When it comes to groundbreaking technology, the shovel has very few competitors. Whether you work in landscaping or you’re a kid building a sandcastle, there are almost zero scenarios in life where having a shovel doesn’t make sense. The shovel wears many hats, but like any wardrobe, there’s always one hat that fits a little better than the others. For the shovel, Call of Duty: WWII is that hat.
Now that we're at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s highly anticipated release, it’s difficult not to reminisce about some of the franchise's most iconic moments. And while Modern Warfare has all of the markings of a well-made game, there’s still something missing that would make it a standout among the long list of Call of Duty titles. Sure, Modern Warfare may feature better graphics and more customization options than any of its predecessors, but there’s one thing that it doesn’t have: the shovel.
Call of Duty: WWII wasn’t just a defining moment for the CoD franchise, it was a career-defining moment for the shovel. Until its performance as a melee weapon in WWII, there really was no pre-existing framework as to how the shovel would operate in the context of large-scale urban warfare. As it turns out, it’s one of the most efficient weapons that any soldier has ever had access to. I’m not sure if the battle-shovel started being a standard-issue in WWI or WWII, but it’s clear that Call of Duty is only at its best when the developers keep things as realistic as possible.
In all honesty, the shovel really did make Call of Duty: WWII what it was. No feeling can compare to strolling into the back house of Sainte Marie Du Mont and wiping out an entire team with a gardening tool. In terms of pure joy, only the ballistic knife offers a similar physiological response. But it goes deeper than that. The shovel is about more than the spine-tingling ecstasy that it induces. It also has real in-game utility.
Call of Duty has very few one-shot items, and the shovel could go head to head with any of them and walk away the winner. When it comes to close-quarters or trench warfare, the shovel outperforms almost every other available weapon. Shotguns are a popular option for fighting in small spaces, but they aren't always a one-shot kill and you have to reload them often. There’s one weapon, however, that never misses and never runs out of ammo. If you haven’t already guessed, it’s the shovel.
Infinity Ward would be doing everyone a favor if they brought the shovel back into the game. With the shovel’s absence, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is essentially refusing to let people have fun. Imagine going to an Owl City concert and having Adam Young just refuse to play "Fireflies." It doesn't make sense.
An immersive storyline, stunning graphics, and new game modes are enough to keep the masses entertained until something shinier comes along, but what’s shinier than a shovel coated in your opponent's fresh blood? Why not just throw it in the game? Without the shovel, what’s even the point?