Released in 2017, Call of Duty WWII marked the franchise's return to World War II for the first time since 2008's Call of Duty: World at War. For the month of May 2020, PlayStation Plus Subscribers now have the opportunity to download the game free of charge as long they as keep their subscription.
While two other Call of Duty titles have come out since Sledgehammer Games' most recent contribution to the franchise, the journey through Nazi-controlled Europe is still worth playing. Not every aspect of the 2017 game holds up after Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Modern Warfare, but certain parts still shine just as brightly as they did almost three years ago.
10 Holds Up: Feel Of The Weaponry
Due to the time period and story following the U.S. army's assault, the game is relegated to certain types of weaponry. However, the limitations work to the game's advantage. The weapons of the time period have a distinct feel, which changes the way people play versus the high tech arsenal of the following titles taking place in the modern day and near future.
9 Doesn't Hold Up: Narrative
The grand scale of the conflict makes crafting a personal story more difficult. The foot soldiers don't have as much of a personal connection to the antagonists in the way Captain Price is connected to Makarov or Farah is to Barkov.
It does its best, and has the advantage of context most players already have from their knowledge of the war, but the characters feel like they have less of an impact on the conflict because they are just one soldier in a huge offense.
8 Holds Up: Squad Mechanics
One way this game differentiates itself from the rest is the squad mechanics. When they are ready, the player can call upon a comrade to grant them one of several boosts, depending on who is fighting alongside them. These include health packs, ammo, an artillery strike, or highlighting all the enemies on the field. They add another layer of strategy the other entries lack.
7 Doesn't Hold Up: Structure
The story takes place over several months and follows one group of soldiers as they fight back the fascist forces through Europe. Each level jumps forward several weeks, and as a result, the structure feels too loose. Most of the levels are big battles, which becomes tiresome after a while.
More stealth missions and smaller encounters would have been welcome. Additionally, big set pieces are often lacking, and players do not realize they are playing the last mission while they are playing it. Instead, it feels like an arbitrary ending followed up by a quick epilogue.
6 Holds Up: Scope Of The Battle
Even though they are too plentiful for their own good, the scope of many levels is still impressive almost three years after release. Modern Warfare's campaign levels still include their share of big battles.
However, they are self-contained and not a part of a massive international conflict. Call of Duty: WWII successfully translates the feeling of an entire world at war. This atmosphere is further driven home by the segments where players control a tank and a battle plane.
5 Doesn't Hold Up: Dogfight
Thankfully, the dogfighting sequence is brief. While it is initially thrilling to be up in the air, turn, and hunt down enemies in a plane, one will wish it ended quicker. It controls slow, and shooting tiny targets far away simply is not fun. At least it breaks up the monotony of first-person shooter gameplay, though it certainly could have been made more exciting.
4 Holds Up: Graphics
Even though Modern Warfare runs on a new engine and boasts a number of impressive technological enhancements, Call of Duty: WWII still manages to impress visually. The character models in particular stand out, and the steady frame rate certainly helps keep the visuals looking pristine three years later. Modern Warfare looks exceptional, almost like a next-gen title, while WWII is about on par with what one expects to see in 2020.
3 Doesn't Hold Up: Animation
One of the best additions to Modern Warfare's visuals is the improved animation. Kills feel infinitely more satisfying with the way enemies fall to the ground and interact with their environment. In WWII, watching an enemy fall from a great height or lobbing a grenade at them does not elicit the same feeling. Enemies quickly fall to the ground when killed. Even worse, sometimes two enemies will have the same death animation immediately after each other.
2 Holds Up: Emotional Impact
Even though much of the story is forgettable, the emotional impact of the ending is still heartfelt. Saving Zussman and seeing the way the Nazis treated the prisoners is devastating. The relationship between Zussman, Daniels, and Pierce is the narrative's saving grace, and it pays off during the epilogue. It is just a shame the rest of the story beforehand is not as interesting.
1 Doesn't Hold Up: Multiplayer Hub Area
For the first time in the series, players can access a hub area before jumping into multiplayer battles. Unfortunately, this just serves to muddy the options and menus. Ultimately, people want to jump into a match as quickly as possible. Seeing it done in lackluster fashion really makes one appreciate the times when it is done efficiently. In Modern Warfare, jumping into a game and customizing a loadout is quick and simple.