Call of Duty: Vanguard Critic Reviews

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a standout shooter experience. A globetrotting campaign that features some of the franchise’s best visuals features a core mystery that is over far too quickly but remains strong. I also wish the Zombies mode wasn’t impacted by a content drop that is expected a month from launch, meaning that players are given an engaging but sometimes toothless wave-based assault on the undead. Yet the multiplayer is an exceptional entry at the heart of Vanguard. It offers refinement on the standard set by Modern Warfare and gives players an incredible amount of challenges to complete to best show off their combat prowess. While a new Warzone map isn’t here yet, there’s plenty to look forward to in the months to come. Despite skipping a year, Sledgehammer Games is at its peak with Call of Duty: Vanguard, delivering a premium World War II shooter and an incredible Call of Duty game.

Call of Duty: Vanguard may be the best CoD installment to date with stunning graphics that shine on the new systems and finely tuned, balanced gun play. They bring a new and fresh approach to the WWII and D-Day scenario making the solo campaign just as enjoyable as the multiplayer.

This is a good installment, but the stutter in combat makes me wonder if it’s as polished as it should be. The game has crashed on me sometimes during Blitz modes in particular, with a lot of players. But overall it held up tremendously well in multiplayer as I fought my way to the first Prestige level and got through it with a 0.84 kill/death ratio. In fact, the more I played the more I enjoyed multiplayer.

The stars have aligned for Call of Duty: Vanguard. For the first time, this truly feels like a full package without any caveats. Sure, some parts are naturally stronger than others but there isn’t a weak link in sight. After back to back triumphs, Call of Duty is now on a killstreak.

Even failing at "showing World Wart Two like never before", Call of Duty Vanguard is a great FPS. Campaign is full of epic (and some dramatic) moments, multiplayer is fun and fast, and includes 16 maps (twice as the previous Call of Duty game) with plenty of modes and progression elements, and the new zombies mode is incredibly fun.

Call of Duty: Vanguard brings us a great mixture of thrilling story campaign, fresh multiplayer modes and an innovative Zombie mode. It is a fantastic experience for fans of the series and the 1st person shooters as well.

Sledgehammer Games is back after 4 years and they are coming back in great shape. Of course, the different multiplayer modes are still effective, but this year the single player campaign really makes the difference. It has more depth with interesting characters and a spectacular setting. We did not expect such a graphically beautiful game either.

As a complete package, from a Call of Duty developer that hasn’t yet established its own Modern Warfare or Black Ops sub-franchise, Vanguard feels like it could end up being Sledgehammer’s tentpole. Iconic characters, unique multiplayer and map design, and overall integration into the wider Call of Duty experience set the pace for not only the next year, but whatever comes next from Sledgehammer.

Vanguard is an incremental iteration for the Call of Duty franchise. It’s a solid entry in the series that does well what Call of Duty does well, but it doesn’t stand-out as a landmark release. If you enjoy Call of Duty, haven’t played for a few years, or are new to franchise, then by all means jump in. The water’s fine.

Aside from breath-taking visuals, the campaign mode of Vanguard doesn’t have much to say, as it’s the standard short and sweet Call of Duty campaign that we’ve known for years, but when it comes to multiplayer Vanguard is a beast, offering the most content than any other COD game before with some top notch map design and super smooth gameplay.

Vanguard doesn’t stray too far away from the classic Call of Duty formula we have come to expect from the franchise over the past several years. In many ways, it’s a little more of the same. That said, Call of Duty: Vanguard is an incredibly robust package offering up tons of content for the buck. Zombies mode is far more enjoyable and varied, the single-player campaign is a visual stunner, and 20 MP maps at launch is nothing to sneeze at. If you have passed over Call of Duty over the last several years, it might be time to come back.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is another strong entry for the franchise. It offers a lackluster campaign, but makes up for it with a frenetic and fun multiplayer experience. It doesn't bring anything new to the table in the FPS genre, but many of its elements definitely feel like an evolution for the franchise.

Call of Duty Vanguard is a very good COD, more intimate and more human than previous episodes. The characters are at the center of the experience and we appreciate this more relaxed tone that offers something very cinematic with a classic and realistic gameplay that always works very well. An episode of quality even if it lacks a bit of the spectacular.

Sledgehammer Games clearly had high ambitions when approaching their third solo Call of Duty project. Doubling down on World War II was a smart idea to help the studio carve out its own identity separate from Infinity Ward and Treyarch. While Call of Duty: Vanguard doesn’t break the mold, it does succeed on most fronts, delivering one of the better multiplayer experiences in years for the franchise and a simplified Zombies mode that lowers the barrier of entry for those intimidated by past iterations.

Call of Duty Vanguard is a solid yet unremarkable entry in the long running franchise. On a technical level it’s one of the most impressive games out there right now. On a gameplay level it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.

The frame rate appears anchored to 60 frames, without particular uncertainties, while the soundtrack signed by Bear McCreary boasts an excellent main theme and, in general, effectively accompanies the action.

Vanguard is a game with plenty of multiplayer content, far from the best ones but still enjoyable, and a campaign whose purpose seems to tick a box.

Does Call of Duty: Vanguard advance the series in any meaningful way? Of course not, but that doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic package for Call of Duty fans, or a good entry point for those seeking a way in. The campaign here is brief but captivating, managing to make you feel for its band of heroes despite your short time with them. Zombies has some interesting twists that keep you on your toes. And multiplayer is more of the same but with tweaks that some will love and others will hate, as usual. All in all, this is one of the best Call of Duty releases to date, and we’d love to see more of Vanguard’s exploits in the future.

A solid installment for the series with a satisfying story and great multiplayer balance.

Iterating on what Call of Duty diehards know and love, Vanguard has the potential to stand up alongside some of the series' best. Whether it be a bombastic, action-flick inspired campaign, endlessly addictive multiplayer or now-staple zombies mode, the game feels like comfort food. However, I remain doubtful that the game's new and updated modes will do enough to win over anyone that wasn't convinced with earlier iterations.