Call of Duty: Black Ops

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1459 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 835 out of 1459
  2. Mixed: 357 out of 1459
  3. Negative: 267 out of 1459
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  1. M3chaGr4n
    Nov 10, 2010
    4
    Hello there, I felt compelled to write my first review of a computer game after playing Black Ops, for reasons that will become clear. To set the scene I'm 29 and have been playing computer games since I was about 8, i love FPSes and all sorts of other genres but particular favourites are CoD, MOH, and the Battlefield series which I play on the Ps3 and PC. I was looking forward to BlackHello there, I felt compelled to write my first review of a computer game after playing Black Ops, for reasons that will become clear. To set the scene I'm 29 and have been playing computer games since I was about 8, i love FPSes and all sorts of other genres but particular favourites are CoD, MOH, and the Battlefield series which I play on the Ps3 and PC. I was looking forward to Black Ops for a variety of reasons but mainly because I wondered how MW2 could be improved upon and I thought MW2 was pretty darn good. I held off buying MOH as I thought i'd go for the old favourite having played CoD on both systems since its' inception. I felt it right to try and wrtie an evenhanded review of this game in order to assist anyone wondering if they should fork out their hard earned cash for it. I forced myself to play to Level 19 so I could experience Hardcore mode (which was annoying to say the least to have to 'earn' that) and I played the single player campaign on veteran. I have played the game for 21 hours.

    Single Player: The graphics are atrocious. They remind me of some of the worst elements of the graphics on MW or perhaps earlier. There are various parts of the compaign that ...simply put....dont work. For instance in the cuban villa, a guard wrestles a 'baddie' over a railing. Hang on, go back, if i run in a little earlier they magically appear in front of me. In addition, I stab a guard hitting a man on the ground in the jailbreak, the man on the ground continues to flail around and then disappears. such obvious but joy-undermining flaws are abundant. Let it not be said the campaign story is not immersive if a little trite. What it fails to do is harness the basics, it does not feel like you are in a fight, it does not feel like you are firing real bullets and it does not feel like the enemy are clued up. In addition, whomever had the idea of your two buddies being bullet proof through a shower of bullets needs to check the definiton of 'realism'. How could this be fixed? I am not sure, but I would suggest that not having key characters indestructible would be a good start. Now I have to say, to be fair the guys at treyarch did get one important thing right: if you stand on a grenade your leg gets blown off. CORRECT. This type of realism is a blessing and something that should be echoed hereafter. Not since F.E.A.R have I felt that a programmer has attempted to harness 'gore' in such a way. That is something that all other FPSes so far fail to acknowledge or accomodate. However, if this is at the expense of the graphics, textures etc then perhaps it is too early, as in CoD:BO (sorry). Multiplayer: I guess that if i was 15 and loved to run around with an SMG spraying the crap out of people, or drive a tiny car that exploded this would be the game for me. Perhaps somewhere along the line I grew up (although my gf would beg to differ), or maybe CoD and in particular Treyarch didn't. What we have here is a lot of guff that will amaze the teenager in you, but for the old hands, will probably wear off in the first 6 hours of gameplay. This is of course, not an in-depth review (although some of the 'in-depth' reviews I have read should be more appropriately titled "What I Loved About CoD: BO, being as they appear to ride roughshod over the very obvious and 'epic' failings of the MP structure)., so I can only say the following. 1. The maps are tiny 2. The graphics are even worse (compare to BFBC2 for example) 3.The upgrade system is interesting but ultimately gloss 4.The modes are no different in essence to Mw or Mw2. There is nothing of substance here that could genuinely be called 'groundbreaking' or indeed 'new'. Add to those complaints the connectivity delays, the sudden closure of a server and reboot within another, the appalling sound, and the general lack of detail and what you have is a glossed up version of MW2 without any of the glorious detail or depth.Some other things that annoyed me:This cost me £39.00. not a fortune but relatively a lot of money, and what I feel like I purchased was MW2, that had been actually stripped down of its essential detail, to be replaced with gloss but no substance. It feels like a remake for a lower budget and it feels like a rip-off. The term 'expansion' springs to mind. I accept that the audience to which this game is sold is far more likely to be about 15 years of age and into the run-and-gun modes. I also accept that is where the money is, and that this game has its positives, but they appear to be so limited in imagination that I feel like I have stepped into 'Arcade CoD' and after 21 hours played I want to get right back out again. I had the night booked into my Ps3 to play online with some mates and at 20:30 I turned it off and came on here. That is how annoyingly bad, unimaginitive, and, it pains me to say. un-CoD like this game is. In summary? Save your money and avoid gushing reviews.    … Expand
  2. Plush
    Nov 9, 2010
    3
    Overall, this is a step down from Modern Warfare 2. I think a lot of people are too caught up in the hype to take an objective view. I'm not claiming I'm the objective one, but this game is unworthy of all the 10 out of 10 scores fanboys are so eager to slap on it. On the positive side, Theater Mode seems like a cool idea. I'd love to have a record of any epic moments. Unlocking manyOverall, this is a step down from Modern Warfare 2. I think a lot of people are too caught up in the hype to take an objective view. I'm not claiming I'm the objective one, but this game is unworthy of all the 10 out of 10 scores fanboys are so eager to slap on it. On the positive side, Theater Mode seems like a cool idea. I'd love to have a record of any epic moments. Unlocking many items, upgrades, and perks through purchases is a plus for me as well. The weak graphics are an embarrassment to the makers. I think the game would look pretty much the same in standard definition. Back in 2004, these graphics might have been neat-o, but in 2010 they're a bit hokey. The sound is also disappointing. Most everything that explodes, as an example, has a sort of generic "pop." With regard to gameplay, I agree with another reviewer who said Black Ops feels clunky and unresponsive, lacking the smoothness and fluidity I now realize I took for granted in Modern Warfare 2. As a matter of fact, Black Ops' biggest impact on me has been to help me realize just how great MW2 is. A few minutes ago--and without remorse--I decided to sell my copy of Black Ops to a friend. There are too many good PS3 games out there for me to force myself to love a mediocre one.… Expand
  3. TehMuel
    Nov 10, 2010
    3
    I was looking forward to this game after reading about all the new features it promised online. As I am at Uni, I play a lot of split screen mw2 with friends so when I read 'bots in splitscreen' I thought great now we can play team matches rather than all v all. When I got the game, I find that the graphics are worse, the gameplay is slow and boring, the splitscreen offline is limited toI was looking forward to this game after reading about all the new features it promised online. As I am at Uni, I play a lot of split screen mw2 with friends so when I read 'bots in splitscreen' I thought great now we can play team matches rather than all v all. When I got the game, I find that the graphics are worse, the gameplay is slow and boring, the splitscreen offline is limited to no bots with only player 1 being able to create a profile with classes, you START with all the guns unlocked (wtf?) which removes any incentive to play, and only player 1 can even use killstreaks whilst on splitscreen. Furthermore, to fully utilise the splitscreen mode (bots, profiles, unlocks etc.), you need to be logged in to the PS Network, which makes no sense at all seeing as the game you start then, is hosted on your own PS3 not online. I mention being at Uni because I cannot connect to the internet on the PS3, hence playing splitscreen, hence massive annoyance at the 'Online local splitscreen' seriously what a joke. Even the splitting of the screen is done badly as with 3 people the 3rd player's screen doesn't fill the whole bottom half. Why not? Its not like i'm playing profesionally with 2 other professionals for money or something. use the whole damn screen.

    The online multiplayer mode is the home of the only new content in the game, and it is good, wager mode is fun and gives new urgency to games. However, all of the equipment, perks and costumes, are dull. None of the guns are as pleasing as the ones in mw2, the snipers look like peashooters and make a similar noise, the M16 looks like a toy and the general sounds of battle are essentially the same bang noise over and over again. None of the perks are appealing, in mw2, you wanted all the perks at once and sometimes took a while to choose which one was best, in Black Ops, 80% are dull and useless and you end up making every class with the same perks and equipment. The costume idea is new, but stupid, as you have to change it every map to blend in. Granted zombie mode is back, this is fun as most people know from WaW. But honestly, 1 map...the same thing over and over again until they make me pay more money for a new one. It's not worth it, and if I wanted zombie mode to be the best part of the game I would just go and play Left 4 Dead...

    Ok so the final mode is the Campaign. After having a long few hours trying to make the best of the crap splitscreen and multiplayer games, I decided to start this up figuring it might redeem the game. I get 30 minutes into the first mission, the guy 'Woods' who i'm supposed to 'support' freezes and cant move just moving his pixelly mouth up and down making no sound. Essentially, a bug. I think ok, should be fine if i revert to the previous checkpoint like i'm sure you can do from the menu. Oh wait...you cant. Looks like a restart of the whole mission. F**k that *turns PS3 off*.

    Overall the gameplay is slower, worse looking, more boring, more repetitive and less fun than all the other Call of Dutys. Regardless of the fact that 99.9% of the content is made up of the previous 3 put together. I am very disappointed with this game and would not recommend it to fans of mw2 or WaW because it isn't as good. Oh yeah and also, they got rid of quickscoping (something fun).....and replaced it with something much more annoying.....the Crossbow. Enjoy, noob tube fans.    … Expand
  4. darlok
    Nov 9, 2010
    3
    well after a single session this game looks and feels like a reskinned world at war, which to me was awful.

    the game feels slow, unpolished and sounds terrible. grenades appear to be ineffective and the smoke looks awful. I hate to hate, but I would say save ur money or try a friends copy b4 investing as this game just doesn't seem to work.
  5. thegreatjh
    Nov 11, 2010
    1
    Activision must slob a good knob to get such good critical reviews. Critics are raving about this game wherever you turn, but the real story is that the game is quite lacking and hopefully it's garbage enough that Activision has finally slaughtered the golden goose they've been milking for the past 3 years.

    Graphics, sound design, and AI characteristics are on par with Call of Duty 2    Activision must slob a good knob to get such good critical reviews. Critics are raving about this game wherever you turn, but the real story is that the game is quite lacking and hopefully it's garbage enough that Activision has finally slaughtered the golden goose they've been milking for the past 3 years.

    Graphics, sound design, and AI characteristics are on par with Call of Duty 2 from 2005. While no FPS to date seems to strive for super realistic AI; MOH and BFBC2 at least have better graphics and sound design. At what point does intensity just become annoying... with an explosion every two seconds and being knocked down with fuzzy vision 3 times a level and more bullets flying than were fired in all of WW2... I'd say it's a bit too much, but hey more is better for some people.

    M3chaGr4n nails it and writes a better review than I do, so read his below. Let me just say that you're probably better off buying Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2011.

    http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/cabelas-dangerous-hunts-2011    … Expand
  6. presstoplay1
    Nov 9, 2010
    0
    HORRIBLE graphics. Clunky gameplay. Poor sound. It's a MAJOR step back for COD. I'm very, very disappointed. I definitely wouldn't recommend this game...
  7. Dell_Boi
    Nov 9, 2010
    3
    Personally I think it is 100% over-hyped, and an average game at best. Modern Warfare 2 is more fluid and vibrant and more fun to play. Black Ops feels clunky and unresponsive, with dated saturated graphics and glitchy textures. The stereoscopic 3D is very poor as well compared to games like Wipeout HD and Moterstorm which look amazing in 3D. Poor.
  8. SaltyGator
    Nov 9, 2010
    10
    Awesome game! I don't understand all the haters? The graphics and voice acting is amazing. I loved the story, yes it's a little different but entertaining and well done. The multi-player credit system is brilliant and the customization options are incredible. I'm not even talking about the Zombie mode which is super. Wonderful game if you're a COD or shooter fan.
  9. ERB
    Feb 1, 2014
    9
    Call Of Duty Black Ops is no doubt one of the best Call Of Duty Games ever made.I should admit the single player campaign has a good story but it lacks time.I mean the single player campaign is so short that it really disappointed me.Well the graphics and environments in this game looks cool and beautiful.The multiplayer once again showed us why Call Of Duty is one of the best multiplayerCall Of Duty Black Ops is no doubt one of the best Call Of Duty Games ever made.I should admit the single player campaign has a good story but it lacks time.I mean the single player campaign is so short that it really disappointed me.Well the graphics and environments in this game looks cool and beautiful.The multiplayer once again showed us why Call Of Duty is one of the best multiplayer games of all time.It is addicting and fun.That is why I recommend you guys to buy this game and play it now.… Expand
  10. Emjeadea
    Nov 16, 2010
    8
    Very good game well worth a play. Enjoyment to be had on some of the new online features. Doesnt quite live upto the hype and is not quite upto the standard of mw2 but still a great game on its own.Also the new theater feature is without a doubt one of the best new features in games in the last 5 years. well done treyarch
  11. sle0609
    Dec 8, 2010
    8
    I have the PS3 version and overall I enjoy Blacks Ops. It's a fun game to pick up and play arcade experience and there's good value for money for all the modes and content compared to other FPS games.

    The multiplayer and everything works fine for me and I have little to complain about. My only negative is that there is less depth and strategy in the gameplay compared to games like    I have the PS3 version and overall I enjoy Blacks Ops. It's a fun game to pick up and play arcade experience and there's good value for money for all the modes and content compared to other FPS games.

    The multiplayer and everything works fine for me and I have little to complain about. My only negative is that there is less depth and strategy in the gameplay compared to games like Killzone 2 or Bad Company 2. but nonetheless Black Ops is great at what it tries to be.    … Expand
  12. H2Instinct
    Dec 9, 2010
    8
    Let me start by saying I am going to be as fair and unbiased as possible with this review. I am 22 years of age and I thoroughly enjoy the CoD series and each new game captures at least 3-4 full days of my attention worth of game play.

