Call of Duty: Black OPS
Producer: Activision
Release Date: November 9, 2010
Platform: Xbox 360
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-Person Shooter
COD: Back in Black
Written by Albert Marrero, Jr.
One sure-fire way to tell if a game is popular is to just take a look at your friends list on Xbox Live. Most of the time, there’s a variety of titles being displayed, but after November 9th, they all read Call of Duty: Black Ops. Call of Duty has really taken off since the days of the WWII shooters, and to say that this one continues to impress would be an understatement. While not nearly perfect, there are plenty of aspects about this game that are forward-thinking and could pave the way for future installments.
I’ve only briefly played the campaign mode, and in such time, I can tell you that it is stunningly beautiful. The story is very Hollywood in structure, very involved, and very interesting. Voice work by Sam Worthington (Avatar), Ed Harris (Apollo 13, Glengarry Glenn Ross), and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight) is very well-performed. (What else you expect from these Tinseltown heavyweights?) Despite all that glamour, there are some issues with the AI. Most players won’t notice that much, but it becomes evident when you’re playing on Veteran (like a champ), and you rely on them for backup and they leave you high and dry. Bastards. No AI is perfect, but allowing a computer enemy to stand next to you and shoot me is just unacceptable. Bad AI, bad.
Ok, so the meat and potatoes that most gamers care about is the multiplayer. The first thing I noticed is that it is NOT Call of Duty: MW2. Getting used to the new weapons takes some time. The biggest beef I have with this is that a majority of the weapons are spray & pray weapons, meaning you just hold down shoot and “spray” until you’re out of ammo and “pray” you kill the person. It really allows n00bs to be more successful, and perhaps that’s what Treyarch was aiming for, to even the playing field a little bit. Oh, and the number one thing that irked me to NO END, was the fact that you can no longer have a shotgun as your secondary weapon. Speaking of which, the secondary weapon is basically pointless. The crossbow is kinda cool, but outside of that, pulling out a pistol is like bringing an ice-pick to a hatchet fight. FAIL
The new COD points is ingenious and definitely something that is forward thinking. Like older PC games like Counter-Strike, you earn money with each match and can use said greenback to “unlock” perks, attachments, even emblem designs. Feeling bold? Wager money and play in a match for money. On a hot streak? Add a contract and then perform the feat. There are still certain weapons, etc. that you can’t unlock until you’re a certain level, but overall, it’s a nice addition. Personalization has become very cool and trendy in this game, and it’s a nice touch.
The first week and a half there were major issues with connectivity and have since been fixed with a patch. Obviously, there are still cheaters in the game, but it’s now easier to flag them with an in-game option. There are still some items that need fixing, but I’m sure they’ll be patched. There’s nothing overwhelmingly OP’d in multiplayer (unlike Halo, where armor lock is probably is the worst idea since Waterworld), and like I said before, the biggest challenge is simply “getting used to” this game and how it works.
Overall, Call of Duty: Black Ops is an impressive feat. The campaign dazzles, the multiplayer, once you get used to it, is a very fun, very engaging experience, and the menu options for customization are pure bliss. Form a party, pick a playlist, and then get damn hype!