5 Best Call Of Duty Games Of All Time, Ranked

One franchise that's become synonymous with the first-person shooter video game genre is "Call of Duty." Launched in 2003, the series has a prominent military focus as players control primarily American and British soldiers fighting in various global conflicts. Starting out as a World War II shooter series, "Call of Duty" was essentially a clone of "Medal of Honor" to begin with, but it went on to establish itself as the dominant name in war video games. Since that first game, the franchise has shifted to a variety of time periods, including contemporary settings and other eras in the 20th century.

Beyond providing thrilling single-player campaigns, "Call of Duty" has revolutionized the way we play first-person shooters online. Thrilling millions of gamers worldwide for over 20 years, the franchise has a massive fanbase that continues to grow with every new title — but which entries stand out as the best of the bunch? Every installment has its fans, though there are a handful of games that are loved by pretty much everyone. Here are the five best "Call of Duty" games of all time, ranked.

There are a lot of entries in the franchise's "Black Ops" sub-series, which is set during the Cold War. 2024's "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" takes the action to the '90s. Starting amidst Operation Desert Storm, the game's single-player campaign follows CIA operatives Troy Marshall and Case Calderon on an extraction mission gone wrong. This puts them in conflict with a clandestine paramilitary organization known as the Pantheon which has infiltrated the American government. What unfolds is a globe-trotting espionage adventure, from hidden corners of Washington, D.C. to a post-Cold War Europe.

"Black Ops 6" takes full advantage of its early '90s setting, delivering a story with an international scope that doesn't go for cheap narrative shock value like earlier installments. "Black Ops 6" even includes a surprise scary mission that terrified fans, expanding on what a "Call of Duty" game can be. The 2024 title gave the franchise a welcome shot in the arm — which was then undercut by the poorly-received "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7." Still, "Black Ops 6" stands as a highlight for the franchise as it carried its narrative forward.

After years of middling entries, the "Call of Duty" franchise went back to one of its most celebrated eras with a 2019 remake of the original "Modern Warfare." A retelling of the "Modern Warfare" story, the reboot has the British military and CIA become involved when a Russian paramilitary group invades the fictional nation of Urzikstan. Players control CIA operative Alex Keller, British SAS operator Gaz Garrick, and Urzikstani fighter Farah Karim as they uncover an insidious conspiracy. The game's mission-based spec ops mode and multiplayer story involve counterterrorism operators combating an organization spinning out of the conflict.

While containing several familiar characters from the original "Modern Warfare" trilogy, the 2019 game really is a fresh narrative better suited for contemporary sensibilities. The subsequent sequels in the remake trilogy suffered from diminishing returns, but the initial entry still provides plenty of wow factor. This includes an extensive revamp of spec ops and multiplayer modes which "Call of Duty" continues to draw from today. A reinvigoration of the entire line, 2019's "Modern Warfare" proved there was plenty of life left in the "Call of Duty" franchise.

The sixth main installment in the overarching "Call of Duty" franchise was 2009's "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2." Continuing the story from "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare," the game had Russia invade the United States in retaliation for a false flag attack committed by ultra-nationalists. Players control both a squad battling invasion forces in and around Washington, D.C. as well as a small squad trying to expose the conspiracy behind the false flag incident. This leads to an explosive showdown in Afghanistan with a rogue American general haunted by the events of the preceding "Modern Warfare" game.

"Modern Warfare 2" ups the ante and shock value compared to its 2007 predecessor, particularly with players participating in the controversial false flag shooting. While this can all feel a bit over-the-top at times, the first-person shooter gameplay still feels as intuitive as ever and the single-player campaign is even more cinematic. The developers similarly provide a high-octane multiplayer experience that builds on the foundation of the original "Modern Warfare." "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" received an extensive remaster in 2020 for modern platforms and still stands above its 2022 remake.

For its early entries, the "Call of Duty" franchise focused more heavily on open warfare, with occasional espionage flourishes. This changed with 2010's "Call of Duty: Black Ops," which went all in on shadowy global tensions during the 1960s and ongoing Cold War. Starting with the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, players control CIA operative Alex Mason as he's captured in Cuba. After escaping from a Soviet gulag, Mason takes on secret missions around the globe, including a fiery insertion into South East Asia as the Vietnam War escalates.

The original "Black Ops" spawned an entire sub-series that went on to thrill fans of the franchise. That success is, in no small part, due to a more narratively driven experience, doubling down on the cinematic qualities introduced by "Modern Warfare." "Black Ops" also significantly updated the popular zombies mode from 2008's "Call of Duty: World at War" to even greater effect. Pushing the boundaries of "Call of Duty" games, "Black Ops" proved the franchise could feature period piece stories outside of World War II and still be engrossing.

After several games set during World War II, the franchise catapulted forward to the present day with 2007's "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare." Taking the first-person action to the 21st century, the game is divided into two main narratives. The story has players control British soldiers infiltrating Russia after ultra-nationalists launch a civil war to restore the country to its Soviet-era level of power. The other narrative has players control American soldiers invading an unidentified Middle Eastern country after a vicious warlord hostile towards the United States comes to power following a coup.

Something that only true "Call of Duty" fans know is that the franchise was intended to feature modern warfare elements all along. The original "Modern Warfare" realizes this ambition beautifully, with a gripping story complete with shocking plot twists and a seamless transition into 21st century combat. This includes a thoroughly revamped multiplayer mode that still serves as the template for the franchise nearly two decades later. "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" transformed the series and the shooter genre has never been the same since.