    I am currently at about 3 and a half days (according to their online leaderboard statistics) of online game play and I feel that is more than enough time    Let me start by saying I am going to be as fair and unbiased as possible with this review. I am 22 years of age and I thoroughly enjoy the CoD series and each new game captures at least 3-4 full days of my attention worth of game play.

    I am currently at about 3 and a half days (according to their online leaderboard statistics) of online game play and I feel that is more than enough time to submit a fair review. I have read some of the reviews here and I have to disagree with the blatant disregard for innovation and substance that this game has to offer.

    What Treyarch seems to do well with their CoD games is to add a compelling multi-player that is much more likely to addict the average player than that of the Infinity Ward titles. What MW2 did completely wrong is the absolute lack of enjoyment when playing against a dominant team; what Black Ops has done well is add multiple functions to make this game fun for a wider audience and much more balanced than previous CoD titles.

    Yes, there are some serious connectivity issues, and menu glitches that need to be fixed, but there is a new update daily if not multiple times a day to solve some of these problems. I cannot review the single player because I have only played about a quarter of the missions because I am so addicted to the multiplayer. One thing I suggest for people who enjoy previous CoD titles is to allow some time to get into the game. Do not expect your first 10 games to be instantly enjoyable or for you to be getting 10.0 kill to death ratios like some of the people online. This game has a very very high learning curve in which brand new players will likely fall short if they do not give it a little time to adjust to such a fast paced and small environment.

    Another thing that most people should know is that there are hundreds, maybe thousands or even hundreds of thousands of different custom class possibilities... This leaves you so many options that makes it possible for you to find your little niche in the combat zone, don't give up just because you fell short the first 5 games you played. Another thing I'd like to mention is that the best 3 weapons in the game do are not unlocked until level 20, 38, and 44... So if you read a review about someone who has only reached level 19 (coughhhh, the reason I am making this review coughhh) then you are being mislead by someone who is either terrible at FPS games or is just too impatient to give this game a chance.

    Overall Black Ops runs well and plays well. The multiplayer is FAR MORE FUN than Modern Warfare 2 due to the fact that there is no game-ending killstreak (Nuke-cough cough) and even when there is a person in the game waving their over-experienced 20 and 0 ratio in your face... grab a rocket launcher and knock down their damn killstreaks... plain and simple

    Some buggy things that may eventually be patched... The knifing in this game is (in my opinion) worse than any other CoD I've ever played (I've been playing since CoD 3), and the lag and server connect issues can be bothersome after a while. Often you will hear two or three *plink* sounds (meaning headshot) but the enemy player will either not die or will take at least one more shot (this might be purposeful and class based, but its frustrating). Lastly, if you are an avid player and you typically do very well... find yourself a party of people you trust because random kids always seem to disappoint, and more often than not yell, scream, talk crap, or just plain and simply make the game not fun at all.

    My vote... Give it a fair chance and I think an 8 rating is a conservative estimate on this game....

    Lastly, if you have an Xbox 360... do yourself a favor and buy it for that console... the PS3 version is a port and is slightly more buggy, and I have no idea about how well the PC version runs.    … Expand
  13. jlm264
    Jan 3, 2011
    8
    Good, but not for all. the game is like others. the single player is easy to forget and the only reason they got it is for multi-player. offline isnt that great because there is no level system. everything is already unlocked... Next up is online. Its good but could have done better. Pistols,launchers.specials(2ndary) are poorly selected and not often used. For MW2 players you noticedGood, but not for all. the game is like others. the single player is easy to forget and the only reason they got it is for multi-player. offline isnt that great because there is no level system. everything is already unlocked... Next up is online. Its good but could have done better. Pistols,launchers.specials(2ndary) are poorly selected and not often used. For MW2 players you noticed shotguns are missing from this list. well they decided to throw them into primary class. The shotguns are for screwing around and are not that great. there seem to be less weapons and not nearly as many combinations. under barrel add ons disable the ability to add anything else to the assault rifle. only 4 light machines,only 4-5 shotguns(dont remember). add ons are also toned down along with the perks. pro is harder to unlock and often not worth it. the only reall good thing about online is currency. they did a good job with balance and player cards are expensive, but fun to create. Final mode is the zombies. It comes with 2 maps(unlock 1 after sinlge player) and another zombie mode that is good for a little while. the maps are small and cramped making it difficult to move and reach high levels. the new monster nova zombie(what i call it) will explode with nova gas after killed. this combined with tight areas make it even worse. the weapon selection is also decreased, but upgraded. Finally something everyone will love! in zombies they took out the wonderwaffle! so ya they kinda screwed up zombies but it can still be fun for hardcore zombie fans. overall the game should be rented before bought. I like it, but its not for all COD fans. this is a review for the ps3 version.… Expand
  14. savant92
    Jan 13, 2011
    8
    Treyarch has experienced overshadowed success in the past 3 or so years because of the towering accomplishments the Modern Warfare series of Infinity Ward has achieved. With Black Ops entering the fray, I think Call of Duty fans will have mixed reactions to Treyarch's latest installment. If you've been playing CoD ever since Modern Warfare came out, a clearer and more learned stand on howTreyarch has experienced overshadowed success in the past 3 or so years because of the towering accomplishments the Modern Warfare series of Infinity Ward has achieved. With Black Ops entering the fray, I think Call of Duty fans will have mixed reactions to Treyarch's latest installment. If you've been playing CoD ever since Modern Warfare came out, a clearer and more learned stand on how Black Ops fares may be obtained. A lot of players were disappointed at how some aspects of Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops' predecessor, seemed too unrealistic for an FPS game. From Commando to Marathon and even how kills gotten from killstreaks enable you to get a higher killstreak reward, I would say a lot of users were pissed. Thus, Treyarch listened to the fans' cries and they listened real good. If one had experienced Modern Warfare 2's online gameplay, he would be able to tell that Black Ops' is starkly different. I dare say that Black Ops is more balanced when it comes to online multiplayer. The removal of Stopping Power, Commando and Danger Close among other perks is just one of the things Treyarch has done. Therefore, if you're the arcade-FPS type, Black Ops is a superb game if you're sick and tired of MW2. However, CoD's pseudo-lone wolf play style still remains as Bad Company 2 wins the more team-based gameplay.

    The online mode is only one aspect of the game and Treyarch definitely didn't want to end there. Black Ops' solo campaign is a more creative and psychological take on military drama than Modern Warfare. It delves into unknown territory as you are taken into the Cold War's secret skirmishes. The campaign offers a lot of promising and fun gameplay as seen in the parts where the player controls various vehicles and guns.
    The Zombies mode is also a decent approach to giving players a break from competing with each other and instead, working together to defend against an outrageously weaved zombie apocalypse story. The zombies mode replaces the superb Spec Ops of Modern Warfare 2 but it isn't in any way any better or worse.

    With all the tweaks on online gameplay and extra content, Treyarch has put up a surprisingly well-made Call of Duty sequel that may actually rival the peak performance of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. For CoD fans, and those who have had enough of Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops is a decent bang for your buck.    … Expand
  15. Moviebuffreview
    Jan 21, 2011
    8
    At this point, the worst thing about Black Ops is the worst thing about Call of Duty in general: it is getting stale. The series is almost becoming Tony Hawk. However, thanks to an excellent single player story, fun zombies, balanced and improved multiplayer, and great presentation, Black Ops is a noticeable step up from Modern Warfare 2. Sure, the campaign is still short, and it is stale,At this point, the worst thing about Black Ops is the worst thing about Call of Duty in general: it is getting stale. The series is almost becoming Tony Hawk. However, thanks to an excellent single player story, fun zombies, balanced and improved multiplayer, and great presentation, Black Ops is a noticeable step up from Modern Warfare 2. Sure, the campaign is still short, and it is stale, but Black Ops is at least worth a look.… Expand
  16. PQuinny
    Jan 12, 2012
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops was a terrific game. It is a sequel to the 2008 game World at War and has much of the same character. Black Ops is based during the Cold War, and has many weapons to match the time period. It consists of three game play modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. Campaign was comprised of a rich, well thought out plot, centering around Alex Mason. It has many goodCall of Duty: Black Ops was a terrific game. It is a sequel to the 2008 game World at War and has much of the same character. Black Ops is based during the Cold War, and has many weapons to match the time period. It consists of three game play modes: Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. Campaign was comprised of a rich, well thought out plot, centering around Alex Mason. It has many good levels, and the graphics are excellent. The Multiplayer is very different from Call of Duty's previous game, Modern Warfare 2. Instead of leveling up and unlocking guns, you must buy them with the new COD Points. They also have many new weapons and attachments, like the crossbow. Zombies is great and is very enjoyable and it just never gets old. However, there were two downsides. One was that the AI is incredibly stupid. I mean seriously, you can't get much dumber. The other one I had was with a glitch in Combat Training, a new addition to the Call of Duty Multiplayer which allows you to practice the maps with the AI which you can play with a friend. When you start, it puts you (and your friend) on a different team. When I try and switch to the same team as my friend, it switches from the usual six players on a team to eight, meaning that the other team had seven originally. All in all, this game was very good and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys shooter games or the Call of Duty series.… Expand
  17. GamerReviews
    Jan 6, 2012
    10
    While single-player is fun, the story and gameplay can get very dull and un-exciting. Multiplayer is full of game modes and weapons/equipment, but the game is filled with constant lag and occasional glitches/bugs(PS3 version). BUT, if you are looking for a game to play co op with your friends, there is always the "zombies" game mode which can keep you hooked for days. Overall, the game isWhile single-player is fun, the story and gameplay can get very dull and un-exciting. Multiplayer is full of game modes and weapons/equipment, but the game is filled with constant lag and occasional glitches/bugs(PS3 version). BUT, if you are looking for a game to play co op with your friends, there is always the "zombies" game mode which can keep you hooked for days. Overall, the game is fun, and does have its downsides, but whats worse is that the PS3 version is filled with lag and glitches in multiplayer… Expand
  18. serotonic
    Nov 28, 2012
    9
    Great game! I was hesitant when I learned Black Ops was set in the 70s or 80s but I was pleasantly surprised. There is a nice variety of maps, all of which are very nicely designed. The guns are noticeably different in how they handle, and there are some new kill streaks that are fun and can be very rewarding. I would put this game on par with MW2, though they are both very different games.
  19. Playstationguy
    Mar 25, 2013
    10
    10-Presentation; The story is the best in the series, and the menu's are well laid out as always.
    10-Graphics; Everything looks excellent.
    10-Sound; Everything sounds excellent
    9-Game play; AI is still a little dumb, but everything else is excellent.
    10-Lasting value; There's tons to unlock, and it will take you forever to do so.
    Overall-10/10
  20. Raspifier
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Treyarch finally tries to change the formula in COD. Of course you can argue COD points failed - but more importantly, COD was different for the first time in a while. There's a definite feel in Black Ops that is different from it's Predecessors. IW just made the same game with MW2 - Black Ops may not be perfect, but it's certainly a very good game, in and of itself.
  21. rjfoxtrot
    Mar 21, 2013
    9
    In my opinion, this is the best game in the series. I agree the graphics aren't as good as Modern Warfare, but the story in this game is much more complete and thrilling than any other CoD game out there. The voice acting is great with a top-notch cast of Sam Worthington, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, and others. Don't let your friends tell you different. This game is worth at least taking aIn my opinion, this is the best game in the series. I agree the graphics aren't as good as Modern Warfare, but the story in this game is much more complete and thrilling than any other CoD game out there. The voice acting is great with a top-notch cast of Sam Worthington, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, and others. Don't let your friends tell you different. This game is worth at least taking a look at if you haven't already.… Expand
  22. MrThehammer171
    May 16, 2013
    10
    the best cod ever no cod will beat it sorry infinity ward
  23. Exceon
    Aug 17, 2013
    9
    9.3 out of 10 (rounded off to 9).

    In my personal opinion, this is the best game in the Call of Duty series. After seeing the huge success of Modern Warfare, Treyarch finally decided to drop World War II and instead move on to the cold war and vietnam. With an intriguing story, an excellent expansion to the "Nazi Zombie"-lore and a huge array of additions to the multiplayer (where my    9.3 out of 10 (rounded off to 9).

    In my personal opinion, this is the best game in the Call of Duty series. After seeing the huge success of Modern Warfare, Treyarch finally decided to drop World War II and instead move on to the cold war and vietnam. With an intriguing story, an excellent expansion to the "Nazi Zombie"-lore and a huge array of additions to the multiplayer (where my favorites include: "Combat Training", "Theatre Mode", "Emblem" customization and "Wager Matches"), "Call of Duty: Black Ops" carries an improvement to the Call of Duty series not seen since "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare".

