Post by King of Kings on Nov 19, 2010 22:01:49 GMT -5
Call of Duty: Black Ops Review
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC (Played on 360)
Developer: Treyarch / n-Space (DS only)
Publisher: Activision / Square Enix (Japan only)
Released: November 9th, 2010 (Worldwide)
Genre: First person shooter
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PC (Played on 360)
Developer: Treyarch / n-Space (DS only)
Publisher: Activision / Square Enix (Japan only)
Released: November 9th, 2010 (Worldwide)
Genre: First person shooter
Whether you liked Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or not you’ll like Black Ops. What’s different? What’s the same? First of all, it’s an entirely different developer. As usual, Call of Duty games have swapped developers for a long time. Infinity Ward makes some games, and Treyarch makes some. World at War was a Treyarch game. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was an Infinity Ward title. Personally, I used to enjoy the Infinity Ward titles more, but Black Ops was a nice refresher.
Campaign
First of all, the campaign is co-op. However, on Veteran it may be the most difficult Call of Duty campaign yet. Infinitely respawning enemies make certain parts unbearable, but don’t let it stop you. The story is amazing. I was stunned, honestly. I didn’t expect it from Treyarch. The character Reznov returns from World at War, but that is the only tie in. You will not need to have played World at War to understand Black Ops, as I hadn’t. However, the ending may confuse the average person. Think, Metal Gear Solid 2, only not as confusing. The various weapons and use of atmosphere and music really captivated me and I was pleased with the presentation. For example, in Vietnam, after being shot down in a chopper…your team (consisting of voice actors such as Ice Cube (rapper) and others) boards a boat, and begins a trek down river blasting various weaponry and soldiers to the tune of Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones. Little elements like that really make the game that much better. The use of real historical figures such as Robert McNamara, John F. Kennedy, and Fidel Castro also add a bit to the gameplay. It’s a story you won’t forget, that’s for sure.
Bonus modes
There are a few great ‘bonus’ modes. Added gameplay is ALWAYS a plus. First of all, the Zombies return from World at War. I had never played Zombies in World at War because I never played WaW at all…however I find myself loving Zombies in this game. There are three different types of zombie gameplay. First, there’s the typical first person mode, where you make your way through the level, killing zombies. Another is a presidential zombie mode with a great cutscene involving historical figures and a zombie invasion within the pentagon. Finally, there’s a top down zombie arcade game, accessed by using an easter egg on the title screen to find it via computer monitor. Definitely great additions! They make the game worth playing more than campaign. However, the main reason to purchase the game…
Mutliplayer
A lot of people had many complaints about the multiplayer at launch. The map, Nuketown, was annoying. Spawns were iffy (that’s similar to all multiplayer games though), footsteps were too low, and people were abusing glitches. Treyarch listed and has patched what they can. I find the game to be much more balanced than Modern Warfare 2. You won’t get noob-tubed (Grenade Launcher) out of nowhere, and you won’t deal with annoying cheap tactics. The killstreaks, while frowned upon by some people, are another great addition, taken from Modern Warfare. The RC-XD is a cool little RC car, you’ve got the Spy Plane (UAV) and what not. There’s also the Dog’s making their return. The weapons are all fantastic. Editing your soldiers is awesome as well. However, with shotguns as primary you don’t encounter them that often. Also, sniping is a little more difficult in this game. Don’t expect to quick scope. It’s near impossible. You don’t see too many snipers, and if you do, they’re easily taken down. Wager matches are AWESOME. One in the Chamber is an excellent mode, where you only have one bullet per spawn and three lives. Sticks & Stones revolves around toma-hawks and cross bows. There are other modes as well. You won’t get bored, and if you do, give it a day before you long to play some One in the Chamber. The game is still your basic Call of Duty game but they’ve finally started on the right path to balancing it. I’ve only been noob tubed once, and spawn killed a few times. It’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Summary
I really enjoy Black Ops. I’m still playing it. The multiplayer is addicting, and if I start to grow bored, Wager matches and Zombies keeps me interested. It’s definitely a must-buy if you loved Modern Warfare 2, or FPS games in general.
9/10