Call of Duty: Vanguard review

Our Verdict

Call of Duty: Vanguard doesn't bulldoze the franchise forrard in whatever major ways, but its tense, cinematic campaign and satisfying multiplayer modes are worth experiencing.

For

Well-paced, engrossing campaign
Mesmerizing score
Superb visuals
Compact Pacing feature

Against

Uninspired loadout customization
A few unbalanced maps

Tom's Guide Verdict

Call of Duty: Vanguard doesn't bulldoze the franchise forrad in any major ways, but its tense, cinematic entrada and satisfying multiplayer modes are worth experiencing.

Pros

+
Well-paced, engrossing campaign
+
Mesmerizing score
+
Superb visuals
+
Compact Pacing feature

Cons

-
Uninspired loadout customization
-
A few unbalanced maps

Call of Duty: Vanguard: Specs

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5 (reviewed), Xbox Ane, Xbox Series 10/S
Cost: $60 ($seventy on PS5/XSX)
Release Appointment: November 5, 2021
Genre: FPS

Call of Duty: Vanguard has something to offering both returning players and those who may have walked away from the popular first-person shooter franchise. The game provides an exhilarating campaign and an iterative-but-fun multiplayer suite.

The single-player story casts players as multiple characters, who relive tide-turning World State of war 2 battles in the wake of their collective capture. Similarly, multiplayer matches play out beyond 20 locations from the same era, while introducing a few new modes to shake things up. Programmer Sledgehammer Games capped off the feel with a new version of the beloved cooperative Zombies way, which continues the story that started in last year'south Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold State of war.

In this Call of Duty: Vanguard review, we'll take a look at how these components combine to create a cohesive whole that yous won't want to miss.

Phone call of Duty: Vanguard review: Campaign

Ready during the final days of Earth State of war II, with the Nazis all but defeated, Call of Duty: Vanguard's story sees a grouping of soldiers from multiple allied forces come together to foil a 3rd Reich plot. Even if the campaign doesn't do much that we haven't seen before, it's still one of the series' strongest efforts in years, thank you to its infrequent bandage, gripping activity and scenic spectacle.

Call of Duty Vanguard screenshot — (Image credit: Activision)

The campaign starts off strong, with an opening mission that introduces our heroes as they hijack a moving train during a torrential rainstorm in Hamburg, Germany. They discover themselves intercepted by Nazi forces, and afterwards imprisoned for interrogation. However, de facto chief character and group leader Arthur intends to manipulate the Nazis into sharing information virtually their plans, too.

As the team endures relentless cross-exam, Arthur reflects on notable battles from each grapheme's past, presented to us as playable vignettes. These make upward the bulk of the five-60 minutes campaign, and requite us glimpses into what makes the characters tick. Simply in-between these recollections are stunning, most photorealistic cutscenes featuring phenomenal performances from every bandage member. The downright bone-chilling dual antagonists, sadistic officers Freisinger and Richter (Dominic Monaghan from Lord of the RIngs), deserve special mention.

The character backstories aren't particularly profound on a narrative level, but they all offer visceral, emotionally affecting portrayals of war. Vanguard frames impactful sequences beautifully, such equally a midnight approach towards a burning windmill that lights upwardly the nighttime heaven like a beacon, or peaceful moments with the citizens of Stalingrad directly earlier they hear the sound of incoming bombers on a fateful day. Bear McCreary's riveting score further accentuates the atmosphere, underscoring the tension and lending a cinematic free energy to every heart-pounding moment.

Each character has an sectional gameplay gimmick to employ in their missions. Arthur can control other soldiers to move obstacles or lay down covering fire. Lovable hothead Wade tin heighten his senses to see enemy outlines in the distance. Sabotage expert Lucas can conduct upwardly to four types of lethal equipment. Russian badass Polina's increased mobility is the best of the bunch, though, granting her the power to fit through tight spaces and calibration walls equally she navigates the crumbling rooftops of a devastated Stalingrad. It'southward hard not to miss these i-off perks as yous motility between characters, but the game'due south nonstop activity ensures that the disappointment doesn't linger.

Indeed, the actual gunfights in Vanguard go along to be as exciting as e'er. Some play out equally slow-paced breach-and-clears through tight corridors, where only snappy reflexes stand up between you and restarting a checkpoint. Others are big-scale battles in celebrated locales, which effortlessly alloy shooting galleries with epic prepare pieces that feel more authentic than in whatever other Telephone call of Duty game in contempo memory. The merely rough patch forth the way is an aeriform mission, where poor fighter plane controls dampen the intense and visually dazzling dogfights. But that's a small-scale blotch on this otherwise-remarkable World State of war II adventure.

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Multiplayer

If you lot've played Telephone call of Duty games for a while, y'all've probably adult strong opinions regarding whether the newer entries have improved or worsened the multiplayer formula. I'd argue that the serial began declining around the time it introduced excessive verticality and special abilities that didn't mesh well with strictly skill-based gunfights. Either way, while Vanguard's multiplayer isn't transformative, information technology does at least have moderate steps toward ameliorate map pattern.