    Some people may think that the story can be confusing at times (which I can agree on) and that it is yet another re-hash of the Call of Duty series, but I have found myself happily throwing many hours into "Call of Duty: Black Ops", and if you're a fan of first person shooters, I'm sure you will too.    … Expand
  24. Shadow1
    Aug 31, 2016
    9
    Best Call of Duty Black Ops Game and one of the best Call of Duty Game. Normal Graphics for 2010, awesome 2 Players Mode, VS Zombie, not bad storyline and interesting gameplay. Very Awesome Game, Good, Very good for Call of Duty.
  25. Jyadaus
    Jul 21, 2023
    9
    I can't believe people actually think this game is a step down from Modern Warfare 2. I believe numbers talk a lot already :d

    But anyway; the story, gunplay, cinematics, graphics, sounds and music is awesome. In my opinion plot twist is the best one for the entire Call of Duty series (ofc which was released on PS3).
  26. Moony545
    Nov 12, 2018
    10
    Как бы не ругали калду, как бы не обвиняли ее в однотипности - мне все равно нравятся эти игры, по моему нескромному мнению, игры серии достаточно разные, чтобы не приедались. А Блэк Опс - отличный шутер не только в рамках серии, но и вообще в жанре. И кстати, тут шикарный сюжет, что не часто встретишь в стрелялках.Как бы не ругали калду, как бы не обвиняли ее в однотипности - мне все равно нравятся эти игры, по моему нескромному мнению, игры серии достаточно разные, чтобы не приедались. А Блэк Опс - отличный шутер не только в рамках серии, но и вообще в жанре. И кстати, тут шикарный сюжет, что не часто встретишь в стрелялках.
  27. JoelArpal
    Dec 29, 2020
    9
    The best cod of all. The one i've spent more hours than what i would like to admit.
  28. GODvaria
    Feb 1, 2021
    7
    1й Блек Опс единственный адекватный из всех серий,остальные помойка,хуже не куда,крч мусор.
  29. ice
    Jan 15, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Is it just your normal first person shooter or something special? Call of duty black ops released November 9th by developer Treyarch the developers behind Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty 3. Black ops has one of the best story's ever in a Call of Duty game, because after the blunder of the multiplayer based game Modern Warfare 2's almost insulting campaign, I think Call of Duty fans got what they deserved. You play as Alex Mason and you are interrogated so your interrogators can find out the numbers in your head to SAVE THE WORLD! Cliche? Maybe, but it sure is fun. The campaign should last you about 6 hours so it is not the longest game in the world. But the meat of the game comes from the multiplayer. Surprisingly it is a lot more balanced then modern warfare 2's multiplayer. The killstreaks are fun and nice and balanced. One big thing I noticed with the kill streaks is if you have a player on your team having a aircraft in the sky which means you cannot call in your killstreak till that aircraft is out of the sky. Leveling up is easy as well, maybe to easy. Not like battlefield bad company 2 where I just got the game and I am still a level 1 and I have had the game for a week! The new cod points system is a big change to unlocking to unlocking then buying. All killstreaks are unlocked at level 10 and either you love the new system or hate the new system. The only problem I have with the multiplayer is being kicked out of a match or the host left all that stuff that you thought was bad in Modern Warfare 2...is back and worse it is a minor problem but with some people it can be troublesome. The new wager mode is added to this multiplayer and wow it is extremely fun and may be addicting that is how fun this is. Because I played gun game for a straight 3 hours it is that fun, and sometimes and I did not even care how much cod points I had left. 1 in the chamber is one of those games that your having fun when you are winning but when you are losing and you lost all 3 of your lives its not fun after that but if you are a real skilled cod player this may be the mode for you because it is as fun and addicting as the gun game. That is just to name a few modes in the wager mode, moving on we have theater mode where you can grab all the matches that you played watch it on theater mode and then save it so your friends can watch your sexy no scope. Combat training is for new cod fans where you get all the regular modes from the regular multiplayer but against ai team mates and they could be just as deadly as their online counterparts. The guns are a lot more balanced then mw2 even though the ak7u could be over powered and then you have the emblem editor which shows off your personal creativity which I like. That is just to scrape the surface of such a fantastic multiplayer experience. Now onto the extra content you can press both triggers on your controller and you walk to the computer and put a pass code and you are treated to a top down arcade shoot "dead ops arcade" but if you type in "zorks" you can play a fun game with the computer. Now to NAZI ZOMBIES! It is your old favorite characters from waw are back and they do not disappoint. Easily one of the best mini games on a video game to date. You get 2 zombie maps in the game "Kino der Toten/Cinema of the dead" and "five." Five is unlocked after beating the campaign and before you play five after the campaign you see a pretty funny cut scene between some historical figures. That is just to scrape the surface of black ops and it does not disappoint easily one of the best shooters of the year and surpasses the 60$ asking price with all stuff that is included in the game. If you are strictly a modern warfare 2 fan I would not say go out and buy the game since there are many changes to the games multiplayer but if you are a big cod fan yes go out and buy this game if you don't have it already. Yes this game has it's problems but do not let that stop you from buying such a great game Gameplay-9.0 Graphics-8.5 Sound-9.5 Presentation-9.5 Lasting Appeal-9.0… Expand
  30. albert_h_1982
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    awseome game, they really out did themselves.took cod to a whole new level in my opinion. great job ..everything frome the campaign to the zombies , to the multiplayer. each one is a own unique level of fun.what will yall do next?
  31. ReviewCritic
    Dec 29, 2011
    6
    COD: Black Ops is overall pretty good. I am an up-to-date movie critic and I am starting to do the games I own on PS3. The multiplayer was O.K., the setup took a while to get used to. The zombies was very addicting and fun. Then, the campaign. Any negative reviews for this game are because of the campaign! It was horrible! In every mission, there is about 12 minutes of talking, and only 3COD: Black Ops is overall pretty good. I am an up-to-date movie critic and I am starting to do the games I own on PS3. The multiplayer was O.K., the setup took a while to get used to. The zombies was very addicting and fun. Then, the campaign. Any negative reviews for this game are because of the campaign! It was horrible! In every mission, there is about 12 minutes of talking, and only 3 minutes of playing! The storyline was also screwed up and didn't make sense.… Expand
  32. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    My friend had a PS3, so I played "COD: BO" in his house. I played every console there is for Black Ops (except for the DS and Wii), and I could conclude that the PS3 version was slightly better than the PC and Xbox version. The controls are smoother and the frame rates rarely drop. However, its the Play Station that makes up these points; the game itself is a solid copycat of MW2.
  33. JUIKER
    Dec 19, 2010
    7
    The verdict is in and Black Ops is in line with previous Treyarch second rate disappointments. Zombies? BFD. Give me awesome action and gameplay any day and for that you gotta go to Infinity Ward. That said, the Campaign mode is quite good here, so I'll give 'em points for that.
  34. killer123
    Nov 26, 2010
    10
    hello people this my first review so here i go when i played this game the game was hard because your a frist timer playing this game then when you play the game for a long time you get used to and then there the real action the game is amazing and the quality of the game is brillant it like your in the game real life and it is a wonderful fellin so thank you for listing and bye
  35. JimmyoftheDead
    Dec 15, 2010
    9
    What is really odd is that this game has easily the most split community i have ever seen. Before its release, the majority was saying that this game could make MW2 look like a beta. Closer to release, people started saying that they have had enough of COD and were going avoid this one. Now that its here, people cant decide if they like it or not. You either think MW2 was better (whichWhat is really odd is that this game has easily the most split community i have ever seen. Before its release, the majority was saying that this game could make MW2 look like a beta. Closer to release, people started saying that they have had enough of COD and were going avoid this one. Now that its here, people cant decide if they like it or not. You either think MW2 was better (which that dosnt make sense, because no matter where u looking someone was bashing MW2 for being "too glitched" or "has too many fanboys". or you love this game. It the context of things, this game really will make hardcore fans cringe or jump for joy. What should be said is that this game looks fantastic. Comparison to MW2, this game tried to hold back on the polished visuals for the realistic sense, but still looks amazing. Its useless to go on about gameplay, you either love it or hate it, simple as that. Story in my opinion is better because you focus on one person, not multiple sides. This makes the story flow and you feel more for the characters then jumping back and forth from one person to the next. Mulitplayer is the big selling point, but also is why most people are split. For the first time, a COD game incorporated some RPG element into the game, letting you customize everything but the shape of your body. There is now a money system, where you gain 'money' after a match and completing challenges. These may be to much for the hardcore shooter fans who only want to kill and not worry about how much that new gun is going to cost. I grew up with RPGs, while i dont play them anymore i do appreciate the customization and freedom you have, you really do feel like its your person now. The maps are very well done, though some are more popular then others. One thing i noticed is just how many ideas are taken from another big shooter franchise, Halo. The ability to 'vote' on the map you play next and heavy customization are almost identical to the system Halo: Reach uses. This is not a bad thing, this system is really good, but it feels like some elements were pretty much stolen. The last part to this game is Zombies, made popular to WaW. Only this time you can play online with up to 4 people. This is my favorite part of the pack, very addictive and fun. This game feeling like your are being given three games in one, and you have a 1 out of 3 chance of finding something you like. Is this game perfect for everyone? No, as you can see by the mulitiple 'negative' and 'mixed' reviews, not everyone feels the same about this game. You might want to rent this game first, then if you like it buy it because it will give you hours upon hours of entertainment, then if you dont then no worries, just return it.… Expand
  36. ChocolatePuddin
    Nov 16, 2010
    9
    I enjoyed the single player side to Black Ops waaay more than MW2,I thought there were more memorable moments ,and It has a better storyline,the multiplayer is an improvment as well,not that MW2 had bad multiplayer,but I like the level of customization you can do,and once you have played a wager match its hard to go back to the old types of matches like your free for all,s and teamI enjoyed the single player side to Black Ops waaay more than MW2,I thought there were more memorable moments ,and It has a better storyline,the multiplayer is an improvment as well,not that MW2 had bad multiplayer,but I like the level of customization you can do,and once you have played a wager match its hard to go back to the old types of matches like your free for all,s and team deathmatch.I think every FPS with a multiplayer componet comming out from now on is gonna have some sort of wager match type option because its just that much better than anything you,ve played online before,zombie mode is awsome as usal,I do miss the Co-op missions from MW2 I feel they could of added that to make this a flawless game,but CO-Op split screen multiplayer with a bunch of bots is still a lot of fun,although the bots sumtimes pull of head shots that Neo would laugh off as impossible;) Pick this game up.… Expand
  37. gjsoup62
    Nov 21, 2010
    10
    A GIANT step backwards!! Unfortunately I bought into all the hype for this game. Instead of a step forward from MW2, this next installment from Treyarch is a major disappointment. The multiplayer mode is seriously flawed in gameplay as well as graphics.
  38. hero43xx
    Dec 31, 2010
    9
    Although it was so anticipating and expected, it wasn't as perfect as I had wanted. If I think about it, the splitscreen and single player campaign was much better than the online gameplay. Personally, I never liked Call of Duty that much, but when MW2 had came out, I actually took a good interest, but I never showed that much liking to it. Still, Black Ops was amazing, and no major issuesAlthough it was so anticipating and expected, it wasn't as perfect as I had wanted. If I think about it, the splitscreen and single player campaign was much better than the online gameplay. Personally, I never liked Call of Duty that much, but when MW2 had came out, I actually took a good interest, but I never showed that much liking to it. Still, Black Ops was amazing, and no major issues to it, but I'm expecting both Infinity Ward and Treyarch to do better on their next games.… Expand
  39. Tylerhan2000
    Apr 17, 2011
    8
    I used to be a great fan of the COD series, but however, even though the first few games where great titles, activision now just spits one out year after year as fast as they can to make profits, the overall gameplay hasnt changed much after an almost decade of the series, with insignificant things like zombies and currency thrown in every few titles to try to keep it fresh, Black opsI used to be a great fan of the COD series, but however, even though the first few games where great titles, activision now just spits one out year after year as fast as they can to make profits, the overall gameplay hasnt changed much after an almost decade of the series, with insignificant things like zombies and currency thrown in every few titles to try to keep it fresh, Black ops itself has a short singleplayer with a more or less confusing story, and multiplayer gets boring extremely fast, I am now looking forward to the battlefield series where innovation and gameplay is key… Expand
  40. A_True_Gamer
    Nov 11, 2010
    2
    What the hell happened to this game! It used to be greatness on a disc now it's just mediocre, If it didn't have COD in the title you would think it was a different game. This game is **** from a greedy company and ****ty developer. Black Ops was such a disappointment and I can't believe I was taken in by all the hype from reviews! That just goes to show you that you can't trust reviewersWhat the hell happened to this game! It used to be greatness on a disc now it's just mediocre, If it didn't have COD in the title you would think it was a different game. This game is **** from a greedy company and ****ty developer. Black Ops was such a disappointment and I can't believe I was taken in by all the hype from reviews! That just goes to show you that you can't trust reviewers they are journalists, not gamers so they wouldn't know what a good game is. I could not believe how ****ty this game looked, there was a gun I was using that looked like it was from Golden Eye N64! That's how bad the textures are, idk if it was the same on the xbox 360 but it was awful on the PS3. Every texture in this game was awful from the guns to the maps and also I noticed that the sound effects were cheesy too, the guns sounded like bb guns and explosions sounded like balloons popping. And the MP maps, wow don't get me started on the MP maps, they were downright terrible I never seen such bad level design I always felt like I was traversing a maze, sometimes I wouldn't even see more than 8 people during a game because of how big and mazy the maps are. Yes there is serous lag, cliping and frame issues. I will never pick up another Treyarch game again I was let down by WAW and now Black Ops. Treyarch is definitely Activisions B team for Call of Duty.â… Expand
  41. Mattaclysm
    Nov 26, 2010
    6
    Call of Duty black ops is over all an okay game. Graphically wise it looks very out dated compared to a lot of the newer titles these days. Guns sound great, some of the voice acting and dialogue is a little stupid sounding in campaign, but its still ok. Campaign story seems like it's too mixed up you go back in time you go forth in time and the whole process keeps repeating it just seemsCall of Duty black ops is over all an okay game. Graphically wise it looks very out dated compared to a lot of the newer titles these days. Guns sound great, some of the voice acting and dialogue is a little stupid sounding in campaign, but its still ok. Campaign story seems like it's too mixed up you go back in time you go forth in time and the whole process keeps repeating it just seems out of order. It was set up poorly but for what its worth it is still decent.
    As for multiplayer it's hard to make something better when it's already been nearly perfected but for what it's worth adding more depth to the multiplayer and zombie mode are probably the saving graces of this title.    … Expand
  42. Hugo_B
    Nov 16, 2010
    4
    I fell for the hype and pre-ordered the hardened edition of Black Ops. I wanted the extra zombie maps, and based on how good MW2 was, I didn't think I could go wrong. After about a week of playing Black Ops I am very dissapointed. The poor graphics were the first thing I noticed. A sequel should at least maintain the same level of quality in graphics, if not improve upon them. TheI fell for the hype and pre-ordered the hardened edition of Black Ops. I wanted the extra zombie maps, and based on how good MW2 was, I didn't think I could go wrong. After about a week of playing Black Ops I am very dissapointed. The poor graphics were the first thing I noticed. A sequel should at least maintain the same level of quality in graphics, if not improve upon them. The sound quality also seems below par compared to MW2. These aren't even my biggest complaints. I could overlook the sound and graphics if the gameplay was improved. In my opinion the maps are not designed as well as those in MW2. MW2 maps have more variety and combine close quarters fighting, sniping, etc... into the same maps. Because of the map design I can't find a reason to use the sniper rifles on any of the Black Ops maps. The spawn system is much worse than in MW2, especially in team deathmatch. I thought the spawn system was one of the major issues they were supposed to address in this game. Also, apparently they haven't stopped boosters and other cheaters. Within a few hours of release I was playing against people who were level 48 or 50. Really????WTF??? And as far as noob tubers and campers, I have been noob tubed more in one week of playing than I have been in my last several months of playing MW2. Also, camping is still a big problem. I think that in order to get their 9 or 11 kill streaks people are camping more than ever. The kill streaks are seriously overpowered. The chopper gunner and gunship lay waste to the other team on these small maps. I do not understand why they put the "dolphin dive" or "dive to prone" or whatever they want to call it in the game. All that move is good for is getting killed. All they have succeded in doing is messing up the smooth gameplay of MW2. The feel of the guns is not as good as MW2. The guns all feel similar. Each gun in MW2 had its own personality. They have also ruined the sniper rifles. Now when you scope in the crosshairs are off target and you have to correct. This was done to stop quickscopers. I don't quickscope, but this ruins it for me too. You are at way too much of a disadvantage using a sniper rifle. There seems to be many redundant or useless attachments for the guns. The ACOG sight would be an example of this. The ACOG sight has no magnification and there is an annoying reflection and fisheye effect when you look through the lens that obscures your view. You are better off with iron sights. In general the attachments in MW2 were better and actually did something for the gun. The gun customization also seems to be a joke. You can clownify your gun with wacky colors/camo and emblems. You can also clownify your character with facepaint. Now those are some great innovations that have improved the game! I am a fan of first-person shooters and the Call of Duty franchise in general, but this game is not better than MW2 or any of the other preceding Call of Duty games. I am shocked at the lack of honest reviews. I guess there are a lot of fanboys out there and it is not in the interest of the gaming media to not promote this game. I hope people continue to play MW2, because thats were I'll be until something better comes out.… Expand
  43. BLTJimbo
    Nov 10, 2010
    2
    BLACK OOPS!

