Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2684 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,148 out of 2684
  2. Mixed: 497 out of 2684
  3. Negative: 1,039 out of 2684
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  1. Justinavery7074
    Dec 4, 2012
    7
    I like it more than the original one, I can tell you that. But most of the time, it's pretty much the same maybe with a few new guns and whatnot. It's almost solid for me but what can I saw? It makes millions. Thank god my brother bought it instead of me.
  2. Just1nsane
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    It seems like these people are just sick of call of duty. Go play other games then. Lol stop disliking it because your 13 and you can't play it. Grow Up I enjoyed the game
  3. Avery767
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    Okay, I finally played for a while and here's my verdict... (not that it matters), in terms of content the game is really good. A fully realised Campaign mode with pretty good innovation in comparison to the others and possibly the best Campaign mode so far. Then we have the Zombies mode. I personally don't find the Zombies mode to be too great compared to BO1 and WaW. BO1 was the best byOkay, I finally played for a while and here's my verdict... (not that it matters), in terms of content the game is really good. A fully realised Campaign mode with pretty good innovation in comparison to the others and possibly the best Campaign mode so far. Then we have the Zombies mode. I personally don't find the Zombies mode to be too great compared to BO1 and WaW. BO1 was the best by far because in BO2 nothing really feels fresh anymore. It's hard to explain but I feel like the maps (I'm looking at you Tranzit) are way too big and that's why I found WaW's Nazi Zombie mode to be so attractive since it felt so much more personal and fun. Now the Multiplayer... probably the best and CoD4 comes close in most places. I'd say: the gun selection is worse than BO1, the maps are worse than B01, the gun play is much better than BO1, the Create-a-Class is much better than B01, the progression is much worse than BO1 and the game modes... I'm not too sure on yet. But first let's go into why the progression is way worse. I personally enjoyed the system in BO1 where it was completely open to trial and error and all that. In BO2 it uses the IW progression system with the "unlock the gun at level 41 and then use it to get more attachments!" crap! I loved the BO1 system where you could just get what you want, maybe experiment with it and then invest in attachments and what not! But I do like the "Pick 10" system. So my final verdict is an 7/10 and I would have given BO1 an 8/10. P.S. FIX THE DAMN SERVERS ALREADY!… Expand
  4. TheMaximalist
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    Black Ops 2 Review
    The Call of Duty series revolutionized the FPS genre in 2007 with COD 4 Modern Warfare but in the series recent years the games have been a simple re-skin each year since. Treyarch (the dev of World at War, 2 and Black Ops) tries some new things in this entry. As usual the story is standard, invaders invade and you have to stop them but a first in the series is the    Black Ops 2 Review
    The Call of Duty series revolutionized the FPS genre in 2007 with COD 4 Modern Warfare but in the series recent years the games have been a simple re-skin each year since. Treyarch (the dev of World at War, 2 and Black Ops) tries some new things in this entry. As usual the story is standard, invaders invade and you have to stop them but a first in the series is the dynamic story that molds to your decisions (even though there are a small number of them compared to other games). Really what happens is that your main enemy Raul Menendez is trying to start a war between China and America and you David Mason (the original BLOPS protagonist) must stop him. The game is set in 2025 mostly but there are some flashback sections where you play as Alex Mason. These are told by Woods to let you know why Menendez wants this to happen. There are 2 sections where you play as Menendez though and these have some objectives that are a bit counter progressive to the good guys story and you are just adding work for yourself. Black Ops location were all very bland in the past games but now there are some very interesting locations. But what stood out to me was the inclusion of sandbox levels. It doesn    … Expand
  5. Kermie
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    Bought it on the cheap to play through the campaign. I have to admit, after playing all recent CoD games since CoD 2, this is my favorite campaign. It features some really tough (albeit linear) choices, but they offer plenty of incentive to play the impressive and dramatic campaign. The villain is fleshed out really well this time around, and has plenty of personality as compared toBought it on the cheap to play through the campaign. I have to admit, after playing all recent CoD games since CoD 2, this is my favorite campaign. It features some really tough (albeit linear) choices, but they offer plenty of incentive to play the impressive and dramatic campaign. The villain is fleshed out really well this time around, and has plenty of personality as compared to past CoD villains. There are 3 or 4 really memorable missions, mainly accentuated by incredible set pieces or an incredible plot twist. Yes, the campaign is very good and requires a bit of brainpower to put together all of the relationships between characters and the multiple timelines. Strike Force missions, which break up the story mode, are both a success and major failure. The missions themselves are really interesting and it is incredible how they worked them into the overall story of the main game, yet playing them is a different story. AI in these missions is really touch and go, in which you either have to baby the squads through the map or just go completely Rambo and take down everything. The RTS element is really exciting, and I can see it working really well; but as it stands they are frustrating and unfun missions with incredibly spotty AI...all I really wanted to do is continue the stellar story. Multiplayer is still a love it or hate it affair. It does little to alter the formula, although the pick 10 system is quite ingenious and surprisingly well balanced. Never been a fan of Zombies, but Tranzit is fun, yet the zombie formula has been done before. I'm really hoping to see a huge leap in CoD because, deep down, I really do like the series. Blops 2 is less of a major step forward and more of a major refinement of the series, which is to be expected. Blops 2 is solid - excellent campaign, same old multiplayer, and stale Zombies - yet it doesn't wow or blow away expectations in all of its departments to truly create a stand out experience. 8… Expand
  6. Zilcell
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    This is exactly what I wanted from MW2 and MW3. If you were one of many who have been dissappointed by many recent CoD games, don't worry. BO2 makes a ton of changes and breathes new life into the dying series. And score streaks are way better than the kill streaks of previous games. The campaign is more refined than the crap known as MW2 and MW3. The online is better. This is the best inThis is exactly what I wanted from MW2 and MW3. If you were one of many who have been dissappointed by many recent CoD games, don't worry. BO2 makes a ton of changes and breathes new life into the dying series. And score streaks are way better than the kill streaks of previous games. The campaign is more refined than the crap known as MW2 and MW3. The online is better. This is the best in the series since Modern Warfare 1. Let's just hope that Activision can continue to take the franchise in to this direction, instead of the modern warfare direction.… Expand
  7. v0lten
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I give BO2 a solid 7. I love Treyarch as a company and believe they are a much better company than IW.

