Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

 PC
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Ragequit.gr
    Nov 30, 2020
    73
    One of the best Single-Player segments we've seen in a Call of Duty game, combined with rather lacking Multiplayer, comprise a title that goes in with guns blazing but ultimately falls short.
  2. Launcher (The Washington Post)
    Jan 27, 2021
    70
    What feature, or lack thereof, would compel a Call of Duty fan to buy or skip a new entry at this point? It plays fine, and it’s the most recent one. That’s usually enough.
  3. Games.cz
    Dec 8, 2020
    70
    The campaign of the new Call of Duty is unusually stupid, but the multiplayer doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel and cheerfully exploits its attractive Cold War setting. Together with the Zombies mode and Warzone integration, this is one hefty chunk of military content.
  5. Gamer.no
    Nov 18, 2020
    70
    Cold War offers its share of highs and lows during the net exciting campaign, and familiar multiplayer. The best moments are when the developers allow themselves to slow down the pace, and let the player feel the tensions of varying aspects of the Cold War.
  6. GamesRadar+
    Nov 16, 2020
    70
    A Call of Duty title that reigns everything in and is afraid to try something new, Black Ops Cold War gets the basics spot on but doesn't have enough content to warrant the price tag.
  7. Windows Central
    Nov 16, 2020
    70
    The campaign brings enjoyable new mechanics to the formula but multiplayer and Zombies both fall short of expectations and needed performance, with weaker gunplay and an unstable framerate respectively.
  8. PC Gamer
    Nov 16, 2020
    69
    Cold War is an inessential distraction from the best Call of Duty on offer.
  9. Riot Pixels
    Dec 24, 2020
    67
    I see no reason to pay a full price for a mediocre single-player campaign, watered-down (compared to last year's offering) multiplayer and a zombie mode with just one map. I’d recommend trying a free Warzone instead.
  10. Gaming Age
    Nov 23, 2020
    67
    At the end of the day, video games are about personal preference. I do not have the time I used to for mastering individual games, and Black Ops Cold War doesn’t demand it of me. I have already reached first prestige in the week it has been out, and that is in addition to playing the campaign AND tackling launch titles on the PS5. Cold War would seem perfectly positioned for the casual Call of Duty player if it weren’t for Warzone. Warzone is entirely free, and offers an experience that has been built upon for over a year, and will continue to be built upon and supported long after Cold War is not the “current” Call of Duty. For the more hardcore players, I think after a few weeks in Cold War, they will be returning to Modern Warfare (2019) to wait for the next installation.
  11. Jeuxvideo.com
    Nov 19, 2020
    65
    While its campaign is very fun and features great gameplay ideas wrapped in 1980s action movie codes, its multiplayer is disappointing. The weapons lack punch, the cards are few and unequal, the new modes are anecdotal, the whole is unbalanced.
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This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Eurogamer
    Nov 19, 2020
    Treyarch delivers an impressive package considering the circumstances, but Black Ops Cold War feels like a step back from last year.
  2. Polygon
    Nov 17, 2020
    On the one hand, the game seems to recognize the arbitrary divisions of the conflict, its false messaging and self-fulfilling propaganda. On the other, it heaps upon the player an endless stream of heavy-handed jingoism, of defending the “Free World” from the evil, Communistic threat.
  3. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Nov 16, 2020
    Don’t get me wrong, I think the guns feel great and the maps are equally well designed, but I need more, Treyarch. I can’t even customise my Operator, and there’s like, hardly any to choose from really. It didn’t take me long to unlock practically every weapon and see every map, and I can’t envision myself sticking around for too much longer if the game doesn’t get updated pronto. And I think this is the heart of the issue. It’s like Cold War has stalled on the way to a patch it scheduled in advance to save time, and we’re now just awkward passengers growing more impatient as we wait for it to lurch forwards. [Multiplayer review]

Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
3.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 786 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 195 out of 786
  2. Mixed: 98 out of 786
  3. Negative: 493 out of 786
  1. Krisskan
    Nov 15, 2020
    0
    My focus is on the multiplayer, it's awful. Honestly, The maps are a mess, they feel unbalanced and uninteresting. Can't bloody navigate anMy focus is on the multiplayer, it's awful. Honestly, The maps are a mess, they feel unbalanced and uninteresting. Can't bloody navigate an area without getting screwed by the spawn system. The guns are alright, but man do they lack variety. 5 assault rifles, 3 pistols, 2 launchers, 2 shotguns, etc. What the hell. That why the progression is slow as ****

    This game has been rushed, there is no point in denying that. It speaks for itself. Don't buy this, you are not missing anything worth experiencing.    … Full Review »
  2. JustGoblinV
    Nov 18, 2020
    0
    It blows my mind that people are praising this game. Buggy as all get out and their servers are terrible. This is a BILLION $ publisher and aIt blows my mind that people are praising this game. Buggy as all get out and their servers are terrible. This is a BILLION $ publisher and a studio that has been making games since 1996. I understand they had to "pick up slack" from the other studio but my god what they released is just so bad and uncompetitive it pains me that I even wasted time trying to like it.

    Controller aim assist is actually better than some aim bots (aim bots use skeletal tracking and usually don't compromise for bullet velocity or player direction, whereas this aim assist does) and nobody talks about it because the majority like to feel like they are skilled players when it's really just the game. With no input-based matchmaking, turning off crossplay doesn't matter because everyone still uses controller. Snipers are slow but incredibly broken, no flinch, glint is hard to see, movement speed is fast, and they one shot "chest level" or if you're on controller - foot level and it will magnetize to the chest.

    The campaign was dull and felt like a Michael Bay movie, all action no story.

    Zombie. Pretty good, but that's it. One map with a 30min easter egg and bosses that are more annoying than intimidating.

    Hackers are back. Turning off crossplay to try actually playing against some M&K players I ran into hacker after hacker, blatantly aimbotting.    … Full Review »
  3. Unselles
    Nov 16, 2020
    3
    This is honestly one of the worst Call of Duty games and a huge downgrade from 2019 Modern Warfare. I expected much more from Treyarch thanThis is honestly one of the worst Call of Duty games and a huge downgrade from 2019 Modern Warfare. I expected much more from Treyarch than this lazy cash-grab. It's like any other Call of Duty there is, no innovation, nothing. The only things this game does better than MW2019 is the objective play and in-game statistics, also move to scorestreaks. Campaign isn't too bad, it's just very generic gameplay wise.
    The weapon/character animations are janky and some look straight up horrible. Graphics are also pretty mediocre and downgraded, same for player movement and the maps. There is no more parkour, it's all very basic level design. The in-game camos are a joke, it's like from 2011. I know people say that the game is "old-school", but we don't live in 2011 anymore, people should higher standards than this.    … Full Review »
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