Introduction

Imagine a world where you’re a World War II hero. Unfortunately, it’s 2021, and Sledgehammer Games has released their latest installment of the iconic franchise "Call of Duty: Vanguard." This time, we're jumping back in time with our personalized time machine, aka the controller in your sweaty palms. Strap in as we dive into this nostalgic trip where graphics are good, but the storyline seems to have been penned by your sleepy older sibling.

Gameplay

The gameplay mechanics are akin to a buffet where you can pick what you want but somehow still come away feeling slightly unsatisfied. The single-player campaign lets you switch between various soldiers from different Allied forces, which is great because who doesn’t want to channel their inner hero while running away from fascism? You get to peg targets while mounting your weapon like it's a ride at an amusement park, and those fancy tactical combat techniques? Yeah, they’re just fancy words for shooting from behind cover and pointing at things really hard. The multiplayer aspect introduces a new 'Champion Hill' mode—think of it as a less chaotic lovechild of a deathmatch and tournament that attempts to inject some fun into the repetitive gunplay. However, with so many players flinging themselves at corners like they’re training for the Olympics, you’ll likely find yourself yelling at the screen in both joy and anguish like a true gamer does.

Graphics

Prepare your eyeballs, because some aspects of Vanguard are nothing short of eye candy! Built on the upgraded IW 8.0 engine, it promises graphical fidelity that makes you wonder if you actually walked into World War II or if it’s all just a really elaborate Modern Warfare dress-up party. The textures are stellar; buildings crumble as if they just had a rough breakup, and the volumetric lighting makes exclusions from this virtual brawl feel real. But before you get too excited, optimizations are required. Frame drops occasionally hit harder than your mom when she finds out you didn’t do your homework, leading to some salty gameplay moments.

Conclusion

In the grand scheme of things, "Call of Duty: Vanguard" provides plenty of explosions and gunfire to keep you entertained for a while. It's a solid installment with its highs and lows that almost balance each other out like an awkward seesaw—especially when the multiplayer modes are firing on all cylinders. While it might not break all the records, it comes loaded with enough firepower to keep players engaged. Vanguard isn't the messiah of World War II shooters, but it does its job to entertain, which, let's be honest, is what we all want from a Call of Duty game. So grab your controller, crank up the volume, and get ready to shoot things! Just don’t forget to log off in time to go outside and say hi to the sunlight because, remember: fresh air is important too!

See Latest Prices for Call of Duty: Vanguard on PS4 on Amazon