Why Call Of Duty: World At War Is The Series’ Most Underrated Entry

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Despite being critically well received upon release, Treyarch’s Call of Duty: World at War was overshadowed by both Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare series and Treyarch’s own follow-up, Call of Duty: Black Ops, making it perhaps the most underrated entry in the franchise. World at War had the unfortunate fate of releasing just after Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare divested the series from its World War II setting, and the industry had seen a glut of video games set during the conflict over the previous two console generations. Modern Warfare shifted the trajectory of most first-person shooters away from WWII, which made World at War appear obsolete by comparison, but it was a compelling addition to the Call of Duty franchise.

Set in the Pacific and Eastern theatres of WWII, World at War boasts a gripping story that draws inspiration from films such as Enemy at the Gates and The Thin Red Line. It packs some great star power, including Gary Oldman’s COD debut as Captain Reznov, a role he went on to reprise in Treyarch’s Black Ops series. Kiefer Sutherland also lent his voice to World at War’s campaign as Sergeant Roebuck, a grizzled marine veteran who leads the player in the U.S.’s island-hopping campaign against the Japanese Empire. The World at War campaign is just as cinematic as Modern Warfare’s, with standout moments at the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Berlin, which concludes with the player planting the Soviet flag atop the Reichstag.

Treyarch didn’t innovate too much on the perk, killstreak, and attachment systems introduced by Infinity Ward in Modern Warfare, but the studio did adapt them to the World at War multiplayer’s setting faithfully. UAVs were replaced with recon planes, precision air strikes became overwhelming artillery bombardments, and helicopter support was switched out for a terrifying pack of bloodthirsty hounds. The end result is essentially just Modern Warfare multiplayer but in WWII. It’s understandable the game didn’t receive the same level of plaudits as Modern Warfare in that regard, but World at War’s PvP was no less enjoyable to play. It’s grittier and more brutal than its immediate predecessor – and possibly the best Call of Duty set during WWII so far.

World At War Is Just As Good As COD: Modern Warfare & Black Ops

World at War isn’t all rinse and repeat from Modern Warfare, however. While the game owes much of its success to Infinity Ward’s revolutionary shooter of the previous year, it was still able to provide a significant contribution of its own: Nazi Zombies. What started as a neat little bonus in World at War has become a behemoth of its own over the years, receiving several expansions in World at War before getting more and more ambitious with each subsequent entry of Black Ops. Many Call of Duty fans are dedicated Zombies players, and Call of Duty: Vanguard is introducing the tenth iteration of the beloved game mode – a testament to the World at War invention’s enduring quality.

In light of the resurgent presence of WWII shooters in recent years, World at War deserves another look. Call of Duty: Vanguard’s WWII setting appears to be recapturing the visceral bleakness of the Eastern Front previously depicted in World at War, even remastering fan-favorite maps from the game for its multiplayer, and marks only the second time Call of Duty has revisited the conflict since 2008. Vanguard, 2017’s Call of Duty: WWII, Battlefield V, and Hell Let Loose illustrate there’s still a place for WWII shooters, and perhaps that Call of Duty: World at War, while not so innovative, is unfortunate not to be treated with the same kind of reverence as Modern Warfare and Black Ops.

About The Author

Ewan Paterson
(75 Articles Published)

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Ewan is a Gaming Features Editor for Screen Rant and may in fact have way too many interests. His love for comic books, video games and Dad Movies also instilled in him a love for writing, which he’s been doing since he was about 16. Originally from Liverpool, Ewan made the move to Newcastle in 2014 to study History at Northumbria University (which he loved), and has stayed there ever since. You may have heard/seen him on YouTube a bunch as well.

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