As another year’s sunset approaches, as does the yearly release of Call of Duty. This year’s release sees the return of World War 2, and this past weekend I dived into the Open Beta of the multiplayer. Since Call of Duty’s revolution in 2007 with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, I have jumped into the foray either solo or with combatants by my side every single year. I can handle my own on the battlefield, but my performances leave a lot to be desired. Competitive play routinely baffles me!
That being said, I can safely say that I believe Call of Duty: Vanguard to be another fantastic installment of the yearly franchise. I was playing on the XBOX Series X, which I believe gives the best experience (or PS5). The multiplayer is smooth, looks phenomenal, and is filled with that nonstop action we’re all accustomed to!
My play be damned, we can see in this clip the quintessential fast paced action Call of Duty is known for. I really enjoy how this game makes it feel like a true war. Explosions are everywhere, and I truly feel like I’m battling in the trenches.
If you’ve played any Call of Duty multiplayer before, the game modes in the beta should be familiar. We have Team Deathmatch, Domination, Search and Destroy, and Kill Confirmed. There is one new mode, called Patrol, with a roving space that both teams battle to keep control of. It’s similar to Hardpoint in previous games, but I think it’s better. The moving point prevents that dreaded camping people enjoy complaining about. My favorite mode in the beta.
Another interesting choice the developers made were to change the combat pacing. This new mechanic gives even more choice on how you want to play, even beyond different modes:
Tactical lobbies give a slower, classic Call of Duty experience with 6v6 games.
Assault lobbies give a balanced type of game. A game that is a little faster than a Tactical game, but not as fast as a Blitz game. These lobbies vary between 20-28 people.
Blitz lobbies are where I spent most of my time. They are incredibly intense and fast paced, with constant combat and action. These lobbies vary between 28-48 people, and it is a blast (quite literally).
The four maps they chose to include really show off the beauty of the game. Call of Duty usually looks pretty good, but Sledgehammer games really maximized the power of the next generation consoles. They look fantastic and I really loved the varying settings they included.
Gavutu
“Based on the crucial land battle in the Pacific Theater that began the Allied Guadalcanal Campaign – A.K.A. Operation Watchtower – the map Gavutu is one island that the Eastern Axis forces used for ship refueling and a communications base.” -Official Call of Duty blog
This map should look familiar from the clip, and is my favorite of these four. Set on Gavutu Island in Japan, this map consists of all types of fighting. There are sniper spots, close range gun fights, and the most popular area is the beach. It’s a quality map that I really enjoy.
Eagle’s Nest
Kahlstein Mountain, Germany 1945:
“The Kehlsteinhaus – known in English as ‘Eagle’s Nest’ – was a prominent Axis meeting house and government building built 1,834 meters above sea-level in 1938. Known by the Axis as a diplomatic reception house, it was the main target of a bombing in April 1945, although it was left undamaged and, following its capture, repurposed as an Allied military post.” -Official Call of Duty blog
Eagle’s Nest has wonderful scenery in a close encounter type of map. There are a lot of pathways and hot spots on this map, and getting shot in the back is incredibly common. Keeping your head on a swivel in very important here. Battling occurs both inside the main building and down the cliff on wooden boards. Very cool design on this map.
Red Star
Battle of Stalingrad from Winter 1942:
“Known as one of the war’s most pivotal battles on the Eastern Front earmarked by constant close-quarters combat, the Battle of Stalingrad saw Soviet soldiers defending their city from invading Axis forces.” -Official Call of Duty blog.
This is the largest map of the four, and it finished right behind Gavutu as my second favorite. I love snowy maps in Call of Duty, and it really shines with the power of the next gen console. It is beautiful, which is a nice distraction while I’m getting my head sniped over and over again. Sniping is common on this map, as there are multiple levels of the buildings with sniper nests.
Apparently some people were having issues with visibility on this map, but I didn’t have any problems. I assumed the windy conditions were a design choice and enjoyed it.
Hotel Royal
Liberation of Paris, August 1944:
“Two months following the successful D-Day invasion, an uprising occurs in Paris by members of a local Resistance. The Axis forces have made one of the city’s largest hotels – Hotel Royal – their stronghold since their initial occupation. If it falls, it will mark a major inflection point in the French capital’s fight for liberation.” -Official Call of Duty blog
As a close encounters type of map, Hotel Royal has action everywhere. There are choke points and level changes aplenty. Having the available high ground is incredibly important on this map. It’s probably my least favorite of the four, but it’s still a good map.
Overall Impressions
I have had a great time with this beta. It seems to be a quality inclusion to the impressive Call of Duty library. That being said, there are absolutely kinks that need worked out. I found plenty of visual performance issues with framerates dropping and wonky glitches occasionally. I did not experience the game on anything other than an Xbox Series X, but glitches seemed to occur more on the older consoles. It’s a beta, and I’m sure the kinks will be smoothed out.
Regardless, I’m impressed by this game. I really enjoyed last year’s Cold War, and this experience raised my anticipation for Vanguard.