Best Call of Duty Campaigns

Call of Duty is one of the most historic franchises in all of gaming history. With the latest installment, Call of Duty: WWII, many may be left wondering what the best Call of Duty campaign is. While the series is mostly known for its multiplayer exploits, its campaigns are truly what make the series so great. It has some of the most memorable campaigns in first-person shooter history. While Battlefield temporarily took the crown of the best first-person shooter series briefly, Call of Duty has roared back in prolific fashion. Here are the best Call of Duty campaigns, a tribute to the greatest first-person shooter series of all time.

5. World at War

Call of Duty: World at War was the second Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch, and in my opinion, their best. It was the first Call of Duty game that took place in the Pacific Theater of World War II, which we still haven’t seen since. It also featured the Eastern Front of the where, where the Nazis were driven off by the Russians. It introduced a gripping story that was much more mature than previous installments in the series and introduced super cool weapons such as flamethrowers, among other things. What this really did was show the brutality of the war though. Let’s be clear: these were machines designed to kill. The Japanese were relentless in the game and while some may think it was a bit stereotypical, the campaign was Treyarch’s finest moment, better than Call of Duty 3 and the Black Ops games, believe it or not.

4. Call of Duty 2

Call of Duty 2 was masterful, split into three different stories depicting the Americans, Soviets, and the Brits. Call of Duty 2 was also many gamers first exposure to the Call of Duty franchise. I remember the very first time I played Call of Duty as actually in an EB Games, playing Call of Duty 2 on an Xbox 360 before the console’s launch; CoD 2 was actually a launch title for the system and was what sold my younger brother on the system. Eventually, it probably in part sold me on the Xbox 360 three years later, although on an unconscious level (I played MW and Mass Effect almost exclusively). The campaign was epic, gripping, and is what caused so many millions of console fans to fall in love with the series.

3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Quite a while ago we told Activision that they needed to sell Modern Warfare Remastered as a stand-alone title. It took a while, but eventually, they did listen to us. Modern Warfare redefined the Call of Duty franchise. The campaign was like nothing we had ever seen in a first-person shooter game before. Before Call of Duty 4, FPS games were almost exclusively set during World War II. The series even briefly returned to its roots in World at War, although with a twist in the Pacific Theater and Eastern Front. Modern Warfare was full of action, terrorism, and the world at the brink of disaster. It also sets off the events of its sequel. It catapulted the genre into a new era and the campaign cannot be forgotten for that. Not to mention, playing with modern weaponry so so damn fun! It’s really cool to play as Soap MacTavish, develop him as a character, and then see him in action in the sequel. It was a brilliant move on the developer’s part.

2. Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2’s campaign was simply epic. It was also fairly dark, especially given the controversial “elevator scene.” Did you shoot up the terminal? Such a scene in today’s day and age may not have gotten passed the ESRB to be quite honest. Soap and Price are two of the most memorable characters in all of Call of Duty history and their relationship really shined in this game. There was also a separate story going on concurrently with Price’s rescue, with the invasion of the United States by Russia (does this sound eerily scary and relevant?). It can be a little over the top, but that’s what makes it so much fun.

The highlight of the campaign for me was fighting through Washington, using ordinary buildings as command locations. The campaign deals with international instability, personal betrayal, brotherhood, and the first time the invasion of America was put on screen. It was horrifying. I can only pray that we and future generations never have to witness this. But, because of it, along with Price and Soap’s story, Modern Warfare 2 is the second best Call of Duty campaign and FPS campaign of all time. Not to mention, it has one of the most shocking betrayals in video game history.

 

1. Call of Duty: WWII

This will be so controversial but simply put it doesn’t matter. As stated in our review, Call of Duty: WWII was Band of Brothers transformed into a form of interactive entertainment. The battles weren’t over the top like in Modern Warfare 2, but they were grounded in realism and were beyond epic in their own right. The Battle of Normandy and The Battle of the Bulge stand out as two of the absolute best. There’s also a level of realism in the game that is very touching; servicemembers leaving hospitals earlier in order to serve, given the option of actually shooting prisoners of war. This did happen during World War II, no matter how much we want to forget about it; the view was a Krout was a Krout, much like how people today view Nazis, even though some who fought for the Nazis were forced to (not all) and some were simply kids fighting for their country. This is brought up in Band of Brothers and it is even brought up in Call of Duty: WWII.

