Call of Duty: Ghosts

58%
Game Brain Score Based on 12,610 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Call of Duty: Ghosts Game Cover
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In "Call of Duty: Ghosts," players fight in a futuristic war as part of a squad of special forces known as the Ghosts. The game features a single-player campaign with dramatic plot twists and a variety of environments, as well as competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes. The game also includes a dynamic map system that allows for environmental destruction and alteration during matches.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Wii
  • Wii U
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 12,610 reviews
story876 positive mentions
optimization401 negative mentions
  • story2,466 mentions

    The story of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging premise centered around a group of elite soldiers known as the Ghosts, and the emotional ties between the main characters, Logan and Hesh. However, criticisms often highlight the story's predictability, lack of depth, and a disappointing cliffhanger ending that leaves many plot threads unresolved. While some missions, particularly those set in space or underwater, are praised for their creativity, the overall narrative is seen as a step back from the more intricate storytelling found in previous entries like the Modern Warfare and Black Ops series.

    • “The storyline, centered around the ghosts fighting against a formidable global superpower, features memorable characters and intense moments that kept me invested throughout.”
    • “I actually really enjoyed the story in this game and the set pieces and big moments are up there with the likes of Modern Warfare and Black Ops 1, not quite as high, but it's close.”
    • “The campaign has a great story, multiplayer at launch was kind of mid cause of large maps and fast TTK, but the DLCs that came after really gave us the maps we needed.”
    • “The story is meh and kinda stupid.”
    • “But it's just not enough to make it stand out, and the story is not any better either as I thought most of it was forgettable and uninteresting, and the main villain, Rourke, his whole backstory and motivations are so vague and poorly done; he's just another generic villain with no distinctive traits.”
    • “The story is completely ridiculous, America is once again underpowered against a more powerful enemy... South America... (seriously? who thought about this?) They never explain how they got so powerful (and no, 3 lines of dialogue aren't enough), they just say here is your new enemy, and it never gets mentioned again.”
  • graphics1,425 mentions

    The graphics of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the game features improved visuals compared to its predecessors, it still falls short of expectations for a next-gen title. Critics highlight issues such as poor optimization, graphical glitches, and a lack of significant advancements over previous games in the series, leading to a perception that the graphics are outdated. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the game's aesthetic and detail, particularly in single-player mode, while others express frustration over performance issues on various hardware setups.

    • “Graphically, the game impresses with a new engine that enhances visuals, while the sound design, including immersive audio effects and solid voice acting, adds to the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are captivating and detailed.”
    • “The visuals are stunning and the gunplay is amazing.”
    • “The graphics are terrible in everything except the characters and the weapons; the grass is literally just blotches of different shades of green.”
    • “The graphics looked well in 2013 but look worn out in 2019.”
    • “The graphics are not for a AAA game.”
  • gameplay1,024 mentions

    The gameplay of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its fast-paced action and diverse mechanics, such as the introduction of a dog companion and dynamic maps. However, criticisms often focus on the game's lack of innovation, repetitive mechanics, and technical issues, including poor optimization and lag, which detract from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, others feel it falls short compared to previous entries in the franchise, leading to a polarized reception.

    • “Call of Duty: Ghosts offers a compelling first-person shooter experience that balances engaging gameplay with a captivating narrative.”
    • “The addition of new gameplay mechanics, such as the ability to control attack dogs and utilize dynamic maps that change during gameplay, adds layers of strategy and unpredictability to the experience.”
    • “The campaign has brilliant and fun gameplay, allowing players to drive tanks, pilot choppers, play as a dog, and engage in firefights in space and underwater.”
    • “Gameplay is lacking, it's poorly optimized and can be frustrating.”
    • “The gameplay itself is weak, mainly because the vast majority of levels feel like generic Call of Duty stuff you've seen many times before.”
    • “The gameplay is just the absolute cancer you experience when playing any other game in the series except slightly worse and they still ask an insane price for a game I would reject for $5.”
  • optimization737 mentions

