Few first-person shooters can compete with the juggernaut that is Call of Duty. Each game in series provides adrenaline-fueled combat with an engaging multiplayer offering. While the series has created over a dozen games at this point, each one in the franchise is much more varied than meets the eye.
Three studios alternate yearly to release a CoD game: Infinity Ward, Treyarch, and Sledgehammer Games. Infinity Ward is known mostly for the Modern Warfare series, and Treyarch is known for creating Black Ops. Both series have been competing for gamer's attention since their inception, providing the chaotic gunplay in unique ways.
10 Modern Warfare: Killstreak Variety
Most fans of Modern Warfare will remember how game-changing killstreaks were to the flow of a match. CoD 4's introduction of the system was great for the time, but every MW game since has upped the ante.
Modern Warfare 2 introduced some of the most overpowered killstreaks the series has seen, ranging from the 7-kill Harrier Strike to the game-ending Tactical Nuke at a whopping 25 kills. Modern Warfare 3 then added Strike Packages, classes of killstreaks that encourage certain styles of play. The fan-favorite was Specialist, forgoing traditional killstreaks for perks instead.
9 Black Ops: Experimental Additions
While the Modern Warfare series nailed the core gunplay that makes CoD so addictive, Infinity Ward never dived into the social aspect of the series as well as Treyarch has.
The first Black Ops alone introduced Theater Mode, private matches with bots, and Wager Matches such as Gun Game and One In The Chamber. Black Ops 2 would later go on to overhaul the Create-A-Class system while Black Ops 3 overhauled its movement mechanics. Even the changes to healing in Black Ops 4 dramatically changed that game's sandbox.
8 Modern Warfare: Spec Ops
Spec Ops was an optional third mode that started in Modern Warfare 2 and was also included in Modern Warfare 3 and the rebooted Modern Warfare. These missions are bite-sized encounters that reward speed and accuracy.
Missions ranged from replaying segments of the campaign to playing levels from the enemy's perspective. It was a great change of pace for the series and allowed for some fun co-op moments. Most also forget about Modern Warfare 3's Survival Mode, a Spec Ops variant that tasked players with surviving against waves of enemies. Admittedly, the Spec Ops variant in the reboot is rather lackluster, but Spec Ops is a core part of the MW formula that many enjoy.
7 Black Ops: Setting Variety
One of Modern Warfare's largest weaknesses is that it's stuck in the modern-day setting. Black Ops has the ability to create games in any setting they wish, something Treyarch has used to great effect.
Vietnam and the Cold War were the centerpieces for the first Black Ops. Each game since has pushed the near-future setting with Black Ops 2's focus on drones, Black Ops 3's take on transhumanism through technology, and Black Ops 4's prequel approach to the third entry. No game in the Black Ops series overlaps to the degree the Modern Warfare games do.
6 Modern Warfare: Campaigns
Infiltrating missile silos, defending the White House, and clearing apartment buildings in the dead of night are what Modern Warfare's campaigns are all about.
These campaigns are grounded just enough in reality to get fans invested in the story, but the Call of Duty games never pretend they're anything more than games either. Rushing through urban environments while taking out dozens of troops is a great distraction from the multiplayer offering. Campaigns that Treyarch made are solid as well, but the third game is just a confusing mess. Black Ops 4 doesn't even have a campaign to begin with.
5 Black Ops: Multiplayer Maps
It is hard to pick which series has the best maps; Modern Warfare has classics such as Rust, Terminal, Dome, and Vacant. Black Ops also provided some fan-favorites.
Firing Range, Hijacked, Raid, and Nuketown are just a few maps that Black Ops fans adore. Most of these maps have a perfect balance between lane-control and vantage points through buildings. Most maps in Modern Warfare 3 and the reboot aren't as fleshed out as the maps in Black Ops 2 and arguably Black Ops 3. Even the mediocre maps had something to set them apart, whether that was the art style or interactive elements.
4 Modern Warfare: Warzone
Battle Royale has taken the gaming landscape by storm. Virtually every competitive FPS title has a BR mode, Call of Duty included. Treyarch has their own take with Black Ops 4's Blackout, but Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Warzone is one of the most successful BR games of all time.
Its blend of large-scale combat with Modern Warfare's sandbox is a refreshing shift from Blackout's larger focus on loot and pure gun skill. Vehicles, killstreaks, and even custom Create-A-Class Loadouts are all present to great effect. Those disappointed with Modern Warfare's multiplayer offering should give Warzone a chance. Its sandbox works much better here than in 6v6 matches. Best of all, it's free.
3 Black Ops: Pick 10
Control over your loadout was the largest achievement of Black Ops 2. Its introduction of the Pick 10 system revolutionized the Create-A-Class system and has been in almost every Call of Duty since.
Instead of choosing your favorite weapons and perks, Black Ops 2 let players have full control over what they could use. Every item in your loadout costs 1 point and Wildcards exist to break traditional rules. Players could use 2 perks in the same category or invest most of their points in their primary weapon. Choice was paramount in this system. Pick 10 also made for a much healthier meta in Black Ops 2 and subsequent entries.
2 Modern Warfare: Chaotic Matches
No franchise in FPS history has as intense gunfights as Call of Duty. Infinity Ward tends to focus on more chaotic matches than Treyarch, usually a result from game balance or map design.
Maps in the older Modern Warfare titles encourage players to push to certain positions, allowing many to run-and-gun. Killstreak snowballing helped keep players moving as well. Infinity Ward's 2019 reboot captured the spirit of this thanks to Super Sprint and short TTK values for guns. Treyarch's games have less overpowered killstreaks and weapons to encourage more objective play. It's a personal preference, but many CoD fans prefer the chaotic nature of Infinity Ward's titles than Treyarch's slower entries.
1 Black Ops: Zombies
Entire communities have been created based on Black Ops's fantastic Zombies mode. As a bonus map in World At War, Zombies has exploded into one of the largest survival modes in any video game.
Zombies is a rather simple mode. Players spawn into a map and need to survive as long as possible, obtaining new weapons and perks by opening parts of the map. Easter eggs have been included in later entries to keep things interesting, with Black Ops 3 and 4's easter eggs taking the forefront of gameplay. There's something in this mode for everyone no matter your skill level. Even if you dislike Treyarch's campaigns and multiplayer offerings, few games can match the pure carnage of Zombies.