Call of Duty: Vanguard

 PlayStation 5
User Score
3.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1479 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 362 out of 1479
  2. Mixed: 172 out of 1479
  3. Negative: 945 out of 1479
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  1. Sky-Line___
    Mar 25, 2022
    7
    CoD Vanguard is not a Call of Duty that does any better than its predecessors. But it is not close to being bad either.

    The campaign is nothing special and I prefer way more the atmosphere you can find in 2008’s CoD World at War – it’s darker, full of horror and feels very real. The Zombies mode is totally bad. It’s the worst I have ever seen on any call of duty. Finally comes the    CoD Vanguard is not a Call of Duty that does any better than its predecessors. But it is not close to being bad either.

    The campaign is nothing special and I prefer way more the atmosphere you can find in 2008’s CoD World at War – it’s darker, full of horror and feels very real.

    The Zombies mode is totally bad. It’s the worst I have ever seen on any call of duty.

    Finally comes the multiplayer mode, the main attraction of the game obviously. I would say that it plays mediocre online, but quite well for competitive play. The ranked mode came unfortunately quite late (luckily GB exists), but it offers a good competitive CoD experience. The weapons feel nice, the maps are not too bad and overall technical quality is good on PS5.

    Of course, this game is likely to be forgotten in a few years. It doesn’t come close to other CoD anthology titles. But it’s enjoyable if your main concern is the multiplayer – especially competitive – experience.    … Expand
  2. M-Reviews
    Nov 7, 2021
    7
    As expected, this years entry in the Call of Duty - Series does not offer much of a surprise. The heavily scripted and linear campaign is a hit and miss, while the expensive multiplayer mode will keep you busy in a reliable way, without offering any remarkable innovation. Technically, the game feels like a little step back from its predecessor - especially on current generation hardware.As expected, this years entry in the Call of Duty - Series does not offer much of a surprise. The heavily scripted and linear campaign is a hit and miss, while the expensive multiplayer mode will keep you busy in a reliable way, without offering any remarkable innovation. Technically, the game feels like a little step back from its predecessor - especially on current generation hardware. It is hard to imagine that "Vanguard" will be a game worth remembering in a year or two.… Expand
  3. SedllY
    Nov 10, 2021
    7
    Single Player is so boring, bad enemies. 5/10
    Multi Player its better, but all players play only SMGs.. so fast game.. why? Ww2 its not 2200 year and so fast... why
  4. Gorehound
    Nov 18, 2021
    7
    Call of Duty Vanguard is more of an improvement in the single-player campaign compared to Black Ops Cold War which was stupidly short, but it was still somewhat short where previous games had campaigns that lasted close to 7 to 10 hours. This one only lasted for 5 hours which is a shame, but the game still had its moments for the multiplayer mode and warzone..... I don't care about them asCall of Duty Vanguard is more of an improvement in the single-player campaign compared to Black Ops Cold War which was stupidly short, but it was still somewhat short where previous games had campaigns that lasted close to 7 to 10 hours. This one only lasted for 5 hours which is a shame, but the game still had its moments for the multiplayer mode and warzone..... I don't care about them as they suck!! just like most multiplayer-only games out there… Expand
  5. MadBert91
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    El juego se ve y se siente bien pero dista mucho de mejorar o siquiera llegar al nivel de otros COD ( y ya es decir en algunos casos) La campaña es muy corta, se que nadie juega un CODF por la campaña, pero nadie lo hace porque el jugador no lo exige y se conforma. Los mapas almenos por ahora del multi son un poco roñosos. Mejorará con el tiempo pero no deja de ser un lanzamiento un pocoEl juego se ve y se siente bien pero dista mucho de mejorar o siquiera llegar al nivel de otros COD ( y ya es decir en algunos casos) La campaña es muy corta, se que nadie juega un CODF por la campaña, pero nadie lo hace porque el jugador no lo exige y se conforma. Los mapas almenos por ahora del multi son un poco roñosos. Mejorará con el tiempo pero no deja de ser un lanzamiento un poco flojo.… Expand
  6. Rezoman
    Nov 8, 2021
    7
    This is a decent game, there are many things I enjoy like the create a class system having great variety, most of the maps being pretty solid, Patrol being a fun new game mode, having the ability to play either 6v6, 8v8, or 12v12, and the campaign being a decently fun time. Now for the bad. Zombies is the worst it’s ever been, they did so much right with cold war’s zombies near the end andThis is a decent game, there are many things I enjoy like the create a class system having great variety, most of the maps being pretty solid, Patrol being a fun new game mode, having the ability to play either 6v6, 8v8, or 12v12, and the campaign being a decently fun time. Now for the bad. Zombies is the worst it’s ever been, they did so much right with cold war’s zombies near the end and to see the newest game essentially start from scratch is ridiculous. Zombies is no longer round based, alternate ammo types are brought into this game in the lamest way possible, no leaderboards for zombies, no Easter Egg, no pack a punch skins, and this is what I believe to be the first ever launch day zombies map to not include a wonder weapon! Challenges for mp and zombies are incredibly boring to do since they don’t require you to do anything that puts you outside your comfort zone, and finally, and I don’t know if it’s just me but champions hill has the worst spawns I’ve ever seen in an fps game. I enjoy this game for the most part but if your a die hard zombies fan hold off and see if they fix things in a couple months. If you liked 2019 MW then you’ll like the mp and even if you didn’t I still think you should give it a shot. Idk why but this games mp has just been fun.… Expand
  7. drcoomer
    Jan 3, 2022
    7
    Campaign is okay, nothing that stands out from other COD titles of past. Some interesting characters and a pretty interesting concept, but none of it will get you too invested.
    Online is pretty good, but again, nothing that really stands out.

