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Call of Duty: World at War similar games & best alternatives

Call of Duty: World at War

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 • 2008

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Quick resume

Call of Duty is back, redefining war like you've never experienced before. Building on the Call of Duty 4®: Modern Warfare engine, Call of Duty: World at War immerses players into the most gritty and chaotic WWII combat ever experienced.

Global score

92/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Shooter

Similar games

    Pros

    • Strong and immersive wwii campaign
    • Cooperative campaign and zombies modes
    • Extensive modding and custom zombie maps
    • Active multiplayer community despite age
    • Free dlc and no microtransactions

    Cons

    • Multiplayer can have hackers
    • Online profile creation issues on pc
    • Campaign is relatively short
    • Grenade spam on veteran difficulty
    • Aged graphics and minor bugs

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Competition, Fellowship, Domination, Status. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy, Domination.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players have freedom to choose campaign missions, multiplayer modes, and extensive custom zombie maps, allowing personal control over gameplay experience."

    • Competence
      4

      "Veteran difficulty is challenging with grenade spam and tactical gameplay; multiplayer and zombies modes require skill and strategy."

    • Competition
      3

      "Multiplayer includes competitive modes with leaderboards and ranking; some reviews mention active multiplayer servers and ranking systems."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Many players report long-term engagement, replayability through mods and custom maps, and habitual play over years."

    • Cooperation
      4

      "Co-op campaign and 4-player cooperative zombies mode are major features; many reviews emphasize playing with friends."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Strong modding community with thousands of custom zombie maps and mod support allowing extensive player creativity."

    • Domination
      -2

      "While competitive, the community is described as cooperative and respectful; no strong evidence of domination or toxic behavior."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game for nostalgia, stress relief, and immersive escape into WWII settings and zombie survival."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players express intrinsic motivation and personal desire to play, often for nostalgia or enjoyment rather than obligation."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Modding and custom maps encourage experimentation; players try new maps, weapons, and gameplay styles."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Campaign and multiplayer maps offer some exploration, but mostly structured WWII battlefields; custom maps add variety."

    • Expression
      3

      "Customization mainly through modded zombie maps and some weapon attachments; limited avatar personalization."

    • Fantasy
      -3

      "Strong focus on realistic WWII settings and brutal war depiction; zombies add a fictional element but grounded in game lore."

    • Fellowship
      4

      "Community and social play emphasized in co-op and multiplayer; players share experiences and collaborate."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players develop skills through challenging campaign, multiplayer tactics, and mastering zombie modes."

    • Health
      -5

      "No physical activity involved; typical sedentary gaming experience."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention especially in campaign and multiplayer; not a casual or idle game."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Social interactions occur mainly in multiplayer and co-op; some emotional connection through shared gameplay."

    • Leadership
      1

      "Some players may lead teams in multiplayer or co-op, but no strong emphasis on leadership roles."

    • Progression
      3

      "Progression through unlocking weapons, perks, and prestige levels in multiplayer; campaign completion also valued."

    • Relaxation
      -1

      "Game can be tense and challenging, especially on higher difficulties; not primarily for relaxation."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable sensory feedback from gunfire, explosions, and atmospheric music; some players describe it as immersive and intense."

    • Status
      2

      "Ranking and prestige in multiplayer provide social recognition; some community status through modding."

    • Story
      4

      "Campaign praised for narrative depth, emotional impact, and historical immersion; story is a major draw."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Requires tactical thinking in multiplayer, co-op, and zombies modes; campaign also involves strategic gameplay."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Thrilling combat, suspense in zombie mode, and challenging veteran difficulty provide excitement and tension."

    • Value
      3

      "Good value especially on sale; free DLC and mod support add to perceived return on investment."

    • Violence
      4

      "Graphic depiction of war violence, gore, and brutal combat; zombie mode involves combat against undead."

    • Survival
      3

      "Survival elements in zombie mode and tactical combat in campaign and multiplayer require resource management and threat avoidance."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026