Call of Duty has seen many different time periods in its lengthy history, but the two most prevalent time periods the series has explored are World War II and the modern era. The franchise began as a World War II shooter, but Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare propelled the series to new heights, making the modern age just as recognizable of an era for Call of Duty as World War II.

While both may be equally as influential, each time period does things the other cannot. These are five reasons why World War II is the best era for Call of Duty, as well as five reasons why the Modern Warfare games are better.

10 WWII - Historical Accuracy

There’s a reason why so many video games, movies, and other forms of media choose World War II as a setting. There’s just something about that time period that draws people in. The grand scope of the global conflict creates a perfect backdrop for emotional and compelling stories, and the earlier Call of Duty games were no exception.

Unlike other forms of media, video games are interactive, letting players experience the intense battles firsthand. History buffs can appreciate the attention to detail as well as getting their hands on weapon and equipment they’ve only ever read about or seen in movies, and less informed people are content with immersing themselves in another time period.

9 Modern Warfare - Customization

Because technology has advanced so much since the 1940s, there are so many more things to put on a weapon these days. The Modern Warfare games, particularly the latest one, allow for immensely deep weapon customization. Camos and attachments allow players to personalize their weapons to make them their own, and very few people will have the exact same weapon setup in their loadouts.

There are also many more weapons to choose from in the first place, being able to draw from several different weapon manufacturers all over the world. Player customization has never been as good in Call of Duty as it is in Modern Warfare.

8 WWII - Famous Battles

While the Modern Warfare games may draw inspiration from real-world contemporary conflicts, the World War II era Call of Duty games take players to actual historical locations to relive famous battles. Whether in the campaign or multiplayer, World War II Call of Duty games like World at War and Call of Duty WWII bring the pages of history books to life, which is an inherently interesting concept.

World War II movies and television shows do a great job of capturing the intensity of the war, but video games have the capability to actually put players on the front lines, and Call of Duty has always been the best at doing so.

7 Modern Warfare - Weapon Variety

Being set several decades later, the Modern Warfare games have access to years of firearms that wouldn’t have existed during World War II. So many classic Modern Warfare staples like the M4A1 and AK47 weren’t around in the 1940s, and the same can be said for just about every weapon featured in any modern-day Call of Duty title.

As such, the weapon variety is unmatched in Modern Warfare games, and players will have access to a slew of assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, and much, much more in multiplayer matches and campaigns.

6 WWII - Simplicity

Having fewer weapons doesn’t have to be a disadvantage, though. World War II games have an inherent simplicity in them due to the lack of crazy weaponry available at the time. Most World War II games will feature the same handful of weapons, and Call of Duty games are no exception.

Because of this, it’s much easier to balance a World War II shooter, meaning multiplayer matches are much less likely to be frustrating. There’s also just something about those classic World War II weapons like the M1 Garand and Thompson submachine gun that feels so satisfying to shoot.

5 Modern Warfare - Maps

No matter which Modern Warfare game you’re playing, the maps are excellent. The original Modern Warfare trilogy boasts some of the most iconic maps of not just any Call of Duty game, but any shooter ever created. Shipment, Rust, Dome, and many others are all-time classics, and the World War II era Call of Duty games hardly have any maps that are on a similar level.

There are a few notable exceptions, but on the whole, World War II Call of Duty maps are fairly forgettable outside of their historical significance. Modern Warfare maps excel in every possible way, from the layout to the aesthetics.

4 WWII - Scope

World War II is one of the largest conflicts in all of human history, so it’s only natural that World War II video games would attempt to recreate the scope and scale of the global conflict. Call of Duty games set during World War II do an excellent job of capturing the massive scale of World War II battles, complete with impressive sound and visuals.

Later World War II Call of Duty games also feature a mode called War, which recreates the tug of war feeling of an actual battle. This mode especially helps these games feel like actual historical recreations of World War II battlefields.

3 Modern Warfare - Sound Design

The original Modern Warfare trilogy had great sound design, but this one really only applies to the most recent Modern Warfare. Infinity Ward took extra care to make sure everything in the game sounds as lifelike as possible, and as a result, Modern Warfare has some of the best sounding weapons in any video game.

Every gunshot is as loud and impactful as you’d expect it to be, and shooting a gun indoors leads to hefty amounts of reverb. Modern Warfare sounds absolutely incredible every step of the way, and it really adds to the intensity of firefights.

2 WWII - Zombies

Black Ops may have overtaken the World War II era Call of Duty games as the premier zombies experience, but World at War started the whole Nazi Zombie trend. This mode has gone on to become a Call of Duty staple, and you have to assign credit where credit is due. Call of Duty WWII also features a zombies mode, but it pales in comparison to the other games.

Even if it might be subpar, though, it still beats the Modern Warfare games in this regard considering they don’t have a similar mode. They’ve tried other side modes, like survival, but none have come close to recreating the feeling of battling hordes of undead.

1 Modern Warfare - Campaigns

The Modern Warfare games have absolutely stellar single-player campaigns. The original Modern Warfare trilogy tells one of the best stories of any first-person shooter campaign, packed with intense setpieces and memorable characters like Ghost and Captain Price.

The most recent Modern Warfare also reinvents these characters in a new setting, reimagining what Modern Warfare is for a new audience. No matter which Modern Warfare game you’re playing, you’re in for a treat if you play the campaign. They’re filled with back to back highlights the entire way through, and each mission is more memorable than the last.

NEXT: Call of Duty: The 5 Best & Worst Games In The Whole Franchise (According To Metacritic)