    Mostly just your run-of-the-mill Call of Duty game, with a WWII skin on to change things up.
  8. Andi_
    Nov 7, 2021
    7
    Im Großem und Ganzen ein solides Games. Grafik, Movement und Gunplay ist super. Die Waffen fühlen sich super an.
    Die Maps sind schick und für Weltkriegsetting recht farbig, was ich gut finde.
    Die Time to kill jedoch etwas zu kurz.
  9. way2dumb2live
    Nov 10, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll be honest, I'm tempted to give this an 8. Unfortunately, zombies is just that bad that it drags the whole game down. I'll start with what I like about this game: the story and multiplayer. So, the multiplayer is basically the same as MW 2019, but cod has done this before. Just look at BO1 and MW2. BO1 completely copied MW2's killstreak system and its gun system. Why people like it is because it expanded upon multiplayer with alternate modes. The point is, even the best cods have taken elements from each other, and MW 2019 is loved by casuals, which is cod's target audience. That is what cod has always been: an arcade shooter for casual gamers. The campaign, while short, delivers a fantastic story with a jaw dropping ending. Seriously, now all the new games are going to be inner connected now that Project Aether is in Vanguard, which means Vanguard is canon to CW and since Zakheav is in CW that means MW 2019 is canon to Vanguard. I have a feeling that all the cod games are going to follow suit and become sequels and prequels to each other rather than just in their own separate universes. Okay, now that the good is done, let's move onto why this game is a 7: zombies. Vanguard Zombies is so terrible, so bad, that I would rather play through all of Ghosts' campaign than play another second of that.… Expand
  10. pleasedontbewil
    Nov 8, 2021
    7
    This is one of the most 7/10 games I've ever played. Solid, but forgettable. Classic Sledgehammer.
  11. SamuraiMaxis
    Nov 17, 2021
    7
    Campaign : 5 Hours on Regular Difficulty. All-Around One of the Weakest CoD Campaign Since CoD Ghosts/BO3. Level Designs, Gameplay Design, Presentation. Campaign is Just a Slightly Better Battlefield 1-V War Stories. Big Missed Opportunity To Tell an Alternative Post-WW2 Story. You Are Literally Flashbacking The 4 Main Characters. They All Have Unique Personalities But Not That InterestingCampaign : 5 Hours on Regular Difficulty. All-Around One of the Weakest CoD Campaign Since CoD Ghosts/BO3. Level Designs, Gameplay Design, Presentation. Campaign is Just a Slightly Better Battlefield 1-V War Stories. Big Missed Opportunity To Tell an Alternative Post-WW2 Story. You Are Literally Flashbacking The 4 Main Characters. They All Have Unique Personalities But Not That Interesting To Fell Connected to Them. You Are Again Fighting Against Nazis Like %99.8 of Entire WW2 Games. Eastern Front and SSCB ? No, They Aren't There. İt is 1 Soviet Sniper vs Nazi Army in Stalingrad. Unfortunately A lot of Missed Opportunities. İf You Are Planning to Play Only Campaign, I Would Recommend Call of Duty WW2 (2017) Which is Made By Same Developer.

