The Top 5 Darkest Sabaton Songs

Welcome to the end of November fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I know I said in my last post that it was the end of content for this month, but this one popped into my head literally a few weeks ago. As I was listening to Sabaton (As I seem to do on a daily basis), I asked myself “Can a Power Metal band like these guys go dark?”. Upon going through their discography, I can say yes. This was a difficult list to make: Sabaton is not know for going into dark territory when it comes to their music, and finding candidates were difficult....but not impossible. Without further delay, here are what I consider to be the 5 darkest Sabaton songs in their entire career.

Quick Note: Got the corresponding albums with each song, in case you wanted to seek said albums out.

5) Reign Of Terror & Panzer Battalion (Primo Victoria)

To be perfectly honest, I was considering leaving these two off the list. Desert Storm & Iraqi Freedom aren’t necessarily dark or scary in the eyes of some, and in many ways seem comical when it comes to the history of warfare. So if these tracks aren’t really bleak, what is it that got them on here in the first place? The answer? Timing.

For anyone who’s a beginner or casual fan of Sabaton, Primo Victoria original came out on March the 15th, 2005 (With a re-release that came out in September of 2010). Over a decade since the start of Desert Storm, and just barely under 2 years since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It seems eerily coincidental, and to date they’re still the most recent things that Sabaton has sung about history-wise. Again, the subject matter might not send chills up the spine, but the time of their release adds a pale aura to them.

4) Nuclear Attack (Attero Dominatus)

Hiroshima & Nagasaki. 2 names that are connected to one of the most powerful & horrific weapons ever developed by man. Since the end of World War 2, nuclear weapons haven’t been used due to their might, and because of the disturbing aftermath they’ve left on the history of warfare. Sabaton took this subject head on, and managed to crank out an incredible song. I would have put this higher on the list, if not for the fact that the music comes across as a little goofy. It’s not that it isn’t good, because it is. For me at least, it clashes with the serious nature of the subject matter. Maybe I’m complaining over nothing, maybe I’m not.

3) White Death (Coat Of Arms)

This won’t be the only time that I’ll be talking about songs off of Coat Of Arms. The first release of the 2010s, it held within it a host of incredible stories. Case in point is the tale of Simo "Simuna" Häyhä, or as he was known by his nickname, White Death. During the Winter War between Finland & the Soviet Union, it was reported that Simo had an estimated kill count of 505 Russian solders (Kills gained by his M/28-30 Rifle & Suomi KP/-31 SMG). That’s morbidly impressive if you ask me. What makes this song so dark is not just the kill count, but how cold Simo was when asked about this. In a interview in 1998, he simply answered “Practice”, and when questioned if he regretted killing so many, he replied “I only did my duty, and what I was told to do, as well as I could”. Those replies are equal parts badass & disturbing, and Sabaton did this man justice!

2) Inmate 4859 (Heroes)

Xylophone. For the first 10 to 12 seconds, we’re treated to some surprisingly creepy xylophone playing, and it sets the mood perfectly for what is perhaps the most tragic & chilling song that Sabaton has ever performed. The story of Witold Pilecki is one of the saddest tales in World War 2 history: after not being believed by the Polish Government in exile about the horrors of Auschwitz, he made sure that he got himself into that prison. For 2 and a half years, he tried to organize a resistance within the camp, but when that failed, he escaped back to Poland, and tried once again to get the exiled government to listen to him. After then didn’t listen for a second time, he was then arrested by the recently installed Russian government, and was executed after the mock trial they put him through, and right up until 1989, the Polish Communist Regime kept his fate sealed. Upon the revelation.....I can only imagine what the Polish people went through.

1) The Final Solution (Coat Of Arms)

I don’t think there’s every been a moment in time as horrific, racist, and bloodthirsty as the final solution. From 1941 to 1945, millions of Jewish people from fully control Nazi territories were rounded up, and sent off to camps to embrace a fate that was not theirs. Since then, the horrors of the concentration camps has been documented in excruciating detail, and on their 2010 release, Sabaton captured this period in history perfectly. Completely taking their usual jovial nature out of the picture, the band give this period of time an immense amount of respect to those that died. There’s absolutely no humor throughout the song, and instead we’re given one of the best examinations of human cruelty & insanity the world has ever seen. My hat’s off to you Sabaton. Bravo.

