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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. HydroWarDaddy
    Nov 9, 2010
    10
    This is by far the most complete and deep gaming experience in history. The balance in the multi-player maps and weapons will be imitated and praised for years to come. This is the BEST game ever.
  2. 0fof0fo
    Mar 14, 2011
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops has many things going for it. Addictive multiplayer, descent story, amazing Zombies, and great replay ability. Unlike some reviewers, I do not think Black Ops is similar to previous games in the series, except in the core defining features that make it Call of Duty. I, personally, consider this the best game in the series. That being said, It is hard to argue thisCall of Duty: Black Ops has many things going for it. Addictive multiplayer, descent story, amazing Zombies, and great replay ability. Unlike some reviewers, I do not think Black Ops is similar to previous games in the series, except in the core defining features that make it Call of Duty. I, personally, consider this the best game in the series. That being said, It is hard to argue this game is flawless. While the campaign is the best yet, the easier difficulties are altogether to easy. Honestly, in many cases you can simply sit back and let your bot allies take care of the enemies. The exception to this is veteran, which is extremely challenging. Unfortunately, there really is no medium difficulty for Black Ops. That being said, the campaign is fun and exciting, with a story that is surprisingly interesting for a Call of Duty game. Multiplayer wise, Black Ops is like any other Call of Duty. Addicting, but frustrating. Due to the majority of players buying Call of Duty for the multiplayer, I will review this section extensively. To begin, the multiplayer, like any other CoD, is fast-paced and frantic. Even though Treyarch increased the amount of damage you take, you still die quickly and you will not find yourself getting away from gunfights in most scenarios. In addition, the guns in Black Ops are disappointing. If you are trying to do well, the assault rifles are vastly superior to all other gun's, save the AK74u. That being said, in and of themselves, the assault rifles are balanced and each fun to use in their own way. Additionally, the sub machine guns, shotguns, and Light Machine Gun's are all balanced and unique, if not for the Assault Rifles outshining them in most situations. Finally, the Sniper Rifles are, sadly, useless in this game, and you will not be able to quickscope like previous Call of Duty's. While this may come to a relief to some, because Treyarch made only a couple sniper-friendly maps, the Sniper is a gun that could have easily been left out without being missed. Customization wise,Treyarch brings many new attachments, camos, perks, and kill streaks. Although some could argue kill streaks underpowered, all in all the customization is balanced and, depending on the different load outs you go with, the game can feel very different. Unlike previous Call of Duty games, the grenade launcher has a very reasonable blast radius and, when against Flak Jacket (A perk that gives you extra explosive resistance) its overall useless. On the gameplay aspect, the map's are fun and interesting, the gameplay is fluid, the control's flawless, and the graphics passable. Unfortunately, the spawns could use some tweaking. Depending on the game mode you play, you can easily be trapped in your spawn or, on the opposite side of things, switch spawns to easily and spawn behind enemies, or vise-versa. Additionally, the matchmaking is not ideal. In many cases, when playng with parties, you will get into a game with a few people missing. This never happened in previous call of duties and, even worse, you could get into a game that is already, in essence, a loss. Finally, I will address the zombie mode. Zombie's is arguably the best part of Black Ops. There is something altogether to satisfying by annihilating endless zombie hordes with a couple of friends. On the later rounds, it takes a lot of teamwork to survive. Black Ops comes with 2 map's, Kino der Toten and Five. Although Five is not as enjoyable for me, Kino der Toten is extremely fun and pack's hours of play. In addition, if you purchased the Hardened addition to Black Ops, you will gain access to the 4 zombie maps from WaW with modern weapons. While all fun, my personal favorite is Der Reise. Finally, if you purchase the fifteen dollar map pack you will gain the ability to play Ascension, my favorite zombie map. Ascension is surprisingly complicated for a zombie map, even coming with a side-objective to try if your feeling lucky. Unfortunately, its not easy and you'll need a full party of four. In the end, Black Ops is a very fun game that deserves your purchase, especially if you enjoyed the previous call of duties. Although the Multiplayer will surely attract most, be sure not to overlook Zombies and the Campaign. My only caution is that multiplayer, even the campaign in some parts, will be frustrating. However, if this happens just take a break and come back later. My final thoughts, great purchase, but if your not a fan of shooters I would let this one pass.… Expand
