[rokbox title=”Call of Duty Black Ops Review” thumb=”http://www.geeksofgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Callofduty3.jpg” size=”854 505″ ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsEmMcpMiP8&hd=1&autoplay=1[/rokbox]
The main team behind the creation of the Call of Duty series has gone off to EA. It’s a good thing that Activision already had a backup team working on these games for the last couple of years. Yet this is the first time that Treyarch has been put in direct control of the series. They have big shoes to fill with Infinity Ward shattered from the inside, will they be able to offer the innovation needed to keep this series from growing stagnant?
• The story is a cryptic enigma that is enjoyable to unravel. Call of Duty: Black Ops throws you into the shoes of Mason. Who is being tortured for information by some seemingly uncouth people behind closed doors. Information will spill out of Mason through psychedelic flashbacks that recall his deeds during various covert operations. Sending him spiraling down what seems to be a never ending rabbit hole of events that could break a normal man.
• The action is so full of machismo that it was probably injected with a needle from the 80’s. The main characters Mason and Woods might as well be Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Black Ops is a testosterone fueled murder fest that never slows down. When you think you’ll be able to take a breath after a level, another explosion goes off and your adrenaline is rushing again. Arms will be blown off, throats will be slashed, and there will be many times you will escape a fiery death It may not be all that realistic, but I’d say it’s the best Single-player experience for Call of Duty yet.
• There are so many guns that it can be a bit overwhelming. Dual pistols, check, dual machine guns, check, grenade launchers, check, Shotguns that use phosphorus rounds… what? On top of having a large variety of weapons from multiple eras, players can even switch around ammo types in weapons. There is nothing as satisfying as switching to exploding arrows and watching a pile of enemies fly into the air.
• The Call of Duty engine seems to impress even more in Black Ops. The series has continually one upped itself with impressive visuals and locales. However, Black Ops takes this to an even greater level than before. Incorporating lush jungle areas while seamlessly flying in a helicopter, to the stunning lighting as you ride to the depths of an underwater base. It also enriches the experience with new hit detection, and the gory ways that enemies can die.
• The soundtrack and voice acting immerse you in the war. It all starts with Mason, who sounds like a man who has been through a traumatic experience. Yet when you hear Woods for the first time, you wouldn’t doubt for a second he’s been fighting his entire life. It all comes together with the sound of the weapons, explosions, and the intense screams of soldiers in distress. Add in a musical score that matches itself to the action, and you’ve got something fantastic tickling your eardrums.
• Multi-player hasn’t changed much and it shows. Other than a few changes to the formula, like COD points to buy weapons and a bit more customization . You’ll still go on the constant grind of leveling and unlocking weapons. It’s the same old thing for a couple of years now, and the 14 maps will start to get old fast. It’s mostly due to the fact that the game forces you to play 3 of the same maps in a row and forgets about the rest… I’m looking at you Nuketown. It doesn’t help that the spawn system is completely out of wack, placing you around swarms of enemies constantly. There is also a problem with lag every couple of matches, with people jittering around or connections being interrupted.
• Lack of gore outside of the Single-player. It seems like a waste to have a system where bodies are torn asunder and leave it out of the MP. We all know that the Call of Duty multi-player is where people will spend their most time. I can’t imagine how much fun it would have been to see some limbs being blown off. Instead we get the same old tired ragdoll physics for Multi-player… and that’s just a shame.
Black Ops is an entertaining game well worth the price tag, the single-player is a murder filled homage to muscle flicks. Clocking in at over 8 hours long, the game is a buy based off the campaign alone. When you throw in the tried and true MP formula, you’ve got another long lasting experience. It’s just a shame that that the little problems with the Multi-player still haven’t been ironed out yet. Regardless, Call of Duty: Black Ops receives a B from Half-Ass Gaming… here is hoping for more in the next iteration.