So those were Sabaton’s darkest songs. Even a group as happy-go-lucky as these guys, can delve into the darkness once in a while. So, for real this time, this is the last post for this month. In a few days it’s December, and thus the closing of 2017. Stay tuned for my final posts of the year. Until then, hope you’ve managed to recover from your Turkey comas. I know I am!

Food For Thought/Though For Food No. 8: In Defense Of Call Of Duty

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome to the final post of Call of Duty month!

At the beginning of this month, we looked at my top 5 favorites entries into the Call of Duty franchise. A few days after that I reviewed the iconic Modern Warfare, and last week I talked about my favorite missions throughout the various Call of Duty titles. Today’s post is a bit more serious when compared to the previous 3 articles I typed up. Don’t worry: much like my Monster Musume edition of Food For Though/Thought For Food from last month, I’ll do the best I can to not swear & be more civil in this one. With the last one I was successful. This one? I might fail.

If you have ever met me, you’ll know at some point when we talk about games, I’ve probably brought up Call of Duty. I enjoyed the series! From it’s origins in the early 2000s, to all the way here in 2017, I have been with one of the FPS industry giants. I’ve always had fun: from World War 2 & the Cold War, to the Modern Era, and the more recently venture into the future & science fiction, Call of Duty has been there for me. Do I think that each entry is the be all & end all? Hell no! I might enjoy the series as a whole, but every title isn’t made equally. When effort’s put in, you can tell. When there isn’t enough effort put in, it’s obvious. The point being, I love this series. And there’s one thing I’ll always do.....and that’s come to it’s defense.

This doesn’t mean I’m blind to the criticism of Call of Duty. Like I said above, not all entries are made as well as the others (Just ask me about Ghosts, and I will rant for days). I don’t deny that the franchise has problems. I will gladly point out a CoD title’s issues, and even call out a fan or two if I see it’s necessary. On the other hand, I’ll defend my love of the series as well. I would proudly, and without shame, say that I like Call of Duty. I will explain, to the best of my ability, why I enjoy CoD, and point out which titles are the one’s I like. So why am I admitting this?

Because so many other CoD fans won’t. With so much shame & ridicule flung their way, it’s easy to see why they don’t speak out. That’s actually the problem! Many Call of Duty fans won’t come out about their enjoyment of the series, and some who do aren’t very articulate, and they feed into the stereotype of Call of Duty players being college bros that get drunk all the time! It’s a real shame, cause when CoD players defend their choice of game, every once in a while they’re pretty effective. I think that fans who don’t defend themselves make the situation worse, more so than fans who defend themselves poorly.

Final thoughts: Don’t shame people for liking this series. You wouldn’t like it if it happened to you. Also, be a little more thoughtful & smart about your criticisms towards the series. For everyone’s complaints about the series always being the same, it’s amazing how said complaints are always the same as well.

And this was my take on the Call of Duty franchise. I hope you liked what I had to say about this (And my other posts as well), and please leave a reply in the comment section below if you agree or disagree with anything I said. I was planning to make this a larger post, but due to the incoming Holiday, I managed to sum up things a little tighter. Anyways, I’m taking a week off to enjoy the incoming holiday, and to get ready for the final posts of 2017. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

My Top 5 Favorite Call Of Duty Missions

Saddle up fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Last week I took a look at the iconic Modern Warfare. While I was working on it, I thought to myself “Hey, I just talked about my favorite entries the week before. Why not talk about my favorite missions?”. Okay, maybe it didn’t go exactly like that, but it was in the ballpark at least. Regardless, there are fantastic missions spreadout through the entire Call of Duty series. Some standout more than others, but all in all great operations to go through. Today I thought I would share some of my favorite missions. The ones that stood out to me the most, and the ones I enjoyed playing the most. So with that said, here are my top 5 favorite Call of Duty missions. Enjoy.

