Call Of Duty: Vanguard Beta

While I haven’t really gotten into a Call of Duty multiplayer since Infinite Warfare, opting instead to play the campaigns (I’m in the minority, I know), I’m curious whether or not they’re going to release one that’s going to suck me back into it. I’m always open to giving it a shot and this addition was no exception. 

Jumping back into this multiplayer felt easy and familiar, with not much change to the core mechanics. The first match I played was a Team Slayer 6v6 on the map, Eagle’s Nest, a close-quarters map that I really enjoyed. I used the guerilla loadout which not only played well to my personal strengths, but fit the combat on the map very well. Whether I was running in like a madman with my shotgun or hiding behind corners for the enemy to run right into my line of sight, it just felt right.

 Then I would take my rifle and zoom in on the other side of the map where there was a little more range and headshot those trying to run in. Overall, it was a great match. The score came down to 74-74 and one unlucky enemy just happened to run right in front of me after I just reloaded my shottie. I blasted them away, getting the last kill and securing the win for my team. These are the moments that almost pull me right back into CoD Multiplayer. 

While graphics (keeping in mind this is a beta and unfinished) on this map were pretty good, it did have a few rough spots. I was crouched by the golden elevator, it kept popping in and out. I believe this was a texture glitch but I noticed it happening on smaller objects also. While this was pretty distracting and it did take me out of the game, it can probably be fixed before launch with a simple patch. After this, I did a few more Team Slayers, one being a 10v10 on the Hotel Royale map. Being on top of the building and looking out onto the city was really impressive.

The environment popped at night with all of the Eiffel Tower lit up and all of the buildings on fire. The match, while action-packed, was also pretty chaotic. I played around with a few different loadouts but ultimately kept going back to the guerilla. The field upgrades were also helpful. I was using the supply box at first but switched to the Goliath which seemed far more useful to me. It’s basically a remote-controlled mini-tank that you can detonate within thirty seconds. It leaves you vulnerable because you’re not able to keep an eye on your surroundings but it can have a big pay-off if you plan it right. 

Next was a Team Slayer on Gavutu which was more of a mid to long range fight, a nice change of pace from the close-quarters fights that I had been getting. It had a good amount of shelters to hide in and peek out from to try to take out your enemies. When you take out a certain number of enemies without dying, you earn perks. The intel perk, which allows you to see where the enemies are on the map, was particularly helpful on this map.

After that I tried a new mode called Patrol on the Red Star map, which was a ton of fun. It’s basically a capture point that’s in constant motion around the map. This was hands down my favorite mode to play. It forced players to either engage or to try and hold back, clear the area and then run in. With the capture point being in constant motion, it also created so many different interactions between teammates and enemies alike that normally wouldn’t happen in other modes. There was a point where I was crawling on the ground, trying to stay within the capture point as my teammates defended me, stacking up points and sniping enemies rushing in with my rifle while switching to my shotgun when we were forced into confined spaces. A downside to this mode is that there are some points where one team will have a clear advantage in a certain area, depending on who has the capture point at that time, but again, since it’s constantly moving that doesn’t last long and the tides can change. I can absolutely see myself coming back to play this mode again.

I played on a Series X with the 60hz mode on and then switched to 120hz about halfway through. Both modes seemed stable without too many dropped frames, at least during my experience. If you can, I would definitely suggest going with the 120hz because it does seem to have an advantage in combat and makes the gameplay much smoother.

Overall, I had a pretty good time playing through a handful of matches and maps. The gameplay is solid and I really loved the addition of Patrol. They didn’t reinvent the wheel on this one but they truthfully didn’t really need to. While I would personally always welcome something outside the norm, I also understand that the Call of Duty franchise is as popular as it is because it’s effective and it’s fun. If you’re already a fan of CoD Multiplayer, I’m sure you’ll love this one as well but if it’s not your thing, I doubt this entry will win you over.