Call of Duty: Vanguard

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

69%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, atmosphere

67% User Score Based on 1,740 reviews

Critic Score 71%Based on 61 reviews

Platforms

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About

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a warfare theme. It was developed by Demonware and was released on March 8, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a WWII first-person shooter where players experience combat across multiple fronts. The game includes a single-player campaign, expansive multiplayer offering with over 20 maps, and a new Zombies experience. It features cross-progression and cross-generation play for continued gameplay.

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67%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,740 reviews

story140 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

The campaign features impressive visuals and sound design, creating an immersive experience.
The gunplay is solid, with satisfying mechanics and a variety of weapons to customize.
Some character arcs and moments in the campaign are engaging, adding depth to the narrative.

The campaign is short and lacks a cohesive narrative, jumping between characters without a clear story.
Technical issues, including crashes and bugs, detract from the overall experience.
Multiplayer feels unfocused and is plagued by a lack of players, making it difficult to find matches.

story
404 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
53%
12%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it basic and lacking depth, often jumping between characters and time periods without a cohesive narrative. While some appreciated the attempt to weave historical context into the gameplay, others criticized the plot as repetitive and uninspired, with forgettable characters and a short campaign. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a significant downside, failing to engage players despite some enjoyable moments and impressive visuals.
- “The story itself is trying to tell the tale of some SOE operators in the late days of WWII, with some flashbacks for each protagonist.”
- “The campaign is amazing though, I really loved the storyline of each character and the graphical fidelity was top notch!”
- “Definitely recommended to anyone that loves a good WWII epic with good story, fun gameplay, and amazing production quality!”
- “The story is really a series of stories incredibly loosely related to each other.”
- “Without a main story thread holding this together, it's terrible.”
- “Boring story, two-dimensional characters, awful, clichéd script, shockingly inaccurate depictions of WWII theatres, a blink-and-you'll-miss it campaign, and buggy as hell.”
gameplay
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The gameplay in Call of Duty: Vanguard is characterized by solid gunplay and responsive controls, delivering the fast-paced action fans expect from the franchise. While the multiplayer modes are engaging and maintain competitive excellence, many reviewers noted a lack of innovation and repetitive mechanics compared to previous titles. Overall, the experience is enjoyable, though some aspects, such as map design and campaign storytelling, received criticism for not meeting higher expectations.
- “The gameplay is awesome.”
- “But overall the gameplay is fun, the shooting is satisfying and the level design is great, the graphics still look good.”
- “The fluidity of the gameplay is like poetry in motion.”
- “Vanguard struggles to innovate within the WWII shooter genre, offering little new beyond standard Call of Duty mechanics.”
- “The gameplay feels rigid and the atmosphere tinny and lacking, and the numerous cutscenes are marred with poor animations that have the actor's hands clipping through the guns they're holding, leaving a half-baked, half-assed effort kind of impression.”
- “The gameplay is a copy-paste of Call of Duty 2019.”
graphics
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
39%
7%
The graphics in Vanguard are generally praised for their impressive visuals, detailed environments, and cinematic cutscenes, contributing to a visually engaging experience. However, some players report technical issues such as texture pop-ins and graphical glitches that can detract from immersion, and there are criticisms regarding the game's graphics being similar to previous titles rather than showcasing significant advancements. Overall, while the graphics are often described as good or excellent, they are sometimes viewed as inconsistent or underwhelming compared to expectations for a new release.
- “Vanguard is a visual spectacle, with detailed environments and cinematic cutscenes.”
- “A solid game with outstanding graphics that are incredibly realistic looking.”
- “The campaign is amazing though, I really loved the storyline of each character and the graphical fidelity was top notch!”
- “Vanguard suffers from occasional texture pop-ins and minor graphical glitches, which detract from immersion during intense combat sequences.”
