If you’re looking for a quick burst of fun multiplayer action then there’s just about enough here to keep you entertained for an evening, but not much more than that. It feels like an old-school shooter at times which sometimes feels great but all too rarely, with simple map designs and underwhelming additions to playlists failing to hit the mark. There’s a very thin line between a nostalgic experience and an archaic one, and it’s a line that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Multiplayer has not quite managed to balance on. I'm at level 8 Prestige 1 now, which is not an indicator of my skill so much as an indicator of how much I like to play it. But in Vanguard’s multiplayer, it’s strictly business as usual: level up your profile to unlock weapons, level up your weapons to unlock attachments, and complete weapon challenges to unlock skins.

If nothing else, that could’ve reinvigorated the first days and weeks of matches where everybody’s discovering how to use the new stuff and blowing themselves up. It would’ve been nice to have seen the tried-and-true formula get shaken up at least a little bit. after spending most of my free time running around the mostly excellent new maps, upgrading my weapons to highly satisfying levels, and – most importantly – shooting other people in the face, I have to say that in spite of its familiarity, Call of Duty: Vanguard's multiplayer is dependably a good time. I feel compelled to slap it with words like “uninspired” and “unambitious,” and it seems to have carried over a few small technical annoyances from last year.

The biggest issue is that it doesn't really do anything new and feels all too familiar – more of a refined riff on what we’ve played in Black Ops Cold War and Modern Warfare than something with its own distinctive style of gameplay. Mind you, I have fun with this series most years, and I wouldn’t necessarily call Vanguard a high point even among the past few games. I’ve spent the weekend after launch playing Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer, and I'm glad to say I'm having a lot of fun. For our thoughts on the other two modes, check out our review of Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Single-Player Campaign and our review of Call of Duty: Vanguard’s Zombies mode.

Note: This review covers the multiplayer mode of Call of Duty: Vanguard.

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