    Multiplayer : Best Feature of The Game İs MP. Good Content, A Lot Things to Grind Even İn The Pre-Season and a Developer (Sledgehammer Games) That Keep Consistently Listens the Community Unlike İnfinity Ward. One of the Best Launched CoD Game Ever. Some Maps Are Way too Big But I Would Say 10/16 Maps Are Good For Fast Pace Yet Game Still Feels Slow on 6v6 on Some Maps. İs İt a Better MW ? Yes, in a lot of Way, With its Own Identity. İt's Like Between MW19 and CW.

    Zombies : Weakest Feature of the Game. Can Compete Against MW19 Spec-Ops. Terrible Co-Op Experience, No Replayability, No Round Based Map. İt Feels Like They Made This Mode in 2 Months. I Was Planning to Grind for Zombies Camos But I Will Not After Seeing This Mess. Sorry For All The Zombies Community. Just Wait for a Discount and New Updates For Now.    … Expand
  12. alexdim00
    May 8, 2022
    7
    Good story but short, classic gameplay, nice graphics with some framedrops.
  13. gunsgunsguns
    Nov 6, 2021
    7
    Could be way more and way better, but it is what it is i guess. Better than many previous cods if that says anything...
  14. MJ1988
    Jan 18, 2022
    7
    SP is good, but story could be better and more history accurate. It feels a bit to shallow. Also the poltical influence is not helping at all...
    MP is not as fun as in other COD games. Maps are too small and there are way to many power positions. It just not fun to play unless you´re going to camp or use power positions..
  15. Lokodechinelo
    Nov 19, 2021
    7
    Tem algumas armas que o sentido delas é meio estranho, tipo, poder recarregar uma panzer
    Faz nada de sentido.
    Fora uns furos na história que tem
  16. kinggazz
    Nov 14, 2021
    7
    it’s alright- if your got a spare £70 and want something to pass a few hours then go for it
  17. MrKeynes
    Nov 15, 2021
    7
    It has been a long time since I played a CoD game. The story is fine but the length of it is short. I tried the Zombie part as well. I believe that it would be much more fun if you play with a friend when you want to play this mode.
  18. Buffalobriin
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    This is a solid multiplayer game. It’s a cross between MW(2019) and WAW with a little punkish alt history vibe. The gameplay is fast and fluid, weapons are absurd but fun. Overall a pretty decent title in the COD library. There are a few bugs you’ll occasionally run into, but if fast arcade PVP FPS games are your thing it’s a good time.
  19. vamper1337
    Nov 20, 2021
    7
    This game have some good and bad sides;
    The good side
    +Game size 25 GB Multiplayer+Zombies, 60 GB with campaign +Fun multiplayer and maps and gunfight +operators and their favourites weapon mechanic +optimalization, better than cold war +movement is very satisfying +campaign is decent (5 h to beat) Bad Side: -Poor zombies content at the moment (No pap camos, no easter egg) worst    This game have some good and bad sides;
    The good side
    +Game size 25 GB Multiplayer+Zombies, 60 GB with campaign
    +Fun multiplayer and maps and gunfight
    +operators and their favourites weapon mechanic
    +optimalization, better than cold war
    +movement is very satisfying
    +campaign is decent (5 h to beat)
    Bad Side:
    -Poor zombies content at the moment (No pap camos, no easter egg) worst than cold war zombies at the start, We can't pause zombies, so after 3 minutes you will be kicked from the server if you, are away from console or PC
    - Some camo levels and prestige levels do not progress
    - STG44 is overpowered, must to be nerfed asap
    -    … Expand
  20. Leo16
    Nov 22, 2021
    7
    I think in general the game is good, the campaign is good, but talking about the multiplayer, there are some problems, I think the major problem are the spawn ones, and some overpowered guns, but in general I have fun playing it and it has a lot of content.