  3. Snipestrifer
    Dec 27, 2010
    8
    Fantastic game and a big step up from the overly hyped MW2. Great campaign with a nice sci-fi plot twist, with the awesome return of Reznov! Great characters too. As for the multiplayer, the weapons are way more balance as well as the perks, and the challenges are much more specific now and are really relevant to the perk. Cotracts and wager natches are great and interesting, and the moneyFantastic game and a big step up from the overly hyped MW2. Great campaign with a nice sci-fi plot twist, with the awesome return of Reznov! Great characters too. As for the multiplayer, the weapons are way more balance as well as the perks, and the challenges are much more specific now and are really relevant to the perk. Cotracts and wager natches are great and interesting, and the money system I really wanted, so ty. Zombies is fantastic and has a great developing story. Enough said there. The multiplayer has been revolutionised and the Dead Ops bonus level with fun easter eggs are much appreciated. Looks like Treyarch listen to their fans and community. My only gripe is the down-graded graphics using WAW's old-engine but sometimes the graphics appear to be better than MW2's, quite strangely. But other than that, it's fantastic all-around. Thank you Treyarch.… Expand
  4. DomF
    Jan 22, 2011
    8
    My first impressions of the newest instalment to the Call of Duty series were good. As my friend got it at the same time we both went on multiplayer first and it was a blast. One thing I immedietly noticed was how much more balanced the gameplay was to Modern Warfare 2 and I still hold that notion to this day, and that I think is what makes Black Ops multiplayer stand out. Unfortunately,My first impressions of the newest instalment to the Call of Duty series were good. As my friend got it at the same time we both went on multiplayer first and it was a blast. One thing I immedietly noticed was how much more balanced the gameplay was to Modern Warfare 2 and I still hold that notion to this day, and that I think is what makes Black Ops multiplayer stand out. Unfortunately, it doesn't add a great deal of fresh concepts. The singleplayer was one of the best Call of Duty campaigns to date with a very different style tot he other campaigns and this also makes it stand out. Unfortunately, it isn't as good as Call of Duty 4 in my opinion, which, in it's prime, was unbeatable and definitely my most enjoyable Call of Duty experience, although maybe that's just the series not pushing the boundaries very far. I feel that for the next Call of Duty game to be a success, it'll have to do something very different.… Expand
  5. xXRenTyrellXx
    Sep 21, 2011
    8
    Call of Duty's strong point has always been its multiplayer. However, I think that Treyarch has made the most original story line in the Call of Duty series yet, not necessarily the best one, but by far the most unique. Game play (as always) is great, multiplayer can be addicting, original campaign, top notch voice acting, and satisfying graphics. All around, it's another winner for theCall of Duty's strong point has always been its multiplayer. However, I think that Treyarch has made the most original story line in the Call of Duty series yet, not necessarily the best one, but by far the most unique. Game play (as always) is great, multiplayer can be addicting, original campaign, top notch voice acting, and satisfying graphics. All around, it's another winner for the COD series.… Expand
  6. pyromcr
    Mar 18, 2012
    8
    Black Ops is the best COD ever. Thats still not saying much since I still only give it an eight, but when you compare it to anything that Infinity Ward has made, it is amazing. The Campaign is kind of silly, but fun. Zombies is amazing as always, and multiplayer is really balanced and overall, good.
  7. EliteForce1uk
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    True amazing experience online and offline.. now that mw3 has been released people will see how much off a good game this truly is!
    Its cool to hate black ops , i cant think for one reason why !
  8. OnAnarchy
    Mar 19, 2012
    8
    Again, I rate this game on it's two main features: campaign and multiplayer. Both have redeeming qualities one would expect from such a storied franchise. I rate the campaign a full 5/5 because I can honestly not find anything wrong with it. The story was amazing and unexpected, and kept you interested throughout. Graphics were good (if a little outdated on the engines part), andAgain, I rate this game on it's two main features: campaign and multiplayer. Both have redeeming qualities one would expect from such a storied franchise. I rate the campaign a full 5/5 because I can honestly not find anything wrong with it. The story was amazing and unexpected, and kept you interested throughout. Graphics were good (if a little outdated on the engines part), and mechanics were just as good as they've ever been.