Activision did something very different with Call of Duty: WWII, going away from the horrible futuristic direction that was plaguing the series. My friends and I literally laughed at the PlayStation E3 2016 press conference (we were there) when Infinite Warfare was announced and were more excited for the Modern Warfare remake. It all worked out though. We needed a game like Infinite Warfare in order to get a masterpiece like WWII.

Activision has rectified the series, finally. Call of Duty: WWII has brought the series back to being the king of first-person shooters, even better than Battlefront 1.

It has no equal.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 is Better Than Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV has been a massive disappointment. While people thought it would be the series’ saving grace, it plunged the series into an even deeper hole. While the Final Fantasy XIII series has been blasted by critics, XIII and XIII-2 have comparable metacritic scores compared to XV. Final Fantasy XIII-2 has a 79 metacritic score, while Final Fantasy XV has an 81 score. What’s even more amusing is Final Fantasy XIII, which is criticized so heavily, has an 83 score. Yes, different times, different reviewers, but it’s still relevant. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV because the characters are more engaging, the story is superior and well told, the combat is better, and it’s just more enjoyable.

Where Final Fantasy XV really falters is the narrative. The story has an interesting premise, but the story is so poorly told. Parts of the story are not even told in-game, which is an absolute joke. I should not have to watch a film and an anime series to get the full story. Put it in the game. On the other hand, Final Fantasy XIII-2’s story is fantastic. Yes, it does use a lot of the set pieces from XIII, but the time travel aspect of the game really makes the narrative shine. Final Fantasy is all about story and is one of the paramount reasons why Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV. The narrative isn’t sloppily put together like XV and it’s a very enjoyable tale.

Final Fantasy XV is a story about a boy band gone wrong. At least that’s what it feels like. The brotherhood aspect is understandable, but the characters are so underdeveloped and really boring. Noctis is a horrible lead character and the only member of the cast I even cared about was Ardyn; he was a fantastic villain. Final Fantasy XIII-2’s story was fantastic. It always kept you guessing what was coming next. The Historia Crux was a great way to navigate the world and keep the game from being linear. One of the major problems with XV is that it gives the illusion of an open world. Yes, you can go around and explore, but it’s nothing like Xenoblade X where you can go and explore each continent from the get go. This is what many Final Fantasy fans were hoping for and were let down. Driving the car is a total pain and the game’s story was a major let down, especially chapter 13.

The characters in Final Fantasy XIII-2 have a lot more depth than the characters in Final Fantasy XV. It’s what makes the game and is one of the reasons why Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV. One of the major problems with Final Fantasy XV is that there are no strong female characters. This is a huge problem; there’s no diversity. It’s just four guys traveling around in a car. XIII-2’s Serah may appear weak in the beginning of the game, but as the game goes on she shows her inner strength. There is so much character development in the game and it’s really powerful that the lead character in the game is a young woman. Noel is also a great character and and develops throughout the game and is the perfect companion for Serah. It’s also helpful that there are just two main characters compared to four in XV. Even the villain Caius has a complex motivation and while Ardyn is a great villain, I would put him on par with Caius.

The combat in Final Fantasy XV is weak. It’s full of button mashing and simply put, it’s not enjoyable. Just attempt to cast magic spells. Your party members will get caught up in the blast. Have your party members cast spells and you are most certainly to get caught up in the blast. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV because the combat is better, in part. While Final Fantasy XV’s combat is more button mashing and action-adventure, Final Fantasy XIII-2 utilizes paradigms and is actually quite fun. You can either attack manually or have your characters attack automatically once you figure out the enemies’ weaknesses. Real time turn-based combat in JRPGs are almost always superior to action-type button mashing, proving once again Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV.