    This game is appalling, do not buy. I have now wasted £40 on something that could have been fished out of the toilet. Bad Graphics, 'Laggy' online play and bad spawn points all contributed to the most overhyped and biggest dissapointment of the century. This game only recieved a 2 because the mildly entertaining campaign amused me for a while. However you buy    BLACK OOPS!

    This game is appalling, do not buy. I have now wasted £40 on something that could have been fished out of the toilet.

    Bad Graphics, 'Laggy' online play and bad spawn points all contributed to the most overhyped and biggest dissapointment of the century.

    This game only recieved a 2 because the mildly entertaining campaign amused me for a while.

    However you buy COD for online, which is this game's achillies heel.    … Expand
  44. ChicoMaloXD
    Nov 10, 2010
    1
    Mediocre!...
    First of all, I got This game just to play it with my friends. I never liked COD series and Getting this game mad me see why I dislike so much this franchise.
    -Graphics: I'm not so impressed by the graphics of this game, any other big FPS game has better graphics. If you want to see good graphics just wait for Killzone 3. MAG and BO have about the same graphics. -Physics: The    Mediocre!...
    First of all, I got This game just to play it with my friends. I never liked COD series and Getting this game mad me see why I dislike so much this franchise.
    -Graphics: I'm not so impressed by the graphics of this game, any other big FPS game has better graphics. If you want to see good graphics just wait for Killzone 3. MAG and BO have about the same graphics.
    -Physics: The physics are terrible, the characters move like a fast forwarding-movie, the hit-detection is bad, the accuracy fails, it's rubbish.
    -Gameplay: The game has the same game modes as always, very fast action, not enjoyable. You die every 15 seconds, no team play, You don't get the feeling of being playing against real people. Very laggy. I keep getting disconnected every single game. Takes to much time to start a game with friends/join them.
    Sounds: The sounds aren't improved from the last game and they are really poor. The gun sounds are very bad. I don't feel a feeling of being in a war.
    Visual Effects: The lightning effects are really good for this game I love the night time shadows and lights effects.
    The multiplayer maps are very small.
    The single player campaign is very simple and brief.
    You can have I little fun with this game but it won't last.
    There are better options for FPS for the PS3 including MAG, Battlefield Bad Company 2, Killzone 2 and Medal of Honor.

    Don't waste your money, Save it for Killzone 3 or Gran Turismo 5.    … Expand
  45. Fred-E-Fuego
    Nov 11, 2010
    0
    From all the thing it lacked luster being it didn't even live up to the COD franchise benchmark . I would like to add this important news flash when you make a game stereoscopic 3D you need to @ least have 1 3D affect in the game cause it just looked like a bad attempted @ 3D . Infinityward please stop publishing COD games . Have your Developers make a new IP FPS . Killzone 3 alpha codeFrom all the thing it lacked luster being it didn't even live up to the COD franchise benchmark . I would like to add this important news flash when you make a game stereoscopic 3D you need to @ least have 1 3D affect in the game cause it just looked like a bad attempted @ 3D . Infinityward please stop publishing COD games . Have your Developers make a new IP FPS . Killzone 3 alpha code Beta looks sounds & runs better then Black Ops could ever wish too & in 3D too… Expand
  46. just_the_facts
    Nov 9, 2010
    2
    Frankly this game is disappointing. The multiplayer game mechanic is solid, obviously but that's not enough to raise this latest effort from the pit of mediocrity it languishes in. And let's face it.. the graphics are atrocious. This game was supposed to be a cut above mwf2, not a huge step down. It's not as fluid an experience either, instead of the polished, clicking mwf2 fun machineFrankly this game is disappointing. The multiplayer game mechanic is solid, obviously but that's not enough to raise this latest effort from the pit of mediocrity it languishes in. And let's face it.. the graphics are atrocious. This game was supposed to be a cut above mwf2, not a huge step down. It's not as fluid an experience either, instead of the polished, clicking mwf2 fun machine that was expected, this game for all it's good points just goes.... clunk.… Expand
  47. Harry210
    Dec 5, 2010
    8
    Call of Duty: Black Ops is a fun Action packed First Person Shooter that is addicting to play. The single player campaign is as intense as ever as you battle through deadly scenarios set in the cold war. Because this installment is set in the Cold War, Treyarch is no longer limited to WW2 history and the guns they have to design. There is a massive selection of arsenal to use includingCall of Duty: Black Ops is a fun Action packed First Person Shooter that is addicting to play. The single player campaign is as intense as ever as you battle through deadly scenarios set in the cold war. Because this installment is set in the Cold War, Treyarch is no longer limited to WW2 history and the guns they have to design. There is a massive selection of arsenal to use including AK-47's and Ballistic Knife's and the sound design of these guns is probably the best I've heard in the series. The graphics are fantastic to use in both Single player and Multiplayer and some levels in the single player campaign's environments are massive (although you are still restricted to a linear path sadly) and adds to the war intensity of the atmosphere. The character models and faces are so realistic and fluid and the motion capture is so well done. The story is told through flashbacks which can be annoying sometimes because the flashbacks interrupt the game play at times but it is a good way to present the story. I do prefer this campaign to Modern Warfare 2. Multiplayer is where this game is at: It seems to be (to me) more balanced than Modern Warfare 2. There's no stupid game ending killstreaks (Tactical Nuke) or stupid AC-130's raining death from above but the RC-XD killstreak can get on my nerves sometimes. The maps are nicely designed and Black Ops brings new equipment to Multiplayer like the Camera Spike and Nova Gas to the mix to make the multiplayer even more interesting. A nice touch is that now you purchase guns, equipment, Perks and weapon attachments with Black Ops currency system instead of unlocking things as you level up. Currency can be earned by regularly playing Multiplayer and getting kills, completing challenges or leveling up. Gambling is introduced into Black Op's in the form of Wager Matches in which you put forward some of your currency and take part in Wager Matches and try to win more currency and this provides some tense battles where you can either win and buy some more stuff or lose and have to build up your currency bank again. The currency system means you can purchase what you want and play the game how you want to play it which is great. This gives you more freedom of choice: What guns you want, what perks you want etc. Customisation is taken further by letting you apply face paints to your character, customise red dot/ reflex sights (colour, sights etc), add your clan tag to your gun, design symbols for your gun and your gun colour pattern which are awesome so you can let your artistic skills go wild and really make your classes your own and unique. There are a few problems though: Treyarch didn't add any new multiplayer modes which is a shame: Black Ops justs cuts and pastes multiplayer modes from MW and MW2 and adds pretty much nothing of it's own. The Zombie Mode from World at War is also present in this game but has received very few tweaks but it provides some co-op fun with your friends. The spawning needs sorting out: At times I seem to spawn and then shortly get killed again. The Chopper Gunner killstreak is really annoying as well: Really frustrating when you spawn and then get killed by a Chopper gunner and then spawn then suddenly get killed again. Some of the matches I've been in have been really laggy and it's such a pain at times. The single player was at times disappointing and doesn't really offer much more than previous Call of Duty games although it does offer some intense set pieces. Call of Duty: Black Ops slices some frustrations from Modern Warfare 2 but the series is starting to grow tired now.â… Expand
  48. SgtFlip
    Jan 4, 2011
    2
    This game could've been a great game, but it isn't. Animations are stiff and boring and makes pretty much all of the gameplay feel unrealistic. In game scripting is horrible and could've used quite a few tweaks. (Pre scripted paths that doesn't change regardless of how many VC soldiers you kill, enemies that despawn once you enter triggers, inadequately placed save points etc.) More codingThis game could've been a great game, but it isn't. Animations are stiff and boring and makes pretty much all of the gameplay feel unrealistic. In game scripting is horrible and could've used quite a few tweaks. (Pre scripted paths that doesn't change regardless of how many VC soldiers you kill, enemies that despawn once you enter triggers, inadequately placed save points etc.) More coding support could've been used too. (Seriously - check the suger canes in the sugar cane field on Cuba and notice how they don't move in the wind with their roots being connected to the ground, they all have a swiveling point about a meter up from the ground which makes it look like the roots are moving back and forth in the ground. This and the fact that they all pretty much move at the same time makes this part of the game feel like it's tilting to your right, it's hilarious.)
    Sound is utter crap, how can you make a game and pretty much have the same random set of sounds regardless of whether you're hitting a concrete wall or a metal pipe with your knife? Gun sounds are weak and bland, pretty much like in CoD3. They simply don't feel like guns. Indoor reverb is horrible and does not change when you move from a small corridor to a large warehouse, it all sounds like a huge tin can. What made it completely horrendous to me was the attempt at plot/story. Why? I'd rather run around and just shoot at stuff rather than replay this game with a story, considering the quality of the script and the acting.    … Expand
  49. B-Knock
    Nov 11, 2010
    0
    This game is the biggest piece of garbage, ever since Activision made the mistake by letting Treyarch develop call of duty games. They really hit an all time low by re-skining the same game. Your bascially buying call of duty 4 for $60. Its like buying halo reach which is the same game!. The game engine is just an enhanced IW4.0 engine. Nothing new. The biased critics gave the review toThis game is the biggest piece of garbage, ever since Activision made the mistake by letting Treyarch develop call of duty games. They really hit an all time low by re-skining the same game. Your bascially buying call of duty 4 for $60. Its like buying halo reach which is the same game!. The game engine is just an enhanced IW4.0 engine. Nothing new. The biased critics gave the review to high of a score. They were bribed or just plain old sucking some ****. I was a call of duty fan since the first game came out made by infinity ward. But since they fired the original creators and half of the employee's left infinity ward. Call of duty is garbage now. You guys can keep buying garbage games made by Treyarch. I'll stick to superior FPS games like battlefield bad company 2 and medal of honor. It really is sad. I USED to be a call of duty fan.… Expand
  50. aerodynamiclive
    Nov 11, 2010
    0
    Call of Duty has truly become the Apple product of fps...

    Overhyped.
    Waste of money.
    2005 Graphics.
    PC/Framerate/CPU/GPU issues everywhere even for people with state-of-the-art rigs.
    Multiplayer issues.
    RC Car.
    Poor Storyline/Campaign.

    Prepare yourselves, begun has the death of video gaming.
  51. bjoncas
    Nov 10, 2010
    7
    The gaming industry journalism is at it's lowest these days. A game like this having so many 100% is completely ridiculous.

    Con 1 - AI is incredibly stupid. 2 - Physic system is completely inconsistent. Enemie shot dead fall trought walls or barricades ?! 3 - Veteran mode is completely ridiculous. 4 - Online experience is still a dodging grenade simulator like Modern warf 2 5 -    The gaming industry journalism is at it's lowest these days. A game like this having so many 100% is completely ridiculous.

