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. vagg7
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    This is my favorite COD because of nostalgia.This is the reason why i love the zombies mode more than the others with kino der toten been my favorite zombies map with the most memorable easter egg song (115). The multiplayer was fun with iconic maps and the campaign was great
  2. DarCbrGr
    Jun 26, 2021
    9
    This was the first campaign I beat which makes it mean a lot to me. The multiplayer is solid, and the zombies mode is quite good too.
  3. Josephgamers65
    Dec 23, 2021
    9
    Call of Duty Black OPS is one of the best cod's ever made Black OPS one is my fav campaign or second fav campaign because I need to play bo2 to see if it is the best this Campaign has the best characters for sure the villains are really good not as good as bo2 or even MW3 but still really good villains in the game in this game you have one of my fav video game characters and that is WOODSCall of Duty Black OPS is one of the best cod's ever made Black OPS one is my fav campaign or second fav campaign because I need to play bo2 to see if it is the best this Campaign has the best characters for sure the villains are really good not as good as bo2 or even MW3 but still really good villains in the game in this game you have one of my fav video game characters and that is WOODS is one of the best characters his scenes are amazing with woods etc. like one of my fav one is (You can't kill me)One of the best scenes ever in this game and video game in general. Multiplayer wise is ok tbh is not crazy mainly because the maps aren't the best but they are good of course they is iconic maps like summit, firing range, nuketown that is only the problem i have with Black OPS one multiplayer is the maps aren't the best Zombies is almost my least fav just because u die so easily in 2 hits which is laughable it is is bo2 also but u actually have good guns in bo1 every gun is weak so it's like impossible to get high rounds if u don't know how to play Zombies but this has the best maps for sure so all round Bo1 is one of my fav cod's for it's campaign alone Zombies is ok Multiplayer needed better maps and nerf ghost but that's it so I give Call of Duty Black OPS an 9.2/10… Expand
  4. lesiuML
    Jan 21, 2022
    9
    One of the best story in any FPS. Amazing and thrilling missions, great plot and unexpected outcomes of the story. Every mission is unique and every one have a reason. It's not only killing for sake. I'm speechless after ending. Highly recommend!
  5. AV-
    Apr 28, 2022
    9
    this is my favorite cod game and it will remain that way. so many memories of me and my friends staying up late and training zombies. and no, not training like we're their master, yk what i mean
  6. Kramirez0113
    Mar 12, 2023
    9
    “The numbers Mason. What do they mean? Where are they broadcast from?”
    Okay, but why do the older cod games including this one have mixed to negative ratings from users, regardless of the quality? I thought people enjoyed these games. Does it have to do with the fact it still is pretty expensive? Granted, I too would be peeved if such thing was like that, but how come I hear more people    “The numbers Mason. What do they mean? Where are they broadcast from?”
    Okay, but why do the older cod games including this one have mixed to negative ratings from users, regardless of the quality? I thought people enjoyed these games. Does it have to do with the fact it still is pretty expensive? Granted, I too would be peeved if such thing was like that, but how come I hear more people say how amazing this game is than how many people dislike it?    … Expand
  7. MaxieZeus
    Aug 14, 2023
    9
    Absolute masterpiece with a mysterious plot, great gameplay and improved zombies mode.
  8. Sadra_The_Gamer
    Jan 2, 2023
    9
    One of the best games of the cod franchise, which has performed exceptionally well, especially in the campaign and zombies sections. Be sure that after experiencing it, its story and epic scenes will always remain in your mind.
  9. eduardoporto
    Aug 17, 2023
    9
    9.5/10.
    Alex Mason no modo história. Kino der toten no modo zombies. A primeira vez na história de call of duty que foi possível equipar a camuflagem de ouro, muito querida entre a comunidade do cód no modo multiplayer. Preciso dizer mais?
