Call of Duty: WWII Review: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Call of Duty: WWII?

Call of Duty: WWII is a first-person shooter developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision. Released in November 2017, it marked a deliberate and stark pivot for the blockbuster franchise. It abandoned the futuristic exosuits and space combat of its immediate predecessors to return to the boots-on-the-ground, historical setting that originally defined the series.

The premise is a cinematic, Hollywood-style tour of the Western Front of the Second World War. It follows the 1st Infantry Division from the D-Day landings at Normandy through to the crossing of the Rhine. The game presents a single-player campaign focused on brotherhood and sacrifice, a traditional multiplayer suite, and a cooperative Nazi zombie mode, all wrapped in a 1940s aesthetic.

Gameplay

In our view, the gameplay of Call of Duty: WWII is defined by a conscious effort to strip back mechanics to a perceived classic feel, with mixed results. The campaign is a linear, set-piece-driven experience familiar to any series veteran. You move from scripted shootout to scripted spectacle, with occasional vehicle segments and stealth-lite sequences breaking the pace.

A significant change is the removal of the regenerating health system, replaced by health packs doled out by a designated squadmate. This intends to foster reliance on your AI team, but in practice, it often translates to frustrating pauses in combat as you scramble for a pack while your ally refuses to throw one. The core shooting, however, remains impeccable. The weight and feedback of the period-accurate weapons - from the crack of the M1 Garand to the rattle of the STG44 - are superb, providing the visceral, satisfying gunplay the series is known for.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer represents the core of the package for most players. It is a deliberate retreat from advanced movement, enforcing a grounded, run-and-gun style. The new 'Divisions' system replaces the traditional create-a-class, locking players into specific roles (Infantry, Airborne, Armoured, etc.) with predefined basic training perks. This was a controversial choice, limiting player expression in favour of clearer rock-paper-scissors balance.

The maps are largely designed for close-to-mid-range engagements, favouring fast reflexes and map knowledge. While the gunplay is tight, the overall meta can feel restrictive compared to the toolset offered by the 'Pick-10' systems of older titles. The War mode, however, is a standout. This objective-based, narrative-driven multiplayer mode offers a refreshing, team-oriented experience that feels distinct from the standard Team Deathmatch and Domination fare.

Nazi Zombies

The Nazi Zombies mode offers a more horror-tinged, puzzle-heavy cooperative experience. It is dense with secrets, lore, and challenging waves, providing substantial depth for those willing to delve into its mysteries. The learning curve across all modes is typically Call of Duty: shallow on the surface for immediate accessibility, but with a high skill ceiling in multiplayer and zombies for those seeking mastery.

Who is Call of Duty: WWII for?

Call of Duty: WWII is primarily for two audiences. First, it is for lapsed Call of Duty fans who grew weary of the futuristic direction and yearned for a return to historical combat. This game was explicitly crafted for them. Second, it is for the casual shooter enthusiast who wants a polished, high-production-value package with a digestible campaign, accessible multiplayer, and a fun co-op mode.

It is less suited for hardcore tactical shooter fans seeking realism or deep strategic gameplay - this is an arcade-style shooter through and through. Similarly, players who adored the fluid, vertical movement of games like Advanced Warfare or Black Ops 3 may find the return to a grounded pace restrictive.

In terms of similarities, its campaign evokes the cinematic tone of earlier Medal of Honor titles or the franchise's own Call of Duty 2. Its multiplayer is a direct successor to the ethos of Call of Duty: World at War and the original Modern Warfare, albeit with modern progression systems.

Graphics and performance

Visually, Call of Duty: WWII adopts a muted, gritty colour palette of olive drabs, muddy browns, and concrete greys, effectively selling the grim atmosphere of the European theatre. Character models are highly detailed, and the campaign's set-pieces, such as the chaotic Omaha Beach landing, are impressive in scale and audio-visual bombast. The visual style is one of Hollywood realism - it looks more like Saving Private Ryan than a documentary, which suits its tone.

On PC, performance has been a notable point of contention. At launch, the game was plagued with significant issues including server instability, high CPU usage, framerate stuttering, and bizarre bugs. While many of the most severe problems were patched, a residue of optimisation issues remained for some players, particularly those without high-end systems. The Steam rating of 3.8/10 is largely a monument to this troubled launch state.

On consoles, the experience was and is far more stable, targeting a consistent 60 frames per second on enhanced hardware. In our view, the PC version, while serviceable now for many, launched in an unacceptable state that has understandably coloured its long-term reputation on the platform.

Value for money

The value proposition hinges entirely on your engagement with the multiplayer and Zombies components. The campaign is a brisk 6-7 hour experience with little to no replayability beyond higher difficulties. For a solo-only player, this represents poor value at full price.

The package's longevity comes from its multiplayer, with its extensive progression, prestige modes, and seasonal events, and from the deep, replayable Zombies mode. If you enjoy the core multiplayer loop, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of content here.

The game frequently goes on sale, and at a discounted price, it becomes a much easier recommendation. However, the initial asking price at launch was justified only for those committed to the annual Call of Duty cycle and its post-launch ecosystem, which included a season pass for additional maps.

Verdict

Call of Duty: WWII is a competently executed, if sometimes regressive, back-to-basics entry. Its campaign is a visually stunning but narratively safe tour of WWII's greatest hits, let down by half-baked squad mechanics. Its multiplayer successfully recaptures a classic feel but does so by imposing restrictive systems that may frustrate series veterans accustomed to greater customisation. The Zombies mode is a highlight, offering rich, challenging co-op play.

Call of Duty: WWII course-corrects the franchise by looking firmly backward rather than ambitiously forward, delivering solid gunplay wrapped in a safe, familiar package.

In our view, you will love this game if: you actively wanted a return to historical Call of Duty, you prioritise tight, arcade-style gunplay over innovation, and you have a regular squad for Zombies or multiplayer. You might not enjoy it if: you seek a profound or realistic WWII narrative, you cherished the movement freedom of the futuristic CoD titles, you are a PC purist still wary of its launch state, or you are a solo player uninterested in competitive or cooperative modes.