Over the years, the Call of Duty (CoD) series has become a cornerstone of the first-person shooter genre. Each title offered something unique and pushed the boundaries of what gamers expect from their gaming experiences. Ranking them is no small task, as personal preference plays a huge role, but we’ll give it our best shot considering historical impact, gameplay advancements, and overall reception.

14. Call of Duty: Ghosts

Despite its ambitious attempt at storytelling and introducing a new world post-modern era, Ghosts fell short in captivating fans. The multiplayer felt like a step back with unmemorable maps and features.

13. Call of Duty 3

As a follow-up to its revolutionary predecessor, CoD 3 didn’t quite live up to expectations due to its less refined multiplayer component and similar WWII theme.

12. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

Taking the fight to space with futuristic warfare wasn’t warmly received by all players, although it’s praised for its campaign narrative.

11. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Introducing exoskeletons and new movement mechanics, Advanced Warfare changed the formula but garnered mixed reactions regarding its futuristic setting.

10. Call of Duty: WWII

Returning to its roots, WWII was well-received for its gritty portrayal of historical battles but criticized for playing it too safe in terms of innovation

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Blending nostalgia with new mechanics, Cold War’s campaign was praised, while some aspects of multiplayer didn’t hit the mark.

8. Call of Duty 2

CoD 2 set a new standard for shooters on next-gen consoles with improved visuals and mechanics, yet it’s now overshadowed by later entries due to less refinement in gameplay.

7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Concluding the original Modern Warfare storyline, MW3 delivered intense multiplayer action but lacked the innovation seen in previous titles.

6. Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Futuristic yet anchored with strong narrative-driven content, Black Ops III was a solid entry that expanded CoD’s sci-fi elements for better or worse.

5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Revolutionary at its launch, Modern Warfare set new benchmarks for storytelling and multiplayer design despite eventually being surpassed by its successors.

4. Call of Duty: World at War

Taking another stab at WWII, World at War gave an unflinchingly gruff war experience while introducing the fan-favorite Zombies mode.

3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)

A stunning reboot that reimagined classic characters and modernized gameplay that resonated well with older fans and newcomers alike.

2. Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Offering branching storylines in campaign mode and robust multiplayer options, Black Ops II stands out for its innovation and replayability.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops

With an engrossing campaign filled with twists and iconic moments plus highly praised multiplayer maps and modes, Black Ops takes the top spot as the best entry in the series so far.

This list is sure to stir debate amongst fans who will have their own rankings based on personal experiences with each game’s campaign, multiplayer and zombies modes if applicable. Regardless of where each title falls on this list, it’s clear that the CoD franchise has provided countless hours of entertainment and helped define a genre.