- “I'd expect that a game which came after Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019) to look better, but the graphics even on 4K ultra were just atrocious. It was a disappointment in that regard, not only because some of the face models and textures looked like polished rubber, but also because some text on paper which normally you should be able to read was too blurry to even make out the letters. There were also a lot of blurry textures during gameplay, for example, some rocks you have to climb over look like they're from the Call of Duty 2 era: blurry and untextured.”
- “Even on the highest possible settings, the graphics look like something out of Black Ops 1 when up close, which is odd when the game's otherwise excellent particle effects and lighting effects do present themselves against muddy, melty models with poor animations.”
optimization
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
43%
7%
Overall, the optimization of the game is a mixed bag; while many players report excellent performance and impressive graphics, technical issues such as graphical glitches and crashes can detract from the experience. Some users experienced smooth gameplay on various hardware setups, but others faced frustrating performance inconsistencies and bugs that require troubleshooting. Despite these challenges, the game's visual quality and character moments are often praised, indicating a solid foundation that could benefit from further polish.
- “Good optimization/graphics and sound effects.”
- “Very interesting game and very good optimization!”
- “Its relatively easy for anyone to see that the overall performance vs visual quality is at state of the art levels too.”
- “Vanguard's technical issues, including graphical glitches and inconsistent performance, detract from the overall experience.”
- “This game always keeps crashing and also messes up my performance overlay for GeForce Experience.”
- “When you start this game, it needs to do this: 'compiling shaders to optimize performance during gameplay'.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Call of Duty: Vanguard" has received mixed feedback regarding its stability, with many players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and graphical glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some users claim to experience no issues, the overall consensus highlights significant technical challenges that detract from the gaming experience.
- “Call of Duty Vanguard freezes on shaders update.”
- “I start the game and during the splash animations, where the developers can be seen, the game freezes and then crashes with an error message.”
- “Boring story, two-dimensional characters, awful, clichéd script, shockingly inaccurate depictions of WWII theatres, a blink-and-you'll-miss it campaign, and buggy as hell.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag; while many players praise the impressive visual fidelity, realistic character models, and an immersive soundtrack that effectively captures the World War II setting, others criticize the gameplay's rigidity and poorly animated cutscenes that detract from the overall experience. Some missions stand out for their exceptional map design and atmosphere, leading to a polarized reception where some players find it a great experience, while others feel it falls short of expectations.
- “The visual fidelity impresses, with realistic character models and dynamic lighting enhancing the atmosphere.”
- “Vanguard features a fitting soundtrack that complements the WWII setting, enhancing the atmosphere during intense firefights.”
- “Not sure why there are negative reviews; it was a great experience and the game is absolutely worth playing, with great atmosphere, great cut scenes, and a great story, 10/10 in my opinion!”
- “The gameplay feels rigid and the atmosphere is tinny and lacking, and the numerous cutscenes are marred with poor animations that have the actors' hands clipping through the guns they're holding, leaving a half-baked, half-assed effort kind of impression.”
- “Completely ruins the atmosphere and it doesn't even feel like I'm playing a World War II game anymore.”
- “The campaign isn't terrible, storytelling just doesn't feel good and voice lines can be cringe, but some missions are beyond outstanding when it comes to map design, atmosphere, and actions.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The humor in the game is described as unconventional and often revolves around its historical inaccuracies, which some players find amusing rather than offensive. While it diverges from traditional WWII titles, the comedic elements are generally accepted, with players noting that the game's flaws can lead to unexpected laughter. Overall, the humor is seen as a mixed bag, with some enjoying the absurdity while others remain indifferent.
- “But still fun can be had laughing at how well this game manages to mess up and disrespect history.”
- “It was pretty funny; it doesn't bother me too much, but it's quite different from past WWII titles.”
- “Want to hear a funny story?”
- “It's not even funny, woke or cringey-woke; I'm used to that and it's no big deal for me.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The music in Vanguard is generally described as immersive and fitting for its WWII setting, effectively enhancing the atmosphere during gameplay, particularly in intense moments. However, some users feel the soundtrack lacks uniqueness, with one even noting a resemblance to the Max Payne series. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, it may not stand out as particularly memorable.
