern Warfare.
8WWII - Famous Battles
While theModern Warfaregames may draw inspiration from real-world contemporary conflicts, the World War II eraCall of Dutygames take players to actual historical locations to relive famous battles. Whether in the campaign or multiplayer, World War IICall of Dutygames likeWorld at WarandCall of Duty WWIIbring the pages of history books to life, which is an inherently interesting concept.
World War II movies and television shows do a great job of capturing the intensity of the war, but video games have the capability to actually put players on the front lines, andCall of Dutyhas always been the best at doing so.
7Modern Warfare - Weapon Variety
Being set several decades later, theModern Warfaregames have access to years of firearms that wouldn’t have existed during World War II. So many classicModern Warfarestaples like theM4A1 and AK47weren’t around in the 1940s, and the same can be said for just about every weapon featured in any modern-dayCall of Dutytitle.
As such, the weapon variety is unmatched inModern Warfaregames, and players will have access to a slew of assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, and much, much more in multiplayer matches and campaigns.
6WWII - Simplicity
Having fewer weapons doesn’t have to be a disadvantage, though. World War II games have an inherent simplicity in them due to the lack of crazy weaponry available at the time. Most World War II games will feature the same handful of weapons, andCall of Dutygames are no exception.
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Because of this, it’s much easier to balance a World War II shooter, meaning multiplayer matches are much less likely to be frustrating. There’s also just something about those classic World War II weapons like the M1 Garand and Thompson submachine gun that feels so satisfying to shoot.
5Modern Warfare - Maps
No matter whichModern Warfaregame you’re playing, the maps are excellent. The originalModern Warfaretrilogy boasts some of themost iconic mapsof not just anyCall of Dutygame, but any shooter ever created. Shipment, Rust, Dome, and many others are all-time classics, and the World War II eraCall of Dutygames hardly have any maps that are on a similar level.
There are a few notable exceptions, but on the whole, World War IICall of Dutymaps are fairly forgettable outside of their historical significance.Modern Warfaremaps excel in every possible way, from the layout to the aesthetics.
4WWII - Scope
World War II is one of the largest conflicts in all of human history, so it’s only natural that World War II video games would attempt to recreate the scope and scale of the global conflict.Call of Dutygames set during World War II do an excellent job of capturing the massive scale ofWorld War IIbattles, complete with impressive sound and visuals.
Later World War IICall of Dutygames also feature a mode called War, which recreates the tug of war feeling of an actual battle. This mode especially helps these games feel like actual historical recreations of World War II battlefields.
3Modern Warfare - Sound Design
The originalModern Warfaretrilogy had great sound design, but this one really only applies to the most recentModern Warfare. Infinity Ward took extra care to make sure everything in the game sounds as lifelike as possible, and as a result,Modern Warfarehas some of the best sounding weapons in any video game.
Every gunshot is as loud and impactful as you’d expect it to be, and shooting a gun indoors leads to hefty amounts of reverb.Modern Warfaresounds absolutely incredible every step of the way, and it really adds to the intensity of firefights.
2WWII - Zombies
Black Opsmay have overtaken the World War II eraCall of Dutygames as the premier zombies experience, butWorld at Warstarted the whole Nazi Zombie trend. This mode has gone on to become aCall of Dutystaple, and you have to assign credit where credit is due.Call of Duty WWIIalso features a zombies mode, but it pales in comparison to the other games.
Even if it might be subpar, though, it still beats theModern Warfaregames in this regard considering they don’t have a similar mode. They’ve tried other side modes, like survival, but none have come close to recreating the feeling of battling hordes of undead.
1Modern Warfare - Campaigns
TheModern Warfaregames have absolutelystellar single-player campaigns. The originalModern Warfaretrilogy tells one of the best stories of any first-person shooter campaign, packed with intense setpieces and memorable characters like Ghost and Captain Price.
The most recentModern Warfarealso reinvents these characters in a new setting, reimagining whatModern Warfareis for a new audience. No matter whichModern Warfaregame you’re playing, you’re in for a treat if you play the campaign. They’re filled with back to back highlights the entire way through, and each mission is more memorable than the last.
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