There’s no escaping that Name of Responsibility is at the moment in a little bit of a rut. Though there are brilliant spots in Fashionable Warfare 3’s multiplayer and Zombies mode, it finally feels all too acquainted. And the marketing campaign? Our reviewer Simon Cardy mentioned it was “maybe the worst Name of Responsibility single-player marketing campaign I’ve performed.” It at the moment has a disappointing Metacritic ranking of 56 and, unsurprisingly, Fashionable Warfare 3 didn’t make into IGN’s prime 10 Name of Responsibility video games (spoilers: it got here backside of the pile).
Fortunately, Name of Responsibility has been distinctive at occasions and, years on, a lot of its biggest moments nonetheless stand the take a look at of time. So we’re trying again to resolve which Name of Responsibility video games are our absolute favorites, and we’re speaking in regards to the full package deal – marketing campaign, multiplayer, zombies, all the pieces. IGN workers voted on all of the video games, and you’ll learn all about why we picked what we picked under. After, be sure you tell us how we did and share your favorites within the feedback under!
10. Name of Responsibility: Black Ops Chilly Conflict
Name of Responsibility: Black Ops Chilly Conflict units itself aside from different entries within the legendary franchise by how a lot it excels when your gun is definitely holstered. Whereas Name of Responsibility is clearly recognized for its world-class shootouts with explosions round each nook and edge-of-your-seat moments, Black Ops Chilly Conflict added one other wrinkle to that components.
The marketing campaign takes place throughout probably the most crucial moments of the Chilly Conflict and we get time to be taught extra about our covert ops crew at our safehouses and sneak round KGB headquarters as a Russian double agent. These moments are quiet in the perfect methods, they usually make the louder ones much more impactful.
Black Ops Chilly Conflict’s multiplayer fell somewhat quick however its Zombies mode was a spotlight. Positive, we’d have liked some extra content material, nevertheless it supplied extremely polished and tense gameplay periods we nonetheless take into consideration right now.
9. Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 3 (2011)
There have been some huge points with 2023’s Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 3, however 2011’s Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 3 did an important job of iterating and bettering on what got here earlier than. Its multiplayer added new parts corresponding to weapon development, proficiencies, and extra, however what it did finest was create one of the compelling and addicting Name of Responsibility multiplayer experiences ever made as much as that time.
The marketing campaign was enjoyable sufficient and despite the fact that it isn’t considered one of our favorites, it had the superb setpieces and “wow” moments that made this franchise so in style. It was additionally the conclusion of one of the beloved Name of Responsibility trilogies ever and that in itself was one more reason it was well worth the admission worth.
8. Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 2
Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 2 was notable for a lot of causes, together with that it featured the collection’ first branching narrative and arsenal of futuristic weaponry. Whereas it continued the Chilly Conflict-era story from the unique Black Ops, it additionally took us to 2025 to expertise a complete new Chilly Conflict that centered on Alex Mason’s son, David. Oh, and don’t neglect that Raul Menendez is among the finest villains in your complete franchise.
Black Ops 2’s multiplayer additionally had just a few firsts just like the Decide 10 system and Scorestreaks, including a welcome stage of depth and customization to the expertise. Throw in its Zombies mode, which was the proper, laugh-filled different to the marketing campaign and multiplayer, and Black Ops 2 continues to be a standout Name of Responsibility sport over a decade later.
7. Name of Responsibility: World at Conflict
Name of Responsibility: World at Conflict introduced us again to World Conflict 2 after the roaring success that was Fashionable Warfare’s modern setting, nevertheless it did so another way. As an alternative of merely going again to Normandy and D-Day for the umpteenth time, the story targeted on the Pacific theater and the Purple Military’s reversals of the tide at Stalingrad to the Fall of Berlin. The marketing campaign was stuffed with a ton of close-quarters fight moments, a lot of which had been in tight, packed trenches, and for the primary time allow you to play with as much as three different mates.
What World at Conflict could eternally be remembered for, nonetheless, was its introduction of what we now know because the Zombies mode, or Nach der Untoten because it was known as. Its multiplayer was additionally a success because it introduced in a lot of what made Fashionable Warfare nice and tailored it for the period the sport was set in.
6. Name of Responsibility
Name of Responsibility first appeared on the scene in 2003, at a time when Medal of Honor and Battlefield 1942 had been on the prime of their sport and proving what could possibly be finished within the WWII style. However Name of Responsibility did plenty of issues that might instantly set it aside, together with chosing to inform its story from the attitude of not solely the USA, but in addition Britain and the Soviet Union.
It additionally had you going into battle with different troopers by your aspect as a substitute of getting you face the horrors of struggle alone, and that led to a extra reasonable and compelling expertise. And don’t neglect the “shellshock” function, which visually and audibly confirmed the risks and penalties of huge explosions and introduced us nearer to struggle than ever earlier than.