5) Infinite Warfare - Operation Deep Execute (Mission)

Much like my top 5 favorite CoD entries list from earlier this month, I had to start this one off with Infinite Warfare once again. Ironically enough, this wasn’t a main mission, but one of the side quests you could access (Early on, might I add). Operation Deep Execute was a pretty intense mission: taking place at a SDF destroyer, you & 1 other partner are required to sneak on board to take other important enemy targets. Once you get on board, you acquire a uniform, and blend in as you wander the ship. You tinker with some of the ship’s system, culminating in the assassination of the 3 targets by draining the air out of the room they’re in. It’s a pretty sadistic move, but it’s a clever one as well. Once they’re dead, you have to make your way off the ship in a similar manner as you got on, and it’s just as adrenalin pumping. A really great mission that you shouldn’t skip.

4) World at War - Breaking Point (Mission)

One of the most unique things about Treyarch’s first main entry into Call of Duty, was the fact that it was the only time that we took on the Japanese Imperial Army. Each mission that they were in, they were incredibly vicious, and actually emulated their real-life counterpart to a certain degree. Nowhere was their ferocity more evident than in the final mission in the Pacific portion of the game. Taking place at the real-life Shuri Castle, the player & the squad he’s become accustomed to get embroiled in some of the fiercest gunfights against the Japanese. Whether it was in the tunnels, the courtyards, or inside the castle itself, you get in some bloody battles. Then you reach the final courtyard for the climatic battle, and while I won’t give anything away......I will say that it’s heartbreaking. A great way to end Imperial Japan’s first appearance in a Call of Duty game, and a fine sendoff to the franchise’s World War 2 roots.

3) Modern Warfare - All Ghillied Up (Mission)

Take the intensity of Operation Deep Execute, and turn the knob up to 20! All Ghillied Up is not just a classic mission from Modern Warfare, it’s a classic Call of Duty mission period. Taking place at Chernobyl & the decrepit city of Pripyat, you’re in the shoes of a younger Captain Price, teaming up with his superior officer at the time, Captain MacMillan. Sent in to take out Imran Zakhaev, the player is decked out in the now iconic Ghillie suit, and equipped with deadly silenced weapons. The first half of the mission has you & MacMillan stealthfully sneaking through old buildings, assassinating unsuspecting targets, and in the most nailbiting portion, essentially crawling & weaving through what is effectively a battalion of Russian soldiers. The second half is more action packed: having seemingly assassinated Zakheav, the player & MacMillian have to escape the city. Getting his leg injured early on, MacMillian has to be carried by the player to the evacuation point, all the while defending the pair from anyone that crosses their path. It all leads up to the big battle at the extraction point, where waves of soldiers come down on you like a ton of bricks. The fight is awesome, and it makes the successful rescue all the more better.

Tip: if you manage to shoot someone that has an RPD, pick it up. It will make going through the rest of the mission so much easier. 

2) Black Ops 2 - Karma (Mission)

In many ways Karma shares a lot in common with All Ghillied Up. A more stealth influenced first half, and an action packed second half. What makes this (In my opinion) mission better is the circumstances behind this one: instead of an irradiated & abandoned city, you’re on a super-vacation resort populated by massive amount of people. Getting sent in to locate a super weapon, you’re disguised as special workers, and you get inside the inner bowels of the resort. Discovering early on that the bad guys have basically setup shop as the resort security, the player and his 2 allies hack the computer systems & take down a few of the bad guys. Upon discovering the super weapon (A computer hacker), it’s a race to find it at a dance club, only for the enemy to arrive not long after. The second half is a made chase through the resort, as the enemy forces begin their attack on the resort. The player will not only half to deal with them as they chase down the super weapon, they also have to fight back against the resort’s robotic security going haywire. This also happens to be one of the mission you can potentially fail, and thus change the direction of the story. Regardless of how it ends, Karma will keep you engaged from the moment you start playing. 

