How Long is the Call of Duty: Vanguard Campaign? Your Ultimate Guide to Playtime!
Hey there, fellow gamer! Are you geared up to dive into the epic World War II narrative of Call of Duty: Vanguard, but wondering how much of your precious time it's going to demand? You've come to the right place! We're about to embark on a comprehensive journey, exploring every facet of the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign length, from rushing through the story to aiming for 100% completion. So, grab a snack, settle in, and let's get into it!
How Long Cod Vanguard Campaign |
Step 1: What Kind of Player Are YOU? – A Self-Reflection
Before we even talk numbers, let's talk about you. Are you the kind of player who blasts through the story, eager to see how it ends? Or do you meticulously explore every corner, hunt for every secret, and strive for every achievement? Your playstyle is the single biggest factor in determining how long your Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign experience will be.
- The "Story-Focused" Player: You're here for the narrative, the big set pieces, and the thrill of the war. You'll likely stick to standard difficulties and push forward, not getting too bogged down in side objectives (which, to be fair, Vanguard doesn't have many of!).
- The "Completionist" Player: You crave to conquer everything. Every achievement, every trophy, every possible interaction. You're willing to replay missions, crank up the difficulty, and scour every pixel for hidden details.
- The "Casual Explorer": You like to take your time, appreciate the graphics, soak in the atmosphere, and maybe try out different strategies. You're not necessarily achievement hunting, but you're not rushing either.
Got your playstyle in mind? Excellent! Let's move on to the hard facts.
Step 2: The Core Campaign - How Many Hours to See the Credits Roll?
For the vast majority of players focusing solely on the main narrative, Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a familiar Call of Duty campaign length:
2.1. The Quick Run-Through: Around 5-6 Hours
If you're playing on Recruit or Regular difficulty and simply pushing through the objectives, you can expect to finish the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign in approximately 5 to 6 hours. This is pretty standard for modern Call of Duty titles, designed to be a relatively short, impactful cinematic experience. You'll be introduced to the compelling characters of Task Force One and follow their journey across various fronts of World War II, but the game is not designed for lengthy exploration in this mode.
2.2. A Balanced Approach: 6-7 Hours
If you play on Hardened difficulty, or take a little more time to enjoy the scenery and engage in firefights without feeling rushed, your playtime will likely extend to 6 to 7 hours. This allows for a slightly more challenging and immersive experience without significantly impacting the overall duration. You might die a few more times, leading to those extra minutes, but it's still a brisk adventure.
2.3. Stepping Up the Challenge: 7-8 Hours on Veteran
For those who crave a true test of their skills, tackling the campaign on Veteran difficulty will naturally increase the playtime. With more aggressive AI, less health, and a greater need for strategic cover, you can anticipate the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign to last anywhere from 7 to 8 hours. Expect to die more often and restart checkpoints, which adds to the overall time but provides a much more intense and rewarding experience.
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Step 3: Understanding the Campaign Structure - Nine Distinct Missions
The Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign is structured around nine distinct missions, each taking you through different perspectives and pivotal moments of World War II. These missions generally range from 30 to 45 minutes each, though this can vary based on your personal pace and chosen difficulty.
3.1. A Diverse Cast, Diverse Missions
Unlike some previous Call of Duty campaigns that focused on a single protagonist, Vanguard puts you in the shoes of multiple characters, each with their own unique skill sets and backstories. This allows for a variety of gameplay styles within the campaign:
- Polina Petrova (Lady Nightingale): Expect stealth-focused missions and intense sniping scenarios. Her sections often require careful planning and precise shots.
- Arthur Kingsley: As the leader, his missions are often more tactical and squad-based, requiring you to coordinate with your team.
- Lucas Riggs: Prepare for explosive, demolition-heavy gameplay where you'll be using a lot of environmental destruction to your advantage.
- Wade Jackson: His missions often feature dogfights and aerial combat, giving you a different perspective on the battlefield.
This varied approach keeps the campaign feeling fresh, even within its relatively short length.
Step 4: Beyond the Main Story - The Completionist's Journey
If you're a completionist, the concept of "how long is the campaign" takes on a whole new meaning. While Call of Duty: Vanguard doesn't feature extensive side missions or collectibles in the same way some open-world games do, achieving 100% completion primarily revolves around:
4.1. Unlocking All Achievements/Trophies: 17-29+ Hours
This is where the real time commitment comes in for completionists. To unlock all achievements or trophies in Call of Duty: Vanguard, you'll need to go beyond simply finishing the story. This typically involves:
- Completing the campaign on all difficulty settings, including Veteran. This alone will add significant replay value.
- Performing specific challenges within missions. Many achievements are tied to unique kills, using certain weapons, or completing objectives in particular ways. This might require multiple playthroughs of specific missions.
- Finding any hidden lore pieces or documents (if present). While Vanguard isn't known for extensive collectibles, there might be subtle environmental details or interactables that contribute to achievements.