    This game has been a blast to play. Right now Im level 25 Prestige 1 and its Nov. 15th. Treyarch has implemented so many things into this game to make it a better experience and I love them. There are, however, a few key things that just ruin my experience sometimes. Listed in order or    I give BO2 a solid 7. I love Treyarch as a company and believe they are a much better company than IW.

    This game has been a blast to play. Right now Im level 25 Prestige 1 and its Nov. 15th. Treyarch has implemented so many things into this game to make it a better experience and I love them. There are, however, a few key things that just ruin my experience sometimes. Listed in order or annoyance/importance for me;

    1) Sound - Before I got the perk Awareness I never, not even once, heard someone sprinting up behind me to knife me. I could be standing on top of a metal staircase and their can be nothing else going on in the game (gunfire, etc) and I still can not hear this guy sprinting up this metal staircase to knife me in the back. I have Turtle Beach X41's and I play with them all the way up. In Black Ops, I could quite easily hear people even without whatever perk it was. In MW3 there was SitRep Pro, which let me hear clear across the map where people where hiding in corners. Now, in Blops 2, I cant hear a damn thing. Someone could come up behind me and throw a party and I would never know it. I couldnt wait to get the Awareness perk thinking it would be similar to SitRep Pro, well, its not, not even close. There were a few games where I actually heard some footsteps, but, if there is ANYTHING going on in the background (gunfire, choppers, etc), you cant hear footsteps again. 2 - Aim Assist - Is it just me or does every single bad player all of a sudden have the most amazing aim in the world? It doesnt matter if Im clear across the map with just my eyeball peaking out while head glitching, that person just scopes in and starts spraying and every bullet is smacking me. You watch the kill cam and you see the cross hairs just magically find you as long as he went ADS somewhere in your vicinity. I look at everyone K:D a lot and you just dont see the really BAD players anymore. Everyone is at least a .8 K:D. Theres a reason and thats because of this crazy aim assist. Coming from PC gaming, I understand the need for Aim Assist in a controller operated game but my god, turn it down a little.
    3 - Headglitching - 50% of gun battles involve you having to try to take off someones head because thats all there is in this game. I dont even know how you would try to fix this but I've never seen so many people head glitching. Every 5 feet there is another obstacle for you to stand behind and head glitch.
    4 - Domination Game Mode - One of my old favorite game modes, now my most hated. Unless you are on a very good team, this game mode is one sided. There are only ever 3 flag captures per round. One team gets A, the other team gets C, and whoever captures B wins. Very few games involve multiple Dom point swaps. The spawns in this game mode are also responsible for this because even if you manage to sneak all the way around to try to capture their starting flag, if you die, you spawn all the way behind your own starting flag and you have to do it all over again. Its crazy how bad this actually is. On a side note, I would love to see a 5 second respawn delay or something in this game mode.
    5 - Partying up - 2 things - Im usually playing with a full party of 6 people and when you go to start a game sometimes it takes a minute or so. For some reason, once the leader of the party starts the game, he can no longer hear anything from his teammates until they actually all get into the lobby, but, they can still hear him. Its kind of a weird/glitch thing that Im sure lots of people are complaining about and should be easy to fix. Another is being able to switch the party leader. If Im the leader of a party of 6 and I want to pass lead, that person has to back out and start a whole new party and send out invites. Kind of stupid.