1) Modern Warfare 2 - No Russian (Mission)

No Russian. There have definitely been Call of Duty missions that pushed a button or two, but none have ever lit up a firestorm of controversy much like this one. Taking place early on in Modern Warfare 2's campaign, you’re in the shoes of an American soldier, infiltrating deep into a terrorist group led by Vladimir Makarov (A former comrade of Imran Zakhaev). Makarov’s next target happens to be at a Russian airport, where you & his small crew proceed to shoot everybody in front of you. Civilians, airport security, doesn’t matter. Makarov & his men have a bullet for everybody they see. You technically don’t have to shoot anybody inside the airport (You can simply follow Makarov’s and his crew), but once you’re outside in a standoff with Russian police, you definitely have to fight back. After the run-in with the police, you managed to escape, only before.....na, I don’t want to spoil things.

So what makes this my number one favorite mission in Call of Duty’s extensive library? Shock value. Infinity Ward had some massive balls to create this mission & put it in the game, and I commend them for it. Despite issues within the group, they managed to put out a mission that has stayed permanently stuck in my brain since Christmas of 2009. Seeing the carnage was incredibly graphic, but at the same times showed off just how evil Makarov is, and how urgent his kill/capture was. It may be controversial, but No Russian manages to be my number 1 Call of Duty mission of all time.

So these were my favorite Call of Duty missions. I had to think for a bit about which ones to put here, but hopefully you’ll enjoy this piece. See you all next week for the last post in Call of Duty month, where I’ll have an interesting Food For Though/Though For Food put up about the series. Until then, sound off!

Game Review: Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

Welcome back to Call of Duty month fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

A few days back, I showed you all of my favorite Call of Duty games. In that list, I briefly spoke of the 10 year anniversary of the release of the original Modern Warfare. Yesterday marked the decade old release of the game, so it was only appropriate that I take a look at it. Even after 10 years of existence, Call of Duty 4 still stands as an example of when the franchise was looked upon positively. From a time where the series had little to none of the controversy that’s damaged it today. I managed to reply the whole game a few weeks back, and the nostalgia waves are still fresh, as they helped me make this review. With that said, let’s take a look at Modern Warfare, and see what made it so great to begin with.

Development History (Taken from Wikipedia)
“Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was developed by a team of a hundred people, over the course of two years. After Call of Duty 2, the Infinity Ward team decided to move away from the World War II environment of previous games in the series. This resulted in three game concepts: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. While developing the story for Call of Duty 4, Infinity Ward chose to avoid referencing current, real-life wars, and keep the series' common theme of two opposing forces of similar strength. To enhance the realistic feel of the game, the development team attended a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, a training facility in the California desert. This helped the developers to simulate the effects of being near an Abrams tank when it fires. The team also talked with U.S. Marines who were recently in combat to get a feel for the background, emotions, and attitude of Marines in combat. Veterans were also recruited to supervise motion capture sessions and the artificial intelligence design of the game.

The development team designed the online multiplayer component to be balanced and rewarding for new players while still offering something for experienced players. An early idea to implement air support (air strikes and attack helicopters) involved players fighting over special zones to access a trigger for air support against enemies. This idea was discarded because it discouraged the type of deathmatch gameplay they intended. The kill streak reward system was put in its place to encourage the improvement of player skills. Players were allowed to select weapons before matches to get accustomed to weapons more easily and minimize weapon hunting. Maps were designed primarily for deathmatch games—the developers felt such designs suited other types of gameplay as well. Map layouts were designed to minimize locations players could hide from enemy gunfire.