  10. DME
    Jul 22, 2011
    8
    The campain was nothing short of epic. It had a great story, interesting characters (Reznov was my favorite), and plenty of variety. Zombies is back and better than ever. But it has it's letdowns... No highscores for offline or private match play. So if I get to round 42 on Solo, nobody is gonna believe me unless I take a picture of the TV screen and show it to them in person. It alsoThe campain was nothing short of epic. It had a great story, interesting characters (Reznov was my favorite), and plenty of variety. Zombies is back and better than ever. But it has it's letdowns... No highscores for offline or private match play. So if I get to round 42 on Solo, nobody is gonna believe me unless I take a picture of the TV screen and show it to them in person. It also takes to long to find a match for Zombies. But Kino Der Toten is an instant classic and the dialogue (while repetetive) is hilarious. What's left? The heart and soul of Call of Duty... multiplayer. I am happy to say that Black Ops has the best multiplayer of any CoD game I've ever played. Everything (well, mostly everything) is balanced. Perks are well thought out. Weapon choices and attatchments are good. The sniper rifles are no longer over-powered. My only gripe is the FAMAS. The FAMAS is the most popular weapon because it is too accurate for the damage is does. Take away two bars of accuracy from the FAMAS and all weapons are balanced. Private Matches can be customized to a surprising extent. Maps are exceptionaly designed, but sometimes visualy-unappealing. And the 4 new Wager Match modes delivered even more fun. Killstreaks are better, but I wish there was more interactivity with some of them (eg. Attack Helicopters and Attack Dogs). I also wish we had the Predator Drone back. But the best thing about multiplayer is that Treyarch is keeping the place clean of hackers (yes, you may stumble upon one or two). The game is free of glitches (due to frequent updates), and has fast matchmaking. Overall, you can't go wrong with Black Ops. This really feels like a great end to the CoD series. But we all know Activison won't stop until they lose their customers. And after this, I don't think it will be happening soon.… Expand
  11. Lrg
    Nov 20, 2010
    8
    I do happen to enjoy the Multiplayer a lot more than mw2. weapons and perks are more balanced and the maps are very diverse but the lag and TERRIBLE kniving make it somewhat frustrating at times . As for the campaign, I felt it was just playing any other Call of Duty game but in a different era. Although I do applaud the great voice acting and amazing framerate, not that the graphics areI do happen to enjoy the Multiplayer a lot more than mw2. weapons and perks are more balanced and the maps are very diverse but the lag and TERRIBLE kniving make it somewhat frustrating at times . As for the campaign, I felt it was just playing any other Call of Duty game but in a different era. Although I do applaud the great voice acting and amazing framerate, not that the graphics are pushing any boundaries; but the gameplay and story didnt put me in a mode to where I just had to keep playing.… Expand
  12. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    The weak and twitchy single-player - with many of the same old flaws - almost undermines all of the superb extra features and pretty much flawless multiplayer offering. Veterans and regular players still have the advantage over newcomers, but with Combat Training and the Zombie mode, there is plenty of fun to be had for even the most inexperienced players. Black Ops isn
  13. mindsale
    Nov 11, 2010
    8
    Ah, franchise annualization. Black Ops' campaign is just as satisfying as Modern Warfare 2's - you won't be doing as many interesting things, but it is longer, self-contained, and more cogent. There's a Zombie Mode and a top-down shooter thrown in for good measure, but neither are as fun as MW2's Spec Ops Mode. The multiplayer feels lacking - from levels 16 to 29 (6 hours of play-time) IAh, franchise annualization. Black Ops' campaign is just as satisfying as Modern Warfare 2's - you won't be doing as many interesting things, but it is longer, self-contained, and more cogent. There's a Zombie Mode and a top-down shooter thrown in for good measure, but neither are as fun as MW2's Spec Ops Mode. The multiplayer feels lacking - from levels 16 to 29 (6 hours of play-time) I didn't change a single loadout - so while I was unlocking items in MW2 for months, I had experienced 80% of the items in multiplayer within a few hours. The guns have much more recoil to boot, so mid- to long-range combat is more of a dice roll than with Infinity Ward's last game. Black Ops is a good game, but not as necessary a purchase as Modern Warfare 2 was.… Expand
  14. AreUPokey
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    Black Ops is thoroughly Call of Duty, and as such there are some truly thrilling and fun moments in the campaign. That being said there are some lingering issues that really hold this game back. 1. The A.I. is just terrible. I know COD has never been accused of having great A.I. but Black Ops really seems to make it worse. There are numerous times where your allies and enemies will simplyBlack Ops is thoroughly Call of Duty, and as such there are some truly thrilling and fun moments in the campaign. That being said there are some lingering issues that really hold this game back. 1. The A.I. is just terrible. I know COD has never been accused of having great A.I. but Black Ops really seems to make it worse. There are numerous times where your allies and enemies will simply ignore each other.. I've witnessed an A.I. teammate and enemy literally standing back to back firing in opposite directions, completely oblivious to the others presence. You'll see your teammates run right past enemies, I mean they'll pass each other on a narrow pathway without even a nod. It's just weird, and it happens frequently enough that you can't help but notice it and feel disappointed.