  21. dotleo
    Nov 30, 2021
    7
    Personally, I didn't like Cold War. It was boring, and it lacked innovation. I see a lot of people saying the same thing about Vanguard, but I disagree. For starters, I love how you can choose your combat pacing. For those unaware, Vanguard has a setting where you can choose how many people you want in your games. This brings the life back to Vanguard. If you're playing tactical(thePersonally, I didn't like Cold War. It was boring, and it lacked innovation. I see a lot of people saying the same thing about Vanguard, but I disagree. For starters, I love how you can choose your combat pacing. For those unaware, Vanguard has a setting where you can choose how many people you want in your games. This brings the life back to Vanguard. If you're playing tactical(the slowest paced setting) and you're getting bored, you can always switch to assault(medium-paced) or blitz(fast-paced). This helps the game from becoming stale and boring like Cold War. Also, this is one of the first times in a COD where the amount of players in a certain map varies from map to map. This is definitely a step in the right direction because I never liked how huge maps like Euphrates Bridge would have the same amount of players as Shipment or Shoot House. It just didn't make sense, and I'm surprised it took Activision this long to fix this. Well, at least they did fix it, and the game is much better for it. Also, I'm really enjoying how guns can hold 10 attachments as opposed to the traditional 5. It allows for much more customization, and I'm here for that. As for the graphics, they are incredible. Especially people's faces. They look real. I find myself staring into these characters' faces for hours at a time, trying to find something that doesn't look real, but there's nothing. Don't ask me about Zombies. It sucks ass, but that's not what this review is about. Some dev at Activision took CW's Zombies and pasted it into Vanguard. If you want Zombies, PLEASE don't buy this game. The Campaign? Eh. Nothing much to say about it. More of the same. Too short. I buy COD for MP, so this review is mainly about Vanguard's MP.… Expand
  22. BloodSharts
    May 28, 2022
    7
    I've been a Call Of Duty fan since the games first came out, and will probably always be one. My biggest complaint with most installments is that the campaign mode is unbelievably short. It seems like the only real point of even getting a COD game anymore is for online multiplayer. However short as it may be, I thought the story was great, cinematics were phenomenal and you really getI've been a Call Of Duty fan since the games first came out, and will probably always be one. My biggest complaint with most installments is that the campaign mode is unbelievably short. It seems like the only real point of even getting a COD game anymore is for online multiplayer. However short as it may be, I thought the story was great, cinematics were phenomenal and you really get submerged in the story. Just wish the stages took longer to get through than the cutscenes did. I also really enjoy the fact that you can use weapons and characters etc from Vanguard and Cold War in the online play. Overall, great game, way too short.… Expand
  23. Madbert
    Jul 9, 2022
    7
    Nov 20, 2021

    El juego se ve y se siente bien pero dista mucho de mejorar o siquiera llegar al nivel de otros COD ( y ya es decir en algunos casos) La campaña es muy corta, se que nadie juega un CODF por la campaña, pero nadie lo hace porque el jugador no lo exige y se conforma. Los mapas almenos por ahora del multi son un poco roñosos. Mejorará con el tiempo pero no deja de ser un    Nov 20, 2021