Most of the music for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was written by British composer Stephen Barton, who had also contributed to film scores by Harry Gregson-Williams, to whom, composed the main theme of the game. Several music tracks from the game are available on Infinity Ward's "7 Days of Modern Warfare" website, and some are available at Barton's own web site. The rap song played during the end credits is performed by Call of Duty 4's lead animator, Mark Grigsby.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare runs on the IW engine, specifically IW 3.0, featuring true world-dynamic lighting, HDR lighting effects, dynamic shadows and depth of field. Bullet penetration is calculated by the engine, taking into account factors such as surface type and entity thickness. The game runs in a native resolution of 600p on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Certain objects, such as cars and some buildings, are destructible. This makes distinguishing cover from concealment important, as the protection provided by objects such as wooden fences and thin walls do not completely protect players from harm. Bullet stopping power is decreased after penetrating an object, and the decrease is dependent on the thickness and surface type of the object. The game makes use of a dynamic physics engine, not implemented in previous Call of Duty titles. Death animations are a combination of pre-set animations and ragdoll physics. Console versions of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare run at a consistent 60 frames per second, and the Wii version runs at 30 frames per second. Code was included to determine spawning points based on the nearby weapons and the relationship between enemy positions and line of sight to the points. The various criteria are meant to minimize players dying immediately after rejoining a match, or being "spawn-killed" due to players simply waiting for others to "respawn". However, enemies may still respawn infinitely, a notable feature in Call of Duty game engines.

The game engine has also been used for the development of two other Activision games. An enhanced version of the original engine was used in Call of Duty: World at War, the fifth installment in the Call of Duty series after Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, while a slightly altered version has been used for the James Bond video game Quantum of Solace as well as GoldenEye 007 using a heavily modified version.”

In-Game Story
In 2011, a civil war has broken out in Russia. The forces loyal to the country, and the ultranationalists who wish for the nation to become more like it’s old soviet-era self. This conflict results in the leader of the ultranationalists, Imran Zakhaev, to make a deal with the Middle Eastern Dictator, Khaled Al-Asad. Khaled Al-Asad is currently attempting a coup in a “Oil Rich” Middle East country (Never said which country), and has extreme anti-American views. Providing a perfect distraction, Al-Asad’s coup acts as a shield for Zakhaev’s actions in Russia. Unfortunately, a coalition between U.S. forces & British S.A.S. forms to take out Al-Asad (At first by the Americans) & Zakhaev (Both the Americans & British). Along the way, there’s a lot of twists & turns in this story, but to spoil even one would ruin the whole experience.

Let me be perfectly honest: Modern Warfare’s story is hokey as hell! When it first came out back in 2007, I thought it was badass. It came across very gritty, and had quite the amount of intrigue behind it. Nowadays, it comes across like the plot of a hokey action movie from the 80s. If I’m being honest....I kind of like hokey 80s action movies. Modern Warfare might come across as a little more serious at time, but it has more in common with the 80s than it cares to admit.

Gameplay
In many ways, Modern Warfare’s gameplay isn’t that much different from Call of Duty 2. There’s regenerating health, a checkpoint system instead of the traditional save system, etc. It’s what’s been changed that’s different. The setting is no longer in World War 2 for starters. That era’s archaic nature is gone, and the modern methods of warfare are now standard practice. This translates into the weapons you find & use: M4 Carbines, Desert Eagles, and Uzis are just a few of the guns you find. There’s frag grenades & flashbangs for primary & tactical grenades respectfully, and there are situational weapons like the stinger missile launcher for mission-specific moments. These weapons & equipment really make it feel like you’re fighting in a modern war, and the enemies are more modern as well. Gone are the classic Nazis of the Third Reich, and instead you’ve got to deal with the soldiers of Khaled Al-Asad & the Ultranationalists led by Imran Zakhaev. Though the tactics of both forces seems largely the same, the physical features of both sides differentiates them enough to the point that they at least feel different.

Multiplayer has received something of an upgrade since the previous 2 games. In addition to being able to pick your guns, equipment, and whatever side you play, there are now perks you can pick to upgrade your abilities. Picking up to a maximum of 3, perks are organized into 3 tiers. Each tear is organized among offensive perks, defensive perks, and more utility-oriented perks. Being able to hold more equipment, doubled fire rate, and a longer run time are just a couple of the perks you can pick. Guns also have a limited selection of attachments to choose from, including various sights. As with leveling yourself up, you levels up guns to get their respective attachments. There are also kill streaks as well, and they offer momentary benefits. 3 kills gets you a radar ping (Reveals opponents), 5 gets you an airstrike (A group of jets deals high damage in a line), and 7 kills gets you an attack helicopter (Similar to the airstrike, but lasts longer & travels around the map). To balance things out, if one side gets an airstrike or helicopter, then the other side can’t because of airspace being taken up. It is a little annoying when one side has their stuff out and the otherside can’t, but my best guess is that it might have slowed down the game somehow, and so some form of balance was required.

