How Good is Call of Duty: Vanguard? A Deep Dive into Sledgehammer's WWII Shooter
Hey there, fellow gamer! Ever found yourself wondering, "Is Call of Duty: Vanguard worth my precious gaming time and hard-earned cash?" You're not alone! With a new Call of Duty title dropping seemingly every year, it's tough to keep up and decide which ones truly deliver. Call of Duty: Vanguard, Sledgehammer Games' 2021 entry, takes us back to the brutal battlefields of World War II, but does it stand up against the legendary CoD titles of the past? Let's break it down, step by step, so you can make an informed decision!
Step 1: First Impressions Matter: What's the Hype All About?
Before we even load into a match, let's talk about the initial buzz surrounding Vanguard. When it launched, it promised a return to the classic WWII setting, but with a fresh twist – the birth of Special Forces. The marketing pushed stunning visuals, a gripping campaign, and the signature fast-paced multiplayer. But did it deliver on these promises? The reviews were a bit mixed, with critics praising the visuals and multiplayer fun, but some finding the campaign's story a bit muddled and the Zombies mode lacking in content at launch. User scores were even more critical, often citing a feeling of "been there, done that." So, right off the bat, it's clear Vanguard isn't universally beloved, but it has its strong points.
Step 2: The Campaign - A Gripping (Yet Short) Narrative
The single-player campaign in Call of Duty: Vanguard takes players across various theaters of World War II, focusing on the origins of an elite international special forces unit.
Sub-heading: Character-Driven Storytelling
One of the campaign's highlights is its focus on individual characters within this new Task Force One. You'll play as diverse protagonists like Polina Petrova, a sniper on the Eastern Front, or Arthur Kingsley, a British paratrooper. Each character has a unique backstory and motivations, adding a personal touch to the global conflict. The voice acting is generally strong, bringing these characters to life.
Sub-heading: Visual Spectacle and Intense Set Pieces
True to Call of Duty form, Vanguard's campaign is a visual feast. Powered by the Modern Warfare engine, the graphics are impressive, with detailed environments and explosive set pieces. From dogfights over the Pacific to defending Stalingrad, the game delivers on the high-octane action the series is known for. Destructible environments also add a new layer to combat, allowing you to create new sightlines or pathways.
Sub-heading: The Elephant in the Room: Campaign Length
However, a common criticism of Vanguard's campaign is its length. It's a relatively short experience, typically taking around 6 hours to complete the main story. While intense and engaging, some players felt it ended too quickly, leaving them wanting more. If you're a completionist, you might squeeze out around 28 hours to find all collectibles and complete challenges.
Step 3: Multiplayer Mayhem - Fast, Furious, and Familiar
This is where Call of Duty truly shines for many players, and Vanguard's multiplayer offers a robust experience with its signature gunplay and various modes.
Sub-heading: Pacing System and Map Variety
Vanguard introduced a new "Pacing System" which allows players to choose their preferred intensity of matches:
- Tactical: Slower, more strategic gameplay with smaller player counts.
- Assault: A balanced experience with medium player counts.
- Blitz: Pure chaos with large player counts and constant action, often leading to ridiculously high kill counts.
This system provides a good degree of flexibility, catering to different playstyles. At launch, the game boasted 20 maps, including 16 designed specifically for core multiplayer, offering a decent variety of environments.
Sub-heading: Gunplay and the Enhanced Gunsmith
The core gunplay in Vanguard feels solid and satisfying. Weapons handle well, and the hit registration is generally precise. The Gunsmith system returns, allowing for an incredible depth of weapon customization. You can attach up to 10 different attachments to each weapon, fundamentally altering its performance and allowing for thousands of unique loadout combinations. This level of customization is a major plus for players who enjoy tweaking their setups.
Sub-heading: Operator System and Progression
Vanguard features a roster of 12 unique Operators, each with their own backstory and cosmetic unlockables. While operators don't impact gameplay significantly, they do offer an XP boost when using their "favorite weapon," which encourages trying out different guns and characters. Progression feels rewarding, with plenty of unlockables to chase as you level up your weapons and your overall rank.
Step 4: Zombies - A New (and Contentious) Direction
The cooperative Zombies mode has been a staple of Call of Duty for years, and Vanguard brought a new iteration developed by Treyarch.