    Con
    1 - AI is incredibly stupid.
    2 - Physic system is completely inconsistent. Enemie shot dead fall trought walls or barricades ?!
    3 - Veteran mode is completely ridiculous. 4 - Online experience is still a dodging grenade simulator like Modern warf 2
    5 - Small maps
    6 - Already cheaters on day one ...

    Pro
    1 - Zombie mode
    2 - Graphics
    3 - Acting
    4 - Weapons

    Very good challenger to whom who want to take time and give a try is Medal of Honor and Bad company 2
    Specially Bad company 2 seem to be lightyear in front of Call of duty Black Ops.    … Expand
  52. x__ME__x
    Nov 11, 2010
    4
    Being a older gamer i have come to the conclusion. That i have become more critical of all games. Which brings me to Black ops. Its the same old same old. I feel i am giving activision money to be lazy and not to push the bar higher. When i play games i want ground breaking, i want unique. This has neither of that. It has new perks but really all the same just new names, it has new maps,Being a older gamer i have come to the conclusion. That i have become more critical of all games. Which brings me to Black ops. Its the same old same old. I feel i am giving activision money to be lazy and not to push the bar higher. When i play games i want ground breaking, i want unique. This has neither of that. It has new perks but really all the same just new names, it has new maps, could have just put this on a map pack for MW2, This has custom guns big deal. I guess if you need a change from The quick scoping and hackers then buy black ops. its still fun and it does have new maps. That is all that has changed. I expect more from a game maker like activision. Positives: New game, new rank up system ( sort of), customize guns. cons: Plays like all the rest. To sum it up buy it, play it, and i guess enjoy it. For what its worth. I for one will be counting the days until the next big Fps.… Expand
  53. mongbum
    Nov 11, 2010
    10
    Why is this game getting low scores? Could it be that it is everything that MW2 isn't? Black ops is an incredibly well balanced multiplayer that puts everybody on a level playing field. You upgade your custom classes by purchasing your equipment with points earned in game, which is really addictive. The killstreaks are not too overpowered and do not count towards other killstreaks; whichWhy is this game getting low scores? Could it be that it is everything that MW2 isn't? Black ops is an incredibly well balanced multiplayer that puts everybody on a level playing field. You upgade your custom classes by purchasing your equipment with points earned in game, which is really addictive. The killstreaks are not too overpowered and do not count towards other killstreaks; which is the main reason that this game is very fair and balanced. The 14 maps are well designed because the do not cater to campers or snipers.… Expand
  54. the12black
    Nov 14, 2010
    3
    Graphics: Very Decent in my opinion. On par with MW2, textures and "build" of the spaces in the game were detailed and thought through. Sound: In a word; HORRIBLE. It seems to me that 3Arc decided to cut the budget in the sound department, and only record 2 sounds for every shotgun, grenade, assault rifle, claymore etc. Everything sounds the same. Game play:
    Not great, not bad. In    Graphics: Very Decent in my opinion. On par with MW2, textures and "build" of the spaces in the game were detailed and thought through. Sound: In a word; HORRIBLE. It seems to me that 3Arc decided to cut the budget in the sound department, and only record 2 sounds for every shotgun, grenade, assault rifle, claymore etc. Everything sounds the same. Game play:
    Not great, not bad. In comparison to Modern Warfare 2 (which I thought was brilliant) they screwed up a few key elements. For one, when running then attempting to slouch into a prone position, instead, now you do a Superman jump and baseball slide an extra couple of body lengths from where you expected to be prone. Also, they changed the function of the d-pad to control more of the introduced elements, in a very annoying way. I team killed a few people when erroneously throwing semtex near them, instead of placing a claymore. Which brings me to...
    Features:
    While having a lot more to offer than previous titles in the way of customization, many of those features are useless in multiplayer. Worse, there is a lot of ambiguity amongst all the assault rifles and sub machine guns. Unless it's one of the 3-round burst weapons, or single shot, the differences between the automatic weapons are a split hair from one another. Sniper rifles are next to useless in multiplayer. Partially because none of them offer much advantage over their single-fire assault rifle counterparts. Partially because recoil and idle sway ruin any attempt for a refire or second hit. And partially because staying hidden and remote enough to make a scoped, slow weapon useful is impossible. Shotguns are too limited in range, and don't offer enough punch to make them effective in anything but urban maps in hardcore mode. For all of these faults, there should be some gaming worth playing in COD:BO multiplayer, but unfortunately it plays really, really badly. As evidenced in many a kill-cam, persons killed without being hit, knife thrusts that strike at shadows of enemies somehow getting the win. Of course this is all a product of lag, and poor connections, but its so pervasive in Black Ops that it infuriates and frustrates to no end. To this end, the game would have scored a full 3 or 4 points higher for me if more attention had been payed to making multiplayer sharp. At the end of the day, once you've beaten the campaign, and you want to play the other $50 of your $60 game, multiplayer is only worth about $6.50.    … Expand
  55. ThomasF
    Nov 14, 2010
    10
    The worst of this game is supersedes even the best of MW2 in every aspect. It took what MW2 should've been and made it twice as good. I can honestly say this is the first COD that I've played and have actually had "fun". Pick this up guys, it's amazing.
  56. EricGagnon
    Nov 14, 2010
    5
    Graphics: They wanted a game running at 60 FPS, so it's not a big surprise that the graphics are not really amazing. It's OK.

    Sounds: I played Black Ops right after playing MOH and let me tell you, the sounds in COD:BO are FAR behind. Every gun sound in Black Ops sounds just like a Nailgun. And the music is terrible as well. Singleplayer: What I hated the most about the single player is    Graphics: They wanted a game running at 60 FPS, so it's not a big surprise that the graphics are not really amazing. It's OK.

    Sounds: I played Black Ops right after playing MOH and let me tell you, the sounds in COD:BO are FAR behind. Every gun sound in Black Ops sounds just like a Nailgun. And the music is terrible as well.

    Singleplayer: What I hated the most about the single player is closely related to how I play FPS games in general. I tend to stay back a bit and eliminate ennemies BEFORE rushing in a room full of enemies. The problem is that the flow of ennemies never ends and you can easily spend 20 minutes trying to clean a corridor before you realize that. Maybe if my buddies would rush in after some time (like Halo:Reach for instance) or if there was any sound indications (like MOH) it would have worked just fine. Multiplayer: Nothing new. Really. "Wager Match" is probably the best addition to the multiplayer. Should you buy it: If you have MW2, not really. In fact, if you do have doubts about the game (and that's probably why you're reading this right now), maybe you should try it before purchasing it.    … Expand
  57. Arkangelsk
    Nov 11, 2010
    7
    So the IW fanboys hate it? Who cares? If you wanna play MW2 again, then this isn't the game. The story is unusual, yet interesting (if a bit predictable, like all COD games have been), the new multiplayer tweaks make it a lot more fun, and overall it's a pretty decent game. If you're gonna pass it up just because the IW fanboys hated it, then you might miss out on a great game. Try it forSo the IW fanboys hate it? Who cares? If you wanna play MW2 again, then this isn't the game. The story is unusual, yet interesting (if a bit predictable, like all COD games have been), the new multiplayer tweaks make it a lot more fun, and overall it's a pretty decent game. If you're gonna pass it up just because the IW fanboys hated it, then you might miss out on a great game. Try it for yourself first, before you listen to all the haters. I'm not saying this game is a 10, by no means is it so, but overall, it's not the most offensive and terribly put together game in the world like many are saying. The engine still needs to be updated, which it hasn't been for years now, and the graphics could use a little polish. As for clunky controls, I didn't think they were really any worse than any of the other COD games and that meant they worked just fine for me. Maybe I'm too old for all those fast-twitch, trigger-happy kiddos out there. The cash bit and buying your upgrades and goodies for multiplayer works out awesome, and it levels the playing field a lot, no more of the overpowered guys picking on the newbs. If you can build a strategy, then you can succeed in the trenches, which may be another reason the haters are so abundant: they like the system where they got to be king all the time. I loved MW2, I like Black Ops, I think it deserves a solid 7, that's just my opinion, what the heck do I know?… Expand
  58. Cronus893
    Nov 12, 2010
    3
    I got this game the day it came out and have been playing it since then so far from my experience i have decided that this game is ultimately a step back and a step forward. While this game is easily better than world at war and is a step forward for Treyarch, it is a complete step backward from games from infinity ward and the Call of Duty franchise as a whole.
  59. nepTunez
    Nov 13, 2010
    8
    I haven't played a Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare, and to be honest it feels exactly the same. I was expecting it, and I expect the next couple installments to play and look very similar which is something that happens when they pump out a new game every year. I know there are new features, weapons, and some other things I'm not sure of because I haven't played a lot. It'sI haven't played a Call of Duty since the first Modern Warfare, and to be honest it feels exactly the same. I was expecting it, and I expect the next couple installments to play and look very similar which is something that happens when they pump out a new game every year. I know there are new features, weapons, and some other things I'm not sure of because I haven't played a lot. It's still fun though, you can find some game mode and play the **** out of it. The story for the campaign is solid and challenging which is something I look for in a game. I'm more of a Socom guy because I like the intensity of it, but I still enjoy the more mindless Call of Duty experience. If you got people to play with and time to kill, I'm sure you'll enjoy Black Ops.… Expand
  60. Chuxtrix
    Nov 13, 2010
    9
    Get this game. It is a blast! You people expect too much. Go back and replay front line and see how far things have come. If you like the other COD games you will be good to go. Enjoy!
  61. Panthro55
    Nov 17, 2010
    3
    Hmmmm...I'm thinking that I would have much preferred to pay for an add-on(s) for weapons and more maps than to have wasted $60 on that garbage. Nothing at all spectacular about it. Treyarch missed BIG TIME on this one.
  62. Davetherave
    Nov 22, 2010
    8
    Call of duty Black ops has received more hype than it's predecessor Modern Warfare 2, and as of such many haters have arised because of this.
    Black ops is not a perfect game, but has definately got the best story of any call of duty title, and the multiplayer side of the game is flawed, but contains enough addictivity and content to keep you playing.
    Black ops is set in the middle of the    Call of duty Black ops has received more hype than it's predecessor Modern Warfare 2, and as of such many haters have arised because of this.
    Black ops is not a perfect game, but has definately got the best story of any call of duty title, and the multiplayer side of the game is flawed, but contains enough addictivity and content to keep you playing.
    Black ops is set in the middle of the cold war, you will take the role of Alex Mason and Jason Hudson for the majority of the campaign. The entire story is told through flashbacks of Mason. It is a very different story unlike the previous COD games, mainly because it feels more like something out of CSI rather than war games. The campaign at times is majorly intense and this is not a good thing seeing as it just seemed like it was non-stop action all the way through, making it exahasting. Though when I finished it, all became clear, and I definately found myself inspired by the campaign, as I do feel more lucky to be alive now i've played it.
    The multiplayer side is rather the same as the previous games, with perks and unlockable guns, but this time you can only unlock guns and abilities through using COD points, the currency of the game.
    You can gain cod points in various ways, a great way is using either contracts, or the fun new wager matches, which basically allow you to gamble your points for more.
    Sadly, while the game has fixed glitches and errors from Modern warfare 2, such as Quick scoping, Continuing killstreaks and over powered weapons, Cod points do sometimes get on your nerves, as you have to buy absolutly everything, and I mean everything, this sometimes makes things no worth bothering to get. The maps are now definately not as camper friendly as in MW2, but the bad side is that while the maps are still large, there are lots of objects in the way, this makes almost impossible to get any value out of using sniper rifles, unless you use an ACOG sight, and even using that won't guarrentee you your money's worth.
    While it is majorly unsniper friendly, and cod points are sometimes annoying, its a solid multiplayer none the less.
    The last main piece of content is Zombies. I felt a bit dissapointed with zombies, the maps you are put in are not very friendly and are quite confusing, they should have included a simple map such as one like Nacht der untoten from World at War. Still, get a few friends together, and it has its moments, though its best to get a Hardened version of the game so that you can get the old classic zombie maps from the previous game.
    Overall, Black ops in its gameplay sense is the same as the last 3 games in the series and now it is starting to show its age, though the multiplayer is darn right addictive, so this is what I say.
    If your looking for a great game, go for World at War, if your looking for an addictive game, go for Black ops    … Expand
  63. InClass
    Nov 15, 2010
    7
    Well I dont think I have much right to write a review but since I have played the game, I will. When I rented it I went stright for the mulitplayer,and something I loved from the start was the split screen online. Dont know if others had it but that is something I always loved in Halo. It is very fast paced, which leaves the shotgun and sniper rifle pointless. Since the maps were prettyWell I dont think I have much right to write a review but since I have played the game, I will. When I rented it I went stright for the mulitplayer,and something I loved from the start was the split screen online. Dont know if others had it but that is something I always loved in Halo. It is very fast paced, which leaves the shotgun and sniper rifle pointless. Since the maps were pretty small (some) enemies would spawn next to you, in front of you, just around the corner and every other inconvienent spot you can think of. The guns all seem pretty similar, as I never found one i really cared for. The tomahawk was my favorite all around weapon since killing someone with it is BA. Single player lost its split screen ability so i skipped it and zombies was like a very watered down L4D. But that multiplayer, even as I write this I am thinking about it, though I must admit, it was a awesome game, but even just from watching Modern Wafrefare, I felt cheated. Not much seemed different and I feel it could have been a 40 dollar expansion. Fun game, awesome time but I will certainly be sticking to Bad Company 2.… Expand
  64. digiart247
    Nov 13, 2010
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Single Player
    Overall good but short. way short, finished in about 5hours of playing over two days. I do run a lot but dang! MW2 took me at least almost a week. levels for the most part are beautiful but very linear. lot less open compared to MW2 which had that even if linear in design i still felt like i could explore and replay in a way different way, black ops no so much. the story was great and was probably the best in the series, but the levels that went with it felt anti climactic. the way they told the story in memories was part of this reason, right when something big was happening at the end of the level it would just fade out and i would be left thinking "and it was just getting awesome." side things were less and not as fun, no climbing up ice walls or sliding down a rope upside down to stab a guy. sling shot was nice but was way early in the game and very easy and short. vehicles were good but definitely not as fun as the ones in MW2. Pacing was off though, a whole lot of action and a whole let down in things that set up the coming battles. swimming ten feet in nam wasn't as cool as riding a torpedo sub thing up to the bottom of an oil rig. Graphics were outstanding other than a cut scene with the SR-71. that scene in particular looked like a HD plane in flying in N64/PS1 space. but other than that minor complaint coming from a 3d artist the levels were great. the jungles were lush and the lighting was fantastic. swinging lamps with dynamic lighting being bounced around while the building shook from explosions really added to the feel. Sound was great with voice acting spot on, minus my personal thoughts of every time going "haha that's Ice Cube and the avatar guy" so overall fun and a good game but by no means i think did it live up to it's hype. glad i'm not a camper, i mean the ones who set up tents outside stores.