Finally there’s the level-up system. Unlike previous Call of Duty games, players have a level in multiplayer mode. By completing games & killing enemies, you gain XP that increases your level. At many levels you gain, you acquire the various guns, equipment, and perks you use. You start at level 1, and can go all the way up to 55. Once you get to 55, you can “Prestige”: you start back at level 1 & progress once again back to 55, regaining all of the guns, equipment, and perks you earned before. With each prestige level, you gain an emblem showing off your prestige level, and gain another class slot (Normal maximum amount is 5). Ironically, the prestige feature was taken out of the PC edition. Very curious.

Graphics
Modern Warfare’s engine uses what’s called the IW Engine, which in itself is based off of Id Tech 3 (The engine used in Quake 3 Arena). The version used for this game was Call of Duty 2's IW 2.0 engine. This engine allowed for a variety of things, including bullet penetration, improved AI, lighting engine upgrades, and a bunch of other stuff. For it’s time it was impressive, but nowadays it’s.....okay at best. Everything bad about the engine is incredibly apparent now: from the textures to the lighting you can tell that the IW Engine is based off of dated technology. There was a remastered edition of the game that came out this year......but we don’t talk about it.

Others
If you’re curious about this game, take a look at the walkthrough below.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Walkthrough)

Overall Impression & Rating
Modern Warfare was a phenomenal release back in 2007. It ushered in waves of change, both good & bad, to the Call of Duty franchise as a whole. Moving it out of it’s WW2 beginnings, it’s advancements in graphics & gameplay (Single & Multi) really rose the game above many other FPS games of the late 2000s, and cemented itself as an undying classic. Even today, with the franchise receiving almost unyielding amounts of hate & criticism, there are those who look at Modern Warfare with rose-tinted glasses, letting feelings of nostalgia take over for a bit. If you’re a new Call of Duty fan who wants to see a glimpse into the past, or an old-school fan who wants a look back at the glory days, then load up Modern Warfare and give it a go.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare gets a 8 out of 10, although those who look at the game more nostalgically probably would give it a 9 out of 10. Maybe a full-blown 10 out of 10 if they really loved the game.

So that was my look at the original Modern Warfare. Deserving of it’s positive reputation, it does shows signs of it’s age nowadays, but at the same time still has a lot of good about it. Fans back in the day liked it, and even people who are highly critical of Call of Duty still give Modern Warfare some credit. I definitely give it credit still here in 2017. So, see you all next week, when I’ll talk about my favorite missions within the Call of Duty franchise. Until then, may your fighting spirit be a bit more modern.

My Top 5 Favorite Call Of Duty Games

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome......to Call of Duty month.

Now, I heard a few growns from the crowd, and some of you probably just left the room, and to a certain degree I can’t blame you. With a new title being released each year, the game market is essentially flooded with releases from this franchise. Hell, even a life long fan of Call of Duty such as myself, can’t completely deny the faults this series has. However, when CoD works, it actually friggen works! To start things off, I wanted to talk about the Call of Duty titles that I happen to enjoy. The ones I think exemplify how good Call of Duty can actually be! The titles that actually have some effort & care put into them! So with that out of the way, here are my top 5 favorite Call of Duty games of all time. Enjoy!

5) Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (Trailer)

We begin this list with one of the most recent Call of Duty titles, and boy oh boy did this stir the hive! I dropped my jaw with the sheer amount of vitriol that the first trailer got, and how much it still gets to this day. It’s a crying shame, as Infinite Warfare is perhaps the freshest title out of what I consider to be the “Modern” era of Call of Duty. I absolutely loved the futuristic vibe of this. The space combat was thrilling, the ground combat was cool & filled with neat gadgets, the zombies mode a lighthearted take on the established mini-game, and even the multiplayer, despite some flaws, is a blast to play! If you’re willing to put the hate aside, you’ll find Infinite Warfare to be a modern classic. See you up in space!

