With the release of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, it is easy to think back and compare it to the previous game, Call of Duty Vanguard. Each game is set in a completely different time period. Modern Warfare 2 is set in the present day, while Vanguard is set in the midst of World War 2 - this means all the weapons, vehicles, and maps are completely different.

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We take a look at which game offers a better package, comparing each aspect to its counterpart. Each Call of Duty title always offers a good time, but certain modes, gunplay, and maps can ultimately make or break the experience.

8 Campaign - Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2's campaign is a follow-up to Modern Warfare 2019's campaign, following Ghost, Price, and their squadrons as they try to stop several terrorist plots. This story is engaging and feels like a Hollywood movie, with incredibly bombastic and well-directed cinematics and set pieces.

The gunplay and mission variety is also just phenomenal in this campaign, taking you into aquatic combat, deadly races fighting tanks, and stealth missions in the forest. This campaign trumps the campaign found in Vanguard quite easily, as the missions and story offered are just excellent.

7 Maps - Modern Warfare 2

For multiplayer maps, Modern Warfare 2 takes the prize. The maps that are available in the game so far offer much more chaos and fun than any of the maps in Vanguard were able to.

On top of this, the setting means that some of the maps that were previously available in the last Modern Warfare will be making their way over to MW2. Additionally, maps like Transit and Rust are found recreated within the Warzone 2.0 map, hinting at the fact that they will probably make their way over to MW2 multiplayer sometime in the future.

6 Camos - Vanguard

Call of Duty Vanguard made camos, such as the heavily sought-after gold camo, hard to obtain. Earning gold required hours of dedication and grinding, as well as completing multiple challenges that were not easy. This trend was reversed in MW2, with the gold camo being extremely easy to get with very little playtime involved.

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Vanguard takes the point for camos as they meant something to obtain and felt like a real reward. Camos in Modern Warfare 2 don't feel valuable thanks to how simplistic the requirements to get them are, which has led to lobbies full of players with gold weapons.

5 Movement - Modern Warfare 2

Movement in Modern Warfare 2 is extremely versatile, especially compared to Vanguard. MW2 offers a dolphin dive mechanic, which allows you to quickly face-dive onto the ground to avoid incoming fire. This mechanic alone allows for encounters to be extremely intense, as you have to be ready to snap your aim down if your opponent chooses to dive.

Vanguard did not offer a mechanic like this, opting instead for a more realistic style of movement but this limited mobility quite a bit. Considering it is set in World War 2, it is understandable, however, it would have been a good addition to keep the movement quick.

4 Weapons - Modern Warfare 2

In terms of the weapons available to use, Modern Warfare 2 sweeps this category. The amount of weapons available in MW2 is fantastic, with each offering a unique experience. The weapons available in MW2 overall are all generally good enough to be used in multiplayer, besides a few outliers that tend to be a bit overpowered.

While Vanguard offered lots of weapons, most of them felt dull and did not offer much difference. You probably quickly found yourself using the same four or five weapons in Vanguard, whereas in MW2 you routinely swap through dozens of weapons found in the game.

3 Uniqueness - Vanguard

When it comes to creativity and uniqueness, Vanguard slightly edges out Modern Warfare 2. MW2 is extremely similar in gunplay and setting to its predecessor, Modern Warfare. The setting is the same and the characters that appeared in that game also appear in this one.

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While that is not a bad thing, Vanguard at least took a unique approach with World War 2 that brought in aspects not seen before. Call of Duty WW2 was released in 2017, however, Vanguard did lots of things differently and offered a unique World War 2 experience overall.

2 Gunplay - Modern Warfare 2

The gunplay found in Modern Warfare 2 beats out Vanguard's, and it is not even close. Gunplay in MW2 is incredibly snappy and tactile, which allows for quick-paced games where every shot matters. You will find yourself utilizing different strategies consistently, regardless of your weapon of choice.

Vanguard chose to have more realistic and sluggish gunplay, which really let down the pace of matches overall. Each gun in MW2 is extremely fun and allows you to dominate, regardless of the situation you may find yourself in.

1 Setting - Modern Warfare 2

Overall, the setting of Modern Warfare 2 beats out Vanguard. Modern Warfare 2 is set in the present day, which means that the guns and kill streaks offered are much more tech-centric and relevant. You are able to find all sorts of neat gadgets like sentry guns, cruise missiles, and more.

Vanguard did the setting of World War 2 justice but didn't bring much new to the table - on the other hand, Modern Warfare 2 exceeds expectations and makes the present-day feel much more exciting than Vanguard was able to make WW2 feel.

Verdict - Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 is overall a better game than Vanguard in almost every way. It offers all sorts of fantastic new additions to the series, as well as the right things you knew and loved from previous games. The campaign was great and offered a fantastic story, and multiplayer is always a fun time. Overall, MW2 just does more right than Vanguard, whether it be the setting found in the game or the number of weapons available.

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