Call of Duty: Black Ops

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1770 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 966 out of 1770
  2. Mixed: 419 out of 1770
  3. Negative: 385 out of 1770
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  1. ScottyHump
    Nov 10, 2010
    7
    What did Treyarch do with all the Hardcore modes? Also, why do I have to wait until level 19 to play Hardcore? I know it's only 19 levels, but playing on Hardcore on previous CoD installments has made me accustomed to that style of play. So I play 19 levels (screaming "!#$@ Core!" countless times) and unlock Hardcore just to find out there are only 3 modes: S&D, Team Deathmatch and FFA.What did Treyarch do with all the Hardcore modes? Also, why do I have to wait until level 19 to play Hardcore? I know it's only 19 levels, but playing on Hardcore on previous CoD installments has made me accustomed to that style of play. So I play 19 levels (screaming "!#$@ Core!" countless times) and unlock Hardcore just to find out there are only 3 modes: S&D, Team Deathmatch and FFA. WTF? Where's HQ? No Ricochet modes in Hardcore at all? I give it a 7 because it's great fun (like most CoD games) and the soundtrack is awesome (reminds me of Dynasty Warriors). I also like the purchasing of attachments so you don't have to sift through a pile of **** just to get the one you want. All in all it's a great game so far I just hope to God they add more Hardcore modes.… Expand
  2. Review9
    Apr 23, 2011
    7
    Call of duty black ops has a FANTASTIC campaign that will never bore you, an insanly fun zombies mode and on ok multiplayer. Let's start with the campaign, in my opinion it has one of the best campaigns in the series. It may not be the most realistic thing in the world but who gives a **** Personally i loved the story, i love the gameplay and i can honestly say the campaign competes withCall of duty black ops has a FANTASTIC campaign that will never bore you, an insanly fun zombies mode and on ok multiplayer. Let's start with the campaign, in my opinion it has one of the best campaigns in the series. It may not be the most realistic thing in the world but who gives a **** Personally i loved the story, i love the gameplay and i can honestly say the campaign competes with the campaign in cod4. Zombies is fun but only on 1 map maybe 2. Kino is by far the best zombie map in the game and then theres five and i mean five is ok but you can't get past round 15 without all 4 players in the lobby having ray guns and heavy duty upgraded machine guns ex. rpk, hk21 etc, or glitching on top of something. the other map accension is just bad. Now what trey arch did with the multiplayer is they took all the complaints from MW2 and "fixed them". They didn't want any of the guns over powered so they pretty much made every gun have the same damage. They didn't really add anything new to the cod expierience which is a shame because of all the hype about black ops. They didn't really have any original kill streaks besides the RC-XD and the black bird other wise all the other kill streaks have been done either in a cod game or a different shooter. THE VERDICT: If you are interested in an insane campaign or a survival game i suggest picking this up. How ever if you wanted something new with the multiplayer your probably better off with MW2, but if you are a cod loving fan atic and you are going to play the multiplayer if your good at it or not you will probably be satisfied with the game!… Expand
  3. ste88883
    Nov 14, 2010
    7
    The solo campaign is short but well made but its the multiplayer and zombies that people really buy this game for. Sure it's alot like MW2 but thats no bad thing in my opinion. Its an improvement on an excellent game.
  4. Trucu
    Dec 18, 2010
    7
    I'll separate this into categories, then rate each of them independently. Then I'll average the scores; some have different weights though.

    Gameplay Solo: 8 - Solo is fun and intriguing in the beginning, but you can easily figure out what is actually happening about halfway through, and the story isn't that engaging. Gameplay Online: 7 - Same old CoD style online since CoD4: MW. Nothing    I'll separate this into categories, then rate each of them independently. Then I'll average the scores; some have different weights though.

    Gameplay Solo: 8 - Solo is fun and intriguing in the beginning, but you can easily figure out what is actually happening about halfway through, and the story isn't that engaging.
