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If you want one place to start, play Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007): its focused war story and missions such as “All Ghillied Up” make it the strongest all-around campaign in this ranking. This is an editorial list, not a claim of community consensus. It weighs story and character writing, mission variety and pacing, memorable set pieces, originality, and how well each campaign works for a new or returning player—not multiplayer quality or franchise popularity.
How this ranking works
There is no objective winner. GamesRadar+’s July 2026 ranking of the series overall puts Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare first and Black Ops second, but it is not a campaign-only ranking. Player rankings differ, too: one player who says they have completed every campaign puts Black Ops 2 first. The order below is our judgment of the single-player experiences, with the year included wherever similar titles could be confused.
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GamesRadar+’s series ranking and campaign commentary · One player’s ranking of campaigns
The 10 best Call of Duty campaigns
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
The best starting point is also the most complete campaign here: a tightly paced war story with a clear identity and several missions that remain defining series moments. “All Ghillied Up” shifts into stealth and tension, “Death From Above” offers a striking change in perspective, and “Charlie Don’t Surf” throws you into urban combat. Its age is part of the experience, but the mission variety and memorable structure still give it the edge. The 2016 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a visual update if you are looking for a newer presentation; confirm the edition and platform in any listing.
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GamesRadar+ on Call of Duty 4 and the remaster
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010)
Black Ops makes covert operations and Cold War unease the heart of its campaign. Its Vietnam and broader Cold War setting, morally murky story, and period music give it an atmosphere that sets it apart from the more conventional military narratives. Activision describes the single-player as a series of covert warfare operations and classified conflicts around the globe. It is the pick for players who want a thriller as much as a battlefield campaign.
Activision’s Black Ops page · GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024)
Black Ops 6 earns its place through variety: non-linear levels, a heist, spy activity, and a psychological-horror turn sit alongside the expected action. The story is set in the early 1990s against the Gulf War backdrop, with Frank Woods and a team forced to go rogue. Activision lists Treyarch and Raven Software as developers and gives the release date as October 25, 2024. Its official description calls out “high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity”; that is the publisher’s framing, while the campaign’s willingness to change pace is what makes it stand out in this list.
Activision’s campaign guide lists four difficulty settings—Recruit, Regular, Hardened, and Veteran—and says difficulty can be changed at any time. That makes it easy to tune the challenge without restarting simply to adjust difficulty.
Activision Black Ops 6 game page · Activision campaign guide · GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
Rank #2
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4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
The 2009 sequel expands the scale without losing the original’s forward drive. Its gulag rescue is one of the series’ best-known set pieces, and the campaign moves briskly between action and suspense. “No Russian” is deliberately divisive, so this is not the safest recommendation for every player. This is the 2009 game, not Modern Warfare 2 (2022).
GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
Black Ops 2 is the strongest choice if you want your decisions and side objectives to matter beyond the immediate mission. Multiple endings and Strike Force objectives can change the story’s direction, giving the campaign an unusual degree of replay potential for the series. It may be a more compelling number one for players who value branching outcomes over the tighter, more linear storytelling of the games above it.
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GamesRadar+ campaign commentary · A player’s campaign ranking
6. Call of Duty: WWII (2017)
WWII is a good fit if you want a cinematic return to the European theater and large-scale set pieces. Its opening half is less convincing narratively than the later spectacle, so it ranks below the campaigns with more consistent writing. Choose it for the setting and scale rather than expecting an equally strong story from beginning to end.
GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
7. Call of Duty 2 (2005)
This globe-spanning World War II campaign leans into old-school, mission-to-mission spectacle. It is a worthwhile pick for players curious about the series’ earlier style, though its age makes it a less natural first choice than the more character-driven entries above. GamesRadar notes Xbox backward compatibility; check the current store and platform catalog before buying, since availability can vary.
Rank #3
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GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
The 2019 Modern Warfare is a reboot, not the 2007 game at number one. Its missions feel more connected and contemplative, while the action still moves with the momentum of an action film. Pick this version for a more contemporary presentation and a campaign that gives its missions room to breathe. The year is essential when searching or buying: “Modern Warfare” can refer to distinct games.
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9. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
Infinite Warfare is the boldest tonal departure in this top ten, taking the campaign into space. Players in community discussions single out its setting, cast, and level design as memorable, which makes it a strong option if familiar modern and historical battlefields have started to blur together. That enthusiasm is an audience signal rather than a broad critical verdict, so its place here reflects its distinctiveness more than established consensus.
PS5 campaign discussion · Player ranking discussion
10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
The 2022 Modern Warfare 2 delivers fast, frantic action with combat that rewards positioning, backed by strong visual and audio design. It is a capable modern blockbuster, but it does less to reshape the campaign formula than the higher entries do. Keep the year in the title when looking it up: this is a separate game from the 2009 Modern Warfare 2 at number four.
GamesRadar+ campaign commentary
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which Call of Duty campaign should you play first?
- For the best all-around starting point: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007).
- For a Cold War spy thriller: Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010).
- For varied missions and adjustable difficulty: Black Ops 6 (2024).
- For branching outcomes and replay value: Black Ops 2 (2012).
- For a science-fiction change of scenery: Infinite Warfare (2016).
- For a cinematic WWII setting: WWII (2017).
If you are buying specifically for PS5, verify the platform and edition on the current store page before checkout; platform catalogs and subscription access can change. The 2016 remaster is the clearest updated-edition route to the top-ranked campaign, but check that the listing is actually for Modern Warfare Remastered and matches your platform and region. No current price or stock is implied here.
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