The Origins of a Legend
Call of Duty — revisit the genre‑defining 2003 WWII FPS.
(Buy PS5 Now) –> COD is arguably the biggest FPS juggernaut in history, but it’s hard to believe that, at one point, its success was not guaranteed. Several former Medal of Honor developers got together to form the much-beloved Infinity Ward. Their goal? Deliver a WWII experience like no other. They wanted something bigger, better, and more epic than anything that had come before it. What we got was a game with big set pieces, fast-paced gameplay, and multiple fronts to really put the “world” in World War.
A Global War from Three Angles
We play as three different factions in their war against Nazi Germany: the USA, the UK, and the USSR. One huge thing that helped the Call of Duty game stand out from the competition was the heavy importance and implementation of a squad-based combat system. In previous WWII games, you largely played solo, or your AI companions were essentially just props with no real use on the battlefield. Your squadmates here actually have pretty decent AI and can help take down enemies and take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Awkward Controls, But Effective Combat
The weapons system, while functional, is pretty awkward for first-time players. Instead of pressing triangle to swap weapons, you use it to toggle your whole inventory. For example, to throw a grenade, you actually have to switch to the grenade before being able to chuck it. It’s not terrible — it just takes some getting used to. The guns are all finely tuned and accurate in combat. One thing that was present here but strangely absent in many following titles was the ability to lean behind cover in combat. This is actually quite helpful and can really tip the balance in your favor.
A great way to help conserve your ammo and avoid blindly spraying everywhere is the ability to switch most automatic weapons to semi-auto.
Visuals and Voice Acting That Didn’t Age Gracefully
The graphics are pretty solid for the time — be mindful, the Call of Duty game is over 20 years old. That being said, the animations are hilariously dated. All the characters in the game walk around like they have rocks in their shoes. The voice acting is hysterically bad, especially for the Soviet campaign. Those are, bar none, the worst Russian accents I have EVER heard. The actual campaign itself, despite being dated, is still really solid and well worth revisiting. There’s a surprising amount of variety in its approach.
A good chunk of the game is made up of big, bombastic battles, but it switches things up enough to keep things fresh — playing as a British commando infiltrating a base, or flying through the battlefield on wheels in exciting, high-speed chases.
A Soundtrack That Hits All the Right Notes
The music in Call of Duty is simply splendid and really helps sell the atmosphere and setting. It goes from fast-paced and heart-pounding to slower and somber, like you can finally put your boots up after a long battle. This was back when the campaign was considered the main attraction, and online was more of an add-on. Speaking of which — there is still online play active to this day on PC. Mind you, this is over 20 years old, so it’s very basic. No customization, no killstreaks, no perks — just a nice, clean, and simple good time. In a strange way, it’s actually surprisingly refreshing.
Final Thoughts: A Certified Classic
This is a certified classic that I cannot praise enough. Everything the developers set out to do was done: a WWII game with multiple perspectives, big action set pieces, and fun gameplay. This game is not hard to come by, but it’s sadly really only available on PC. It was released on PS3 and 360, but for some reason, it has not made the jump to any modern consoles. Why they don’t re-release it, I’ll never know. So for anyone with a PC — give this a try immediately. See where the phenomenon all began. You won’t be disappointed.
Verdict: 9/10