    Online is a bit of a different story. I think the core online multiplayer deserves no more than a 1/2.5, because of severe synchronization problems. You can fire off an entire clip at an enemy and he will kill you with a single shot. When you look at it again in theatre, you aren't shown to be firing a shot. This shows that you are lagging behind the actual game time, and it can be a severe impediment in head to head battles. Sometimes, it works in your favor, but it's too big a factor to ignore.

    Zombies is definitely a huge redeeming feature of this game, and for that it gets 2.5/2.5. One of the best 'swarm' style games I've played, and the innate black humour just makes it better. Weapons are amazing and the actual 'stories' behind the maps are engaging and sometimes downright hilarious.

    My totals add up to an 8.5/10. Since metacritic only allows full number value ratings, I downgraded it to an 8, because I can't see a game with such an average multiplayer (main feature) being a 9/10.    … Expand
  9. chronoT
    Sep 3, 2012
    8
    This is my first XBox 360 review, as the only reason I had one was for Halo and COD games. For the most part I am now a 100% PC gamer, but I did at one point have 360 and this game. I have to say that I did enjoy it and I do like it better than Modern Warfare. The multiplayer in Black Ops is more solid, better guns, better maps, more realistic perks. Modern Warfare was alright but theThis is my first XBox 360 review, as the only reason I had one was for Halo and COD games. For the most part I am now a 100% PC gamer, but I did at one point have 360 and this game. I have to say that I did enjoy it and I do like it better than Modern Warfare. The multiplayer in Black Ops is more solid, better guns, better maps, more realistic perks. Modern Warfare was alright but the followups were flops and currently the series has kind of fizzled out, COD: BO2 might change that. XBox Live IMO is much better than PSO but if I had to pick between the 2 it would be hard because the PS3 looks much better. If your a FPS fan at all, I believe this series is a must have, but I will now be moving to the PC for Black Ops 2.… Expand
  10. wegie125
    Nov 15, 2017
    10
    This game was my first real call of duty and I have loved it ever since. I loved this black ops and the second one even more. This one was so simple yet it did so much right. I didn't ever play the campaign or really much of the multiplayer but the zombies was enough to get me hooked. They had the right amount of balance of complexity and simplicity. The new games tried too hard for easterThis game was my first real call of duty and I have loved it ever since. I loved this black ops and the second one even more. This one was so simple yet it did so much right. I didn't ever play the campaign or really much of the multiplayer but the zombies was enough to get me hooked. They had the right amount of balance of complexity and simplicity. The new games tried too hard for easter eggs and other nonsense. This game did it right and I have been so trilled with that. I don't think any other call of duty zombie game will be as charming as this one. Thank you. This game earned the perfect score… Expand
  11. EzioA88
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    9.5 out of 10 (rounded up to 10)

    Treyarch has been wrongly criticized in the past. While Infinity Ward gives us Modern Warfare, Treyarch just sticks with a World At War. While Inifinity Ward decides to stomp on innovation, Treyarch experiments with new things- not always to success, but who blames them? With Black Ops, fans finally accepted Treyarch, even though they still stuck to the    9.5 out of 10 (rounded up to 10)

    Treyarch has been wrongly criticized in the past. While Infinity Ward gives us Modern Warfare, Treyarch just sticks with a World At War. While Inifinity Ward decides to stomp on innovation, Treyarch experiments with new things- not always to success, but who blames them? With Black Ops, fans finally accepted Treyarch, even though they still stuck to the past. The thing is, they crawled out of their muddy trench to deliver an intense Cold war thriller that doesn't pull any punches and also provides the right amount of innovation to propel this series for another year. Between a brilliant campaign, addictive multiplayer and the outrageously fun Zombies mode, Black Ops triumphs as the fourth best COD in the series...

    Let's begin with the main attraction, the multiplayer. While it certainly isn't a revolution, it is an utterly polished and infinitely replayable experience. The new modes are fast paced and fun and TDM and FFA are still excellent. Rather than sticking to my guns, I experimented with new modes for fun and found myself enjoying the game even more. The levelling and progression systems haven't innovated too much, but they are still well designed and easier to comprehend than Battlefield (before anybody screams hate at me for saying that, I am not a fanboy for either of them and believe they are as good as one another). The Create A Class and customization options are where this game really shines, where the better interfaces and menus make for a more accessible experience. The large range of perks and scorestreaks means that your experience can be incredibly different from anyone else's and there is a large amount of gear that just caters to newbies (or noobies). As for the guns- by god are they amazing! Each one feels different and the awesome amount of upgrades and levelling turns this into an RPG for weapons. You can get your weapons gold or diamond and the amount of clan options makes this mode an even more desired option. The party modes are also great, with gun game easily being the best.