    Gameplay Online: 7 - Same old CoD style online since CoD4: MW. Nothing has really changed, and it feels more like a modern shooter in the Vietnam era because of all the modern age gadgetry. This also goes for the campaign.
    Graphics: 9 - Same modified CoD4 engine, so graphics are pretty spectacular. They lack some of the polish that MW2 had, but overall very nice.
    Playability: 10 - Very smooth control scheme, everything functions properly.
    Sounds: 7 - Guns sound odd at times, everything is overly loud instead of finely tuned. Character voices are nice, but the action sounds too fake (Many guns sound like hitting pots and pans with spoons).
    Replayability: 7 - If you aren't tired of a 4th CoD4 style online shooter, I guess it is pretty fun. 15 prestiges and 50 levels a piece will keep you busy. If you are like me and have been sick of this type of gameplay since WaW, don't bother buying the game.
    Verdict: 7.3 - Since most people only purchase this game for the online, that and the replayability weigh heavily on it's total score. A new CoD it might be, but nothing new is inside, so I don't see how it is a very good game. It is basically another reskin of CoD4. It doesn't FEEL like you're in Vietnam because you are using future tech for most of the time, some of the tech being in MW2, and the story is similarly high tech and awkward.

    Even though I dislike the online, I still think I graded this game fairly according to an unbiased perspective. It brings almost nothing new to the table, so I don't see how it can have amazing scores around the board.    … Expand
  5. Flamesuitready
    Nov 17, 2010
    7
    Call of Duty only really grabbed my attention once it became Modern Warfare, the second world war just didn't appeal to me as a period for interactive entertainment, the setting of Black Ops in the cold war and Vietnam was an interesting idea, one that Hollywood has been more than willing to explore so the games industry taking a look seemed long overdue (no doubt its not the first, butCall of Duty only really grabbed my attention once it became Modern Warfare, the second world war just didn't appeal to me as a period for interactive entertainment, the setting of Black Ops in the cold war and Vietnam was an interesting idea, one that Hollywood has been more than willing to explore so the games industry taking a look seemed long overdue (no doubt its not the first, but new to me) while the weapons might not be up to the modern whiz bang standards of the recent Modern Warfare / Medal Of Honor games they are not too far off and don't slow things down at all.
    The story is a little hard to follow as its mostly seen from your character's memory and the setting of the present in an interrogation suite disrupts the flow a little, everything makes sense but you actually have to concentrate a little which is more than most FPS's would have you do.
    Quite a few parts of the game are "on rails" and that gets annoying, gameplay gets very frustrating at times as there is just SO much going on that at times you just end up wondering what the hell you are actually supposed to be doing.
    Overall its a decent FPS, not quite as engaging as the previous couple of CODs due to its repeated flashbacks but its definitely enjoyable. 7/10, just missed the 8 due to the frequent overly confusing moments.    … Expand
  6. austinbond
    Dec 19, 2010
    7
    The single player offers a great story, but the game never calms the f*ck down. All the high-octane action sequences that occupy every second of the game lose any trace of realism. Fans of the COD multiplayer formula won't be disappointed, but I feel that it's more about reflexes than actual strategy. Zombies is fun though.
  7. Jerik02
    Apr 19, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game. The single player was ok, but it is the multiplayer where the game really shines. I know people are hating on this game, but the sales numbers don't lie. With 5 million sold copies, it is obviously a success. Also look at how many people are playing on any given night compared to Halo Reach or Homefront. The numbers speak for themselves.