    The optimization of "Call of Duty: Ghosts" has been widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and poor graphics quality even on high-end systems. Despite some patches aimed at improving performance, the game is often described as a poorly optimized console port, leading to frustration among PC players who expect better performance from a title at its price point. Overall, the game's optimization is considered one of its most significant shortcomings, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The game runs smoothly at 60 fps with all settings at high/ultra in both single player and multiplayer.”
    • “The optimization seems to be lightyears better than it was at launch and the game is running butter smooth on my current system.”
    • “But, after a series of updates and fixes, the game has been optimized, the RAM requirement has been lowered and it runs smoothly on any decent PC.”
    • “This game is poorly optimized for PC, the lag and the frame cap just everything about it was not optimized for anything.”
    • “The game is so poorly optimized it's insane.”
    • “The optimization for PC was obviously made by a monkey on meth, because unless you have a GTX Titan, with 64 gigs of RAM, and a i7 4770k (and even then it probably runs at 50 fps) then you are going to be getting piss poor frames.”
  • stability287 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and game-breaking glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players experienced minimal issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is plagued by bugs and performance problems, making it frustrating and often unplayable, especially in multiplayer modes. Overall, many reviewers recommend avoiding the game due to its poor stability and optimization.

    • “This title is from 2013 and still looks great and runs great 9 years later.”
    • “I have had no glitches in this game whatsoever like all the older COD games and the BF games especially.”
    • “Good graphics, no freezing, no blurring... looks and runs great.”
    • “My game crashed one time and all my progress is gone, and the game freezes and crashes your computer every few missions.”
    • “Game-breaking glitches prevent me from ever really playing it.”
    • “It's a crying shame that 8 years later, the game is still a buggy mess.”
  • music92 mentions

    The music in "Call of Duty: Ghosts" receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack for its cinematic quality and notable contributions from artists like Eminem, while others find it largely forgettable and generic. Many players express frustration over the lack of audio options, such as separate volume controls for music and sound effects, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it often fails to leave a lasting impression.

    • “The music, the graphics, the story.”
    • “Some of the tracks sound like you are literally fighting to save the world, and in other levels, the music sounds like it was composed to accompany Batman trying to defeat the Joker in a go-kart race through an Acme factory.”
    • “I loved the music direction, and I think the composer who worked on Ghosts' music is far more suitable for an action FPS game than the new composer Infinity Ward keeps hiring for their newer games.”
    • “The music is a mix between some of the better melodies, despite being utterly forgettable after the initial experience and some cookie-cutter, 1 dollar McDonald's McBurger bullshit that your brain actively tries to erase and replace with more pleasant memories.”
    • “Music is non-existent.”
    • “The soundtrack is passable.”
  • humor71 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as unintentional and absurd, with players finding amusement in glitches, ridiculous plotlines, and over-the-top scenarios. Many reviews highlight the game's campy nature, likening it to a "B-rate movie" experience, where the combination of poor mechanics and silly moments creates a comedic atmosphere. Overall, while the game may not excel in quality, its humor provides a source of entertainment for players who appreciate its absurdity.

    • “I love Riley biting men's faces off; it's funny :)”
    • “The story/writing is just laughable, the 'plot twists' you see coming from a mile away, and the ending made me laugh too.”
    • “It's funny when your dog is killing enemies during a multiplayer game.”
    • “This game needs so much help it's not funny.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
    • “I expected a lot of laughs, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
  • replayability51 mentions

    Overall, the replayability of the game is mixed, with many users noting that while the multiplayer modes offer some variety and engagement, the single-player campaign and Extinction mode lack significant replay value due to their linearity and predictability. Some players find enjoyment in multiplayer, describing it as fun but ultimately repetitive, while others criticize the campaign for being short and not worth revisiting. In summary, the game may appeal to those who prioritize multiplayer experiences, but single-player content is generally seen as lacking in replayability.

    • “The introduction of new multiplayer modes and maps adds variety and replayability, keeping the online community engaged and competitive.”
    • “Amazing multiplayer with endless replayability, the campaign is solid (interesting story)!”
    • “Please do not let the negative hype of other gamers scare you away from this gem - this is the best COD game on the market and offers tons of replay value in the multiplayer mode.”
    • “Extinction is fun but kinda same-y; you always do the same thing from beginning to end, which lowers the replay value.”
    • “The campaign weighs in at around 5 hours long, and I wouldn't really say there is replay value, so base your expectations accordingly if you are in it for the single-player campaign only.”
    • “Less than 8 hours to get through it start to finish, and none of the levels really have any replay value.”
  • emotional38 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its heartfelt story and memorable characters that evoke strong feelings, particularly during key moments like character deaths and the ending. However, many others criticize the narrative for lacking depth, relying on forced emotional moments, and featuring generic characters that fail to create a meaningful connection. Overall, while a minority found the emotional storyline impactful, the majority felt it fell short of expectations, leading to a lack of emotional engagement.