    Well thats my review, Im still having a blast playing the game and Im confident Treyarch will fix a bunch of these issues once they start hearing from the community.    … Expand
  8. Breaker_Ki
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    First off, if you like the CoD series, then this one is the best so far and there is no doubt it will sell well keeping all lobbies full for the next year. That being said, it's just the annual refinement its predecessors, setting it the future doesn't change this fact. Even the new pick 10 system isn't interesting. Sure, you get full customization but when you do this, the same thingFirst off, if you like the CoD series, then this one is the best so far and there is no doubt it will sell well keeping all lobbies full for the next year. That being said, it's just the annual refinement its predecessors, setting it the future doesn't change this fact. Even the new pick 10 system isn't interesting. Sure, you get full customization but when you do this, the same thing always happens, people gravitate to what the masses view as the optimal spec (same thing happens in MMO's with talent systems). Sure, there are counter perks, but the mind set of most players in this genre is self, not team.… Expand
  9. GamingSince87
    Dec 21, 2012
    7
    Didn't play the campaign. Tried the multiplayer online and after being used to the carnage of BF3, it just didn't do it for me. The ONLY saving grace for me on this one was the Zombies. The zombies transit level is fun to do even if it is pretty repetitive.
  10. MiniDanTheMan
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Giving any game a zero is ridiculous. I'd give a game a zero if it didn't work when I put in the disc. Treyarch went out of their way to improve on Black Ops and they have succeeded. the campaign is good, zombies is the best it's ever been and multiplayer is as fun as ever. The game is not a 10, but not worse than 5. People complaining about the lack of innovation in MP are validated, butGiving any game a zero is ridiculous. I'd give a game a zero if it didn't work when I put in the disc. Treyarch went out of their way to improve on Black Ops and they have succeeded. the campaign is good, zombies is the best it's ever been and multiplayer is as fun as ever. The game is not a 10, but not worse than 5. People complaining about the lack of innovation in MP are validated, but I disagree. The gameplay is similar to the previous editions because it works. Treyarch stuck to the same basic formula that has given them so much success in the past and have made improvements in every aspect of the experience that fans of the series will enjoy. Casual players might regard the MP as similar to MW3 and BO, but veterans of the series will see the differences and enjoy them.

    I do wish that the engine had been upgraded, but the game still looks fantastic nonetheless.    … Expand
  11. mako_psy
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    Unfortunately, Call of Duty games tend to have two bandwagons; Bandwagon A consists of non-gamers buying into the marketing and hype, and will often rate Call of Duty games a 10 because they don't have much else to compare them to other than Fifa. Bandwagon B consists of snob-gamers, who make up their minds to give the games 0 before even playing them, simply because it's popular andUnfortunately, Call of Duty games tend to have two bandwagons; Bandwagon A consists of non-gamers buying into the marketing and hype, and will often rate Call of Duty games a 10 because they don't have much else to compare them to other than Fifa. Bandwagon B consists of snob-gamers, who make up their minds to give the games 0 before even playing them, simply because it's popular and almost "cool" to dislike them and say they're made for 12 year olds. I'm 25, and I don't care for bandwagon's and the like, so let me give you a much more honest review: Black Ops II isn't a bad game - certainly not worth the 10 so-called professional critics are giving it, but definitely not deserving of a 0, which equates it to some rushed 007 game. Despite what people have said, it's not a cut and paste of its predecessor, as it introduces a whole new futuristic setting, complete with a very different soundtrack, weapons and on-rails scenes. It also introduces the new strike force missions, which are essentially strategy-based missions and a world away from linear first person shooting. Black Ops II also switches between past and future missions, which allows for a fantastic way to learn the story, which is packed full of plot twists and an opportunity to play from unlikely perspectives. Of course, the game isn't without fault; it does suffer from being a little on the easy side. Without intentionally c0ck swinging, even on Veteran, the game feels like it has been made to predominantly cater to bandwagon A (as stated above). Some of the weapons are a little overpowered (a sniper rifles that can shoot through walls) and there are constant weapon cache's with the chance to refill ammo. Not once will you feel as under pressure as you did in World At War or even MW1. It's also a little on the short side, and I don't care much for the zombie mode. With so many pros and cons, I was close to giving the game an average 6, but to be honest I enjoyed it too much to give it anything less than a 7 - it's worth a rent, but not the retail price tag. Alternatively just wait until the price lowers.… Expand
  12. ps3sucks
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    i am a halo fan boy who hates cod but since everyone on my friends list has this, i bought it to amd heres an honest review.
    Multiplayer: 7/10 not that good its like all old cods but its improving and its fun
    Zombies: 10/10 Fun and amazing u will have a blast on tranzit
    Campaign: not played yet (will update when played)
    so you see you guys Bo2 isnt that bad.... zombies is amazing
  13. A_on_the_I
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Single player is a 10, multiplayer is a 0. Graphics and sounds is a 5. Clearly, all the money went into the story, which is the best COD story yet, but from the lousy multiplayer to the 3D ready graphics (which means most of us are delivered lacklustre poly detail and textures) to the weapon sounds where the reload "click" of the weapon is noticeably louder than the sound of the weaponSingle player is a 10, multiplayer is a 0. Graphics and sounds is a 5. Clearly, all the money went into the story, which is the best COD story yet, but from the lousy multiplayer to the 3D ready graphics (which means most of us are delivered lacklustre poly detail and textures) to the weapon sounds where the reload "click" of the weapon is noticeably louder than the sound of the weapon being shot, the graphics, sound, and multiplayer game-play are a bust. Some areas of BO2 look amazing in SP, too bad they couldn't apply that effort to the MP maps, which all look blurry and simplistic. The multiplayer is the lame level climb against vastly superiorly armed players that BO was. It won't grab you and hold your attention; first of all, that formula has been done before, done better and done with more effort focused on the multiplayer maps. If you were looking for a worthy successor to MW3, this ain't it. If what you want is a more balanced level climber, try Halo 4. If you want a more simulation of military combat, try the updated version of MOH:Warfighter. Black ops 2 multiplayer is just plain boring; and while the SP is worth the cost of admission, it's not what the majority of it's casual audience (those who don't hide penis size insecurity behind which game they prefer) expected or deserved. Warfighter and Halo 4 are out. Have a fun BO2 SP ride and then go back to whatever game it was you were doing.… Expand
  14. sumguitardude
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    Love or hate it COD is here to stay, if you are looking for something new then yes they have med some. But most of the game is the same as the other in the series. i am however really impressed by the story as it has to be the best in the series yet. With multiple endings and choices you have that impacts the campaign i love the new direction the story took. By far the best in the seriesLove or hate it COD is here to stay, if you are looking for something new then yes they have med some. But most of the game is the same as the other in the series. i am however really impressed by the story as it has to be the best in the series yet. With multiple endings and choices you have that impacts the campaign i love the new direction the story took. By far the best in the series even though it`s the same ol formula… Expand
  15. Wilsonasaraus
    Dec 8, 2012
    7
    In all honesty, Black Ops 2 is not a bad game. The graphics aren't really all that they could be. But are you going to be running around seeing of you can see the details of a rock, or are you going to be shooting people? I am not defending the choice to keep using the same game engine with minor tweaks each year, but graphics are not what makes a game good or bad. The campaign is a decentIn all honesty, Black Ops 2 is not a bad game. The graphics aren't really all that they could be. But are you going to be running around seeing of you can see the details of a rock, or are you going to be shooting people? I am not defending the choice to keep using the same game engine with minor tweaks each year, but graphics are not what makes a game good or bad. The campaign is a decent length. They tried to make a story that is interesting and I believe they succeeded. With that being said, it is still similar to past Call of Duty's. Escort this guy, snipe this guy, get to the helicopter, all just to get the set piece that every mission has. Zombies is a bit of a hit and miss. I really like what they did with the new game mode Tranzit. What that is, is a very large map where you get from area to area via a bus. You can build these little machines and things out of parts that you find. And the neat part is that the areas you go to are the survival maps. But just playing the survival maps by themselves are not very good. No Pack-A-Punch, and very limited space. These maps are small. The majority bought this game for multiplayer. And, just like Zombies, is a hit and miss. The guns are decently varied, although they really seemed to guve everything a pretty high fire rate. The maps are small, which makes them ideal for submachine guns and shotguns. The new gamemode Hardpoint is basically a King of the Hill type mode. The Pick Ten system that replaces the old Create A Class is definately an improvement. Want two primaries? You can do that. Want to run with nothing but a combat knife and a lot of perks? You can do that.
    So there's quite a bit of good and quite a bit of bad. If you haven't played Call of Duty in a few years, you might want to pick this up. If you have played every Call of Duty before this, I would suggest waiting until you can get it for $30-$40.    … Expand
  16. Daveman
    Jul 5, 2020
    7
    Cliff notes for people that don't want to hear the same old "OMG COD IS THE SAME GAME EVERY YEAR WAH WAH" ****