4) Call of Duty (Trailer)

It wouldn’t be right to leave the original off this list. In many ways the very first Call of Duty title has become something of an oddball when compared to pretty much every other game since it’s release. There’s health pickups instead of regenerating health, you can save anywhere (Although there were still some checkpoints), and the multiplayer wasn’t peer-to-peer yet. However, for those who’ve come into the franchise recently, 2003's Call of Duty is a glimpse into the franchise’s distant past. A time where the series wasn’t hated, and when WW2 games weren’t criticized. In recent times World War 2 has come back to Call of Duty, but I’ll cover that when the time is right. Regardless, the original Call of Duty holds up remarkably well despite it’s issues, and even gamers who despise the franchise can’t deny the quality of this title. Do yourself a favor, and give this classic a go!

3) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Trailer)

Much like the original Call of Duty, 2007's first entry into the Modern Warfare series is considered a classic (Even among critics), and for good reason. What gets this game past it’s 2003 predecessor is the simple fact that it spearheaded the movement of getting the franchise out of World War 2, and into the modern era of combat. Gone is the M1 Garand & MG42, and instead the M4 Carbine & M249 SAW take their place. Gone are the Nazis, and instead you’ve got a Middle Eastern dictator & Russian dissidents to fight. Things seem to be a bit more gritty in Modern Warfare, yet it doesn’t lose sight of what made the previous 2 games so great, and takes that quality for it’s own. Nearly a year later, Modern Warfare is still held up as an example of Call of Duty at it’s finest, and it’s a game I have fond memories of. If you want to see where all of the “modern” sensibilities come from, then look no further than Modern Warfare.

2) Call of Duty: World At War (Trailer)

Though Modern Warfare spearheaded the modernization of the themes of Call of Duty, one roadblock came up in the form of World At War. Considered to be the black sheep of the Call of Duty series due to it being the first main title released by a studio that wasn’t Infinity Ward (In this case, Treyarch), it none the less was a nice farewell to the World War 2 era of Call of Duty. It’s also the bloodiest affair in the series, as the German & Japanese soldiers can be burned & amputated with a shocking amount of realism in 2008. Many of the classic weapons from WW2-era Call of Duty return, and a few new ones make their debut as well. It’s the first time that Japanese weapons from the war are put in a player’s hands, and it’s the first time that the iconic German MG42 machinegun is portable. World at War also marks the birth of the iconic & infamous Zombies mode, and while it’s original outing is exceedingly primitive by today’s standards, it’s still a blast to play. Even the multiplayer component has something special behind it, as there were drivable tanks in some levels, along with tank perks to improve the experience in some way. Yes, World At War was another trip into WW2 after the emergence into modern times, but it was a nice way to close a chapter in this franchise’s stories history.

1) Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Trailer)

I will forever have Black Ops 2 as my number 1 Call of Duty game. After the issues starting with Modern Warfare 2 that carries over to the 2 games afterwards, Treyarch’s 2012 offering was an exceedingly massive breathe of fresh air. It gave players an unprecedented level of freedom & control that wasn’t seen in any Call of Duty game beforehand. You could pick out your weapons, grenades, equipment, and singleplayer perks. You could control where the story went, if characters lived or died, and what would eventually happen to you. Multiplayer was much more flexible as well, as you could pick & choose your weapons, equipment, and perks with more versatility than ever before. Even the Zombies mode received an overhaul, with levels that are much larger than before, and the easter eggs were much more expansive. Coupled with a futuristic setting that I felt (And still feel) was the most grounded & realistic out of the Sci-Fi based Call of Duty games. I can’t say anything else, other than Black Ops 2 is an essential title to play.

So those were my top 5 favorite Call of Duty releases of all time. I hope you enjoyed this list, as I have more CoD content coming in the next few weeks. In fact, I’ll see you all next week, when I’ll take a look at the original Modern Warfare. Until then, have a nice rest of the week.