  8. bigtimechief
    Nov 16, 2010
    7
    It's hilarious how many people give this game a zero. Really? C'mon. If you want to find where the whiners throwing temper tantrums are located, check the user reviews on any Call of Duty game. A zero represents an absolutely unplayable game in which the disk would be best used as a coaster. This game in now way resembles an uncompleted game. Despite it being more of the same, this is aIt's hilarious how many people give this game a zero. Really? C'mon. If you want to find where the whiners throwing temper tantrums are located, check the user reviews on any Call of Duty game. A zero represents an absolutely unplayable game in which the disk would be best used as a coaster. This game in now way resembles an uncompleted game. Despite it being more of the same, this is a game you won't want to miss.… Expand
  9. bjoncas
    Nov 10, 2010
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 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
  10. dexitron
    Nov 10, 2010
    7
    I own all the call of duty games in the series for PC. Played them til my eyes crossed at times.
    The single player game was fantastic challenging without being too frustrating, astounding plot, phenomenal graphics, compelling characters. It felt like a six and a half hour interactive movie. Single player campaign was miles above MW2 in my opinion, and I thought MW2 could not be topped.    I own all the call of duty games in the series for PC. Played them til my eyes crossed at times.
    The single player game was fantastic challenging without being too frustrating, astounding plot, phenomenal graphics, compelling characters. It felt like a six and a half hour interactive movie. Single player campaign was miles above MW2 in my opinion, and I thought MW2 could not be topped.

    The Multi-player has a very WAW fell with modern weapons even some that did not exist in the time frame of this game setting, but I'm glad they stretched reality there it makes for a better experience.
    Updated but not revolutionary is the best way to describe multi-player.

    The co-op portion was very disappointing, I like the zombies don't get me wrong but I wanted
    the co-op experience similar to MW2. Not to mention just endless waves of zombies gets old quick. The co-op in MW2 had hours of excitement for me and my friends. We had to function like a small Spec-ops team to complete the maps. You needed: communication, precision, and teamwork to do the missions. Not like Multi-player where no matter what organization an communication you try to establish everyone runs around and does there own thing. There is a "Combat Training" mode you can play privately with your friends, but event the AI runs around like decapitated chickens. If they offered non-zombie co-op maps in the future maybe ill buy them (maybe) or hold my breath waiting for it to return next year.

    Overall a great game. I'm glad to see the franchise grow and improve. It would be a perfect 10 but
    multi-player did not blow me away like COD4 & COD6, and no good co-op which makes the game playable again and again.    … Expand
  11. jimmyf
    Nov 11, 2010
    7
    While I do agree about the negative comments written about this game, I still think it has some positives as well, making it worth buying. The biggest pain is the location of respawn points, commonly behind you and then behind the guy behind you and so on. I think this game is alright without being awesome and I wouldnt get rid of mw2 just yet. Unfortunately, we have to hope that a patchWhile I do agree about the negative comments written about this game, I still think it has some positives as well, making it worth buying. The biggest pain is the location of respawn points, commonly behind you and then behind the guy behind you and so on. I think this game is alright without being awesome and I wouldnt get rid of mw2 just yet. Unfortunately, we have to hope that a patch can fix some of the problems that ire us all. The maps arent awesome either and this game feels like it has been overmarketed and under sold. It is meant to be under-promise and and over-deliver but its still OK to play… Expand
  12. wackywiddy
    Nov 12, 2010
    7
    I hate to say it, but COD B.O. is a huge disappointment. The campaign has it's moments, but is marred by too many cut scenes and dialog. The action scenes, while fun, are very short and seem like they were spliced together as an afterthought. Not to say the campaign was not fun...it was (Although it is on the short side). I first thought that was going to be OK due to the trade off for theI hate to say it, but COD B.O. is a huge disappointment. The campaign has it's moments, but is marred by too many cut scenes and dialog. The action scenes, while fun, are very short and seem like they were spliced together as an afterthought. Not to say the campaign was not fun...it was (Although it is on the short side). I first thought that was going to be OK due to the trade off for the usually stellar MP mode, but this was even more of a letdown. The maps are mostly poorly designed, game play is slow, weapons are inaccurate, sound is weak, and graphics are very dated. I will be returning to MW 2 for my multiplayer fix.… Expand
  13. Panek1873
    Nov 15, 2010
    7
    Copy/past from Call of Duty 6(((((There are not ANY brainf*ck moments(But it have story!!!And first in history i like fire and gameplay really different
  14. pirodev
    Nov 22, 2010
    7
    I couldn't help but be very excited for this game because it was so well marketed and the expectation was that it would be better than modern warfare. Needless to say there was a big let down. The campain was good, but felt forced, with no real new ideas. I had hoped that it would be more of a solo mission without your team members which usually only add to the mass confusion when tryingI couldn't help but be very excited for this game because it was so well marketed and the expectation was that it would be better than modern warfare. Needless to say there was a big let down. The campain was good, but felt forced, with no real new ideas. I had hoped that it would be more of a solo mission without your team members which usually only add to the mass confusion when trying to shoot your way to safety. The game is called black ops but it never really felt like Black ops. Theres still a ways to go before Call of Duty will get character development right, and a truly engulfed story line.