    which brings me to multiplayer
    Overall great. and different. i could spend all day comparing it to MW2 but i will due my best to only compare the things i noticed the most. yes kill streaks are harder to get which makes them more satisfying to get. but also a little less fun on the operating end. but a whole lot less annoying on the receiving end. at least i can shoot down that heli or that dog in the face. overall balance seems great with a couple stand out guns but you can just go buy it so no worries. customization is fun but i wish camo and reticles weren't all available once you unlock them. it makes the coolest camo way less of a badge of honor to sport. emblems are better at this but still lacking that, yeah i did that and got this and more just oh look what i bought. face paint as far as leveling up and getting more is the best at this i feel and facepaint is fun but wish it was more for gun stuff or more perks or something that effected the gameplay a bit more. the wager matches are a blast and a good change of pace when you are tired of core matches but the disconnected feel makes me not play them too often. yeah you get money but i get way more money just palying a couple good games of domination or HQ. now overall the game feels less hectic in multiplayer. something i kind of liked in MW2, it felt like war. this feels like an older multiplayer experience in actual gameplay. i want a good size nam battle going on online not the lack of jungle in the jungle level. the levels are varied and ok but overall feel very boxed. like i said feels like a dated multiplayer experience. now i am enjoying how it does have it's own unique feel and gameplay but i wouldn't say it stands out as the best. in my tops it might be around 6th or 7th. maybe lower i'd really have to think about that. non the less am enjoying it and playing it a lot mostly because it is new but i feel its staying power will fade with things like bloodlines coming out and next year with things like dead space 2, killzone 3, etc etc. so i give a 7 overall for both single and multiplayer. both get a pass but by no means are they on the honor roll    … Expand
  65. RumAthwal_1200
    Nov 19, 2010
    0
    I got this game the day it came out and have been playing it since then so far from my experience I have decided that this game is ultimately a step down! Everyone raving about the hype on this game wherever you turn, but the real story is that the game is quite lacking and hopefully its garbage enough. Graphics, sound design, and AI characteristics are not so good! At least have betterI got this game the day it came out and have been playing it since then so far from my experience I have decided that this game is ultimately a step down! Everyone raving about the hype on this game wherever you turn, but the real story is that the game is quite lacking and hopefully its garbage enough. Graphics, sound design, and AI characteristics are not so good! At least have better graphics and sound design. At what point does intensity just become annoying... with an explosion every two seconds and being knocked down with fuzzy vision 3 times a level and more bullets flying than were fired in all of WW2... I'd say it's a bit too much, but hey more is better for some people. So you probably better of buying another war game. The multiplayer game mechanic is solid, obviously but that's not enough to raise this latest effort. Feels like a rubbish map expansion pack of Mw2 with added in crap. Single player is very average and the multiplayer is riddled with issues. Single player is horrible as it is still plagued by horrible air, but this time the problem lies with programmers as well. I donâ… Expand
  66. rahad
    Dec 3, 2010
    10
    Call of Duty Black Ops is an action packed game which is extremely interesting to play. It is also a very addictive game which proves how good the game is also the graphics on the game is fantastic. The sound quality is just so real but the disappointment iof the game is that there is not much difference from call of duty modern warfare either than that it is a very impressive game to play.
  67. Erokk88
    Dec 26, 2010
    7
    Ive always been a fan of treyarch releases. I enjoy their games being that tupically they are more balanced. Though this game fixes alot of the game-breaking elements introduced into MW2 (not a tall mountain to climb as many know) it fails to come anywhere near COD4 and WaW. Treyarch made some much needed adjustments and removed alot of the frustrating elements that outright ruined MW2.Ive always been a fan of treyarch releases. I enjoy their games being that tupically they are more balanced. Though this game fixes alot of the game-breaking elements introduced into MW2 (not a tall mountain to climb as many know) it fails to come anywhere near COD4 and WaW. Treyarch made some much needed adjustments and removed alot of the frustrating elements that outright ruined MW2. Sadly they played it TOO safe and in the end made a bland game. I was very happy to see the unholy trinity of martyrdom, juggernaut, and stopping power removed completely. This could have been enough to make the online leaps and bounds more playable than MW2 but, put simply, the included perks are boring, recycled, and unimaginative. It was also refreshing to see Treyarch practice some sanity by removing dual-wielded shotguns (really Infinity Ward? REALLY??) and issuing major nerfs (handicaps) to the grenade launcher and assault rifles. Hit detection is as abysmal as any cod game so cant count them off there. the weapons are incredibly balanced each with a relatively different play-type leading to more diverse games where not everyone is using the same thing (I'm talking to you famas, m16, SCAR, .50cal, dual rangers). It was nice to see more than one semi-auto rifle but they are much too weak to compete in a fully automatic world. Another issue is snipers were pretty much written out when it came to map design and balancing. Sniper rifles are difficult at best and just dont pack enough punch to be useful. Sniper Players may find themselves snagging some assists but thats only if they can post up long enough to pick off ignorant and unaware players before getting gun down from behind by a newly spawned player. That brings me to BO's next downfall. The spawning is abysmal. You can game confidently knowing that you will have enemy players spawning behind you. around you, and sometimes even right next to you. Very frustrating when you journey to a quiet corner of a map to drop a carepackage or other dropped killstreak. There is a complete absence of a "front" so be prepared to scramble, keep moving, and watch your back (even if it placed securely onto the edge of the map). Moving to the customization. its safe to say Treyarch was intentionally vague and misleading on the amount of customization. im sure i was only one of many that were disappointed to see that you could not, in fact, change many aspects of your character. It was nice, however to see perks actually affect the way the character looks (ghost, flak jacket, lightweight, etc). Though some may be sold on adding a happyface to their reticle or sculpting male genitalia out of the hundreds of playercard symbols provided, one could not help be feel how absolutely superfluous it all was when there were guns, perks, and killstreaks to buy. The campaign was solid. it didnt break any ground but it was no more superior or inferior to the last 3 COD campaigns. Most dont purchase Cod for the campaign so i wont go into it The crown jewel that has come to be associated with Treyarch releases is the acclaimed Nazi Zombies. Treyarch has outdone itself again with much more complex maps and even 2 separate "storylines" You have the ww2 cast of characters from WaW and a new cast of which i will not disclose. The new cast is hilarious and the voice actors are excellent. Its much more challenging. Zombies fall out of the ceiling, leap through windows instead of climb, and there is even a new very dangerous breed of zombie of which ill let you discover for yourslelf. The mystery box moves much more often (averaging 4-5 uses before whisking off to a less defendable room). Treyarch also included a competitive top-down arcade zombie killer that is amazingly fun and good for hours of replay with up to a team of 4. Overall the game is solid and offers an amazing amount of content in terms of maps, zombies, killstreaks(trust that if this had been an infinity ward release you would be shelling out some extra dosh for alot of it). Though it seeks to fix what mw2 broke it just doesnt offer enough NEW items to make people drop MW2, and WaW to make the $60 switch. See you in two years treyarch, better luck next time.… Expand
  68. Superhobbers
    Nov 15, 2010
    7
    Although Call of Duty Black Ops is a fun game for its fans and FPS fans i feel that some gamers will be disappointed with the lack of changes that Treyarch has done with this game. The game sticks to the standard formula that anyone who has played a Call of Duty since Modern Warfare will know, both in the campaign and the multi player. Although the disk has tons and tons of contentAlthough Call of Duty Black Ops is a fun game for its fans and FPS fans i feel that some gamers will be disappointed with the lack of changes that Treyarch has done with this game. The game sticks to the standard formula that anyone who has played a Call of Duty since Modern Warfare will know, both in the campaign and the multi player. Although the disk has tons and tons of content (Zombies, Online, Offline) it will soon wear thin, its still a very fun game and always will be but how long can Activision keep on pushing out these FPS before gamers become tired of them and start craving something more or just different from the game industry… Expand
  69. alexp76
    Nov 15, 2010
    3
    Black Ops is unfortunately a victory of hype over reality. The best thing about it is the zombie co-op game which can be a great laugh, but I honestly think this is game is a real let down. Considering the praise heaped upon it, I was massively disappointed. The graphics are rubbish in comparison with BFBC2 or even MW2. I might just be utterly rubbish, but the lack of resolution means itBlack Ops is unfortunately a victory of hype over reality. The best thing about it is the zombie co-op game which can be a great laugh, but I honestly think this is game is a real let down. Considering the praise heaped upon it, I was massively disappointed. The graphics are rubbish in comparison with BFBC2 or even MW2. I might just be utterly rubbish, but the lack of resolution means it is actually harder to hit people. The multiplayer (why I bought it) is badly broken, I spend too much time trying to get into games with friends and failing. It quits mid-way through matches. Need I say more. I will be getting rid of it quickly, before others wake up to the gameâ… Expand
  70. allstar3500
    Nov 17, 2010
    4
    Call of Duty is a Great serious, but this version does not deliver a product we are used to. (although Treyarch never seems to impress with its version of the series anyway) However i felt this version would change they're streak, it failed to do that in my mind. The sound effects first off are so anti climatic and pathetic it made the game seem funny. The health system baffles me when ICall of Duty is a Great serious, but this version does not deliver a product we are used to. (although Treyarch never seems to impress with its version of the series anyway) However i felt this version would change they're streak, it failed to do that in my mind. The sound effects first off are so anti climatic and pathetic it made the game seem funny. The health system baffles me when I turn red sometimes to let me know I'm being shot but other times I just die within a half of second. The new weapons and maps and perks are all fine and nice but those should be present in the game. They just failed to go above and beyond with the multi player. It seemed like I was playing Modern Warfare 2 all over again, but with lesser quality graphics in my mind. The campaign was an overall improvement from World at war but still didn't match anything Infinity Ward has done. All in all the series is going to be on a decline with Infinity Ward and all the critics know and are just trying to save this beloved series for a little longer by giving it decent reviews. Infinity Ward is gone, Activision is still pushing out the game too often, and no company has been brought in to take over the vacant spot. Hopefully something is done soon to change this or the most popular shooting series of our generation won't be around for much longer.â… Expand
  71. ltkkarma
    Nov 18, 2010
    3
    I feel compelled to write a review that shows the game makers that we will not stand for sub-par games. CoD Black Ops multi player was the only reason I bought the game and what a disappointment. Lag spikes, disconnects and low frames per second maybe able to be fixed with server upgrades or patches, but it wont fix the poor physics, laughable graphics and terrible gameplay. Lets justI feel compelled to write a review that shows the game makers that we will not stand for sub-par games. CoD Black Ops multi player was the only reason I bought the game and what a disappointment. Lag spikes, disconnects and low frames per second maybe able to be fixed with server upgrades or patches, but it wont fix the poor physics, laughable graphics and terrible gameplay. Lets just talk about the ridiculous spawn points. The fact that I have been spawn into a fire already there is funny but still disappointing. Pushing through enemy lines with strategy and superior skills has been totally removed for a free for all style game play on almost every game-type. MW2 is the only game really worth comparing it to and MW2 stands far superior. Those that review this game as more fair or balanced as far as multi player goes are probably the ones with not enough skill to make it in MW2. Black ops maps are as bad as the rest of the game; small and boring. The larger of the maps are confined to gun fights in the same places because the spawning is so bad. The gloss of customization is just that. Its fun and cool, but does not add to the gameplay. Hit markers maybe just bad due to the horrible servers, but still are bad enough to make it nearly unplayable at times. The actual mechanics of shooting an opponent are clumsy, unresponsive and lack the polish of MW2. Most of my online friends have laughed at its gameplay, so even in my circle, its not just me. For all of you that gave it a 10, what game are you playing? I saw one review that called those that don't like it noobs. Ha! Any real gamer will tell you the same as I. This game is a joke. The only hope I have is that the remaining programmers at Infinity Ward save of from Treyarch's sub-par efforts.… Expand
  72. Crumplet
    Nov 24, 2010
    5
    Call of Duty: Black Ops, ring a bell? Well it should.
    It's one of the most discussed and anticipated games of 2010, much like the recent addition to Call of Duty "Modern Warfare 2" which essentially turned out to be a blaring disaster. I've played the campaign twice, once on Regular and once on Veteran and i've put in a solid 60 hours in total of multiplayer.
    Just to get it out of the    Call of Duty: Black Ops, ring a bell? Well it should.
    It's one of the most discussed and anticipated games of 2010, much like the recent addition to Call of Duty "Modern Warfare 2" which essentially turned out to be a blaring disaster. I've played the campaign twice, once on Regular and once on Veteran and i've put in a solid 60 hours in total of multiplayer.