- “ Immersive soundtrack: Vanguard features a fitting soundtrack that complements the WWII setting, enhancing the atmosphere during intense firefights.”
- “Things like voting for your MVP, seeing the play of the game, and the music cues when a round starts, I like that and wish newer games like MWII had this feature.”
- “Soundtrack: nothing special.”
- “Am I the only one that heard the first notes of the opening soundtrack and expected a Max Payne crossover?”
- “Soundtrack: nothing special.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
Players find that the regular updates and content additions in Vanguard significantly enhance its replayability, particularly through the engaging perk system and covenants that offer a rogue-lite experience. The campaign is also noted to be highly replayable, with no technical issues reported, making it appealing for dedicated gamers.
- “Vanguard receives regular updates and content additions, which may enhance replayability for dedicated players.”
- “The perk system and covenants are really good; upgrading perk tiers and covenant's special abilities feels like a rogue-lite style, which I like and makes the game more replayable.”
- “Perk system and covenants are really good. I understand that people like the original perk system better, but I didn't mind this change because it feels like it's more replayable. Upgrading perk tiers and covenant's special abilities feels like a rogue-lite style, which I like.”
- “I experience exactly zero glitches, crashes, etc. It's perfect, and the campaign is most definitely replayable.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The monetization in the game has been criticized for being excessive, with many operators locked behind high paywalls and minimal customization options. Players express frustration over the prevalence of microtransactions and unwanted advertisements for other titles, detracting from the overall experience.
- “This feature also comes short due to the minimal customization and the insane monetization; most of the operators can only be unlocked by paying a hefty price and they don't even fit the WW2 theme.”
- “Also, stop advertising Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) to me. When I click play on Vanguard, I want to play Vanguard, not MW2 (2022)!”
- “Advertisements: gritty WWII game”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly criticizing the camo unlocking system in zombies, which requires thousands of kills for over 100 camos per gun. The gameplay is described as subpar, with missions that feel monotonous and unengaging, contributing to an overall sense of grindiness that detracts from the experience.
- “Camo grinding in zombies is utterly disgusting.”
- “There are over 100 camos per gun needing you to get thousands of kills to unlock, and it is so tedious and grindy that it is simply not worth the hassle.”
- “Simply, it's just grindy.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Reviews highlight a significant divide in emotional engagement, with some players feeling deeply immersed in the horrors of WWII, while others criticize the shallow characterization and lack of depth that hinder emotional investment. The narrative's impact is diminished for many due to clichéd writing and two-dimensional characters, leading to a less compelling experience overall.
- “It truly made me feel like I was experiencing the horrors of WWII firsthand.”
- “Boring story, two-dimensional characters, awful clichéd script, shockingly inaccurate depictions of WWII theaters, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it campaign, and buggy as hell.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users feel that the character development in the game is lacking, citing that the limited number of missions and cutscenes fail to create a meaningful connection with the characters. This has resulted in a general sense of detachment from the characters throughout the gameplay experience.
- “I didn't feel attached to any of the characters because I thought only 2 missions and some cutscenes weren't enough for character development.”
- “I didn't feel attached to any of the characters because I thought only 2 missions and some cutscenes weren't enough for character development.”

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71%Critics’ scoreBased on 65 critic reviews

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8h Median play time

8h Average play time

8-8h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a shooter game with warfare theme.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Web Browser, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Call of Duty: Vanguard.

Call of Duty: Vanguard was released on March 8, 2023.

Call of Duty: Vanguard was developed by Demonware.

Call of Duty: Vanguard has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Call of Duty: Vanguard is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Call of Duty: WWII, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Call of Duty: Ghosts and others.

Call of Duty: Vanguard

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