    The Good: Incredible class customization; pick 10 is the best thing to happen to COD in ages. Very fast paced compared to older CODs. Consistently high frame rate. Multiple endings in campaign is a nice change. RTS vets like myself will like the Strike Force Missions. Creating    Cliff notes for people that don't want to hear the same old "OMG COD IS THE SAME GAME EVERY YEAR WAH WAH" ****

    The Good: Incredible class customization; pick 10 is the best thing to happen to COD in ages. Very fast paced compared to older CODs. Consistently high frame rate. Multiple endings in campaign is a nice change. RTS vets like myself will like the Strike Force Missions. Creating your own emblem is even better than before and far outshines MW series. Melee kills require you to be closer (thank god). Quick scoping hasn't been eliminated, but is harder than before. Also great call on creating bullet clouds to trace back to camping snipers. First zombie maps are the same old stuff, but newer ones are very exciting.

    The Bad: Movement feels more..... "floaty," for lack of a better word, very different from other CODs. Maps are too SMG friendly.

    Overall: Single player is a bit muddled, but definitely better than most CODs. Multiplayer feels different, but has breathed new life in what would be stagnating gameplay. It's not TOTALLY new, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Worth buying.    … Expand
  17. disview912
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Yet another Call of Duty title has been released and it is at least solid. This is not a great game, or even a good game really, but it is fun and will provide several people with hours of entertainment. People can say what they will about the Call of Duty franchise, but it has done well for itself and keeps fans coming back. Of course the game is the same year after year, but that'sYet another Call of Duty title has been released and it is at least solid. This is not a great game, or even a good game really, but it is fun and will provide several people with hours of entertainment. People can say what they will about the Call of Duty franchise, but it has done well for itself and keeps fans coming back. Of course the game is the same year after year, but that's because the developers don't really strive to be innovative, which is fine. It is the gaming equivalent of candy. By this I mean it is not satisfying and filling like a steak, but it still tastes good and I indulge myself every now and again. My main point is that even though Call of Duty has become like Madden it doesn't make it a bad game. Call of Duty has become stale, repetitive, and a little dull, but it has certainly not become boring. Black Ops 2 is probably best suited for die-hard Call of Duty fans, but others may get a couple of weeks worth of fun out of it. Just go into the game with the mentality that it is the same as it has always been and you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  18. GamerGuy96
    Jan 18, 2013
    7
    Treyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a largeTreyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a large amount of potential that strikes very hard key selling points. The stellar campaign given felt a lot (not completely though,) different. It gave players a little more freedom and choice throughout the game as well as a slight sense of emotional awareness within the choices they made as a character. From mission load screens to in-game non-avoidable choices. These things made me fall in love with the sometimes drooling campaign. Zombies of course makes its large return and greater than ever, with new maps and a long sought after theater mode. This combined with 4v4 chaos in grief mode ends up resulting in countless hours of play time (not including future DLC and modes). Of course as every CoD game has been in the past the multiplayer is EXTREMELY addictive, but repetitive in its level system. But to fix this Treyarch has added several things to keep the players busy and happy longer. With the inclusion of a "league mode" which allows for PvP action within certain skill levels makes any and every gamer feel like a professional in there own world while enjoying the game. Theater mode also returns as expected and feels a little easier to use and less task heavy. The greatest thing that makes the games multiplayer fall short is its poorly created and managed servers. this results in a lag compensation and the case where in the right game mode the winner (9 times out of ten) is the host. This makes the newest installment of CoD:Blops 2 a game that i would buy in a heart beat but with a lack of polish and finesse in certain cases… Expand
  19. ROMshinobi
    Nov 18, 2012
    7
    this is a review for the campaign only as I haven't had the chance yet to try out the multiplayer.