Final Fantasy XV can be an enjoyable game, but it is a huge letdown. Final Fantasy XIII-2 is superior in almost every facet, it just gets a lukewarm rap because it’s associated with the XIII series, which is actually quite good. It just has a group of vocal fans who dislike it intensely. XIII-2 is the best Final Fantasy game to come out since X, and I would argue it’s better than that game. From the characters, combat, and narrative, Final Fantasy XV is just weak. There are so many reasons why Final Fantasy XIII-2 is better than Final Fantasy XV. Come a year from now after the hype has subsided, people will rip into Final Fantasy XV like they did XIII.

Batman The Telltale Series — Realm of Shadows Trailer Premieres

The Batman The Telltale Series — Realm of Shadows trailer has premiered alongside a press release by Telltale Games, as well as a launch date. The episode is set to come out on August 2. The game will be available for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, and iOS and Android devices.

In the trailer, narrated by Alfred, there is a very interesting piece of dialogue: “There is room for Bruce and Batman in that suit.” This goes hand-in-hand with what Telltale is trying to accomplish, in balancing the characters, showing Batman in half the scenes and then Bruce in the other half. The quote may actually allude to something more, that the Batman and Bruce Wayne personas will eventually merge. If that were the case, this will be one of the most unique stories about The Dark Knight ever told. We were very impressed by what we saw at E3 2016, and the Batman The Telltale Series — Realm of Shadows trailer has us even more excited.

Half of the scenes in Batman The Telltale Series — Ream of Shadows trailer are taken from the demo we were able to witness at E3. If the trailer and demo are any indication, this has all the makings of a classic Batman tale and could be one of the definitive takes on the narrative.

Microsoft Announces Games With Gold January Offerings

Microsoft’s Games with Gold program, which allows those with an Xbox Live subscription to receive free games, has announced their offerings for January 2016. On the Xbox One, Killer Instinct: Season 1 Ultimate Edition will be available from January 1 to January 31, while Zeros, a brand new Xbox One title, will be available from January 16 to February 15. On the Xbox 360, DiRT Showdown is available from January 1 to January 15 and Deus Ex: Human Revolution is available from January 16 to January 31.

While this isn’t one of Microsoft’s more flashy Games with Gold lineups, Xbox 360 owners do get a fantastic game in Deus Ex: Human Revolution.

Telltale Games Set to Re-release Back to the Future as a 30th Anniversary Edition

Telltale Games, who cemented their name in the video game industry with the The Walking Dead seasons one and two, has announced that they are re-releasing Back to the Future: The Game to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. While the re-release features upgraded textures and additional voice work by Biff’s original voice actor from the films, Tom Wilson, there is also a wealth of behind the scenes footage with interviews from staff and voice actors involved with the original game.

Back to the Future: The Game – 30th Anniversary Edition will be available on the PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 both digitally and in stores on October 13 in America. Europe will follow shortly and see the game on October 16.

Source: IGN

Destiny 2.0 Impressions — A Prelude to The Taken King

Destiny launched a year ago with all the anticipation one would expect from a game developed by Halo creator Bungie. The game received solid critical praise, but many felt the game was incomplete. Factor in the confusing story, repetitive missions, and two $20 expansion packs in The Dark Below and House of Wolves, which arguably were not worth that much, and you’re looking at a $100 game in just its first year. Year two attempts to fix this, and if this prelude to The Taken King is any indication, Destiny is now a brand new game.

The first thing that jumped out at me is the brand new title screen, as well as the new music, which is beautiful. The overworld map (well, sort of an overworld map — the map of all the different planets and such) has been completely overhauled with new artwork, and for the better.

The most important aspects of the changes to the game are not the cosmetic changes but the differences in the gameplay and leveling systems. The flawed light level system has been eliminated. You can still accrue light points, which appear to play an integral role in The Taken King, but these do not factor into your overall level. Bounties are now much more streamlined, as when you finish a bounty, you no longer need to visit the Tower to cash it in — you can merely do so from your quest menu. You can now also receive quests to complete from NPCs which require a number a steps and usually give you a fantastic reward. You can also mark quests and bounties and check on your status by pressing the center button (at least on the Playstation 4 version). The entire system seems to be revamped, and for the better.