Sub-heading: Dark Aether Story and Der Anfang
Vanguard's Zombies acts as a prologue to Black Ops Cold War's Dark Aether story. At launch, the game featured a new map called "Der Anfang," which blended traditional round-based survival elements with objective-based gameplay. Familiar elements like Essence and Salvage currencies, perks, and the Pack-a-Punch machine returned. A new addition, the Altar of Covenants, allowed players to purchase randomized buffs each round, adding variety to combat builds.
Sub-heading: Initial Reception and Post-Launch Support
However, the initial reception for Vanguard's Zombies was largely negative. Many players and critics felt it lacked the depth and content of previous Zombies iterations. There was a strong desire for more traditional round-based maps and a more fleshed-out story. While post-launch updates did introduce additional objectives and content, the initial impression was hard to shake for many dedicated Zombies fans. This is perhaps the weakest link in Vanguard's overall package.
Step 5: Overall Verdict and Who Should Play It
So, how good is Call of Duty: Vanguard? It's a mixed bag, but certainly not without its merits.
Sub-heading: Strengths
- Visually stunning: The graphics are top-notch, especially on next-gen consoles.
- Engaging multiplayer: The fast-paced action, diverse maps (especially with the pacing system), and deep Gunsmith system make for a fun multiplayer experience.
- Solid gunplay: The core shooting mechanics feel responsive and satisfying.
- Character-driven campaign: While short, the narrative offers some memorable moments and interesting characters.
Sub-heading: Weaknesses
- Short campaign: Many wished for a longer, more expansive single-player experience.
- Underwhelming Zombies at launch: The initial content and design choices for Zombies disappointed many fans.
- Lack of innovation: While solid, some elements feel a bit too familiar, lacking significant innovation compared to other CoD titles.
Sub-heading: Who is Call of Duty: Vanguard for?
- Casual CoD fans looking for a fun, arcadey WWII shooter experience.
- Players who prioritize multiplayer and enjoy deep weapon customization.
- Those who appreciate stunning graphics and intense set pieces in a campaign, even if it's brief.
- If you're a hardcore Zombies enthusiast, be aware that Vanguard's initial offering might not meet your expectations, though later updates did improve it.
Ultimately, Call of Duty: Vanguard is a decent entry in the long-running franchise. It delivers on the core Call of Duty experience, especially in its multiplayer, but it doesn't necessarily redefine the series or reach the heights of its most acclaimed predecessors.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are some common questions about Call of Duty: Vanguard, with quick answers:
How to get started with Call of Duty: Vanguard? The best way to get started is to dive into the campaign to get a feel for the game's mechanics, then jump into multiplayer to level up your weapons and operators.
How to unlock Operators in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Operators are unlocked by completing specific in-game challenges, such as getting a certain number of headshots, kills with specific weapon types, or performing finishing moves.
How to level up weapons quickly in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Playing multiplayer modes, especially those with higher player counts like Blitz, is generally the fastest way to level up weapons. Using an Operator's "favorite weapon" also provides an XP boost.
How to use the Gunsmith effectively in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Experiment with different attachment combinations. Focus on attachments that complement your playstyle, whether you prioritize aiming down sights (ADS) speed, recoil control, or damage range.
How to improve aim in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Practice in custom games against bots, adjust your sensitivity settings, and consider using aim assist if you're on a controller. Learning weapon recoil patterns is also crucial.
How to play Zombies in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Navigate to the Zombies mode from the main menu. "Der Anfang" is the primary map, and you'll typically start by completing objectives, earning Essence, and upgrading your weapons and perks.
How to find the best loadouts in Call of Duty: Vanguard? The "best" loadout often depends on the current meta and your playstyle. Popular choices often include the STG44, MP40, and Kar98k with specific attachments. Online guides and community discussions are great resources.
How to change pacing in Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer? When selecting a multiplayer playlist, look for the option to adjust the "Pacing" – you can choose between Tactical, Assault, and Blitz.
How to deal with killstreaks in Call of Duty: Vanguard? Utilize anti-killstreak perks like Cold Blooded, shoot down enemy air support with launchers, or use cover and tactical positioning to avoid getting caught in their attacks.
How to tell if my PC can run Call of Duty: Vanguard? Check the official system requirements on the Blizzard Battle.net support page or a site like "Can You RUN It." Generally, you'll need at least an Intel Core i3-4340 or AMD FX-6300 processor, 8GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470 graphics card. For recommended settings, aim for an Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X, 12GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580.