    While all of this may be amazing, the maps are some of the best in COD history. Nuketown is an excellent setting and is an instant classic, with its bright colours and small, intense design. While there are a few too many snow maps, Firing Range is another classic and the jungle and city set maps are also great. Black Ops embraces the intense, close quarters combat of the series and this is its greatest strength.

    Then there are the zombies. One of the most surprising things about World At War was its unlockable Zombies mode and that returns for BLOPS, but you can play one of the maps from the start while the other two are only obtainable after completing the campaign. This is agood design decision, as this is one of the best co-op experiences in all of history. It starts off easy, but as you progress, the zombies get faster, the hordes get larger and hellhounds appear. The main map is nothing compared to BLOPSII and its Transit, but it is arguably more focused and just better. The amount of hidden secrets constantly encourages replayability and this mode has that "just one more go" mentality about it. It keeps the money and weapons systems and the intense difficulty and isn't a large step up form WAW, but who cares? Zombies!!!

    The last of the three modes in BLOPs is the campaign. While it isn't as shocking as MW2, it is just as good. The set pieces continue to increase in size and scale, with a crossbow focused snow level, the opening sequence and the final attack being particular highlights. There are the usual collectibles and replaying the campaign isn't a bad option, but this an experience to be had just once, simply because the final twist just doesn't have the same impact the second time around.

    The story sees you playing as Alex Mason- a soldier who has been captured and is undergoing interrogation, due to his suspicious behaviour and potential involvement in a terrorist attack. The whole game recounts his adventures, but you will occasionally switch roles for a greater narrative base. The characters are memorable and the fairly good looking graphics engine ensures that it can all be pulled off in an incredibly realistic and atmospheric way. The Cold War backdrop is what really give this game its legs, what with it seemingly being the perfect time period for a COD game. I love this campaign and it is easily one of the best in the series.

    Everything about BLOPs is polished and well executed. It controls well, the performances and score are brilliant and it looks great as well- even 4 years on. The campaign, multiplayer and Zombies mode still aren't highly innovative, but who cares? This is some of the best fun in COD in years. Treyarch is better than Infinity Ward anyway...    … Expand
  12. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Campaign not the best, Multiplayer was actually good on this COD, However it's the Zombies mode that is the real selling point here, especially with all the maps. Definely one of my favorite COD games.
  13. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Sep 10, 2018
    9
    The first "Black Ops" is Treyarch's best COD game. It's also the best entry in the BLOPS series. At the time of its release, the developer was often mocked as the 'B' team to Infinity Ward's 'A' team. But with this installment, Treyarch really delivered. I'm sure they had felt the pressure to live up to the first two "Modern Warfare" games. While it's not a masterpiece, "Call of Duty:The first "Black Ops" is Treyarch's best COD game. It's also the best entry in the BLOPS series. At the time of its release, the developer was often mocked as the 'B' team to Infinity Ward's 'A' team. But with this installment, Treyarch really delivered. I'm sure they had felt the pressure to live up to the first two "Modern Warfare" games. While it's not a masterpiece, "Call of Duty: Black Ops" is very good. It contains a great story mode, terrific multiplayer and a solid zombies map. I would rate it with a 9 out of 10.… Expand
  14. SKSK
    Jul 22, 2018
    10
    A memorable campaign with memorable characters. It also has an amazing multiplayer that will amuse you for dozens of hours.
  15. attackpandaK
    Nov 10, 2010
    8
    The only reason i'm not rating this higher is ,because even though this game is pretty good.The story for the campaign is pretty hard to understand if your not paying attention,and the multiplayer has some good maps.Yet like all the other COD games that have come out recentley this games multiplayer is plagued with glitches and booster. So if you get you this game for the multiplayer beThe only reason i'm not rating this higher is ,because even though this game is pretty good.The story for the campaign is pretty hard to understand if your not paying attention,and the multiplayer has some good maps.Yet like all the other COD games that have come out recentley this games multiplayer is plagued with glitches and booster. So if you get you this game for the multiplayer be prepared with a different game in the aspect sof new modes and cool customization options,but be prepared for the same campers and other glitches that plauged MW2. :) (awesome music to)… Expand
  16. Belv
    Nov 14, 2010
    9
    Single player has some rough parts, but overall is decent. The multiplayer is much better than MW2. Killstreaks not contributing from higher tier killstreaks is nice, it keeps people from hitting a kill streak like a helicopter then hiding and waiting for it do to all the work for their next killstreak. And thank god for fixing QSing, I have no idea why anyone thinks it's skillful to put aSingle player has some rough parts, but overall is decent. The multiplayer is much better than MW2. Killstreaks not contributing from higher tier killstreaks is nice, it keeps people from hitting a kill streak like a helicopter then hiding and waiting for it do to all the work for their next killstreak. And thank god for fixing QSing, I have no idea why anyone thinks it's skillful to put a dot on their TV screen and aim by using that.… Expand
  17. Watermelon789
    Apr 11, 2011
    9
    Great game!! Treyarch made a neat game probably the best game on their works. The campaign is well scripted than any other CoD game,the big explosion parts are there and the funny zombies are back and more deadly than before. The multiplayer is very entertaining but not in the line of Modern Warfare 2 . The zombies already includes three maps one unlocked ,the other locked,meanwhile theGreat game!! Treyarch made a neat game probably the best game on their works. The campaign is well scripted than any other CoD game,the big explosion parts are there and the funny zombies are back and more deadly than before. The multiplayer is very entertaining but not in the line of Modern Warfare 2 . The zombies already includes three maps one unlocked ,the other locked,meanwhile the third one is a secret . Very creative game but more of the same… Expand
  18. mrogers0130
    Mar 31, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of my favorite cods. The campaign is fantastic. The story is far different from cods typical war. It involves hallucinations of people and the images and sounds of random numbers into your head. The disturbing sight of your hand shaking and aiming a gun to jfk with a terrifying screaming in the background, or the multiple hallucinations in the second to last level as you stumble around an empty building as you realize one of your closest teamates was never really with you at all and had been dead for years. The mind bending story is not original, but its fun and different. The multiplayer is good and fixes many problems in mw2 involving balancing. No major flaws in my experience. It is trully an exciting and mind bending game.… Expand
  19. IDriveTheS5
    Nov 14, 2010
    8
    I really don't understand why so many people are giving this game a zero. I think that people are just stretching the truth to make the game seem worse than it actually is because they have something against Activision and Treyarch. It's not the perfect game - graphics are a bit dated, some parts on MP are a little buggy, but I've played worse. Namely, MW2.