    That being said, I do think that the multiplayer experience is a improvement. The perks are more even, the maps are better with numerous entry ways into every building, customization is great, stats/leaderboards are well thought out, and the new free for all game modes are fun (but you cannot gain xp, only cod points).

    As for Zombies I could'nt be bothered, I miss the spec ops, which was my favorite feature for Modern Warfare 2. Overall: Campain - 6 Multiplayer - 9    … Expand
  15. claychastain
    Nov 24, 2010
    7
    This isn't a bad game, but it isn't anything new. The single player didn't engage me at all and I had no idea or interest in whatever the plot was supposed to be about. Kill a Russian or something, just like every other game ever made. There are ridiculous moments in it and too many uses of "cool factor" slowmos that are more cliche than cool. As well, there are times when infinite numbersThis isn't a bad game, but it isn't anything new. The single player didn't engage me at all and I had no idea or interest in whatever the plot was supposed to be about. Kill a Russian or something, just like every other game ever made. There are ridiculous moments in it and too many uses of "cool factor" slowmos that are more cliche than cool. As well, there are times when infinite numbers of enemies rush trenches in mind-boggling simplicity that makes the entire game feel fake. The multiplayer is essentially the same as MW2 -- if you've played that, you played this. It's okay, but I dislike the maps. They're murky looking and not as fun to play in. All of the things that have frustrated me about MW2 are now compiled with all of the things that frustrated me about WaW and it's not enough to keep me playing.… Expand
  16. dpritch
    Dec 10, 2010
    7
    Zombies is amazing (and comical). Story is great, although semi-fabricated (I can live with that). Multiplayer is douche-ish, as to be expected. A fine game. I love them level designs as well. Overall, this is the best Call Of Duty game out right now.
  17. zealot027
    Dec 16, 2010
    7
    I'm disappointed, to say the least. World at War is by far, to this day, my favorite Call of Duty game EVER. I thought Call of Duty 3 was a good game, too. Accordingly, I had high expectations for Treyarch. I can't say I hate Black Ops, because I don't, I just don't LOVE it. First off, let's start with the perks - The Campaign blew me away. I thought it would be a Modern Warfare 2-styleI'm disappointed, to say the least. World at War is by far, to this day, my favorite Call of Duty game EVER. I thought Call of Duty 3 was a good game, too. Accordingly, I had high expectations for Treyarch. I can't say I hate Black Ops, because I don't, I just don't LOVE it. First off, let's start with the perks - The Campaign blew me away. I thought it would be a Modern Warfare 2-style thing with a little more stealth and set in the 60`s. Hey, I wouldn't have had a problem with that, Modern Warfare 2's Campaign was great for me. Black Ops blew that out of the water... It was amazing. I'm not the most skilled player out there, Regular is about where I'm at. Every CoD game prior to this bored me at some point and just seemed too hard... Never did this happen in Black Ops. Treyarch's story is amazing, and I'd buy "Black Ops 2" or whatever just to see what else happens to Mason and Hudson and everyone... I actually felt attached to the characters this time. Next - Zombies. Kino