Reports suggest that a full completionist run can take anywhere from 17 hours to 29 hours, with some players even pushing 36 hours or more depending on their skill and how meticulously they approach each achievement. This is a substantial jump from the main story playtime!
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Step 5: Factors That Influence Your Playtime
A few other elements can subtly, or not so subtly, impact how long the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign lasts for you:
5.1. Difficulty Setting
As mentioned, this is paramount. Playing on Recruit will allow for a significantly faster playthrough than Veteran, where you'll spend more time strategizing, taking cover, and retrying sections.
5.2. Player Skill
Are you a seasoned Call of Duty veteran with lightning-fast reflexes and pinpoint accuracy? Or are you new to the series or the FPS genre? Your personal skill level will directly affect how quickly you navigate through firefights and complete objectives.
5.3. Cutscene Enjoyment
Call of Duty: Vanguard features a decent number of cinematic cutscenes that are integral to the storytelling. If you're someone who watches every cutscene without skipping, this will add to your overall playtime. If you're one to skip through them at the first opportunity, you'll naturally shave off some minutes.
5.4. Exploration vs. Rushing
While not an open-world game, some players naturally take more time to explore the environment, look for alternate paths, or simply appreciate the graphics. Others will beeline straight for the next objective.
Step 6: Is a Shorter Campaign a Bad Thing?
This is a common debate within the gaming community when it comes to Call of Duty campaigns. While some players desire a lengthy epic, many appreciate the franchise's consistent focus on short, explosive, and highly polished cinematic experiences.
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- The "Punchy" Experience: A shorter campaign allows developers to focus on high-impact set pieces and intense moments without the need for filler content that might drag down the pace.
- Replayability for Multiplayer: For many, the Call of Duty campaign acts as a "training ground" or an appetizer for the main course: the multiplayer and Zombies modes. A shorter campaign allows players to quickly get their story fix and then transition to the competitive and cooperative elements that offer hundreds of hours of gameplay.
- Accessibility: A shorter campaign is more accessible for players with limited time, allowing them to complete the story in a few sittings rather than committing to a massive time investment.
Conclusion: Your Vanguard Journey Awaits!
So, how long is the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign? For the main story, you're looking at a solid 5 to 8 hours, depending on your chosen difficulty and playstyle. If you're a true completionist aiming for every achievement, prepare for a more extensive journey of 17 to 29+ hours.
No matter your preference, Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a thrilling, action-packed World War II narrative that's designed to be a memorable experience. Now that you know what to expect, go forth and fight for freedom!
10 Related FAQ Questions:
How to speedrun the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign?
To speedrun the campaign, play on the "Recruit" difficulty, skip all cutscenes, and focus solely on the main objectives, ignoring optional engagements. Practice key sections to optimize movement and combat.
How to increase the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign length?
To increase the campaign length, play on higher difficulties like "Hardened" or "Veteran," take your time to explore the environments, and aim for all campaign-related achievements and trophies which often require specific actions or multiple playthroughs.
How to unlock all achievements in Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign?
To unlock all campaign achievements, you'll typically need to complete the game on all difficulty settings (especially Veteran), perform specific in-mission challenges (e.g., getting a certain number of headshots, using specific weapons, or completing stealth sections without detection), and potentially find any hidden lore items.
How to replay missions in Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign?
After completing the campaign, you can usually select individual missions from the main menu's "Campaign" section. This allows you to replay specific levels to achieve challenges, try different approaches, or simply relive your favorite moments.
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How to change difficulty in Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign?
You can typically change the difficulty setting before starting a new game, or sometimes between missions from the pause menu within the campaign. Be aware that some achievements may require playing on specific difficulties from start to finish.
How to skip cutscenes in Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign?
During a cutscene, look for a prompt on the screen (often a button press like "Square" on PlayStation or "X" on Xbox, or "F" on PC) that allows you to skip it. This is useful for replaying missions or speedrunning.
How to improve my performance in Call of Duty: Vanguard's campaign?
To improve, practice your aim, learn enemy patterns, utilize cover effectively, and familiarize yourself with the game's weapon handling. Playing on lower difficulties first can help you get comfortable with the mechanics before increasing the challenge.
How to understand the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign story better?
Pay close attention to cutscenes, character dialogues, and in-game intel. The campaign jumps between different characters and timelines, so following the narrative closely will help piece together the overarching plot.
How to find hidden details in Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign?
While Vanguard's campaign is fairly linear, look for subtle environmental clues, documents on tables, or listen to background conversations that might offer additional lore or context to the story and characters.
How to prepare for the Call of Duty: Vanguard campaign on Veteran difficulty?
For Veteran, focus on cover-to-cover movement, prioritize headshots, use grenades strategically to flush out enemies, and be patient. Dying is part of the process, so learn from your mistakes and adapt your tactics.