Top 5 Moments In Call of Duty Campaigns
Since we have all been placed in a social lockdown, people have looked towards gaming as a world to step into to avoid insanity. Whilst many of us have been mastering Call of Duty: Warzone and jumping on other free-to-play games such as Apex Legends, some gamers are looking to reminisce old times and dive into the old CoD campaigns. The campaigns over the years have been incredible, and I’ve got better bonds with Captain Price than some of my cousins. From Modern Warfare’s incredible trilogy to the flop of Black Ops 3’s Kevin Spacey rendition in the year 2056, they have taken us through nearly every aspect of warfare. Here are our top 5 moments from the campaigns and our recommendations on which storylines to venture on to keep you company in quarantine. Spoiler alert.
#5 – All Ghillied Up: Modern Warfare
By far the best stealth mission that you will find across the franchise. In the mission, you are led to Ukraine as (then) Sgt. Price with Cpt. MacMillan. Head to toe in ghillie suits you progress through the long grass, taking Russian military out with the beloved Intervention. Using the grass, you blend in to sneak past tank patrols, eventually crawling under trucks to avoid being seen. Staying undetected the adored duo take out necessary enemies and end at the feet of a hotel, which is the hideout for their assassination attempt on Russian Militant Zakhaev. Those who are familiar with the Modern Warfare storyline will know the assassination attempt as one of the most important moments in the story. This mission was groundbreaking at the time and set the bar for any future stealth missions.
#4 – Vorkuta: Black Ops 1
The numbers Mason... what do they mean? A simple question filled with nostalgia. It pretty much brings back all memories of a very good campaign, let down by its predecessor. The Barack Obama of the Black Ops campaigns. Featuring some great characters and a decent plotline, albeit far fetched at times, Black Ops 1 had some incredible missions, the best being Vorkuta. As you see Viktor Reznov, one the main protagonists from the World at War campaigns, you greet him in a prison as Alex Mason. Within this mission, you escape prison. Starting with the first kill, this mission is all action. When you go down the elevator who see a man who can only be described as a cross between The Undertaker and Godzilla wielding an axe, swing it through the back of a guard and dangle him above his head as if a dog and a treat. Pretty much sets the tone. As you fight through the prison you use coal cart for cover, pushing it up for about 100 metres to the end of the track which is covered from overhead fire. A stunningly brilliant scene, and one of best Call of Duty campaign moments. Throughout the mission you blow mortars, get stealth kills and escape Vorkuta on a motorcycle dodging gunfire before leaping onto a moving train. James Bond eat your heart out.
#3 – Killing Makarov: Modern Warfare 3
The Modern Warfare trilogy was a fan favourite, and it brought along some massive [enter insult here] as villains. Having just ended WW3 and clearing his name as a wanted fugitive Price seeks revenge for the deaths of so many of his team. RIP Soap, Sandman, Gaz and Griggs. After seeing so many fell to Makarov and his men Yuri and Price track him to a hotel, where the enter wearing Juggernaut suits that would make anyone quiver at the knees. After sweeping the hotel and chasing Makarov to the roof, the floor gives way and debris impales Yuri in the stomach, who surges Price on to find another route to the roof to stop Makarov escaping. Filled with a whole new fury, Price flies through the air to climb upon an air bound helicopter, causing it to crash after killing both pilots. Ina race to a desert eagle in the centre of the crash site Makarov wins and stares down the barrel, only to be shot in the shoulder by a resurrected Yuri. Turning around and killing Yuri, Makarov takes the final member of Price’s task force 141 and is subsequently tackled by Price who wraps a steel cord around his neck and smashed through the glass roof. In the closing scene, Price sparks a cigar with the dangling Makarov in front of him. Sigh. This is one of the most satisfying moments in any campaign, as Price gets his revenge and the line of Russian extremists is ended.
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#2 – “You can’t kill me”: Black Ops series
Sergeant Woods. What an absolute nutter. Hard as nails. The type of guy who can take out a military base whilst playing Russian roulette. Yes, he did that. Throughout the Black Ops series, Woods is one of the main protagonists, and although he should have died 751 times, he is most known for saying “you can’t kill me”. This is first said when he and Alex Mason are forced to play Russian roulette after seeing their companion, Bowman, get beat to death by the Vietnamese. With it being Woods’ turn he screams “You can’t kill me”, puts the weapon to his own head and pulls the trigger. Nothing. Speaking in short English sentences that the Viet Cong couldn’t understand, Woods tells Mason to use the next bullet to plan their escape, believing it was the one chamber containing the bullet. This leads to their escape. Sounds underwhelming but the mad man nearly blew his own brains out to escape. The next time he says this is in the last mission in Black Ops 2, after surviving an ambush from the Viet Cong army and their guerrilla tactics. Semi-conscious they scramble into their extraction plane where Woods somehow saves the lives of the team from an attacker who had snuck past the air bombardment. There’s no killing this man. Outside of the Modern Warfare trilogy, he is a solid contender for best character, and this is one of the best Call of Duty campaign moments.
#1 – That throwing knife: Modern Warfare 2
Words cannot describe the hatred that boiled within me when Shepherd betrayed Ghost and Roach after the extraction of Russian intelligence. It was up there with one of the biggest betrayals alongside The Emperor joining the Dark Side and Judas giving up Jesus. It was that bad. Therefore, this moment is by far the best scene in any story mode game I have ever played. Hot on the trails of murderous traitor Shepherd, Captain Price and Soap are led through the rivers in Afghanistan in a boat dodging gunfire from surrounding enemies and Chopper Gunners. Weaving in and out of caves Price eventually takes down Shepherd's evacuation helicopter before their boat topples over the edge of a waterfall. Washed up, you are next seen coughing water and wielding a knife in search for Shepherd, with Price nowhere to be seen. After tracking down Shepherd, you lunge at him with Soap and are immediately countered and stabbed in the chest, with Rust in the background. It looks like it was all for nothing and Shepherd wins. As you come to your senses, you are staring down the barrel of Shepherd's gun as he references the nuclear bomb which saw 30,000 of his mean die to the hands of the Russian extremists. Just as he pulls the trigger Price tackles him to ground. Watching the brutal fight unfold you dislodge the knife from your chest, casually spin it in your fingers before throwing it into his left eye. The most satisfying thing you have ever seen. Goosebumps like the Himalayas. It even gives you 30 seconds to soak in what the **** just happened. Time to swig your tea and replay it in your head. Time to pick your jaw back up off the floor. Time to realise that this is the best campaign you’ve ever played. Number one moment by a million miles.
What's even better, is that you can relive this all again. Modern Warfare 2 Remastered campaign is here! You can find more details here.
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Images via Activision