Call of Duty: Black Ops single-player campaign plays very differently to previous Call of Duty games. Set during the Cold War, the game starts in a small room resembling something out of F.E.A.R., with players strapped to a chair and being interrogated by a faceless and imposing speaker. Your character now has a voice, which can be a little dissociating at first after the silence of previous Call of Duty alumni. Your character has little recall of previous events, so players are taken for a stroll down memory lane to recount past events of their soldiering career. These memories form the subject matter of Black Ops various levels, with players reliving battles in locations such as Cuba, Vietnam and Russia. The game shifts at a cracking pace through various secret missions, known colloquially as ‘Black Ops’. Initially, the pace can be overwhelming and events difficult to correlate, but as the narrative progresses, it comes together nicely. This, if anything, could be intended by Treyarch so players can experience the confused and chaotic state of the lead character.
Black Ops story is undeniably levels above the mess of Modern Warfare 2. The plot is tighter, focusing on a particular solider – as opposed to an over-arching war or conflict – with good character development and outstanding performances from actors such as Sam Worthington, Ed Harris and Ice Cube adding a level of authenticity to the game. Unlike other games that tie levels together with minimal story development, Black Ops gameplay is built well around the narrative. The ending features a great twist, with events tied together nicely so players are left in no doubt to what has actually happened. Names from World at War are also nicely slotted into the action, suggesting Treyarch want to follow Infinity Ward’s lead in developing their own particular Call of Duty brand. However, the epic and immersive feeling of large-scale battles from World at War and even Modern Warfare 2 are sadly missing from Black Ops. While level design manages to instill a sense of grandeur, the game never really conveys a true cinematic experience, such as storming the Nazi headquarters or racing through nuclear silos.
The campaign never sways from the traditional recipe, with intense and exciting gun battles forming the majority of the game. The control scheme is also unchanged, giving players a robust and accessible experience. The action is frequently punctuated with vehicle-based gameplay, some of which is on-rails and others that give you control over movement and aiming. Players control various land and air-based machines, providing an entertaining distraction from the usual shooting formula. Another new feature in Black Ops includes a level in which players guide a squad from a top-down perspective.
Chop-chop-chop.
Black Ops level design revolves around skirmishes switching from corridor shootouts in urban cities to big outdoor firefights in the jungle. Handily, allies now call out the location of enemies and whether they have been downed. Of course, the game is not without is flaws. One level ends far too abruptly, but the largest omission is a particular stage that fails to tell you how to progress against waves of oncoming enemies (hint: kick the barrels!). Nonetheless, this does little to dent the overall entertainment value. The single-player is never anything but a satisfying and at times challenging experience. Playing on Veteran is also highly rewarding, albeit easier than World at War but still tougher than Modern Warfare 2.
Of course, the campaign is but a distraction for many, with the focus turning to the Black Ops multiplayer. After a year of playing Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops is a welcome breath of fresh air, with the new multiplayer bringing a brand new era of weapons to play with. Familiar modes such as Team Deathmatch and Domination can still be played to your heart’s content. Black Ops retains the core Call of Duty multiplayer action that we have been playing for eons. However, shotguns and machine pistols are no longer available as secondary weapons, meaning players will have to again adopt a single play-style revolving around their primary gun of choice. The result is a system that feels more balanced and will benefit new and inexperienced players. Modern Warfare veterans will appreciate the new content, but may ultimately find Black Ops too simplistic.
New maps feel a little more claustrophobic than Modern Warfare 2, with far less opportunities for snipers to dominate. Kill streaks are also far less overpowering in Black Ops, again meaning top players have less opportunity to dominate the field (the tactical nuke is nowhere in sight). The RC-XD remote-control explosive car might be overpowering, but given that it can be obtained rather easily, the collective playing community shares the advantage.
The largest change to Black Ops multiplayer is the new levelling and unlocking system. Players still gain levels for winning matches and making kills, but greater emphasis is placed on the new CoD points system. It works similarily to the level system, with participants given CoD points for playing matches and completing challenges. CoD points are now used to purchase weapons, attachments, perks and several other customisable options. Insofar as acquiring weapons, you still need to level up first to gain access to new guns, so don’t think you can buy the best sniper rifle straight away simply by banking the required amount of CoD points. However, at the other end of the scale, perks and attachments for individual guns can generally be purchased instantly with CoD points.
The crossbow is one of many new weapons on offer.
