Summary
- Call of Duty: World at War stands out from other games in the franchise with its serious and historically grounded campaign, as well as its successful implementation of co-op gameplay and Death Cards for added replayability.
- The Nazi Zombies mode in World at War was a surprise hit and became a cultural phenomenon, with each additional map in the game improving upon the mode and helping it reach its peak with the timeless Der Riese.
- A remake or remaster of Call of Duty: World at War would be well-deserved, as it is often overlooked and forgotten despite being the starting point for Treyarch's beloved Zombies mode and having classic multiplayer maps that have not been seen in over a decade.
When debating the best games in the Call of Duty franchise, a few entries in the series are often brought up. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare not only changed the FPS genre through its campaign, but its simplicity with killstreaks and memorable maps helped its multiplayer thrive. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 not only had one of the most action-packed campaigns of the series, but also an absurdly fun multiplayer that shined in part because it was so unbalanced. The first two Black Ops games are also mentioned in the conversation of “best CoD game,” as their twist-filled stories were well-written, their multiplayer modes were deep and competitive, and they took Zombies to new heights. However, another game should be mentioned more: World at War.
The brilliant Black Ops subseries was built from what Treyarch learned in 2008’s Call of Duty: World at War. So much of the game worked well, and it was a nice change of pace from 2007’s flashy Modern Warfare. The campaign had its share of Call of Duty setpieces and big moments, but also aimed to explore the grittiness of World War 2, ensuring that it did not shy away from violence. Multiplayer was much like Call of Duty 4 but with a World War 2 aesthetic, meaning it was simple and fun, while CoD Zombies got its start here. Unfortunately, it feels like World at War has been lost to history, with Activision failing to give it the love it deserves.
How Call of Duty Has Been Able to Stay Relevant For 20 Years
With the original Call of Duty celebrating its 20-year anniversary today, it’s worth looking at how the franchise has remained relevant for so long.
Call of Duty: World at War Deserves More Appreciation
Why Call of Duty: World at War is So Special
In terms of campaigns, Call of Duty: World at War feels different from other entries in the series. It is still a fantasized version of World War 2, but Treyarch did do its research, and the historical elements of the game make it feel more serious than a lot of the franchise’s other campaigns. This is a nice change of pace, as is the co-op option, which allows players to go through the missions with a friend. Though other campaigns like Black Ops 3 have tried co-op, it worked particularly well here, especially when adding Death Cards to the mix. Essentially the CoD equivalent of Halo’s skulls, these modifiers added a lot of replayability to the mode.
Plenty has been said about Call of Duty Zombies losing its way in recent years, but in its early days, it was unstoppable. A surprise success, Nazi Zombies went from a bonus mode that unlocked after the campaign to a cultural phenomenon, improving with each World at War map and peaking with the timeless Der Riese. As for multiplayer, using classic guns like the StG and the PPSh in the beachy Makin and rocky Cliffside never got old. With some players finding newer games overly complex, a low number of streaks and simple attachment system like World at War had may seem refreshing, just as Modern Warfare Remastered was in 2016. Sadly, with the game now full of hackers, it is impossible to experience World at War multiplayer properly today. Unless a remaster comes, as the game is too old now to waste time on patches, its multiplayer will stay forgotten.
Call of Duty: World at War was where Treyarch’s beloved Zombies mode started, with all four of its maps remade several times. Despite this, players still return to the original versions, as they miss the classic weapons and gloomier aesthetic World at War brought to the table.
A Call of Duty: World at War Remake Should Happen
Considering that Viktor Reznov was a key character in the original Black Ops game, if campaign or full remasters for the Black Ops series ever happen, it would make sense for a new version of World at War to be made first. After all, this is where the Black Ops timeline really begins, and it deserves to be recognized as such. A remake or remaster could allow issues like the grenade spam in Veteran to be solved, too. Plus, even though Castle and Dome have been revived, many of World at War’s multiplayer maps have not been seen in over a decade, meaning that they would feel fresh for many. And while Zombies fans may balk at yet another remake of Nacht Der Untoten or Shi No Numa, if they are truly faithful remakes that have the creepy vibes of the originals as well as all the old guns, they would be a bit more exciting. World at War deserves to be in the discussion about the best CoD games, and a fresh coat of paint could remind fans just how good it is.
- Released
- November 11, 2008
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- IW
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Call of Duty
WHERE TO PLAY
Call of Duty is back, redefining war like you've never experienced before. Building on the Call of Duty 4®: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War immerses players into the most gritty and chaotic WWII combat ever experienced. Players band together to survive the most harrowing and climactic battles that led to the demise of the Axis powers on the European and Pacific fronts. The title offers an uncensored experience with unique enemies and combat variety, including Kamikaze fighters, ambush attacks, Banzai charges and cunning cover tactics, as well as explosive on-screen action through the all new four-player cooperative campaign. The addictive competitive multiplayer has also been enhanced with new infantry and vehicle-based action, a higher level cap, more weapons, and a host of new Perks, maps and challenges.
- Genre(s)
- FPS
