Call of Duty: Vanguard is an installment in the Call of Duty franchise that has been developed by Sledgehammer games. It was published by Activision and is an excellent first-person shooter. It was released on the 5th of November 2021 for all major gaming consoles and Microsoft Windows as well.
Overall, Vanguard is the 18th entry in the COD franchise. It features a campaign that depicts the creation of the Special Forces for combating a rising danger after the War during the numerous facets of the 2nd World War.
Upon release, the game received varied views and reviews from critics and fans alike. The things that they loved about the game were the improved campaign and storyline as well as the excellent multiplayer mode. However, the Zombie mode came under fire from players and critics. Historical discrepancies and an overall deficiency of ingenuity in the game’s mechanics were also criticised. Vanguard lagged far behind the other instalments in the franchise in terms of commercial performance and revenue generation as well.
Call of Duty: Vanguard evinces gameplay that is quite similar to the one in Modern Warfare. The plater is capable of mounting wielded weapons to linear surfaces, launching takedowns on enemies, and use doors, etc. New gameplay features have also been added to Vanguard’s campaign mode as well. These include the ability to utilize complex battle tactics in midst of combat. For instance, the player character can now blind fire from cover, smash through destroyable environmental components, or traverse boundaries and walls to achieve objectives more efficiently.
Multiplayer Mode:
Champion Hill:
The Multiplayer in Vanguard is inclusive of a new game mode that is called “Champion hill”. The latter is an evolution of the “Gunfight” mode that was previously introduced in COD Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War and was a 2 versus 2 arena battle. Champion Hill mode in Vanguard sees players go up against each other in a squad-based deathmatch. The objective is to last as long as possible in this round-robin-based tournament.
“Arms Race” was another mode that was introduced in Vanguard’s second season. This is a game mode with a large scale and involves 2 teams each comprising 12 players. The objective in this mode is to destroy or capture 5 bases. Players can earn currency points by eliminating other players and achieving objectives. The currency can then be used to purchase killstreaks and personalized load-outs.
Call of Duty: Vanguard also contains a new feature that wasn’t included in the franchise before. It is called “Combat Pacing” and it allows the player to have more freedom in choosing the multiplayer game modes. This is attained through 3 pre-rendered filters for pacing that target various playing styles. Vanguard also features a “Calibre System” as part of the returning Gunsmith system. The Calibre System allows players to inflict greater damage to the environment and they are made more reactive to maps through various types of ammo.
Vanguard is also integrated with Warzone like the Cold War. This makes the prospect of players on either of these games multiplayer to progress, employ weapons, and other items from any of these games without any hassle. Vanguard’s multiplayer also supports cross-platform online playing like previous instalments in the franchise. This means that the game supports inter-player combat across all platforms. Vanguard also has support for cross-generation gaming as well which includes the next-generation consoles like Ps5 and Xbox Series X.
The Zombies Mode, which is a cooperative mode, makes a return in Vanguard. This game mode was developed by the combined efforts of Treyarch and Sledgehammer Games. The Zombie mode can be perceived as an extension of the “Dark Aether” storyline which can be considered as a prologue to the story of the Black Ops Cold War.
Vanguard featured a new map called “Der Anfang” upon launch. The match blended attributes of objective-based gameplay with round-based survival gameplay. This combination was considered to be reminiscent of the game modes of Onslaught and Outbreak that were revealed in the Cold War. Other gameplay elements from Cold War are also included in Vanguard as well.
These include Salvage and Essence Currencies. There are Dark Aether-powered upgrades in the field for Zombie gameplay along with other terrific facilities and a Pack-a-Punch machine. Players will also be able to benefit from unmatched variety in combat builds by buying random buffs due to a new feature called “Altar of the Covenants”. Zombies’ mode received a steady addition of updates after launch which includes further objectives for Der Anfang, a new quest for the progression of the story, and new upgrades for Covenants and field.
Terra Maledicta, a new hub map, was also introduced into the game in February 2022. It was a part of the content update for season 2 of the game. Vanguard also received original round-based maps in April 2022. The first map was a recreation of the Shi no Numa Map which was first introduced in COD: World at War and was released in season 4 of the game.
Along with a wide variety of different and awesome new weapons, vanguard also possesses several new upgrades for the field and equipment pieces that profoundly affect the game. The game contains different new lethal and tactical equipment additions as well in addition to field upgrades. Newer updates and killstreaks are constantly being added to the game and will continue to be added in future updates as well. A complete list of all these equipment items and their effects are mentioned as follows:
Vanguard’s variety of lethal equipment contains some new items with some from previous instalments of the franchise. All of these are designed to disorient and blindside enemies effectively:
· An incendiary Grenade is an item that is employed to camouflage an area with white fog. This fog also burns enemies that are caught in it.
· Gammon bomb is an impact grenade and causes enemies to fall over and stumble.
· Thermite is an explosive that continues to burn for a small duration after triggering. It can also get stuck to surfaces as well.
· Demolition charges are huge explosives that can be stuck to surfaces. Players can detonate them remotely as well.
· Molotov Cocktails are incendiary devices that can cause great destruction as they explode upon impact.
· MK2 Frag Grenade is a frag grenade and is cookable.
· Throwing knives are dangerous and deadly knives that can be thrown with precision. Players can be collected after dispatching a target by players.
· Sticky Bombs are grenades that can be affixed to surfaces before they explode. These were introduced in season 2 of Battle Pass.
Tactical equipment is utilised by players to disorient the opponents and gain an upper hand in the competition. The items related to the equipment that is present in Vanguard are listed as follows:
· Stims are syringes that can be used by players to replenish health and restore Tactical Sprint
· MK V Gas is a grenade that explodes upon impact with the ground. It releases a thick gas that reduces movement speed, coughing, and blurs enemy vision as well.
· S-Mine 44 is an explosive device that is triggered by proximity.
· No 69 Stun Grenade reduces the movement of enemies as well as their aiming speed as well.
· M18 Smoke Grenade is very effective at blocking enemy vision by releasing a thick smoke screen
The Field Upgrades are one of the main components that can provide players with the much-needed edge to overcome all the competition in Vanguard. These field upgrades are the essential items that can provide players with a tactical advantage over the enemy combatants. The complete detail of these upgrades and their respective effects are listed as follows:
· Field Mic is a tool that can be employed to reveal the movement of enemies on the minimap
· Armor Plates can be equipped by players to dampen the damage received on the torso region. It breaks eventually after absorbing a certain level of damage.
· Dead Silence is an upgrade that masks and silences the footsteps of the users to make them undetectable. These players can’t be detected by Spy Planes, Field Mics, or enemy Intel. The duration of this upgrade’s effect can be refreshed by gun, throwing knife, and melee kills.
· Supply Box is an upgrade that can immediately provide equipment and ammo for the player and his teammates. The Supply box itself is very explosive.
· Goliath is a small bomb that can be controlled by remote. Players can only control it for 30 seconds before it self-destructs. Players can detonate this tool early per tactical needs as well.
· A jammer is an item that can be used to jam the minimap of enemies that are nearby.
· A deployable Cover can be used as an effective cover against ballistics.
· Tactical Insertion allows players to demarcate a certain location as their spawning point for the next time
· Dead Drop keeps track of the player’s present killstreak score and rewards it to him the next time he spawns.
