Call of Duty: World at War

Game review by Brett Molina, Common Sense Media
Call of Duty: World at War Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Intense first-person shooter captures brutality of WWII.

Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360 2008
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 86 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 247 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is a grisly shooter based on World War II. Players can kill enemy forces with guns, grenades, rocket launchers, and flamethrowers. Besides seeing lots of blood, players will witness enemies writhing as they are burned alive or losing limbs in explosions. Players will also see bodies strewn across the various battlefields and experience realistic sounds of agony. Profanity is also heard. The game is playable online, a feature Common Sense Media does not recommend for children under the age of 12, and colorful language will most likely be heard there as well. An unlockable zombie mode features hordes of Nazi zombies that need to be killed.

Community Reviews

John A.
John A. Adult
February 16, 2021
age 18+

Rated 18 (frequent strong bloody violence, gory injury detail).

SEX/NUDITY - None. VIOLENCE/GORE - There are pervasive, brutal sequences of war violence throughout, which feature strong bloody detail. There are also graphic images of gory injury throughout, after enemies are shot and blown up resulting in limbs being removed or chunks of flesh being blown off revealing internal organs. There are also some scenes depicting real war violence and tragedy, although this is optional and can be turned off in the game settings. PROFANITY - Some strong language ("f*ck") and occasional milder terms used. DRINKING/DRUGS/SMOKING - Occasional scenes of smoking, reflecting the time period that the game is set. THREAT/HORROR - Strong, sustained intense threat and war chaos throughout. One brief but shocking torture scene towards the beginning may be unsettling or disturbing for some players. 18 - Suitable only for persons aged 18 years and over. Contains very strong content, and is recommended for playing by adults only.

This title has:

Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
langston W.
langston W. Adult
August 4, 2020
age 17+

Extremely Violent Game Shows Horrors Of War

Peering through the sights on my rifle, I notice a what looks like a bush standing up out of cover about 15 feet away from me. With a pang of terror I see that this is a Japanese soldier covered in green garb--its a banzai soldier. He charges straight at me, the massive knife on his gun gleaming in the sun. My bayonet is faster. I stick him in the stomach with it. He drops his gun now, screaming in agony. Dark, gooey crimson fountains out of his chest, splattering the ground in a red haze. He's still standing. I pull the trigger on my bolt action rifle, and the recoil knocks me back slightly. The bullet rockets out, slamming into the man and causing a large puff of dust and blood to explode from his chest. He falls now, his cries forever silenced. This game is full of moments like the one detailed above, and they all look as bad as they sound. Heads explode, limbs are torn off, and bullets pockmark bodies. Blood flies everywhere, and people are frequently shown burning in graphic detail. However. This is a game about the horrors of war, so none of the above are glorified of glamorized in the slightest. As the parent, though, it is your decision on weather or not to allow your child to play this game. My advice is that if you are okay with them watching war movies ( Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge, even Apocalypse Now), then this game should be fine with you.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 86 parent reviews

What’s It About?

The Call of Duty franchise returns to familiar territory with the release of CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR, an intense first-person shooter that captures the brutality of warfare. The campaign takes place through the eyes of an American soldier fighting the Japanese and a Russian battling German forces. As U.S. Private Miller, you navigate the jungles of the Pacific led by Sgt. Roebuck, voiced by 24 actor Kiefer Sutherland. When playing the role of Private Petrenko of the Soviet Army, you'll push into the German capital Berlin to finish off the Nazis.

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\ Players can tackle the campaign either solo or with a friend through the cooperative mode. There's also a deep multiplayer mode where players can rank-up based on skill level and acquire new weapons. When you conquer the campaign, you can unlock a Nazi zombie mode where up to four players fight wave after wave of zombies.

Is It Any Good?

While the last release in the franchise, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, set the bar for first-person shooters on consoles, World at War delivers a very similar experience. The campaign is chaotic and intense. The Russian missions tend to feel like typical WWII games, but action in the Pacific is more intriguing. Japanese enemies employ ambush tactics like charging with bayonettes. Because most prefer hiding in grass, your character will often use a flamethrower to flush out enemies.



World at War is also dark and brutal. Smoke and gunfire blanket the skies of Berlin as you break through Nazi defenses. You'll see enemies burned alive or missing limbs following explosions. On the default difficulty, opponents are relentless. However, they do exhibit some odd behaviors. There were a few moments where opponents were inches away and opted to sit and aim as opposed to aggressively attacking. Weapons are diverse, ranging from mountable assault rifles to grenades and sniper rifles. Multiplayer is equally impressive, with a deep ranking system and rewards for bolstering your skills. With a wealth of World War II games available, World at War stands out as one of the best.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about video games based on historical events. Is this a good way to learn the perils of war? Are there other ways video games can teach historical events like World War II?

Game Details

Our Editors Recommend

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