    Let me explain. MW2's single    I really don't understand why so many people are giving this game a zero. I think that people are just stretching the truth to make the game seem worse than it actually is because they have something against Activision and Treyarch. It's not the perfect game - graphics are a bit dated, some parts on MP are a little buggy, but I've played worse. Namely, MW2.

    Let me explain. MW2's single player was extremely addictive, if a bit short, but I played through it at least three times. The multiplayer, however, was broken. Campers and boosters everywhere, quickscoping was rampant, and you had squeakers trash talking you every time you played something that wasn't vanilla TDM. So, I traded it in and waited for Black Ops to come out.

    The single player in Black Ops, while I haven't finished it, has its good and bad points. The cut-scenes are incredible and the story immersing, but there's no introduction. I found that kind of weird. Also, I'm stuck on a mission where the instructions seem to be misleading - but I put that down to my lack of prowess at video games in general.

    So far, I've spent most of my time in Multiplayer. I had to say, I wasn't expecting much after MW2 and it's horrendous multiplayer feature. The matchmaking system didn't inspire much confidence either - I don't seem to be able to get a 4 bar connection in any games that I've played, while I had 4 bars every time in MW2. My major gripe is the broken matchmaking system, particularly in Wager Matches actually. Despite there being 15k people in Gun Game, it takes on average 5 minutes for me to join a game. Sticks and Stones isn't much better, and Sharpshooter is incredibly broken. I don't think I've actually played a game of Sharpshooter where it didn't switch to a random game mode afterward. One In The Chamber seems to be the only game mode that's perfect. Speaking of Wager Matches, I like the CoD points idea. It adds a dimension to the game - do I save up and get this gun, or do I spend it as soon as I unlock this one?

    This, however, presents another problem. I played this game at launch and since most people still had the crappy guns you start off with, so I didn't notice this issue at first. However, once people unlock the AK74u and the FAMAS, the starter guns become completely obsolete. People who play 24h a day to get the best guns will have an advantage over people who play 2h a week at best, like me. The guns you have until about level 14 aren't balanced with the rest of the guns. I almost gave up the game because the Enfield, the MP5K and the Skorpion prove absolutely useless. Once you get there, though, the guns are well balanced, and each serves its own distinctive purpose. It takes forever to level up to get to the good stuff, so if you stick with it you will be rewarded.

