The Call of Duty franchise has become far better known for multiplayer than it has for campaigns, but the campaigns are always a fascinatingly fun source of entertainment for players as well, and with the sheer number of games in the franchise, it can be hard to keep track of all the different stories which have been told in that time.
The campaigns in Call of Duty games like to focus on heavy amounts of action, there are varying levels of narrative storytelling running throughout all the games, and despite some of the final missions being underwhelming at the end of a long campaign, there are other ones that really left the right taste in the mouths of gamers. These are the best final missions in the Call of Dutyfranchise.
7 Call Of Duty: WWII
The simple idea of another Call of Duty game returning to World War II made it difficult for developers to know where to start with a campaign story. What they chose was great, and there is some excellent narrative that runs through the campaign, all the way to the final mission when the player has to help take The Rhine.
Also, the name of the final mission, The Rhine is the name of a major river, and the job was for the player character to take the last remaining bridge over The Rhine so that the final pieces of German resistance would crumble. Featuring some great narrative, and a haunting walk through a Prisoner of War camp, WWII ended with aplomb, although the part where the bridge was taken felt very common in combat terms.
6 Call Of Duty: Black Ops
One of the stranger and more narratively confusing campaigns in the Call of Duty franchise, the final mission “Redemption” really managed to finish strongly after some strange revelations in the third act of the campaign. The final assault on Dragovich’s ship and Mason’s attempts to stop the release of the Nova 6 were really strong parts of the game.
While the image of Reznov in Mason’s head cheering him on as he drowns Dragovich is a strange image, Black Ops told a fascinating story that ended in the satisfying murder of a cold-blooded, ruthless villain. The final moments are surprisingly happy and victorious after such a dark campaign, and the visuals of the final mission helped make this feel like a hugely satisfactory ending.
5 Call Of Duty: World At War
One of the earlier Call of Duty games, World at War remains the best example of a World War II-based game in the Call of Duty franchise. “Downfall”, the epic final assault on the German headquarters in Berlin remains one of the best missions that has been told from a perspective other than American through the series.
Playing as the Soviet soldiers who took the German Reich Headquarters, the final mission is a triumphant ending to a great campaign that took the simple approach of a final assault which has been echoed in other Call of Duty campaigns since. This formula works well, and while there wasn't a lot of story to this mission beyond finishing the war with this symbolic moment, the final shots of Reznov taking down the final German soldier and helping Dimitri plant the Soviet flag was a great moment.
4 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
There have been multiple Modern Warfare 2 games in the franchise, but the original from 2009 had a particularly fascinating twist in the campaign that led to a final mission where, instead of tracking down the source of all the pain and hatred in Makarov, Soap and Price instead had to go after General Shepherd before he got away with his betrayal.
The final mission is an excellent one, titled Endgame, featuring Soap and Price in one of the best Call of Duty chase sequences as they chase Shepherd’s boat. The mechanics of driving the boat while trying to shoot and the cinematic style made for a fantastic, sweeping finale of a mission.
3 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2
Another final assault mission, Black Ops II was the opposite of World at War’s final assault in that a lot went wrong for the heroes as they tried to take the Haitian Facility broadcasting the signal to control the drone fleet. The mission, titled Judgment Day, is a strong one that begins with Mason and his team getting shot out of the sky and having to parachute early to survive.
The mission is helped by the excellent monologue of primary antagonist Menendez, who was one of the better Call of Duty villains ever with his renegade, Joker-esque style. Even after the drones are destroyed, Mason finds out that Menendez is hiding among his men and has to go after him, choosing at the last whether to kill him. The multiple endings aspects make this mission an intriguing one in particular.
2 Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Infinite Warfare was a bold move for the Call of Duty franchise, and many complained that it was beginning to resemble a Halo game instead of a Call of Duty one. However, there can be no debate that the incredibly long final mission is one of the most cinematic experiences players can get anywhere in the franchise.
In a huge sequence of war set pieces across Mars, the story of Reyes beginning to realize that he can’t save everyone and most of his crew will die is a heart-breaking one that leads to a depressing but beautiful ending that felt truly reminiscent of the sacrifices of war. Untraditional by Call of Duty standards, the Infinite Warfare ending was nonetheless a truly great one.
1 Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
The most complete story told across any Call of Duty game is that of the battle against Makarov that Soap and Price engage in over the Call of Duty Modern Warfare trilogy. After all the sacrifices and horrors they witnessed over the trilogy, the finale in Dust to Dust is simply a pair of embittered men taking Makarov down by any means necessary.
Wearing heavy armor and taking down an entire building by themselves, with a literal ticking clock until Makarov escapes, and featuring real sacrifice in the death of Yuri before Price manages to hang Makarov in a brutal final moment, the satisfaction of a final kill has never been so sweet.