    Just to get it out of the way, the campaign is plain boring; the 'twist ending' you can see from a mile away, the constant explosions and gun fights just really get boring after about 2 hours, the engine has changed and to me has a very slight Bad Company 2 feel to it, but other then that it's the same engine that Modern Warfare 2 used and really nothing new is to be seen here except for maybe a couple, and may I say ANNOYING AS **** helicopter piloting missions which never cease to frustrate me. But hey, who gives about the campaign most of the customers want to hear about the multiplayer aspect.

    Well, here it goes:

    When I first played Black Ops, it had that fresh feel you get when you play a game and it's like, "Yeah... i'm gonna play this a lot" much simillar to my first 5 months of COD4, this wore off in about an hour.
    From there on it was lag, framerate issues, host connection disasters and just general **** unplayable? I think so.
    And even if you get into a lagless game with silky smooth framerate and a wonderful, trust worthy host it's really just Modern Warfare 2 with slightly upgraded graphics and a few new weapons and maps. The currency system is cool, but not buy worthy.
    The wager matches are okay, Gun Game and Sharpshooter are my personal favourites but I can't tell you how many times i've litterally shot through someone in one in the chamber but it didn't kill him, and I ended up going broke.
    The maps are good but the spawns are just... eugh.
    The weapons are generally recoiless and boring.

    Overall, this game really isn't very good.    … Expand
  73. mikesgs
    Nov 26, 2010
    6
    where should i start??? 'OK' is all i can really say about this game. the single player campaign certainly had a couple of entertaining bugs.e.g. after completing an objective, the next wouldn't click in, leaving me to shoot endless hoards of enemies until i chose to restart the level, losing all progress; after a few restarts, it would eventually go past the objective. other bugs consistwhere should i start??? 'OK' is all i can really say about this game. the single player campaign certainly had a couple of entertaining bugs.e.g. after completing an objective, the next wouldn't click in, leaving me to shoot endless hoards of enemies until i chose to restart the level, losing all progress; after a few restarts, it would eventually go past the objective. other bugs consist of random slow down, where it almost feels like you're playing online with a 512k connection...only offline. the story, although extremely linear, has some quality moments where you think, 'wow!! that was cool', while other parts feel like you're not really in control, as if you are just manipulating a QTE. first playthrough on hardened difficulty took just short of 7 hours, which is a pretty decent length for a multiplayer focussed game, especially if compared with the Modern Warfares from infinity ward, that only lasted about 4 hours. though unlike the MW titles, i didn't feel BO warranted a replay.

    as for online, i think most people are already aware at this point; it's a complete mess. by saying its a mess, i mean: unable to join games 2 out 3 times, unable to stay with same party for more than one game (if you are lucky enough to even finish an entire game), host migration is present but incredibly unreliable (more often than not, the game just ends putting you back at the menu).

    so from my experience i don't feel this game quite deserves a 7/10 but i would rate it 6.5. however there is one treat in this game and that is the hidden birds eye view zombie arcade shooter that can be unlocked from the computer behind you at the main menu. this game stand alone released on psn, or xbox live would be 8/10 easily,    … Expand
  74. wulfenstein
    Nov 25, 2010
    5
    Well here it goes Treyarch did a kinda better job than COD W.A.W come on Treyarch your just riding the COD name and kinda spoiling it at least Infinity ward put effort into the product..Is just me or does Treyarch designers kinda make the graphics look PS 1 style or look very plastic army men toy like design...I think Treyarch really needs to hire new testers surely some of them would haveWell here it goes Treyarch did a kinda better job than COD W.A.W come on Treyarch your just riding the COD name and kinda spoiling it at least Infinity ward put effort into the product..Is just me or does Treyarch designers kinda make the graphics look PS 1 style or look very plastic army men toy like design...I think Treyarch really needs to hire new testers surely some of them would have seen some of the glitches while testing or did they choose to ignore it...Nothing more worse than getting into a mission and having no guide arrows to point you where things are so you end up running around and dying heaps because theres no guide points...The other hate is your right in the middle of a firefight enemies every where but wheres your team mates either stuck some where and not moving or just letting enemy walk right pass them and straight to you it's figgin annoying...Treyarch it doesn't matter how many voices or experts you get in if you don't put the effort to make a decent product then your just your using the name to sell the product. I got so use to shooting through light stuff to kill enemy but to find it doesn't work much on your games Treyarch...That's why I'm going more to Battlefield at least explosives can destroy things plus if I use air/support or rocket launchers I know that building gonna come down and crush everyone inside. Though good points I had fun like the NAM levels watching the Huey's and airstrike dropping napalm and mixture or different environments other than that very over hyped product once again hopefully now more COD really it's getting long in the tooth...… Expand
  75. Squishy
    Nov 26, 2010
    5
    After playing the last 3 Call of Duty games, I felt like this one really let me down. Without innovation, polish , or any attempt to improve the product beyond MW2 I will be leaving this franchise behind until they feel like its time to produce a solid game. The single players is forgettable, and the multi-player is the exact same thing we have had for 2 years already. Adding new maps wontAfter playing the last 3 Call of Duty games, I felt like this one really let me down. Without innovation, polish , or any attempt to improve the product beyond MW2 I will be leaving this franchise behind until they feel like its time to produce a solid game. The single players is forgettable, and the multi-player is the exact same thing we have had for 2 years already. Adding new maps wont convince anyone its a new game. 5/10, avoid spending 50+ on a game that should cost as much as a map pack.… Expand
  76. asian
    Nov 27, 2010
    9
    don't listen to the haters that wrote negative comments about this game. it's fantastic. it's nothing like modern warfare and isn't as exciting but it's well worth the money. esspecially the online portion alone. hell even the campaign is just as exciting. although it isn't the thrill ride no one expected it is still one hell of a ride
  77. mjg58
    Dec 1, 2010
    0
    Looks like I'll still be playing MW2. Black Ops = cartoonish graphics, movement that feels like you're gliding around, laughably bad audio, tacky game play like COD money. Can someone tell acitivision to stick with id Software? Every COD game treyarch makes is terrible.
  78. Clockwork_Soul
    Feb 11, 2011
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. They did improve a few things over the last CoD and had some pro's going for them: The unlock system is much better. The bots are a nice touch. The story was cool enough; it captured a popular theme from those good old days (*cough* Manchurian *cough* Candidate *cough*). You can customize a lot about your character and weapons (well, some of them). You can create your own emblem (tho, the amount of phallic & pornographic imagery when the game first released expresses all too well what treasure there is to be gained in the US public education system).

    Now the things that were wrong: One would assume that realism would lend itself to the concept of a game based on the player assuming the part of a soldier operating with real-life military tactics rather nicely. Would've been the way I would've taken it. AK-47's, 74u's & MAC-11's easier to control on full-auto than an AUG or a FAMAS, let alone ANY of them being controllable on full auto. Primary weapon shotguns with a range of what seems to be 10' and not even mag modification attachments (look up the Ithaca 37, there were about a billion versions. Arguable the Stakeout was one specific version - still you can shoot something more than 10 friggin' feet away with it!). Dual-wielding any gun at all (again, maybe that was an action-movie concept). And, my favorite, snub-nosed pistols that become MORE accurate? Combine these realitively minor personal beefs, which probably only burned 2nd amendment enthusiasts, with the step back in graphics, the poor server quality (at least rurally), the low-quality maps which lack any type of cover or decent overlook spots, unbalanced options for successful character specs (they REALLY want you to use those SMG's, don't they), and the bugs & gliches (just tap the trigger if hipfiring, you'll hit dead-on almost everytime & with the small maps that practically force close-quarters, why ever ADS if you take one of the many preferred SMG's?), it really is a step back for the series from MW2 (the natural comparison). Still, since you can barely play MW2 online at this time, this is what's available (or MAG).    … Expand
  79. Pissedoffgamer
    Nov 27, 2011
    0
    The previous game to the garbage game of this year, there is no difference I have been playing the same experience for over three years now. Black Ops is by far the worst CoD ever done compared to the others either way, all the CoD apart from MW1 are garbage. Horrible , ugly graphics make this game to not go outside by how ugly it is. And Activsion on the other side launching endless ofThe previous game to the garbage game of this year, there is no difference I have been playing the same experience for over three years now. Black Ops is by far the worst CoD ever done compared to the others either way, all the CoD apart from MW1 are garbage. Horrible , ugly graphics make this game to not go outside by how ugly it is. And Activsion on the other side launching endless of expansions before MW3 cameout, good strategy to win money all year A-hole's.… Expand
  80. cremeegg88
    Nov 20, 2010
    8
    Treyarch had a place in everyone's hearts when they released WaW which was mainly down to Zombies and the stellar single player, but their new creation isn't as ground breaking as its predecessor. Due to the fact that they have followed the same formula when creating the same single player, you know the one where it is packed full of cinematic sequences that get you pumped with adrenalineTreyarch had a place in everyone's hearts when they released WaW which was mainly down to Zombies and the stellar single player, but their new creation isn't as ground breaking as its predecessor. Due to the fact that they have followed the same formula when creating the same single player, you know the one where it is packed full of cinematic sequences that get you pumped with adrenaline and makes you feel like a God (of CoD). But although most will enjoy the awesome single player it won't take more than a day to finish the campaign and the story plot is predictable but with a twist or two that you wont guess.

    Multiplayer? Well if you were lucky enough to get it at release date then you would probably have enjoyed it with an exception from the annoying matchmaking faults, which are fixed btw. But now that it has been out for a while people have the top weapons which trust me really does make a difference as the last two weapons have barely any recoil and have a crap load of damage which makes for a horrible experience for the lower levels. There is also the fact that the killstreaks area lot lower and a **** load more dangerous plus there is a perk which you can take that lets people get it even faster. Overall the Multiplayer has changed a lot by using credits but they have made the game revolve completely around money which takes out the chance to earn them which makes the game a little bit stingy, the whole Mutiplayer is unbalanced but there is simply know way to fix that, a lot of people are going to get annoyed and frustrated over the Multiplayer so I think Treyarch have let us down there.