    Moving on. I like that Black Ops is less of a "twitch shooter" than MW2 was. The game doesn't center round the knife because it can be beaten very easily. Grenade Launchers have been nerfed in several ways, including the price, the blast radius and the fact that Warlord (BO's version of Bling) doesn't work if you equip a grenade launcher. Quickscoping is nearly impossible to do now - good news for everyone over the age of 12. Camping spots are fewer and farther between, and, with the exception of a few maps, camping doesn't really help you. The nuke has been taken out, which is a plus. The Chopper Gunner and the Gunship don't stack on to your killstreak, and they are less powerful now. Because of all of these combined, I feel less like, "C'mon, gotta get my Harrier... FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUU I DIED" and more like "Oh cool, I got a Helicopter." when you get killstreaks. I could go on all day about what I like, frankly, but there's not enough room here.

    In short, I feel that Black Ops has taken everything good about MW2, and filtered out the annoyances. If you liked MW2, you'll love this. If you didn't, however, don't buy it, and stop writing zero-rated reviews full of fluff on how you prefer Battlefield, Medal of Honor, etc - go play that, instead of complaining.    … Expand
  20. Radomski
    Nov 14, 2010
    9
    I felt the need to review this game because its low user score of 6.2. It's a great game, it's much more balanced then modern warfare 2, and much more multiplayer friendly. People complain about the spawning, and I have only spawned in front of an enemy 2 times, and i've played a good 10 hours so far. Guns are very balanced except for snipers, they seem extremely useless because most ofI felt the need to review this game because its low user score of 6.2. It's a great game, it's much more balanced then modern warfare 2, and much more multiplayer friendly. People complain about the spawning, and I have only spawned in front of an enemy 2 times, and i've played a good 10 hours so far. Guns are very balanced except for snipers, they seem extremely useless because most of the maps aren't designed for sniping. It does look a tad worse then MW2 in some aspectsbut it still looks great. It captured what made mw2 multiplayer so addictive and didn't use what made world at war multiplayer so crappy. Multiplayer is a heck of alot of fun but i have a few simple gripes... Wager matches are an amazing addition to the call of duty formula and are my favorite modes, especially gun game. But you can't play wager matches on split screen mode. What's up with that? You also can't play with bots when you have 3-4 player split screen. That's extremely dumb since wager matches are awesome and should be split screen playable. It's addicting and extremely well made. Anybody who says its garbage hasn't played it, or is terrible at it.… Expand
  21. Shaw
    Dec 29, 2010
    9
    Half-way through the story I was thinking this game is SO repetitive but then at the end I couldn't beleive it. The story line was amazing and it all came together at the end so well. I am not a fan of zombies but I still think that havning a few friends round playing it and blaming them for what went wrong is hilarious. The Dead Ops arcade was fun for a while too.

    The multiplayer at    Half-way through the story I was thinking this game is SO repetitive but then at the end I couldn't beleive it. The story line was amazing and it all came together at the end so well. I am not a fan of zombies but I still think that havning a few friends round playing it and blaming them for what went wrong is hilarious. The Dead Ops arcade was fun for a while too.

    The multiplayer at the start I didnt like the maps but when I got used to the guns, maps and perks I realy started to enjoy the game. There is some overpowered and overused weapons and getting pro perks can be VERY annoying. E.G Sharing Care Packages with people to get Hardline Pro. Noob Tubers are basically away except a few C4 Spammers but every game I think needs some controversy. Still alot of campers but after all it is a Call Of Duty game.