Whereas it’s clearly somewhat outdated 20 years on, the marketing campaign continues to be enjoyable to play and it’s unattainable to understate the inspiration it constructed for the way forward for not simply the Name of Responsibility collection however first-person shooters as a complete.
5. Name of Responsibility: Black Ops
Name of Responsibility: Black Ops took us to the Nineteen Sixties to be taught the story of CIA operative Alex Mason. From the primary moments in that chair within the interrogation room to among the best twists in your complete franchise, we couldn’t get sufficient of the story that additionally had the star energy of Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, and Gary Oldman. We beforehand ranked Black Ops’ marketing campaign as Name of Responsibility’s finest, and we stand by it right now.
Black Ops’ multiplayer is simply as iconic and among the maps, together with Firing Vary and Nuketown, are nonetheless favorites in 2023 as they’ve been introduced ahead a number of occasions. The multiplayer suite additionally launched CoD Factors, which modified how issues had been unlocked and made development really feel recent once more.
Nazi Zombies returned too, besides this time as a full-fledged mode, and it even allow you to play as JFK, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, or Robert McNamara. There was additionally an unlockable mode that performed like a retro arcade model. It was all great.
4. Name of Responsibility 2
Name of Responsibility 2 was an unimaginable achievement by itself, however its timing was simply as necessary. The follow-up to the unique Name of Responsibility arrived as a launch title for Xbox 360 and demonstrated what “next-gen” truly meant again then.
Whereas the unique Name of Responsibility was spectacular, the ability of Xbox 360 – alongside developments in PC tech – led to a WWII expertise like by no means earlier than. Probably the most notable examples was the smoke grenades, as they had been an important showcase for what the devs may do to make a extra reasonable expertise. Not solely had been they a sight to behold because the smoke billowed up and smothered the display, however they is also used tactically to get out of a tricky state of affairs.
With Name of Responsibility 2, the longer term was right here, even when the multiplayer nonetheless solely allowed for eight gamers in a match on Xbox Dwell.
3. Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare (2019)
Spoilers: we LOVE Fashionable Warfare and that adoration extends to 2019’s Fashionable Warfare, the sport that rebooted a traditional. That in itself was a tricky process, however Infinity Ward handed with flying colours and created the perfect marketing campaign for the reason that authentic Black Ops.
Certainly, the single-player was filled with stand-out moments, from Going Darkish’s nonlinear stealth infiltration to Clear Home, during which a group of SAS troops clear a pitch-black terrorist hideout utilizing night-goggles, making split-second selections to ensure its a menace within the crosshairs and never an unarmed civilian.
Fashionable Warfare’s multiplayer was first rate too, and tried to evolve one of the beloved multiplayer video games of all time to the trendy day with some good additions, however its implementation wasn’t good. That mentioned, its new modes like Realism and the 2v2 Gunfight had been nice.
2. Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 2 (2009)
Name of Responsibility 4: Fashionable Warfare and its sequel Fashionable Warfare 2 will not be solely among the finest Name of Responsibility video games ever, but in addition among the finest and most necessary video games of all time. Whereas Fashionable Warfare set the gold normal for what these first-person shooters could possibly be, Fashionable Warfare pushed it to a good increased peak.
We may speak about No Russian and the surprising, revenge-filled marketing campaign ending all day, however multiplayer is the place this sport really shines. From its customizable Killstreaks and development challenges, to the give attention to larger maps with a ton of gamers, to the introduction of the cooperative Spec Ops maps, there was SO a lot to like about its multiplayer mode. And the perfect half? It simply improved on all the pieces else we liked from Fashionable Warfare, which we are able to’t wait to inform you about subsequent…
1. Name of Responsibility 4: Fashionable Warfare (2007)
Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 2 could have perfected the components that Name of Responsibility 4: Fashionable Warfare constructed, however new and glossy issues can’t all the time stack as much as what it’s wish to expertise one thing for the primary time. Name of Responsibility 4: Fashionable Warfare is the proper instance of that, and was a revolution that modified video video games eternally.
This was the yr that Name of Responsibility turned the Name of Responsibility we all know right now, and it was due to a tag-team assault of a unbelievable marketing campaign and a legendary multiplayer expertise. We are going to always remember being launched to Cleaning soap and Captain Worth for the primary time, or once we bought to leap into an AC-130 gunship, escape a cargo ship in the course of a stormy sea, play by way of All Ghillied Up – presumably the best Name of Responsibility mission ever – and a lot extra.
We’ll additionally always remember the numerous hours we fortunately sunk into multiplayer, incomes killstreak after killstreak, unlocking each gun and problem we may, discovering the proper perks, and successful or dropping alongside our greatest mates. These had been the times we’ll always remember. That’s Name of Responsibility.
