Review: Call of Duty WWII

Look who’s back: Call of Duty, or for die‑hard fans of the franchise “COD,” hasn’t lost its edge. For many, the series had been adapting to today’s landscape of “trendy” futuristic FPS games, but often felt repetitive. Since Titanfall, shooters with unique mechanics—robots, jetpacks—have dominated the market. Call of Duty was no exception, with Activision experimenting across its three development studios, often going overboard with DLCs and Season Passes. Every entry in the past four years has been futuristic. Check out my full review and find out if Call of Duty WWII is worth playing!

The truth is, Call of Duty had been wearing players down year after year. Yet the franchise remains a standout, fueled by its fanbase. The quality of its past entries made any shortcomings of recent titles “forgiven” by many—so long as a new release would bring the series back to its former glory.

So has the time come for COD, which once shaped the market, to be influenced by another title? Perhaps the announcement and success of Battlefield 1 highlighted the need for a back‑to‑basics Call of Duty, returning to its roots. But after playing the first 30 minutes of the campaign in Call of Duty WWII, it’s clear that Sledgehammer and Activision had exactly that vision. That decision—almost a necessity—was spot on.

In COD WWII we’re taken firmly back to the 1940s, in the midst of the greatest conflict in history. Germany once again spreads terror across the globe, while the Allied forces—United States, France, British Empire—fight to reclaim their territories. The game’s characters struggle to survive in that chaos. You can see the fear in their eyes. Death lurks around every corner, every firefight, and the next mission.

Activision’s new title pares back the heroics of Soaps, Ghosts, and Prices to highlight the humanity of Zussman, Pierson, Daniels, Turner, and many other soldiers. World War II is portrayed with accuracy and a surprising amount of poetry—humanity united against a common evil: the Nazis. COD WWII blends these elements superbly, showing above all that war is anything but glorious. It’s not easy to walk in those soldiers’ boots.

For years, the Call of Duty franchise was synonymous with tight, responsive gameplay. Health regeneration made the action smooth—no more hunting for medkits as in the early days. Since Modern Warfare, you simply duck behind cover and wait to heal. Dying became almost a rare event, unless you cranked up the difficulty.

However, in Call of Duty WWII we return to classic medkits—and it revitalizes the series’ pacing. Medpacks are scattered throughout levels, but thanks to some characters’ special supplies, Zussman can share extra kits when you request them (provided his ability is recharged). Only Zussman carries medkits; other squadmates supply ammo, grenades, and more. If Zussman isn’t with you on a mission, you’ll have to scavenge medkits yourself.

For this review, I played COD WWII on the PlayStation 4. The aim assist felt reminiscent of Destiny. When you aim down sights with L2/LT, shots snap to target height, making firefights smooth without feeling unfair. In this respect, COD WWII maintains the tradition of being wildly fun to play.