Der Toten is one of the best Zombie Maps out there, better than the amazing Der Riese, which, until now, was my favorite map. Dempsy, Nikolai, Takeo and Richtofen are hilarious, and they can make an impossible situation to overcome all the brighter. Plus, I've never had so much fun slaughtering zombies as a Presidential Aid... Ever! "Five" is another great map in Zombies where you play as JFK, Robert McNamara, Richard Nixon and Fidel Castro as you hold off hordes of the undead in the Pentagon. How that makes any sense, I don't know. Just go with it. Split-screen System Link and XBL is also a great feature, even if it is only 2 players - my brother and I both have our own Xbox and Black Ops, so we're never short of players for a zombie match. The game's graphics are good, but not great - Reach's outshine them by a long shot, but Black Ops, like W@W, has very realistic gore in it, which Reach lacks. Now for the negatives... Multiplayer. Most people only play Call of Duty anymore for the online Multiplayer. You guys, back off, Black Ops's MP is awful. The maps are basically just a bunch of corridors and a few back alleys with windows to give people a "sniping perch." FAIL. Fifteen feet isn't nearly enough room to merit a sniper rifle use... heck, an MP5K would work better. Speaking of that, SMG`s seem to dominate the maps due to the lack of space. Snipers, as said before, out of the picture. LMG`s need a little room to use... The Stoner 63 is the only one worth using AT ALL, but you can't get that until you've bought all of the other LMG`s that you'll likely never use. AR`s are still useful, and Shotguns, primaries again, are actually usable to the same degree of effectiveness as, say, the M60 (LMG). All the weapons shoot a lot better than MW2's, though, so on the only good maps, Jungle and Array, it's actually fun to use them - heck, you can even snipe on these maps! I'd like to complain about the unlock system, though - I love the emblem creator and the fact that you can buy any perk you want at any time, saves me a lot of crap. But I no longer feel encouraged to use a weapon a lot so I can unlock all the attachments. In MW2, I'd stick with the M4 or whatever until I'd gotten everything, except Extended Mags (too hard for me lol) and the Shotgun (I loathe Noob Tubes, I only managed to unlock the shotgun for my absolute FAVORITE guns). Now, you buy each gun for 2000 CoD points, and then any attachment for 1000 - Suppressors are 2000, and Noob Tubes are 3000. Then you're finished. I don't want to waste my CoD points trying out different attachments. MW2 MADE you use them to get XP and more attachments. I now LOVE the ACOG Scope on the ACR - I never would've used that if the Thermal Scope hadn't been involved. There's no motivation here. I didn't realize that I liked the M16 with an ACOG Scope until just recently, whereas I'd have used it the instant I got it to get that Thermal (Infrared, in BO) Scope.

    Final thoughts - Good Game. Campaign gets 8.25/10 (Due to shortness). Zombies gets 10/10, and Multiplayer gets 3.5/10, terrible, save for that rare match on Array where I can crawl up onto the radio tower and snipe for a while.    … Expand
  18. Andy10132
    Dec 23, 2010
    7
    It's alright, the single player is nothing really to get excited about but the multi player AND Zombies rescues it a little bit. It's not worth the money right now but might be worth it when reduced to just above £10, your choice!
