Best Opening Lines In Call Of Duty

Summary

• Modern Warfare sets a sarcastic tone for an intense story.
• Black Ops 3 hints at a dark future.
• Black Ops creates a mysterious and intense atmosphere from the start.

The Call of Duty games may be most well-known for their fast-paced multiplayer modes, but that doesn’t mean they lack outstanding campaigns. While many of the COD campaigns will be packed full of intense action sequences and sudden plot twists, before jumping into the action, players will always be treated to an intro cutscene, alongside an opening line to set the stage for what’s to come.

There have been plenty of memorable bits of opening dialogue across this franchise which give players a glimpse at the state of the story and its characters, psyching them up for the battles ahead. However, in terms of memorability and impact, these are among the very best opening lines that will always be remembered fondly by longtime fans of this immensely popular series.

8

“Good News First, The World’s In Great Shape” – Modern Warfare

Anyone who has played the campaign of the original Modern Warfare will know all too well that the world is in a pretty miserable state of chaos once the story kicks off. Not only is there a chaotic civil war breaking out in Russia, but there are also nukes on the loose, and a handful of dangerous individuals who are hell-bent on obtaining power. As a result, this line, said by the iconic Gaz, is meant to sound as sarcastic as possible.

This single line also gives players a subtle insight into Task Force 141, and how cheeky this collective group of soldiers can be, even when the stakes are so high. It also does a good job of getting players straight into the action, leaving out all the fluff and instead letting them know exactly what they’re getting themselves into.

7

“Human Bio-Augmentation Has Become Commonplace Throughout The Developed World” – Black Ops 3

This Eerie First Line Feeds Into The New And Improved Gameplay Mechanics Of Black Ops 3

The very first cutscene of Black Ops 3 is dedicated to showing players just how messed up the world has become, mentioning the plethora of natural disasters and constant wars, but this specific piece of dialogue provides the first indication as to how bad things have really gotten. This line is so eerie that it almost sounds like something ripped straight out of a Resident Evil game, and while bio-augmentation itself may not sound too scary on its own, the idea of it being “Widespread” definitely raises some concerns.

Then again, it’s these augmentations that allow players to cruise around the maps at such lightning speeds, which helps to differentiate Black Ops from the games that came before it. With that in mind, this line feeds into the unique gameplay mechanics of Black Ops 3, while also just acting as a haunting reminder of what the future could look like.

6

“Wake Up, Wake Up!” – Black Ops

The Interrogator Sets The Mysterious Tone For Black Ops’ Bizarre Campaign

The first Black Ops puts players in the shoes of Alex Mason, a man tied to a chair who spends much of the game being interrogated by a shady figure who demands to know the meaning of the “Numbers.” Upon first waking up, the first thing Mason hears is the interrogator, with a frustrated tone in his voice, saying “Wake up” without giving any extra details.

Opening the game up this way adds an aura of mystery right from the get-go as players wonder what exactly this guy is talking about, and why the protagonist would be knocked out in the first place. It makes the story feel intense and chaotic in the very first few seconds of a playthrough, which is a testament to just how effective it is as an introductory piece to the weirdest campaign in the series.

5

“We Come Into This World With Our Eyes Closed” – Advanced Warfare

Mitchell Provides A Thought-Provoking Quote That Foreshadows Future Events In The Game

Narrated by the incredibly talented Troy Baker, this quote says a lot about Advanced Warfare‘s narrative, even providing some subtle foreshadowing of the events that would transpire later on in the narrative. Mitchell’s opening quote here refers to the idea that humans will “blindly” follow anyone who they deem to be an honest and reliable leader, even if, behind the surface, they aren’t as trustworthy as they may initially seem.

Considering the sheer amount of betrayals that occur in this series, this is also a clever reference to the many suspicious individuals who always seem to be heroes of their respective games, only to turn on their allies later in their respective games, including in this one.

4

“It Was A Different Time, A Different Enemy” – Ghosts

The Epic Opening To Ghosts Explains Who These Shady Soldiers Really Are

Though Ghosts would go on to become one of the worst-received games in the series, there was at least a pretty compelling rollout for the game, especially the emphasis on the “Ghosts” themselves. As a result, the opening line of this game invites players into a cutscene that reveals who the ghosts are and the unorthodox tactics they use to ambush their enemies.

Like a lot of opening quotes in the Call of Duty games, this is a line that seems like it should be in the middle of a conversation, but this only works to make players more intrigued as to what the story is, and who this “Enemy” is exactly. Ghosts‘ campaign may have been hit or miss, but it’s hard to deny that this line alone still does an excellent job at drawing players in from the moment they boot up the story.

3

“We Must Realize That No Arsenal Or No Weapon In The Arsenals Of The World Is So Formidable As The Will And Moral Courage Of Free Men And Women” – Cold War

Reagan’s Iconic Quote Establishes Cold War’s Themes And Tone

This isn’t a line that the developers themselves came up with, since it’s taken from a quote by US President Ronald Reagan, but it’s certainly still a very relevant line to use considering the context of the game. Call of Duty: Cold War hones in on the period of history where the threat of nuclear war was always lingering in people’s minds, but as Reagan says here, despite how powerful these weapons may be, none can be as strong as the human will and spirit.

Using Reagan’s voice as the opening line transports players straight back to the 1980s, establishing the tone and setting for the game’s narrative, especially when paired with the visual of a TV flashing between different events from that decade.

2

“Your World As You Know It Is Gone. How Far Would You Go To Bring It Back? – Modern Warfare 3

Price Reminds Players That Nothing Has Been The Same Since Makarov’s Antics

Modern Warfare 3 kicks off with a pretty unique intro where players take the role of a wounded Soap as he is carried away after the injuries he received at the end of the second game. During this sequence, the cinematic fades in and out of previous events to catch players up with the story, but not before Price lets out this question, which almost seems directed toward the player.

The events of Modern Warfare 2 would change the world forever, plunging the globe into a third World War, which is witnessed through much of the third game. As a result, Price reminds players at the beginning of the game how much everything has changed, and even asks the question of how far someone is willing to go, and what they would sacrifice, to go back to the way things were.

1

“The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same” – Modern Warfare 2

The Most Quotable Line In The Series Encourages Players To Ponder About The Cycle Of War

Undoubtedly one of the most quotable and memorable lines in the entire series is this quote uttered by the infamous General Shepherd at the beginning of Modern Warfare 2. It’s an eerie invitation to the game which sees Shepherd reflecting on the nature of war, and how, although the major players, ideologies, and events may shift around drastically, much of the bloody warfare still plays out more or less identically.

It was also a clever decision from Infinity Ward to have Shepherd deliver the very first line, letting players know right off the bat that he would be a central figure within the plot. It also foreshadows how mysterious of a character he is, always talking in riddles and hiding his true intentions, as proven by this thought-provoking quote.