    El juego se ve y se siente bien pero dista mucho de mejorar o siquiera llegar al nivel de otros COD ( y ya es decir en algunos casos) La campaña es muy corta, se que nadie juega un CODF por la campaña, pero nadie lo hace porque el jugador no lo exige y se conforma. Los mapas almenos por ahora del multi son un poco roñosos. Mejorará con el tiempo pero no deja de ser un lanzamiento un poco flojo.    … Expand
  24. Ninja_Vicduran
    May 30, 2023
    7
    El juego es bueno en cuanto a jugabilidad y mecánicas. Tiene buenos gráficos en mi opinión jugandolo desde una PS5 con el VRR. Va optimizado el juego y pesa menos que otros call of duty. Vale la pena en mi opinión si esta en descuento a menos de 35$. El juego tiene mala calificación en general porque el modo zombies está mal desarrollado. Una campaña 7/10. Zombies 4/10. Y con elEl juego es bueno en cuanto a jugabilidad y mecánicas. Tiene buenos gráficos en mi opinión jugandolo desde una PS5 con el VRR. Va optimizado el juego y pesa menos que otros call of duty. Vale la pena en mi opinión si esta en descuento a menos de 35$. El juego tiene mala calificación en general porque el modo zombies está mal desarrollado. Una campaña 7/10. Zombies 4/10. Y con el multijugador un 8/10. Merece la pena el videojuego solo si lo juegas con amigos y si esta en oferta. Pero por lo demás no te lo recomiendo mucho.… Expand
  25. marick333
    Aug 8, 2023
    7
    The single-player story lacks excitement and fails to make characters memorable, except for one. The gun mechanics are a highlight, surpassing the previous game, but dialogue can be disappointing. Multiplayer strikes a good balance between old and new, with well-designed maps and satisfying gun customization. However, the Zombies mode lacks notable additions compared to the last game'sThe single-player story lacks excitement and fails to make characters memorable, except for one. The gun mechanics are a highlight, surpassing the previous game, but dialogue can be disappointing. Multiplayer strikes a good balance between old and new, with well-designed maps and satisfying gun customization. However, the Zombies mode lacks notable additions compared to the last game's version. Overall, the game's story and character attachment could be improved, while multiplayer offers an enjoyable mix of elements.… Expand
  26. Beast979
    Dec 7, 2021
    6
    Game is pretty decent from a multiplayer standpoint, except on some maps that are too small and sometimes literally spawn you in the middle of enemies. My biggest problem are Dev errors and snapshot errors which only seem to happen when you are having your best games....it just boots you and you lose all progress you made....It happened to me about 5 times in a row a couple nightsGame is pretty decent from a multiplayer standpoint, except on some maps that are too small and sometimes literally spawn you in the middle of enemies. My biggest problem are Dev errors and snapshot errors which only seem to happen when you are having your best games....it just boots you and you lose all progress you made....It happened to me about 5 times in a row a couple nights ago....The campaign is good, no complaints there, I really enjoyed it.… Expand
  27. Iceberg91
    Nov 10, 2021
    6
    mediocre shooter campaign undertone graphics not so excellent recycled animations usually multi is a saga that will have to be renewed
  28. mattarnold008
    Nov 29, 2021
    6
    I thought Vanguard was great in places and lacked in others. Multiplayer is just too small and spawn points can be so bad that you can easily die instantly. The new mode patrol I thought was a cool addition. Gun's are varied and killstreak's are cool. Time to kill is ridiculously fast and very twitch like. Zombies mode is so bare bones and not worth even trying. The campaign I thought wasI thought Vanguard was great in places and lacked in others. Multiplayer is just too small and spawn points can be so bad that you can easily die instantly. The new mode patrol I thought was a cool addition. Gun's are varied and killstreak's are cool. Time to kill is ridiculously fast and very twitch like. Zombies mode is so bare bones and not worth even trying. The campaign I thought was really cool but could have been padded out a little. Props to the female sniper missions which were my fav.… Expand
  29. RainbowSix_Glaz
    Nov 7, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It turns out that it was actually better than I expected at launch. The Beta was kinda null in certain points, but Sledgehammer Games actually listened to what we wanted in the game, and they did it. Various adjustments and additions, balances, visibility, and everything else in betweens. The superior IW 8.0 engine did show the beauty here, but there are some things that I need to pointed out.