Experience points still handle several other features, such as unlocking additional create-a-class slots and new multiplayer modes, so there is payoff for both levelling up and banking CoD points. Indeed, CoD points are vital to building up your arsenal, they are every part as rewarding to earn as it is reaching new levels. However, as Black Ops only allows players can only reach level 50, the incentive to continue playing may be lost on some.
In addition to gaining points in traditional multiplayer modes, Treyarch have introduced new ‘Wager Matches’, in which you have the opportunity to gamble with CoD points. The mode incorporates four innovate match types – One in the Chamber, where you start with one bullet and earn another for each kill; Gun Game, which cycles players through twenty levels with a new gun granted for every kill; Sharpshooter, where players have the same weapons for 45 seconds increments, and; Sticks and Stones, which arms players with the crossbow, ballistic knife and tomahawk. Placing in the top three earns you significant CoD points, but a position in the bottom three forfeits the investment. Wager matches are as much about skill as winning points, as they force you to adopt different strategies and use new weapons. Nonetheless, some of the most tense and exciting multiplayer moments can be found in the Wager games because of the high risk / reward factor. Players can also increase their CoD points by taking out ‘contracts’. Operating similarly to Halo: Reach’s daily challenges, you can purchase a contract, and if the requirements are met within the designated time – such as getting three headshots without dying – a payout is given.
Finally, two more new modes round out Black Ops multiplayer offerings. Combat Training prepares players for competitive online multiplayer by simulating matches with AI enemies. You can choose from any of the game’s multiplayer maps and also set the difficulty level of the opposing team. Just like Black Ops online multiplayer, you level up separately and gain points to purchase new items in Combat Training. This mode is an outstanding way of easing into the multiplayer system, all the exploring all the new maps on offer. Finally, Black Ops allows you to record multiplayer matches and upload them to the official Call of Duty website in Theatre Mode. A bevy of editing and control options are available for capturing your finest multiplayer moments.
As the single player campaign can be completed in an average eight hour sitting, players will find the most value in multiplayer. Thankfully, Treyarch has once again given the ability to filter matches according to your location. Even outside of local matches, we found the majority of games to be lag-free. Matchmaking, in its current state, is fairly robust with games appearing in all lobbies within seconds. Several bugs have been shown to exist, but compared to Modern Warfare’s launch, Black Ops multiplayer infrastructure is already far superior.
The presidents of EA and Activision go head-to-head.
Following on from the success of World at War, zombies have returned to plague Black Ops with wave after wave of undead testing our defences and stamina. Two new zombie maps are available in Black Ops – the first in a desolate theatre, and the second is a tongue-in-cheek scenario where players assume the identities of JFK, Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, or Robert McNamara as they fend off zombies from inside the White House. Treyarch have not messed with the basic idea, with players charged with fighting off increasingly difficult waves of zombies while buying new weapons and unlocking new areas of the map. The second map is definitely the standout of the two, with more opportunity to bunker down and the historical figures sprouting some hilarious dialogue. A third type of Nazi Zombies is also available, if you know where to look. Not to spoil it, all we will say is that the mode is old-school entertainment and an absolute blast.
The absence of a co-operative campaign in Black Ops is notable, leaving it solely to the zombies to satisfying the co-op audience. Zombie mode supports up to four players online or two locally. In addition, two players can also play locally in split-screen online multiplayer, or four can divide the screen between them in competitive local multiplayer.
Treyarch has maintained the high production values associated with the Call of Duty franchise with excellent presentation and sound design. Black Ops runs on an optimised version of the World at War engine, with outstanding lighting, animation and modelling. Nonetheless, the game is still a notch or two below Modern Warfare 2 in the visual stakes. However, Black Ops trumps its predecessor on sound, with a captivating orchestral score accompanying the campaign.
It is the sum of its various parts that make Call of Duty: Black Ops an outstanding title. Broken down, Black Ops may not be the most groundbreaking game on paper. Nonetheless, the game really only rivals Halo: Reach in the amount of content on offer. The single-player campaign, albeit not as epic as previous entries, takes a new approach to deliver a solid story with fun and varied gameplay. Multiplayer adheres to Call of Duty’s classic formula, while peeling off the complexity of Modern Warfare 2. Coupled with the edge-of-your seat Wager Watches, Combat Training, Theatre Mode and the addictive Zombies, the monetary and entertainment value of Blacks Ops multiplayer is substantial. Call of Duty may have began suffering burnout of late, but Treyarch has injected the series with a well-needed jolt. Call of Duty: Black Ops is one operation you will not want to miss.
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