  19. Grubberbeb
    Dec 31, 2010
    7
    I was first introduced to the Call of Duty series when I played the first Modern Warfare, and I have played every one of the games released since, so I've had a couple tastes of the works of Infinity Ward and Treyarch. I was hesitant in buying Black Ops because of the horrific multiplayer experience that was offered in World at War (Treyarch's previous game). I began by playing the singleI was first introduced to the Call of Duty series when I played the first Modern Warfare, and I have played every one of the games released since, so I've had a couple tastes of the works of Infinity Ward and Treyarch. I was hesitant in buying Black Ops because of the horrific multiplayer experience that was offered in World at War (Treyarch's previous game). I began by playing the single played which I think was very decent. It is nothing compared to the experience offered in many of the other games available right now, but it is entertaining and has the best plot of the series. After that, I played zombies for a little while which I find extremely fun, as I did in World at War. Zombies can be a bit difficult and confusing to new players, but once you get the feel for it then it is surprising how fun it can be, especially when you're playing with some friends. The only real problem is the connection. It is difficult to find two more players when you have a friend or two in your lobby already, since when it connects you it usually fails in an attempt to migrate the host. When you do get it to work, it is very fun. However zombies does get boring after a point, and that is when I headed into multiplayer. Now, coming into Black Ops multiplayer, I was really only hoping for the fixes to the two problems which had ruined Modern Warfare 2 for me: grenade launchers (and other explosives), and commando. I was pleased to see that they had removed commando and significantly reduced the potency of grenade launchers. Making the killstreaks not build on each other was a much needed change as well, as it makes it much more likely that everyone will be having fun on some level, instead of one person stealing it all. But now I must move on to the topic of fun. With Modern Warfare 2, I really wanted it to be a fun and great game, and it was for a while. But there were some huge issues that arose and ruined it for a ton of people, including me. It just stopped being fun and what's the point in playing a game if you're not having fun? So as I mentioned before, I was very pleased to notice that they had effectively removed the two things that had really ruined the previous game. However, I soon noticed a problem: Black Ops Multiplayer is too similar to Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer (for me anyway). Sure all of the cool customization options are available, and there are lots of new killstreaks, but the gameplay just feels repetitive in some way. It's really as if they took Modern Warfare 2, changed around the guns and maps a bit, added some more customization and the CoDPoints system, and took out the major flaws from before (except for Last Stand/Second chance. They also took out quickscoping which I think is a good thing because it results in less people running their mouths and thinking they're amazing for getting a few lucky shots, but that's just my opinion). What I'm trying to say is, I'm not getting very much fun out of this game now. I feel like Black Ops is the icing that has been added onto the cake of the previous games; it's just becoming too similar.

    So as someone who has been following the series for a few years now, I think I may just be burnt out on the gameplay that is seeming to repeat itself from title to title. And it's a shame that if there is a Modern Warfare 3, it will most likely be horrific, seeing as it will be made by the newer employees at Infinity Ward, and not the originals who made the series as large as it is (they all either left or were fired earlier this year).    … Expand
  20. TooLRooL
    Jan 5, 2011
    7
    Well, Treyarch have finally equalled Infinity Ward. The same on-rails Hollywood BS, the same Keystone Cops animations, the same abysmal AI (cool new enemy forward-roll into the MIDDLE of a corridor I'm shooting along?), and the same blah-de-bloody-blah story. The multiplayer (enhanced by 'borrowing' Ideas from such sources as the vastly-superior Halo series), and Zombies modes manage toWell, Treyarch have finally equalled Infinity Ward. The same on-rails Hollywood BS, the same Keystone Cops animations, the same abysmal AI (cool new enemy forward-roll into the MIDDLE of a corridor I'm shooting along?), and the same blah-de-bloody-blah story. The multiplayer (enhanced by 'borrowing' Ideas from such sources as the vastly-superior Halo series), and Zombies modes manage to drag the score up to 7, as the Assassins Creed-a-like, wafer-thin, story mode fails to excite. Next-year's game should definitely just steal the AI from F.E.A.R. and Halo, hand-draw the animations, scrap respawning enemies, and use a game engine that doesn't revert to super-lo-res-patchwork-quilt-mode as soon as you get within 10 feet of an object.… Expand
  21. L0stR3negade
    Jan 22, 2011
    7
    This game could have been so much better But the campain is OKAY but nothing really mind blowing and multiplayer is mostly fun only when you are playing with friends but still a pretty good game
  22. ImUnavailable
    Sep 23, 2011
    7
    Both the multiplayer maps and the campaign of Black Ops are weaker than its predecessor, even if its plot is slightly more interesting. Graphics are also slightly worse this time around. However, the inclusion of zombie modes and dead ops arcade mean that this is a game bursting with content. The Call of Duty formula remains enjoyable but this is not a must buy.