    Graphics: I realize that it is an older engine but the game still looks great and easily on par with warfigher but not with BF3. The lighting, clarity and detail in the foliage in the jungle type areas is great. the indoor environments though are pretty basic. overall, i give the    this is a review for the campaign only as I haven't had the chance yet to try out the multiplayer.

    Graphics: I realize that it is an older engine but the game still looks great and easily on par with warfigher but not with BF3. The lighting, clarity and detail in the foliage in the jungle type areas is great. the indoor environments though are pretty basic. overall, i give the graphics an eight. i suppose Infinity ward or the publisher? is waitng for the next generation consoles before they develop a new engine. the Guns: this is arguably the most important part of any first person shooter. The guns were a big let down. gunfire seems muted and lacked punch. In addition, the guns all sound very similar to eachother. the first black ops had much better sound. these days warfighter carries the torch for realistc gun sounds with ghost recon close behind. Only two of the modern weapons were really innovative namely the flechette gun and one of the sniper rifles that could penetrate through walls The one standout feature of this game was the new overhead tactical viewpoint for one modern set where you could control individual men or machines. I hope they turn this type of warfare into a stand alone strategy game. It worked incredibly well.

    The biggest let down is that none of the missions seemed very black ops. they are more like missions you would expect the marines to do. Black ops missions should rely on a bit of stealth (ghost recon), silenced weapons, and special goggles with night vision, infiltration, assasination.

    further, I think the story back arc to the 80's was uncessary. they should have kept the story confined to the modern era. It was uncessary to tie the current events into what happened in Afghanistan for instance or Africa for that matter.

    The weakest part of the game was the story. the main villian was completely unbelievable. This was a perfect opportunity to set up China as the main protaganist. they could have used teh korean or vietnam wars as backdrops if they really wanted to provide some context to the future events. Further, chinese soliders would actually have advanced and interesting weaponry to provide some sort of challenge. It is totally unbelievable that a former drug runner would turn into a terrorist and be able to finance technological innovations for weaponry and software which be capable of challenging established governments. His background and so called rise to power was really boring too. Not as boring as the warfighter drama with that guy's wife and kid, but pretty close.

    My harshest criticism for the game though it lacked what I call an "air of reality" which some shooters achieve. It's that feeling that the people on the screen could be actual soldiers out there, doing this incredible sh#t and you feel a part of that. the first modern warfare had heaps and heaps of that feeling. even modern warfare 3 had it to a certain extent.

    this game did not have it at all. It's like it was missing its shooter mojo or something. Warfighter did a much better job with shooter mojo than this in the campaign, even though the campaign itself wasn't as good. So, in summary, the game had one brilliant moment with respect to the tactical view and control system. that was ingenious. Otherwise, the game was pretty average. I'm looking forward to the multiplayer to see how it compares with warfighter. to my mind warfighter, with the exception of BF3, has the best multiplayer going at the moment. Cheers,    … Expand
  20. Garian
    Jun 26, 2020
    7
    The singleplayer portion of this game was absolutely amazing, the story moreso than the gameplay. While Black Ops 1 was an amazing singleplayer experience, Black Ops 2's campaign was mind blowing. The fact that the player's decisions actually had an impact on the story was a first for the series, and actually made for a compelling story. The multiplayer was one of the best experiencesThe singleplayer portion of this game was absolutely amazing, the story moreso than the gameplay. While Black Ops 1 was an amazing singleplayer experience, Black Ops 2's campaign was mind blowing. The fact that the player's decisions actually had an impact on the story was a first for the series, and actually made for a compelling story. The multiplayer was one of the best experiences since MW2, but no dedicated servers made for a subpar experience. The zombie mode was kinda fun at first what with the new quirks, but got stale really quickly.… Expand
  21. Dyck_Marvelous
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    A zero? Really? It's so ridiculous that no one is going to take your comments seriously - the same can be said for all the 10's. Try to be objective people.
  22. Tate_Laycraft
    Feb 20, 2013
    7
    Well, I told myself I wasn't going to buy it and as always I ended up getting it. However, unlike most people I am actually somewhat impressed. Don't take that the wrong way though. Black ops 2 is definitely not the new innovational COD everyone was hoping for, but it isn't as bad as some people proclaim it to be. As usual, the campaign is short and predictable but you'll still be able toWell, I told myself I wasn't going to buy it and as always I ended up getting it. However, unlike most people I am actually somewhat impressed. Don't take that the wrong way though. Black ops 2 is definitely not the new innovational COD everyone was hoping for, but it isn't as bad as some people proclaim it to be. As usual, the campaign is short and predictable but you'll still be able to get at least some satisfaction out of it. The multiplayer is actually quite good. For the first time they actually got the gun power right. Not one gun is over powered and used by everyone in the game, but instead each gun seems to be ment for a certain playing style/map. Speaking of the maps, they are by far the least innovational part of the game. I often times find myself thinking of a map from a previous COD while playing the multiplayer. (I swear to god, Hijacked is just Nuketown on a boat.) Then we have zombies. Now, I absolutely loved the zombies in the original Black ops and I must say that I am kind of disappointed with transit. It just feels like a giant cluster to me. Too complicated I guess? Then when you play on one of the four locations by itself it just feels too small. On the other hand though, the DLC's zombie map is much more enjoyable and I hope to see much more like it in the future. In my opinion, the game is definitely worth owning. I give it a 7 out of 10… Expand
  23. Defectionate
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    Well-fleshed out campaign: granted it is completely unrealistic and off the wall. The graphics sincerely need an overhaul, its now lacking in that department critically. The guns feel nice when shot. The MP as of now, in my experiences, is just shy of a train wreck. The lag even on 360 is atrocious, the maps are decent enough...when the spawns actually flip and its not both teams on theWell-fleshed out campaign: granted it is completely unrealistic and off the wall. The graphics sincerely need an overhaul, its now lacking in that department critically. The guns feel nice when shot. The MP as of now, in my experiences, is just shy of a train wreck. The lag even on 360 is atrocious, the maps are decent enough...when the spawns actually flip and its not both teams on the same side. The worst part of the MP is the hit detection, it is awful, you feel you should have won a gun fight but some how become insta-dead. People were complaining about Warfighter, this is worse, and they out in the theater mode again so you can watch yourself have crosshairs right on a guy and not even get a marker. Its bad. I feel they spent too much time on Zombies, that part is great, its new and different but not completely away from what made it popular. Overall this game is good at best, maybe if they fix the online MP problems it will be decent.… Expand
  24. MurderTechnique
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    CALL OF DOODIE: CRAP OPS 2. People get suckered into spending $60 every November for the same game w/minor changes; it's too bad the COD franchise milks people for sales every year. Name a company that's gonna turn down the opportunity for multi million dollar sales every single year though. That said, it's understandable that another installment releases every single year. What I don'tCALL OF DOODIE: CRAP OPS 2. People get suckered into spending $60 every November for the same game w/minor changes; it's too bad the COD franchise milks people for sales every year. Name a company that's gonna turn down the opportunity for multi million dollar sales every single year though. That said, it's understandable that another installment releases every single year. What I don't understand is why so many people feel compelled to spend $60 on it again and again and again. I shoud point out that I'm not one of the stupid, immature peope on here who submit reviews on games just to give them undeserving scores of "0" in order to pull their score down. The "reviewers" who are doing that should be banned from Metacritic because they're just ruining the site. If games like this deserve a "0" then what the does a truly bad game deserve to get? I think this game deserves a "7." The graphics are great. The campaign is epic and the game boasts lots of multiplayer modes. Zombies is still there too. The reason I only give it a 7 is because it doesn't do anything that previously released COD games haven't already done. It's simply another $60 rehash. My recommendation to fellow gamers is to STICK WITH INFINITY WARD. They're the true creators and developers of COD. Treyarch sucks in comparison because their games are plagued with glitches and they try too hard to make their games "over the top." Also, while on the subject of comparisons, Infinity Ward's "Special Ops" is way more impressive than Treyarch's "Zombies." Modern Warfare 4 will be out in November next year so there's no good reason to waste $60 on BO2. Get Halo 4 since it's a breath of fresher air, enjoy the DLC you likely already invested in for MW3, and look forward to MW4 kicking BO2's ass in a matter of months. :)… Expand
  25. DarrMunny
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    I think there are a few fan boys rearing their heads again, 0, really ? look we all know what we were going to get here, just like the poor cousin battlefield series and its 2 min single player campaign. Pretty much what I expected really, and now people are up in arms about it, seriously !! It's a fun free for all shooter and I love the zombies all ways have, me and a few mates get onlineI think there are a few fan boys rearing their heads again, 0, really ? look we all know what we were going to get here, just like the poor cousin battlefield series and its 2 min single player campaign. Pretty much what I expected really, and now people are up in arms about it, seriously !! It's a fun free for all shooter and I love the zombies all ways have, me and a few mates get online and blast away at those zombies,we brought cod 2 just for that. Yeah more of the same....so what !! Get over yourselves and go play the Wii !!… Expand
  26. FlippyisFloppy
    Dec 9, 2012
    7
    A game that shouldn't be getting as many negative reviews as it has been getting from the users , Black Ops 2 delivers what I was expecting from the campaign with a few surprises. I really loved the fact for once in the CoD series you get to have choices that will alter the ending! You can also choose on what missions you get to do that will also change the story line. The story lineA game that shouldn't be getting as many negative reviews as it has been getting from the users , Black Ops 2 delivers what I was expecting from the campaign with a few surprises. I really loved the fact for once in the CoD series you get to have choices that will alter the ending! You can also choose on what missions you get to do that will also change the story line. The story line itself is action-packed and great! The gameplay is generally the same, but that's expected for most FPS games (for me at least). Although the campaign was great, the multiplayer was still the same as the modern warfare and above. Although I like the fact that it has 'score-streaks' instead of kill-streaks ( I don't know that was in MW3 as well, didn't play the multiplayer since i was disappointing with it in general). But I still have fun with it nevertheless. The guns in multiplayer are somewhat off-balanced, being that the SMGs are the superior weapons in multiplayer (like it has been since mw2) but it is not too bad (although the mp7 is a bit too good). Plenty of gamemodes to choose from.

    Zombie Mode though is great! It is improved and a bit more polished from Black Ops 1. It has 1 additional perk called Tombstone (wanna learn about it? Google it.) And of there is a good amount of weapons to choose from with few being worthless. Although there is one thing that disappointed me a a bit. The lack of maps on there. There is technically 4 maps ( Tranzit, Farm, Town, and Nuketown) but it only feels like their is 2 maps. Farm and Town can be played on Tranzit ( which is just basically one huge map) and Nuketown is only obtainable at the moment for Hardened Edition, Deluxe Edition, and the Care Package (The Collectors Edition). I know I could of payed gotten them easily, but I'am not spending 20$ extra dollars on a game for just one map and a few crappy other additions. But overall I'am still pleased with Zombie mode.    … Expand
  27. Mystery19x
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I got this game early and after playing it for a few days and many many hours here is my honest review. The graphics aren't really high class compared to other game franchises like Halo, Gears of War, or Assassin's creed but the graphics aren't bad either, not even close. Graphics and audio are a major improvement however to past COD games. The campaign IMO is very good. Yes it feels likeI got this game early and after playing it for a few days and many many hours here is my honest review. The graphics aren't really high class compared to other game franchises like Halo, Gears of War, or Assassin's creed but the graphics aren't bad either, not even close. Graphics and audio are a major improvement however to past COD games. The campaign IMO is very good. Yes it feels like other COD campaigns with the explosions, movie like executions, etc but it feels much more personal, emotional and the campaign actually makes sense this time. The time-line from the cold war to 2025 fits in PERFECTLY in the story. The decision making process in the game also works very well and promotes replay-ability. The zombies in the game are improved and involve a more tactical style of game play instead of running around in circles. The zombies in this game have almost a Left 4 dead style and feel of game play The multiplayer overall has been improved. The maps are well done, the perks and weapons are balanced. The pick 10 system works well and gives unlimited customization options. Kill streaks or score streaks are much more difficult to earn in this game compared to past COD's IMO which is a good thing. The sniping has improved, the hit detection is very good. However, here are some things I did not like about this game. This game still feels TOO MUCH like past COD's unfortunately. It is VERY repetitive. The campaign could of been much longer. It is only 5 hours long on normal difficulty. I only played this game for a few days and have already come across annoying campers, quick scopers, etc. Panic knifing has returned. The re-spawns are improved but still are far from near perfect. Overall, a good Call of Duty game.… Expand
  28. driftlv1
    Nov 23, 2012
    7
    Finally. A major change in the series for the first time since Call of duty 4. That sentence alone restored hype to this game for me and many others.

    After the huge failure and frustration MW3 was, thousands of people gave up on cod, hell nearly even me. But then Treyarch randomly comes out of nowhere and announces some big changes, and people got excited. Not only is Black ops 2 in the    Finally. A major change in the series for the first time since Call of duty 4. That sentence alone restored hype to this game for me and many others.

    After the huge failure and frustration MW3 was, thousands of people gave up on cod, hell nearly even me. But then Treyarch randomly comes out of nowhere and announces some big changes, and people got excited. Not only is Black ops 2 in the near future with brand new technology. Campaign

    I first thing I played was campaign. It's great, a lot better than MW3's. However, it's still not the best cod campaign. I LOVED the create a class and challenge system. It added so much replay value. There are also choices throughout the story. The choices are fewer than I imagined, which disappointed me, but they have a pretty big impact on the story and it's ending. The campaign, like the others, is a blast. It's full of action and there's a twist at every turn, and it's VERY fun to play. You'll be utilizing a lot of vehicles such as a jeep, a VTOL jet, a chopper gunner, and much more. And a lot of it isn't just on rails either. You get to fully drive it through a pretty big world, not just one path, and it provides a fresh experience that is overdue. My favorite part was when you're playing as a spider robot, and you had to use strategy to maneuver throughout the vents and find a good route, and it's very cool and unexpected.

    The story is good, but there is still so many unexplained things and plotholes, and cheesy lines. I expected a bit more from the story, and it's probably the most unrealistic one to date, but it's still good. There are a few unneeded scenes like main characters getting brutally tortured and killed in front of you, like they're just minor characters, and unnecessary twists or moments.

    Menendez is a good villain, but I barely felt any pity or empathy for him, which is what the writers tried to achieved, but failed. I just hated him even more.

    They put a TON of work into the campaign, with great pre-rendered cutscenes that took a lot of work to probably do, and with all the custom animations instead of re-using others like in the MW games. Strike force missions are great, although a little confusing at first, and offer up a hugely new experience that I liked, but didn't love. The story is also surprisingly long, being as long as Cod 4. The story is also very violent, sometimes unnecessarily violent. Some deaths are just brutal and aren't needed. One interrogation that happens in the story involves someone stabbing a knife through his hand and watching him suffer, and although the guy you're interrogating is a huge jerk, it's still kind of unneeded. And some characters and plot elements could've been expanded upon, especially one character in general (you'll see who I mean).

    Zombies

    A lot of people just buy call of duty for the zombies, and it's obvious why. It's addicting as hell. Zombies in this game is fun, but not as good as the last two games. You can play tranzit, which is fun at first, exploring and finding out the huge amount of easter eggs, but once you've figured out how to do everything, it gets boring, and it's pretty damn hard. You can finally customize zombies and even change difficulty, but the only thing i've noticed is that slightly more power-ups spawn on easy. You also have that one option for tranzit, which dissapointed me. There also aren't very many guns you can get from the box, in fact a lot are from the first black ops.

    Survival is classic survival on one of the maps in tranzit. Every map except one is terrible, containing no pack a punch and limited guns. One map has all the guns, perks, and a pack a punch, but it's still small as hell and gets boring.

    Grief is survival but with two teams, and it could even end up as 8v8. It's a fun change, but it would've been SOOOOO COOOLL on tranzit, but it's only for survival.

    Multiplayer

    Some argue that the multiplayer has been the same since cod 4. And it basically is. Want to know why? It's call of duty. Call of duty 4. CALL OF DUTY Black ops 2. Get it? If you changed in, not only would nobody buy it, but it wouldn't be call of duty anymore.

    Multiplayer overall is good. The maps are a definite improvement from MW3, although they still aren't amazing, mostly because they are very small, even the larger maps, so SMG's dominate. Lag compensation is still there, but it isn't as bad as when black ops 1 came out, or MW3, which is good. It's still very annoying and it breaks the gameplay, but it's not too bad and i'm sure they'll make it better like they did in Black Ops 1.

    The pick 10 system is awesome. It adds so much customizability and it's just awesome. I love all the different combinations you can do with it, and it allows me to play more like how I want to play.

    Overall Black ops 2 is a good game. It didn't meet my expectations, but it's a definite improvement over MW3, and it offers some change.    … Expand
  29. jeffo2448
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Pros:
    Multiplayer is still fun, gameplay is addictive, there are tons of stats to view and improve upon, maps are decent, new kill streak point system is solid

    Cons:
    Still feels like an expansion pack rather than a whole new game
    Graphics aren't the greatest
  30. WimpySugar
    Nov 29, 2012
    7
    Update since I gave the game a 5 within the first few days. The campaign is great and with the ending changing depending on your choices, it actually adds replay value, unlike previous COD games. Zombies is fun for a while but the maps grow old after a while but it is still a very fun mode. Zombies will probably be better once they release more maps and perks. Multiplayer is a combinationUpdate since I gave the game a 5 within the first few days. The campaign is great and with the ending changing depending on your choices, it actually adds replay value, unlike previous COD games. Zombies is fun for a while but the maps grow old after a while but it is still a very fun mode. Zombies will probably be better once they release more maps and perks. Multiplayer is a combination of MW3 and Black Ops. If you liked either multiplayer, BO2 multiplayer may grow on you. The pick 10 system is great since you won't see two people with identical classes. The system adds great variety and constantly makes you adapt your classes. This game does however have one major flaw: the players. In pretty much every game I go into, people camp on the second floor of a vertical building with either bouncing betties or shock charges (immobilizes you). The people who don't camp in buildings run around the map with all stealth perks or shotguns which both become extremely annoying until it becomes available to you. There are very few players who just play the game normally without using the most overpowered setups. This takes away all the fun for me in multiplayer. If anyone gives this game a ten they are lying because COD has a long way to go before it becomes perfect. While this game is fun for the first few hours, it just won't last. However, I still find it better than MW3.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
10
#10 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Xbox World Australia
    Jan 22, 2013
    80
    This is not to say it's a bad game, it's just not different enough from previous Call of Duty titles. The story isn't memorable, the maps and weapons aren't any different to what we've previously experienced, the gameplay is near identical to previous games, and when it's not identical it falls flat and fails to impress.
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  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jan 19, 2013
    80
    It's fun, and an indication that Treyarch is willing to explore ideas that Infinity Ward has thus far ignored. [Issue#93, p.74]
  3. DailyGame
    Jan 7, 2013
    95
    If the original Black Ops was Treyarch's coming-out party, then Black Ops 2 is the studio's affirmation that their COD expertise was no flash in the pan. If you're one of the 16 people who hasn't played this gem yet, go buy it now. Conversely, if you're among those who bought the game but hasn't ventured into the single-player campaign (yes, it happens), there's a great narrative and divergent gameplay awaiting your experimentation, so check it out.
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