    • “I cried like three separate times, mainly for the ending - otherwise 10/10.”
    • “Great heartfelt story and all the characters are very memorable. I don't think I've ever finished a game and had it leave such an impact on me before.”
    • “The story is really interesting, emotional, and beautiful.”
    • “In most areas, the game is competent, but due to generic characters, a contrived and boring story, and corridor game design, I can't recommend this to the majority of people.”
    • “While the campaign is quite lengthy and the levels are very different from each other, the game suffers from a boring story, dull characters, and gameplay that, while fun in short bursts, feels very derivative.”
    • “Poorly optimized, bad balancing, boring story, and just a lackluster effort altogether.”
  • grinding36 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the depth and optional nature of grinding, many express frustration with the repetitive and tedious nature of certain missions and modes, particularly in the "Extinction" feature. The consensus suggests that while the game offers enjoyable moments, the grinding can feel excessive and detracts from the overall experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Extinction is fairly interesting in concept but in practice it's tedious, grindy, and downright impossible to play solo at times.”
    • “Anything beyond that, like earning the hundreds of teeth needed to unlock more, just turns into a harshly grinding repetition.”
  • monetization26 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with users labeling it a "lazy cash grab" due to the prevalence of ads, microtransactions, and expensive DLCs. Many reviewers express frustration over the game's reliance on advertisements and the high costs associated with additional content, which detracts from the overall gaming experience. Overall, players feel that the focus on profit over quality has resulted in a disappointing product that fails to deliver on its promises.

    • “The pinnacle of everything are microtransactions and tons of unnecessary DLCs.”
    • “Tons of microtransactions on an already full-priced game.”
    • “This is nothing but a lazy cash grab.”
    • “Last gripe are all the microtransactions and high premium for DLC they expect you to pay, while offering very little cool features and customization in-game.”
    • “Lazy, greedy, money-grabbing developers, fake advertising and promises is why this game deserves my fail of the year award.”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its impressive graphics and immersive sound design, creating a captivating experience across both single-player and multiplayer modes. While some players find the atmosphere to be occasionally over-the-top or lacking depth in storytelling, many appreciate the intense and engaging settings that enhance gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, often recommended despite criticisms of the narrative.

    • “Graphically, the game impresses with a new engine that enhances visuals, while the sound design, including immersive audio effects and solid voice acting, adds to the overall atmosphere.”
    • “I recommend this game for its atmosphere, not its story.”
    • “Amazing atmosphere, amazing story.”
    • “Graphics and audio are similar to other COD games, gameplay is the same (for the most part) and story is geared more towards spectacle and atmosphere rather than a concise story and fleshed out characters.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game just makes it feel like it's half done or just a random COD game Infinity Ward has created to fill in their queue for the year's COD.”
    • “Absolutely no atmosphere, randomly generated story without any sense; the places you go to are designed from 'meh, well, that's ok' to 'why?'”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game has been widely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and engagement among the main characters. Players feel that the storyline fails to provide meaningful growth or interaction, often relegating character insights to separate intel rather than integrating them into the gameplay. Overall, the consensus is that character development is the most disappointing aspect, leaving fans unsatisfied.

    • “Impressive character designs, especially the main cast which includes our beloved dog Riley.”
    • “In fact, the most character development you get is from intel that you collect throughout the campaign, but it's viewed separately in the main menu.”
    • “Character development is hit and miss, and dialogue ranges from average to downright awful.”
    • “The story line was pretty bad; there was hardly any character development, and what little there was felt uninteresting and not worth wasting time on.”
    • “Well, sadly, I have to say that character development is actually the most disappointing part of this game.”
    • “The player is only given a few seconds to meet the two main characters and is then pretty much instantly thrown into action without any real time for character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

15hMedian play time
65hAverage play time
6hMain story
13hCompletionist
5-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 48 analyzed playthroughs

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