    Overall I think It is a great game and people just don't like it because it says Treyarch on the packaging. IMO if it said Infinity Ward people would love it!    … Expand
  22. SatsumaBomb
    Nov 13, 2010
    8
    I think it's quite interesting that most of the people that have given this game a negative review have also given MW2 the same treatment. Why on earth would you buy or play a game based upon a game series you clearly hate? Unless you're getting paid to review it... oh wait you're not. Listen I'm no Fanboy but if you're going to review a game please use constructive criticism. No gameI think it's quite interesting that most of the people that have given this game a negative review have also given MW2 the same treatment. Why on earth would you buy or play a game based upon a game series you clearly hate? Unless you're getting paid to review it... oh wait you're not. Listen I'm no Fanboy but if you're going to review a game please use constructive criticism. No game deserves a '0' a 1 maybe.… Expand
  23. TheZephyr
    Nov 15, 2010
    9
    This is a very good game, I had my doubts but Treyarch pulled it off. The single player was amazing multiplayer was fun (not to mention the lack of hacking) and the COD point system was brilliant. Yea the were some problems like the server randomly d/cing on me every now and then but these kind of things are easily fixed. Thank god no more Nuke, Thank god no more quick scoping. Im glad IThis is a very good game, I had my doubts but Treyarch pulled it off. The single player was amazing multiplayer was fun (not to mention the lack of hacking) and the COD point system was brilliant. Yea the were some problems like the server randomly d/cing on me every now and then but these kind of things are easily fixed. Thank god no more Nuke, Thank god no more quick scoping. Im glad I went and bought this game. FYI MW2 had problems when it first came out too no game is perfect.… Expand
  24. Badsniper
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    not since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare have we seen a game this wholehearted and fulfilling. Campaign was excellent, introduced to the story in media res, we are taken through Alex Masons last few missions before we learn where he is being detained. Excellent story arc and bridging. The Coop Survival mode (Zombies!) is better than it was in World at War. If you didn't already realize, Inot since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare have we seen a game this wholehearted and fulfilling. Campaign was excellent, introduced to the story in media res, we are taken through Alex Masons last few missions before we learn where he is being detained. Excellent story arc and bridging. The Coop Survival mode (Zombies!) is better than it was in World at War. If you didn't already realize, I am saying that it's only rival is Halo Reach's Firefight, and only just barely. The multiplayer is fun, and balanced to what I have seen. The only downside is the terrible lag, and constant host migration. At least it's faster.… Expand
  25. miniii
    Nov 25, 2010
    9
    Great game but the formula is getting old. I love the fact they have put so much content into this game compared MW2 which I left cheated into buying because of the hype (got bored after 3 weeks), but this game have really got me back into series. I love the 3D modeling it's very well done (Normal Maps are insane close up). But again the downfall is the fact the game still feels like theGreat game but the formula is getting old. I love the fact they have put so much content into this game compared MW2 which I left cheated into buying because of the hype (got bored after 3 weeks), but this game have really got me back into series. I love the 3D modeling it's very well done (Normal Maps are insane close up). But again the downfall is the fact the game still feels like the game from 4 years ago and it needs to be refreshed fast. I'm not calling this the 3rd strike but if they want hardcore to carry on they better to do something big in the next game. =]… Expand
  26. biatchstan
    Nov 14, 2010
    10
    I personally love this game. it is very similar to Modern Warfare 2, but its way deeper and has way more extras. Zombie mode is amazing with 2 new huge maps and one arcade zombie map similar to geometry wars. The multiplayer is great. The maps are fun and there is a lot more customization than there was in MW2. The addition of a currency sytem to buy attachments, guns, perks, and cosmeticI personally love this game. it is very similar to Modern Warfare 2, but its way deeper and has way more extras. Zombie mode is amazing with 2 new huge maps and one arcade zombie map similar to geometry wars. The multiplayer is great. The maps are fun and there is a lot more customization than there was in MW2. The addition of a currency sytem to buy attachments, guns, perks, and cosmetic upgrades adds to the multiplayer experience making it deeper than any previous CoDs. I love the addition of the ability to play Xbox live with one guest(like in halo and l4d2). In my opinion, this game is way better than Modern warfare 2 in every way.… Expand
  27. MvP4EvA
    Nov 13, 2010
    10
    Best Call of Duty up until now, A well balanced multiplayer , superb sound effective, appealing graphics and specially the ton of content this game packs makes any Call of Duty fan dreams come truth.
  28. Ultramel
    Nov 13, 2010
    10
    This may be the best Call of Duty in the series with probably the best story in the Single player campaign off the rest of the series and a highly enjoyable multiplayer that will keep you busy for weeks.
  29. LittleMeow
    Nov 9, 2010
    8
    So far so good! The graphics aren't as good as Modern Warfare but the gameplay is definitely fun and very customizable!!! Wish Treyarch and Infinity ward would Co-op a game and share eachothers secrets.
  30. DeVr33z
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    It's a much better game than Modern Warfare 2, but it doesn't really feel as fresh as it probably should. The new additions Treyarch made don't really help the gameplay much, and seeing as most people have played MW2 to death, there's really no reason for anyone other than hardcore COD fans to buy Black Ops.
prev
Page:

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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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!
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »