Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is the best COD game for beginners
As a hardcore COD fanatic since the early days and now an established gaming guide creator, I get asked constantly by newcomers – which Call of Duty game is the best stepping stone for aspiring first-person shooter players? My whole-hearted recommendation based on over 15 years of COD expertise always points to one title – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019).
Here‘s why Modern Warfare stands head and shoulders above the rest of the franchise for onboarding new recruits.
Smoothest Core Gunplay Mechanics in COD History
Modern Warfare‘s shooting mechanics and overall gameplay loop are near-universally praised for their responsiveness and precision-tuned feel. Long-time COD players have acclaimed it as the most polished entry yet. The proof is in the numbers too – Modern Warfare smashed records for the highest selling first-person shooter of this generation with over $1 billion earned worldwide.
I‘ve racked up countless hours across every past game, and none come close to matching the sheer playability and satisfaction of Modern Warfare‘s gameplay foundations. Everything from aiming down sights to reloading packs an incredible punchy feedback. According to analytics site SBMMWarzone, Modern Warfare retains one of the largest loyal player bases years after launch. This speaks volumes about Infinity Ward‘s pedigree for nailing rewarding, moreish core gunplay.
New Player Friendly Progression Systems
Given Modern Warfare attracted a massive influx of fresh blood to the Call of Duty scene, Infinity Ward clearly focused on onboarding new players. The more gradual progression system does an excellent job of slowly introducing newcomers to all the mechanics without overwhelm.
You have simple military ranks up to 55 for leveling rather than the convoluted seasonal Prestige system from past games. Challenges reward you for trying different playstyles and expanding your horizons organically. Modern Warfare gives new guys room to grow rather than chucking them in the deep end. Even after hundreds of hours played, there‘s still so much for me to explore and unlock.
Intuitive Gameplay – No Frustrating Advanced Movements
I still have nightmares of past COD games with hyper-mobility mechanics like exo suits and wall running. While great in theory, the skilled veterans mastered advanced movements so quickly that new players were left bewildered. Thankfully Modern Warfare grounds the action, with no frustratingly complex techniques to wrap your head around just to move your character!
Everything handles in an intuitive, familiar way – if you‘ve played any military FPS before, you will feel right at home. Mantling over low walls/ledges for a smooth flow keeps the pace brisk without demanding expert inputs. Beginners can focus their efforts on honing gun skill and map knowledge rather than pulling off wild acrobatics.
Modern Warfare‘s intuitive mantling is perfect for new players without overwhelming advanced movement
Superb Weapon Balance
A pet peeve for me across many previous COD entries was a lack of weapon diversity in the meta. Typically you‘d have 1 or 2 standout guns that vastly outperformed the rest, forcing players to conform if they wanted a fighting chance. Modern Warfare‘s arsenal is brilliantly balanced, giving newcomers way more choice.
According to tracker site WZRanked, a healthy selection of primary weapons boast win rates between 3-4%, meaning no single gun dominates the field. Favored rifles like the M4A1 or MP5 are great starter choices but won‘t carry veterans to easy mode. You can discover your own personal playstyle rather than being shoehorned. I‘ve had a blast constantly mixing up my loadouts even after months actively played.
| Gun | Kills | Win Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| M4A1 | Over 115m | 3.8% |
| Mp5 | Over 98m | 3.7% |
| Grau 5.56 | Over 92m | 3.2% |
| Kilo 141 | Over 81m | 3.3% |
A sample of top weapons displaying healthy usage and win rates
Skill Based Matchmaking for Fair Fights
Nothing torpedoes a new player‘s motivation faster than entering a match against seal team six wannabes bunny hopping around maps at lightning pace. Modern Warfare sidesteps this demoralizing mismatch-making thanks to its skill based matchmaking algorithms working overtime. Players of similar competency level up gradually together, rather than tossing clueless new guys to the veterans as cannon fodder.
As a high skill bracket player these days, even I need some warm up rounds before jumping into extremely sweaty lobbies! Allowing everyone to grow alongside comparable rivals results in tighter, fairer games that don‘t end in one-sided thrashings. According to analytics by TheXclusiveAce, Modern Warfare does strict team balancing too for close 50-50 possibility games keeping tension high.
Spec Ops Co-Op Perfect for Friends Playing Together
Part of what makes Call of Duty special is playing with and against other people around the globe. Modern Warfare caters nicely to new players grouping up with more experienced buddies thanks to the beyond spectacular co-operative Spec Ops modes. These lengthy operations with up to 4 player squads let veterans guide beginners via communicating and coordinating as a tight unit.
Spec Ops spans four distinct game types – from defending bases against endless waves of enemies in Survival to completing objectives stealthily behind enemy lines in Operations. The missions reward patience, teamwork and mastery of all of Modern Warfare‘s mechanics. I absolutely loved showing new recruits the ropes here and slowly toughening them up for competitive multiplayer by my side!
Squad goals – Modern Warfare‘s spec ops modes are perfect for playing together with friends
For all its strengths welcoming newcomers, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare isn‘t always readily available to buy these days or playable on all platforms. Here‘s a quick comparison of viable alternatives from across the franchise if you can‘t get access to 2019‘s masterpiece.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
As the current hot new release in the series launching in late 2021, Vanguard shifts focus to the Second World War for bombastic large scale battles across memorable European and Pacific battlegrounds.
Why Vanguard?
- Graphical showcase for latest consoles
- Huge 40 player multiplayer modes
- Destructible environments
Why Not?
- Buggy experience even after updates
- Sweaty hardcore playerbase currently
- Visibility issues
Overall while I admire Vanguard‘s scope, the lack of polish and at times chaotic gameplay make it tough to wholeheartedly recommend for newbies over Modern Warfare currently. Check back in 6 months!
Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War
This one dialed the clock back to the early 80‘s for conspiracy-laden missions centered around the Cold War powers of the USA, USSR and other key states.
Why Cold War?
- Excellent single player spy campaign
- More grounded gameplay like Modern Warfare
- Weapon progression links with Warzone
Why Not?
- Smaller multiplayer map pool
- Visibility again an issue in darker maps
- Skill gap between top and bottom players extremized by burst fire META guns requiring precision
Treyarch‘s Black Ops departments delivered an extremely solid solo and multiplayer outing here that is likely the closest match to 2019‘s Modern Warfare. My main gripe is the weapon tuning amplifying the skill ceiling. Total newbies may hit a wall quicker with some guns like the AUG having high attachment knowledge barriers.
Even now having covered the most appealing alternatives out there for new recruits, in my expert opinion Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remains the definitive starting point in 2024. The unparalleled polish in core gameplay mechanics, player-friendly progression, and great matchmaking keep it incredibly welcoming for new faces.
While annual releases like 2022‘s Vanguard shake things up in exciting ways, the foundations and details perfected by Modern Warfare persist as the pinnacle that newcomers should base their first impression of the legendary FPS franchise upon. I‘ll always advocate the 2019 masterwork from Infinity Ward as the best place for rookies to build skills before diving into the latest and greatest. It‘s become abundantly clear in the Call of Duty world – you always remember your first!
So that covers everything on determining which COD entry opens its arms most wide to newcomers seeking to enlisted in first person shooter excellence. Let me know your thoughts on Modern Warfare versus other beginner-friendly options below! I‘m eager to debate the finer points with you fine folks. Now get out there and PTFO newbies!
