It seems that for a good portion of theCall of Dutycommunity, the current game is always the most unpopular, with the fan base regularly shifting opinions on titles as they grow older.Call of Duty: Vanguardand the originalCall of Duty: Warzoneare the latest examples of this trend, with many praising these games as they share theirdisappointment withModern Warfare 2andWarzone 2. While this is just the continuation of a long-existing pattern, the look atVanguardthrough a positive lens could allow fans to finally appreciate some of the risks Sledgehammer has taken.
Obviously, not all of these risks have paid off, with many hating the highlight intros fromCall of Duty: Vanguardand begging for their removal, and the negativity aroundCall of Duty: WW2’s Divisions leading to an entire rework of the system. However, the fact that Sledgehammer is regularly attempting to innovate deserves some praise, and it has had a few big wins over the years thanks to its attempts to shake things up. While Infinity Ward and Treyarch may offer more consistently strongCall of Dutygames, some of Sledgehammer’s features should be incorporated series-wide.
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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s Upgradeable Killstreaks and Customization
Though fans remain split on whether the advanced movement era ushered in byCall of Duty: Advanced Warfarewas a direction worth going in, Sledgehammer’s first foray into the series had a few upsides. For starters,Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s character customizationwas the best in the series, as players could change the look of individual pieces of gear instead of swapping between full skins. With dozens of shirts, helmets, and other gear pieces to mix and match, players had more control over how their character looked than they did in any other entry.
Another neat featureAdvanced Warfarehad that other games have lacked iskillstreak customization. Players could upgrade their streaks with special abilities, which would make them cost more but also make them more powerful. For instance, UAVs could be upgraded so that they would become orbital and could not be shot down, while Care Packages could be boosted to have better odds of giving players stronger streaks. Of all Sledgehammer’s innovations, this one is arguably the most deserving of a comeback.
Call of Duty: WW2’s Headquarters Social Hub
Likely a direct response to the popularity ofDestiny’s Tower hub area,Call of Duty: WW2introduced an explorable Headquartersthat players visited between matches. In the social place, gamers could battle in a 1v1 arena while others watched, compete in a shooting range, and find new friends to team up with. A few small Easter eggs were included and players could pick up challenges at certain vendors, with the concept being very interesting. Unfortunately, it was ahead of its time. Major bugs saw the Headquarters being empty more than it was full, with crashes also present in the first few months. It also slowed down the usual speed of hopping quickly into the nextCall of Dutymatch, making it divisive. Still, it was a very ambitious concept.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operator Levels and Combat Pacing
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Operatorswere undoubtedly the best in the series, as players were able to access a dedicated leveling system for them - a feature that does not exist in any of the other modernCoDgames. Players could unlock special skins and voice lines for ranking up their Operators, and each Operator had a favorite weapon that would allow players to rank them up quicker. These features gave each Operator more of a personality while also giving players more rewards to grind for, something that is very important to keeping hardcore fans hooked.
Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Combat Pacingwas another strength, as it made camo grinding and regular gameplay more enjoyable by letting players get into calmer or more hectic matches. It also made overly large maps feel better, filling them with more players whenever it was necessary. Ultimately, having a developer like Sledgehammer Games working onCall of Dutyis healthy for the series, as it is able to approach the property from angles that Treyarch and Infinity Ward may not think of.
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