  23. jkey4
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game all in all. Much like others in the COD series, and actually addressed some of the more prominent complaints about MW2, like seemingly unlimited tubing, quickscoping, boosting, and glitching. I give Treyarch a lot of credit for staying on top of the game as it has developed in the marketplace, patching where they see the need develop, and having in game bans for those whoNot a bad game all in all. Much like others in the COD series, and actually addressed some of the more prominent complaints about MW2, like seemingly unlimited tubing, quickscoping, boosting, and glitching. I give Treyarch a lot of credit for staying on top of the game as it has developed in the marketplace, patching where they see the need develop, and having in game bans for those who have been reported for boosting. I've traded my copy in after 4 months however, as the game has become stale. Where this game falls short is in its lack of complexity. However flawed, MW2 was pretty complex and difficult, and prestiging for non-cheaters took quite a bit of effort. Black Ops came with maps that were small and linear (even in the First Strike pack - aside from Discovery), and presitging was quite easy. Hit marking was seriously flawed as well.
    Anyhow; I enjoyed Black Ops while I had it. It was a solid game, but even running different patterns on small, linear maps gets old pretty quickly.    … Expand
  24. InzaNe
    Mar 22, 2011
    7
    If you're a fan of Call of Duty. you'll like this game, at the very least. It's delivers the same thing Call of Duty has delivered every year for the past 6 years, and improves on a lot of things. The one thing holding back the online play though, is the lag compensation put in by developers, something that is locked into the Net Code and cannot be fixed through a distributed patch.

    If    If you're a fan of Call of Duty. you'll like this game, at the very least. It's delivers the same thing Call of Duty has delivered every year for the past 6 years, and improves on a lot of things. The one thing holding back the online play though, is the lag compensation put in by developers, something that is locked into the Net Code and cannot be fixed through a distributed patch.

    If you're into Call of Duty, it's a fun game that will last long - but only if you can handle the half a second delay online. This is coming from experience.    … Expand
  25. KAS--Will
    Jul 12, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game, but not really the full potential we've seen in a Call of Duty game. For starters the singleplayer experience wasn't as appealing as it could have been, because it was hell bent on making the game feel like an action movie, and a suspenseful one, where in reality the story was boring, had more holes than the Iraqi Navy, but most importantly it was cliche. The multiplayerNot a bad game, but not really the full potential we've seen in a Call of Duty game. For starters the singleplayer experience wasn't as appealing as it could have been, because it was hell bent on making the game feel like an action movie, and a suspenseful one, where in reality the story was boring, had more holes than the Iraqi Navy, but most importantly it was cliche. The multiplayer is where the experience is at, but even that was severely boring after a while because it was just MW2 with a sugar coat graphically, making it lookelike Bobby Kotick vomited. And I feel the game had potential but the minor things like graphics, repetitive gameplay, land it on a 7 because at the core of it all, it is a solid COD game. I only recommend this to Michael Bay fans... but to those Michael Bay fans, even the effects aren't all that impressive.… Expand
  26. jdogginess
    May 27, 2011
    7
    Been there done that. I'm a bit torn on how to score this. Its a fine game. Its polished. Lots of cool weapons and an uhm...tenacious...multiplayer community. I just think if someone threw me the profits from millions upon millions of sold copies of COD games that I would actually have enough money for more than just a bunch of programmers and polish. I Think I could afford to payBeen there done that. I'm a bit torn on how to score this. Its a fine game. Its polished. Lots of cool weapons and an uhm...tenacious...multiplayer community. I just think if someone threw me the profits from millions upon millions of sold copies of COD games that I would actually have enough money for more than just a bunch of programmers and polish. I Think I could afford to pay someone a few hundred bucks, Sit them down in a room and say, "Hey...do you think you could help us and give us one