    As for Zombies the thing has been revamped a bit with the modern feel and new maps, but the mode on a whole as stayed the same which is not good and the maps although nicely made are very hard to survive in, on the plus side though one map lets you play as JFK and Nixon and who wouldn't love that. Dead ops arcade is an excellent edition to the game as well because it is rather fun and those old school gamers out there will absolutely love it.    … Expand
  81. ilikepie
    Nov 26, 2010
    8
    This is the ps3 game of the year. It is so much better then mw2 in almost every way. surprisingly, single player alone is a good resion to buy this game. it feals like a movie at some points of the game and a plot to enjoy to the end. the multiplayer is a HUGE improvment over mw2 (which simply was cod4 with new killstreks) i do not under stand why infinity ward wont try anything new andThis is the ps3 game of the year. It is so much better then mw2 in almost every way. surprisingly, single player alone is a good resion to buy this game. it feals like a movie at some points of the game and a plot to enjoy to the end. the multiplayer is a HUGE improvment over mw2 (which simply was cod4 with new killstreks) i do not under stand why infinity ward wont try anything new and risky. the point system is a breath of fresh air to the overused make 300 kills with a silenser to to get a heat beat sensor.plus NO HARTBEAT SENSOR AND NUKES! my life has been made happier because they are the resion I have stoped playin mw2 . overall there are a few kinks in single player like scrips. overall, i like this game and i think you will like it to.… Expand
  82. johnniedust
    Nov 26, 2010
    6
    While the Call of Duty gameplay engine is very good, it is starting to wear thin. While there are new bells and whistles, the game (and all of its modes/functions) is largely the same as it was in World At War and Modern Warfare 2. If it isn't broke, don't fix it of course. But this game is a red flag. How much longer will the industry get away with complacently putting out the sameWhile the Call of Duty gameplay engine is very good, it is starting to wear thin. While there are new bells and whistles, the game (and all of its modes/functions) is largely the same as it was in World At War and Modern Warfare 2. If it isn't broke, don't fix it of course. But this game is a red flag. How much longer will the industry get away with complacently putting out the same game each year? While some gamers may already be jaded, others are not yet. But this game demonstrates an alarming tipping point, where the series might fall downhill unless there are significant changes made.… Expand
  83. lewisbcfc4life
    Dec 10, 2010
    10
    i think call of duty, is an outstanding game, the graphics on it is just unbelivable, you will be shocked at how they make the graphics on this game because it seems impossible, they've spent so much time on this game, and it has payed off extremely good, the gameplay on it is amazing, everything about COD is just good, i think trechyard has showed the ability to make games in the past 2i think call of duty, is an outstanding game, the graphics on it is just unbelivable, you will be shocked at how they make the graphics on this game because it seems impossible, they've spent so much time on this game, and it has payed off extremely good, the gameplay on it is amazing, everything about COD is just good, i think trechyard has showed the ability to make games in the past 2 COD's they have done, if everyone is moaning about COD i suggest u all should fix up, why dont you try making this game and see how hard it is? COD black ops is so much different to all the other COD's , for me COD 4 is still the best COD, but they have made a big improvment on this one, Trechyard should be proud of thereselves, The graphics and voice acting is amazing. I loved the story, yes it's a little different but entertaining and well done. The multi-player credit system is brillliant and the customization options are incredibble, if ur looking for shooter games, i suggest you buy this!, you will be hooked on it all the time, once you play it, its like one of them games where you just carry on playing it until you get what you need, the achievments on here are fantastic, and i think the guns have made progress aswell from the last CODS, if u want a really good game to play i recommend this to all of you.… Expand
  84. Rob_Barker
    Dec 13, 2010
    7
    After playing this game since release, I know feel I am ready to voice my opinions on this release. As is my standard way with any COD release, I play the campaign first just to get it out of the way. This is not why we buy this series its the online we want. However the offline campaign tends to give you an general overview of the production. The first thing that struck me was the drop inAfter playing this game since release, I know feel I am ready to voice my opinions on this release. As is my standard way with any COD release, I play the campaign first just to get it out of the way. This is not why we buy this series its the online we want. However the offline campaign tends to give you an general overview of the production. The first thing that struck me was the drop in graphical quality from MW2, which I finally put down to a poor selection for the colour palette used in the majority of stages. The campaign for me dragged in the first half and just took to long for what play and content there was, the final half was completed easily in an hour which gave the feeling of the final production being rushed. But any Call Of Duty game will always be judged on its online game play. First impressions were good, but it soon starts to feel like MW2 with new maps and the levels with the still very poor colours are still there which lets it down. A good feature is that you can vote to replay or play the next map or random selection, this has meant I have been able to avoid the levels which are graphical unimpressive. The major down side of the online, connection problems, host problems, servers not being available or going down which is extremely annoying when you want to get a good evening of gaming in. Now, for the what I think is the pure genius revolution of this game over MW2 - Combat Training. This option is absolutely fantastic and redeems this game! Server problems, host problems, connection issues when playing online? No problem, fire up Combat Training and play bots on your favourite map. I actually enjoy this more than real online play, its so satisfying and more addictive than the real thing. To sum up, its overall a good game let down by a rushed and confusing campaign mode, and poor hosting online. Combat Training saves the day but once I reach the top rank once I will have had enough. I will then be back to Medal of Honor and COD4, with a cheeky visit for Combat Training every now and again.… Expand
  85. matt0778
    Nov 17, 2010
    10
    i was greatfully dissapointed over this, the start doesnt give any clear explantions as to what is actually happneing you just thrown straight into a gun fight. the story line is bland and doesnt devier well like modern warfare 2. there is no point in playing again eaither as you get no replay vaule it that dull. and with only one online game its slightly pointless one at that.
  86. xlegend-killerx
    Nov 18, 2010
    10
    Black Ops what everyone at fist thought WoW then the developer comes up TREYARCH the bubble is popped.. But did they proove everyone wrong being calling in this care package,yeah well its quite similar to MW1 but it is still an adrenaline rush from the campaign or to the hardcore kick ass multiplayer.. The game is a full package and should of deserved more recognition instead people justBlack Ops what everyone at fist thought WoW then the developer comes up TREYARCH the bubble is popped.. But did they proove everyone wrong being calling in this care package,yeah well its quite similar to MW1 but it is still an adrenaline rush from the campaign or to the hardcore kick ass multiplayer.. The game is a full package and should of deserved more recognition instead people just check the Developer,this is wrong!! If you are looking for a true sequal (similar to MW1) well then here is where the bus stops for you as it stopped for me "this is the true COD experience"!!! 10/10..… Expand
  87. Jerry718
    Nov 18, 2010
    8
    First and foremost, I'm new to COD so take this as you want. I've played every type of shooter I could find. This game is complete, it definitely has some bugs. Over all though the game is amazingly detailed and the game play is overall pretty fluid. Story line is awesome. As far as how it compares, no idea but as an introduction title to COD I'm pretty content. When a update comes out forFirst and foremost, I'm new to COD so take this as you want. I've played every type of shooter I could find. This game is complete, it definitely has some bugs. Over all though the game is amazingly detailed and the game play is overall pretty fluid. Story line is awesome. As far as how it compares, no idea but as an introduction title to COD I'm pretty content. When a update comes out for the game, I can see some of the issues currently in the game being corrected as it's been done with other titles.… Expand
  88. VidyaGaems
    Nov 18, 2010
    5
    Call of Duty: Black Ops deserves only one word: Rehash. If this was Activision and Treyarch's first Call of Duty game together, or even the first CoD game in general, it would be well deserving of that 88 the critics gave it, but this is not their first, it's not even their second. There has been 6 CoD's since this gen's platforms have been out, Treyarch has developed 4 of them (CoD2, 3,Call of Duty: Black Ops deserves only one word: Rehash. If this was Activision and Treyarch's first Call of Duty game together, or even the first CoD game in general, it would be well deserving of that 88 the critics gave it, but this is not their first, it's not even their second. There has been 6 CoD's since this gen's platforms have been out, Treyarch has developed 4 of them (CoD2, 3, WaW, and BlOps) and they still haven't perfected it. I have to agree with some of the others who have written reviews, this game is very much a slightly dumbed down version of CoD: MW2. First complaint would be the graphics. Shades of gray and brown fill the screen with pasty and dull environments, my first thought was "wow, this is ugly." Second, $59.99 USD for this game is an utter crime, the 4 to 6 hours of campaign you will pay is no where near that, but i know most, if not all of you, are purchasing this for the multiplayer, which brings me to my final point. Number three, the multiplayer is fun, yes, i kinda enjoyed it, but the set up is nothing but polished MW2 leftovers, in other words, same ole crap, different title. Game modes don't really feel any different from each other, and neither do the weapons. The first weapons they give you in every class aren't the best you can get, but are darn close to being the best, and on a side note, for realism sake, I about died laughing when I saw the stats for the Makarov (pistol), it had more "power" than the 1911, ha. But anyways back to the multiplayer. The points system is a joke, why should i be rewarded every time I lost a match? I was getting at least half the points the winning team was, I leveled up to level 13 in less than 2 hours of playing time. It was a rather casual experience to say the least. All in all I didn't hate the game, I had fun with the multiplayer, but not $60 of fun. If this was an expansion pack with a $14.99 price tag, I'd consider picking it up, but i know that will never happen, so I give this a 5/10.… Expand
  89. shotgunfacelift
    Nov 21, 2010
    8
    Many of these problems with graphics seem to be PS3 specific. I have an xbox and have had no problems, next door at my mates we play it on the PS3. It looks better, but there are seriously limiting frame rate issues? Which is weird.

    On to the game.. Granted, 1 player mode isn't very inventive, pretty rubbish dialogue etc... but seriously. It's a fps called 'Call of Duty' what did you    Many of these problems with graphics seem to be PS3 specific. I have an xbox and have had no problems, next door at my mates we play it on the PS3. It looks better, but there are seriously limiting frame rate issues? Which is weird.

    On to the game..

    Granted, 1 player mode isn't very inventive, pretty rubbish dialogue etc... but seriously. It's a fps called 'Call of Duty' what did you expect? Multiplayer is far far superior to MW2 and after playing about 10 hours, I stand by that statement. Played all the COD games to death and in my opinion they have done everything right here. Removed the annoying commando class (although, replaced it with RC cars which are a bit annoying, but in their defence they're no different from predator missiles in the last game).
    What they have done is force people to stand up and fight with guns, not run around stabbing people in the back. That's got to be a good thing? Shotguns can no longer be your 2nd weapon, again, removing the annoying in door shotgun battles from the last game.
    Treyarch have put COD on a par with Bungie for multiplayer detail with the customisation, game recording (so nerdy but amazing), guns, face paints, logos (see who can design the best penis) and post game stats.

    The critic reviews say it all. Not perfect by any means, but the best in the series by far in my opinion. Is it worth buying if you don't play it online? No. But was it ever?
    x    … Expand
  90. McKooza_Gaming
    Nov 28, 2010
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As in any Call Of Duty game, Black Ops has the most Campaign mode glitch's I've ever seen, for instance, here's my playing Campaign when I have to kill a few people when a team-mate gets shot, so a soldier goes over to revive him when he is shot 1000 feet in the air, also (SPOILER AHEAD! -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-) When Reznov is helping me he gets stuck to the roof and is killed, this happens every time and I cannot complete the mission. Anyhow, BlOps is a great multi-player online game, worth getting for any fan.… Expand
  91. camparitunes
    Dec 8, 2010
    6
    It felt like I was playing addon package. Not worth of full game price. The only positive thing about this game that I liked the plot and most of the places, but big lackluster experience othervise.
  92. AmiGo
    Dec 10, 2010
    7
    The game is good but the game have a big network problem in multiplayer game. Solo game is good too I like the story. Most interesting part we can play 2 peoples on the same tv in slip screen in multiplayer online mode!
  93. Mastergalen
    Dec 11, 2010
    6
    Quite disappointing and predictable campaign. Laggy multiplayer thanks to no dedicated servers even though greedy Activision would be able to afford them.
  94. Vedo
    Dec 13, 2010
    10
    Excellent sequel to MW2. Treyarch listened to fans who dodn't like MW2 and fixed almost all the problems. Beautiful graphics and a worthy game for all first-person shooter video game fans.
  95. lobstilops
    Dec 25, 2010
    7
    A game just like the others. Not a great improvement just the same sort of repetitve gameplay. Theater was a much needed improvement. The money system was cool too. Although a lot of multiplayer mess-ups (especially PS3). Some much needed updates hopefully are in line. All in all same game but still fun.
  96. TheKerbinator
    Dec 29, 2010
    7
    this is defintley the worst call of duty therss been both modern warfares looked good and the guns looked good they didnt have great campaogns but had amazing online play it was fast and frantic, cod 5 had a very good co-op campaign and zombies and the online was ok not great.
    Black ops has none of this campaogn is ok but once youve done it youve done it the zombies i dont like the maps    this is defintley the worst call of duty therss been both modern warfares looked good and the guns looked good they didnt have great campaogns but had amazing online play it was fast and frantic, cod 5 had a very good co-op campaign and zombies and the online was ok not great.
    Black ops has none of this campaogn is ok but once youve done it youve done it the zombies i dont like the maps and the online is shocking maps are bad the buying is pointless and the online gameplay is bad activision should stick with infity ward even if they are a bit dodgey    … Expand
  97. Jorge5927
    Jan 3, 2011
    1
    The game over all is just god awful to many people use the ak74u. The snipers are under powered. People just spam grenades. The cross bow and ballistic knife had to much hype for such a big let down . The kill streaks are to over powered . The whole credit systeM Is dumb what's the point of making us level up to unlock guns that we have to end up buying? The campaign was not that fun itThe game over all is just god awful to many people use the ak74u. The snipers are under powered. People just spam grenades. The cross bow and ballistic knife had to much hype for such a big let down . The kill streaks are to over powered . The whole credit systeM Is dumb what's the point of making us level up to unlock guns that we have to end up buying? The campaign was not that fun it was ok but has no replay Value .the maps are awful there are to Many places to camp. Teammates don't do anything they don't play the actual game type they just sit there and get kills . Over all This is the worst call of duty out there, this is the last cod game I ever buy… Expand
  98. Commen0136
    Jan 6, 2011
    7
    Black Ops isn't a perfect game. It was like the opposite of MW2. Mw2 had a bad campaign but made up for its addicting multiplayer. Black Ops had an awesome campaign. I loved the campaign it was interesting, fun and the story was awesome. But for other players its all about the MULTIPLAYER. The multiplayer wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The added cool stuff likeBlack Ops isn't a perfect game. It was like the opposite of MW2. Mw2 had a bad campaign but made up for its addicting multiplayer. Black Ops had an awesome campaign. I loved the campaign it was interesting, fun and the story was awesome. But for other players its all about the MULTIPLAYER. The multiplayer wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The added cool stuff like wager matches and money but it felt different. The "feel" of the online was different. I wasn't as fun and as exciting as Mw2's. Campaign was awesome. Zombies was good. Multiplayer was just okay.… Expand
  99. PollardsVision
    Jan 6, 2011
    9
    I wasn't a fan at first and the connection/lag issues were annoying, but this is a great game. It doesn't quite have the feel of MW2, which I loved, but it's better in most ways. They removed some of the annoying features from MW2 and added far greater depth.
  100. Justblazex
    Jan 15, 2011
    9
    Game is pretty fun. The story is pretty engaging big over the top action scenes. The multiplayer is really fun and has a lot of stuff that you can unlock or not if you don't want to spend your COD points on it. the last kill cam and theater mode was pretty neat features. the Killstreaks and weapon attachments are as good as ever and they added the Galil which is a great gun. Split screenGame is pretty fun. The story is pretty engaging big over the top action scenes. The multiplayer is really fun and has a lot of stuff that you can unlock or not if you don't want to spend your COD points on it. the last kill cam and theater mode was pretty neat features. the Killstreaks and weapon attachments are as good as ever and they added the Galil which is a great gun. Split screen Multiplayer is a plus too. The zombie mode is pretty fun if you have 4 players because it can get difficult. If you're a fan of FPS or the Call of Duty Series I recommend getting this game because its more of the same Call of Duty shootin Fun… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PS3 Game of 2010
4
#4 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2010
19
#19 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 58
  3. Negative: 0 out of 58
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jan 25, 2011
    90
    Call of Duty: Black Ops still represents one hell of a hefty package. It's bursting with hundreds of hours of entertainment that caters to every conceivable configuration of gamer out there, be they an adversarial gamer, a co-op connoisseur or a staunch offline soloist. [January 2011 p60]
  2. Gamekult
    Jan 18, 2011
    70
    By dint of obstinacy, Treyarch delivers probably its best with Black Ops Call of Duty to date - but probably not the best in the saga.
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  3. Cynamite
    Jan 16, 2011
    90
    There are more highlights in the first two missions of Black Ops, then in Medal of Honor. The requirements of Treyarch seemed to be better, than in the past few years. They made an interesting setting. In addition, there's a nice zombie mode and an overwhelming multiplayer. No doubt, this is Treyarchs best Call of Duty ever!
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