The best offerings among the 16 base maps are moderate in size and embrace the classic 3-lane style, which caters to competitive players seeking off-white fights. My favorite map, Hotel Purple, is a smashing case of this traditional layout. It features two long, somewhat open up rooftop lanes on either side for medium-ranged encounters, also as great sightlines for sniping. A crowded interior lounge emphasizes close-quarter showdowns, with tons of strategic cover placement.

Meanwhile, larger, more atmospheric maps, such as the snowy plaza of Ruby Star, eschew any sense of symmetry in favor of irregular map structures. Maps similar this may not piece of work for tournament play, due to the reliance on power positions and unpredictability. Simply information technology's nonetheless fun to learn all of the counter spots that tin can help you bulldoze campers out of their hidey-holes. Luckily, the only downright exasperating maps are Numa Numa and Das Haus: tiny spawn-camping nightmares, which make Nuketown seem balanced in comparison.

Complementing the solid map construction is the all-new "Combat Pacing" feature. For the very showtime time, you're costless to cull from three unlike options for the amount of players you lot'd like in your lobbies. Tactical pacing is normally a standard 6v6 matchup, while Assault increases the thespian count a bit for some extra activeness. If you're looking for some chaos and nonstop shooting, yous can pick Blitz, which fills matches with up to 48 players.

As I'grand not the biggest fan of being slaughtered mercilessly the moment I spawn, Rush pacing is the antithesis of amusement for me. But both Tactical and Assault modes provide decently counterbalanced experiences that keep the adrenaline pumping. It'southward best to stick to them if you'd like to consider your positioning and strategy for tackling the opposition.

Among the fresh additions to multiplayer is a mode called Patrol, functioning as an agile clone of Hardpoint, where the indicate now moves at all times. More than unique all the same is Champion Colina, a round-robin deathmatch where you cull and upgrade your loadout every few rounds, or else salve up money to buy extra lives. Information technology's an agreeable battle royale lite that requires a lot of skill and a smidge of luck. Impatient players may be annoyed at the amount of downtime involved in waiting for other teams to finish their fights, though.

It wouldn't be Call of Duty without plenty of guns to unlock and kit out, but there's cypher peculiarly revolutionary about the loadout arrangement this fourth dimension around. You still choose primary and secondary guns, a selection of 3 perks, multiple grenade types and killstreaks. Using a weapon consistently levels it upwardly to unlock more attachments – optics, magazines, underbarrels, and so along – which you can apply to improve stats. It's substantially little more than a ho-hum reskin of what we've seen in the by few years, simply information technology gets the chore washed.

As for the guns themselves, none won me over entirely. As someone who has historically relied on a trusty assault burglarize in all only the most claustrophobic maps, I've been fine using the STG44, with its low recoil and fast fourth dimension-to-kill. Of grade, some maps with open central locations, or corridors with long sight lines, can make LMGs and sniping a comfortable pick, if that'south your thing. But there's no denying that the mobility and versatility that Vanguard's many pocket-size maps require could put SMGs similar the M1928 and MP40 among the most sought-after guns.

Telephone call of Duty: Vanguard review: Zombies

Thanks to a crossover with Treyarch Studios this year, Call of Duty: Vanguard brings with it a make new, fully-featured iteration of the beloved Call of Duty: Zombies mode. Fifty-fifty more enticing for fans of continuity is that the story here is a prequel to the Dark Aether story introduced in last year's Blackness Ops Common cold War. This adventure takes players back to 1944 in an try to stop the Nazis from unleashing hordes of zombies upon Europe.

The biggest change in this installment is the incredible diverseness of builds bachelor. Players proceeds a new Sacrificial Heart item by completing objectives. These Hearts allow them to cull from a randomized drove of upgrades that increment in power equally yous progress through a lucifer. Beingness able to brand thoughtful choices most run-altering powers at the end of every showdown gives a sense of weight to each playthrough.

This sense of randomness adds to Zombies' roguelite-inspired vibe, too. Peradventure you'll have a streak of bad luck that leaves you feeling a bit underpowered. But there's also e'er the take chances that you'll snag a powerful upgrade early on, which could aid you and your team overcome tasks with ease. Unsurprisingly, it's quite a blitz to be the unstoppable force amongst your pals.

Otherwise, y'all'll generally upgrade your guns, choice up fresh perks and exercise whatever it takes to become the ultimate undead slayer. Vanguard's Zombie mode is exactly what you've come to await – gory and action-packed mayhem with friends. If you've already popped hundreds of zombie heads in past games, you'll probably want to keep doing so hither.

Call of Duty: Vanguard review: Verdict

Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign is the series' standout achievement this year, taking players on a gorgeous journeying with incredible set pieces, compelling characters and fun shootouts. While the game'south multiplayer and Zombies modes are more often than not enjoyable affairs, too, neither i does much to move the franchise forward. If you're fine with that, you lot'll find the whole bundle worth your time and money.

Billy Givens is a announcer with virtually two decades of experience in editing and writing across a wide variety of topics. He focuses peculiarly on games coverage for Tom's Guide and other sites including From Gamers Mag, Retroware, Game Bluster and TechRaptor. He'south also written for self-improvement sites such as Lifehack and produced in-depth analyses on subjects such as health, psychology and entertainment.