freaking innovative idea?...since we can't seem to come up with anything ourselves. I mean seriously, we have about as much creativity from one year to the next as Wayne Newton, and he has hashed out the same crap in Vegas for decades. Please help us before we sink in the ever growing cesspool of our own cash grabbing content." The multiplayer gives this thing most of its appeal...but the appeal is in human vs human challenge, definitely not in creative game modes. After five years they come up with sticks and stones mode and they smile and wink like they pulled a rabbit out of their a$$. Its still just a bunch of guys running around killing each other. Hey geniuses, ever thought of including some of the exciting occurrences and situations from campaign like settings and events into a competitive multiplayer mode? Holy****, what's that sound? Is that Gabriel's trumpet? Is the world coming to an end? Oh...never mind, Activision isn't listening and would never do anything that requires that meager amount of vision. Do not misread me as someone who is hating on COD out of a rebellious nature toward the Fan Boys out there. I am hard on COD because tough love expects more from them. Their programming skill...or at least the number of programmers that all that cash can employ is impressive, but the lack of creativity has me exploring other options when it comes to multiplayer or military combat. Shape up or ship out. Bottom line...a high quality, well performing, polished game of blah blah blah been there done that.… Expand
  27. Rizzo
    Jun 1, 2011
    7
    I must not be the only one that thinks this is getting old. More Call of Duty = More of the same. Not much has changed since Modern Warfare. Black ops is a solid game and I spent quite of bit of time playing it, but they need to show me something special before I pick up Modern Warfare 3. The graphics haven't improved much neither. Crysis 2 and Battlefield Bad Company 2 looks a lotI must not be the only one that thinks this is getting old. More Call of Duty = More of the same. Not much has changed since Modern Warfare. Black ops is a solid game and I spent quite of bit of time playing it, but they need to show me something special before I pick up Modern Warfare 3. The graphics haven't improved much neither. Crysis 2 and Battlefield Bad Company 2 looks a lot better. When are buildings in Call of Duty going to become destructible, or the maps become more fleshed out and more interactive. Windows break and thats about it. The effects from explosions and gunfire aren't very impressive. This game is recycled bits and pieces from World at War and Modern Warfare. Which really isn't a bad thing, I'm just trying to find out what is new besides the maps. Zombies don't do anything for me and if I wanted to kill zombies I would play Left 4 Dead or Resident Evil or something similar. Paying $15 for 3 maps and a zombie map is ridiculous. Call of Duty needs to be remodeled, reinvented, renewed, it needs more than a face lift by November. We want innovation from the best selling shooter of this gen. Maybe the developers that are making the next Call of Duty will take some risks and surprise us. I hope so for the gamers sake.… Expand
  28. bighead6000
    Jul 2, 2011
    7
    overall I think call of duty black ops is just an OK game. The multiplayer doesn't really offer anything new to the series, and could get pretty boring after awhile. The same goes for the zombies mode. I also think the campaign could've been better for it's kind of dull. If you are thinking about getting this game, you might want to look for something else.
  29. SensibleGamer
    Jan 1, 2012
    7
    Call of Duty : Black Ops isn't by any means flawless , but it is definitely a game that anyone who enjoys a solid campaign and a rewarding multiplayer experience should pick up .
  30. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Okay. "Call of duty: Black Ops" is a game in a situation called "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained". It's like copying MW2 into another CD and selling it back, except that it has different titles and more **** graphics. The zombies are the only stand-alone con that makes me play this game with my friends. Either than that, I'm ready to sell this ****
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
3
#3 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
28
#28 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Jan 30, 2011
    72
    A short campaign which is never spectacular and never very clever, but always solid enough. [Feb 2011, p.99]
  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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