Call of Duty: World at War is a straightforward military first-person shooter with authentic weaponry like the Thompson Sub Machine Gun or the Arisaka Rifle Type 99. The game's objectives range from clearing houses from enemies to planting bombs or defending positions, with the player needing to simply get out of fire for a few seconds to regenerate health. A new feature this time around is the co-op campaign for up to four players, allowing friends to play through the whole single-player campaign together.
The game's story begins on August 17, 1942, on the Makin-Atoll in the Asian-Pacific region. Pvt. Miller watches as his squadmates are brutally murdered by Japanese soldiers, but then turns the tables and helps the American troops drive back the enemy in recreations of real missions like "Operation Watchtower". The second campaign takes place on September 17, 1942, in Stalingrad, where Pvt. Petrenko begins a journey to kill General Heinrich Amsel after surviving and watching his comrades be killed.
The game also features a multiplayer mode similar to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with playtypes Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Search & Destroy. The ranking system returns, allowing players to gain experience points and level up to unlock additional weaponry, attachments, or abilities, which can be used to create custom classes.