The Taken King!

Certain weapons have also been buffed and nerfed. If you play like me and go around shotgunning people to death, that’s not nearly as easy as it used to be, as shotguns have received a bit of a nerf in terms of power and accuracy. Hand Cannons are also not nearly as powerful either; although as a pistol guy, I still enjoy using them. The infamous Thorn can no longer get an insta-kill and it’s poison-like damage has been reduced, but it can still make for a three-shot kill in PvP (Player versus Player). The downside to Hand Cannons is that their range has been reduced, such as with The Last Word, but they are more balanced now.

Assault Rifles have seen a massive buff, and as far as I’ve seen online, everyone is using them — and many with great success. I prefer the precision of a Hand Cannon, but one cannot deny the sheer power Assault Rifles will possess in The Taken King. This will definitely shift the balance of power in the game and probably make it more level all around.

My favorite weapon in Destiny, the Thorn

In the Crucible, which is Destiny’s multiplayer mode where Guardians battle one another for victory and splendor, there is a new game mode that is being showcased from The Taken King — Rift. In Rift, a “spark” spawns somewhere near the center of the map. Each team must battle to pick up the spark and carry it to the opposing team’s rift, destroying it and accumulating points in the process. Strategy is key for this game mode, as each team’s rift must not go unprotected when the other team acquires the spark. What ensues is a large amount of chaos and a heck of a lot of fun.

There have been seven maps that I have played so far that are currently rotating in The Taken King’s Rift mode, and those are Vertigo, Frontier, Sector 618 (a Playstation exclusive until 2016), Crossroads, Pantheon, Bannerfall, Black Shield, and Thieve’s Den. All of these maps are brand new except for Black Shield, which appeared in the House of Wolves expansion, and Pantheon, which appeared in The Dark Below expansion pack. All of the maps are very compact and ultimately converge on the center, which is where the spark spawns. Each team’s Rift is located at opposite sides of the map, and one of the clever design aspects of these new maps is finding the best route to the enemy team’s rift without getting pulverized by your opponents in the process. It is very strategic and a lot of fun.

The new stage “Bannerfall”

One of the things that makes the Rift Crucible mode so incredibly fun is that it’s not really about kill-to-death ratio; you accumulate a lot of points from carrying the spark and ultimately destroying your opponent’s rift. Wins are based on points, and if your team is losing too badly there is a chance that the game could be called before the 20,000 point mark is reached. After a match where a victory is one-sided, the teams are automatically rebalanced, which is a nice touch to make matches more diverse.

Although Destiny 2.0 is only a prelude to The Taken King, it lives up to the hype and completely reinvents the game, making it everything that Destiny should have been at launch. The Taken King has so much more in store for us and I personally am very excited to get my hands on it. Rift mode is amazing but is not the only new Crucible game mode that is coming, and while some of the weapon rebalancing takes some adjusting, it makes the game much more balanced in the long run. With a more streamlined system and a promising campaign, The Taken King is shaping up to be everything that Destiny fans could ever dream for.

Destiny 2.0 Patch Goes Live Tomorrow, Previews The Taken King

In anticipation of The Taken King expansion, Bungie is launching their 2.0 patch for Destiny tomorrow, September 8. One of the most exciting aspects about this patch is that if you are on the fence about purchasing The Taken King, you will still be able to preview certain aspects of this much-anticipated continuation of the Destiny saga.

There are a number of changes coming to Destiny, including the elimination of light levels, a new level cap of 40, brand new weapons and gear, an exotic blueprint system, and new multiplayer modes and maps. This doesn’t even take into account the expanded campaign mode, which will be much more streamlined than its predecessors.

The Taken King will be released on the PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360 on September 15 and is what many Destiny fans have been waiting for since the game’s initial launch.

In the meantime, Bungie has released a brand new trailer for The Taken King to whet our appetites even more.

Source: Bungie, YouTube