    (+3) Multiplayer at launch was better than I expected. Seems like they have tuned down their controversial and "rage-inducing" skill-based matchmaking (at least, from my perspective). Players are now rewarded more often and penalized less. A solid step-up from Black Ops: Cold War, where in that game, everything would not be able to go along together in the right direction.

    (+1.5) SUPPORT BOTH NVIDIA DLSS AND AMD FIDELITYFX SUPER RESOLUTION.

    (+1.5) Visiblity is an improvement here compared to Modern Warfare (2019). More colors are visible and you can still see characters in certain dark areas.

    (+1) Maps were well-designed, with balances between "predictable lanes" and "encourage camping." They allowed for a more wider-range of engagement, dynamics and balance of gunfights. Covers and destructible environments make this even more intriguing.

    (+0.5) Tons of settings to play around.

    (0) I wish the campaign was longer and go through the beginning of World War 2.

    (0) Despite using IW 8.0 engine. There are NO ray-tracing options in the game. A slight let down, but it really does not matter since a game like this demanded quick reaction and fast frames, and the game still look beautiful without ray-tracing.

    (0) Don't expect historical accuracy from this game.

    (-0.5) No factions. This can cause confusions during an intense gunfight.

    (-0.5) Sniper rifles take forever to aim. But I think they were intended to preserve their true roles to support from long range and not going in aggressively.

    (-1) Grinds take too much time. Even with Double XPs enabled, you can level up your weapon on average - 3 to 4 levels per match.

    (-1) Cheaters are in the game already! They got everything unlocked before they even play their first match! (Still not widespread, though.)
    [New anti-cheat is coming. I hoped that it will deal a major blow to them.]

    (-1) Some bugs were seen, hopefully they will fix them in the future.

    (-3) Zombies were a let down. It feels unfinished for a reason.    … Expand
  30. zanders1440
    Jul 16, 2022
    6
    Please never let Sam Maggs write another video game script again. The campaign features some of the most awful writing I’ve heard in my life. “I shoot Nazis. They die. That’s my plan.” The story treats the audience like they’re incredibly dumb and results in an unsatisfying climax. The characters are boring and aren’t even memorable too. What happened to the days when we had iconic, wellPlease never let Sam Maggs write another video game script again. The campaign features some of the most awful writing I’ve heard in my life. “I shoot Nazis. They die. That’s my plan.” The story treats the audience like they’re incredibly dumb and results in an unsatisfying climax. The characters are boring and aren’t even memorable too. What happened to the days when we had iconic, well written, characters like Frank woods, Captain Price, Reznov, Mason, and all of them? They were incredible. These characters don’t hold a candle to them. Forget about zombies. Has to be the worst zombies ever created that negates literally everything that made it great in the first place. Edit: They’ve made multiplayer pretty fun now. It’s in a far better state than at launch. For this reason I’d give the game a 6… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2021
8
#8 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 68
  3. Negative: 0 out of 68
  1. Cubed3
    Jun 8, 2022
    70
    Call of Duty: Vanguard is a great Call of Duty entry with absolutely stellar ser pieces, fantastic visuals, and plenty of modes surrounding an excellently fun campaign. The only downsides are the muddied stories… not to mention what is happening in the company that published it. Highly recommended for CoD fans and people looking for a bit of mindless fun set in WW2.
    Read full review
  2. PLAY
    Feb 23, 2022
    80
    While not quite hitting the series high of Modern Warfare, Vanguard is Call Of Duty as it should be: fast, satisfying, and always calling you back for more. [Issue#10, p.92]
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Feb 21, 2022
    60
    Even though the campaign is extremely predictable and the multiplayer is plagued with tones of issues, Call Of Duty: Vanguard is, after all, still a Call of Duty title, and will appeal to all hardcore Call of Duty fans.
    Read full review
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