    2. Instant deaths... I don't know if the enemy headshot percentages were boosted or what but I found myself dying inexplicably a number of times during the campaign. As in other CODs once you start taking hits the screen starts turning red until you can't hardly see and then die. Generally you have a pretty good idea of how much punishment you can take before you die. But in Black Ops I found myself going from perfectly fine to dead instantly. And the game always tells you if you die from a grenade or exploding barrel or something like that, so I know that's not the issue. The only thing I can come up with is that I was hit in the head, but if that's the case then the enemies accuracy must have really been cranked up. Either way it becomes incredibly frustrating when you die out of nowhere, and it's not something that I've witnessed happening in any of the other CODs.

    3. The Story...it's not terrible, but it's not very original either. I was interested at first, there's an air of mystery, but once I realized where the story was going I just found myself going through the motions to finish the game. The game treats the big reveal like a shocking surprise, but really, you saw it coming a few levels back. That's not to say the last few levels are bad, they're actually very good, and the final level is great, it's just the story that accompanies it fizzles out by that point.

    Then there's the multiplayer....think of it as a huge map pack for Modern Warfare 2. If you didn't know the maps you'd have a hard time knowing which one was which if you were watching them side-by-side. I almost wish they'd gone back to WWII just for the multiplayer. At least then it would feel distinct. World at War had its own style that I really enjoyed, so I was a bit disappointed when I first saw Blacks Ops multiplayer in action. It's good. It has some great new modes and the wager matches are a fine idea. COD points are a nice touch for upgrading your equipment the way YOU want to instead of everyone at say level 35 having the same things unlocked. So overall I think it is an improvement over Modern Warfare 2 and I'll certainly spend many hours playing.

    Black Ops is great package, and will certainly keep you occupied until the next COD lands, but for me, this is the first time I've played a COD game and thought, "I could've probably skipped this one and never really regretted it."    … Expand
  15. Jobadkins
    Aug 19, 2011
    8
    Let me just say,go back to 2007 call of duty 4 and play it.You will see a core of the same things there.There is still playing that game,thousands online after all this time and it is mid 2011 now.That is why COD 4 and COD 4 II won so many awards and are so good.I'm not going to be bias and knock it harshly on the review side over that but you can see my point.Black ops has an awesomeLet me just say,go back to 2007 call of duty 4 and play it.You will see a core of the same things there.There is still playing that game,thousands online after all this time and it is mid 2011 now.That is why COD 4 and COD 4 II won so many awards and are so good.I'm not going to be bias and knock it harshly on the review side over that but you can see my point.Black ops has an awesome campaign,great multiplayer,great graphics,ect..but for one I would rather put in COD MW 2 any time of the day and there is still up to 100,000 playing that game online and for being a 2009 game that is where you see some of the brilliance behind it.Black ops is a solid 8 but the two before it were perfect 10's so go figure.… Expand
  16. thegrave
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    This is a review coming from someone that has beaten the entire game and has played about 20+ hours of the multi-player as well.
    When I first started playing Black Opts, I wasn't sure if I even liked it or not. I bought it mainly to play with a friend online that lives out of town. I also knew that the hype surrounding the game was so large, that I had to take everything with a grain of    This is a review coming from someone that has beaten the entire game and has played about 20+ hours of the multi-player as well.
    When I first started playing Black Opts, I wasn't sure if I even liked it or not. I bought it mainly to play with a friend online that lives out of town. I also knew that the hype surrounding the game was so large, that I had to take everything with a grain of salt.
    Well, I must say, after beating the single player campaign and starting to play the online modes including zombies, I must say that this game is well worth the money spent on it. The level of custimization in this game is great and if you don't jump to any conclusions and adapt to the gameplay in multi-player you will have lots of fun. This is definately a game that you will have to work hard at multi-plauer in, as this game keeps the momentum moving forward and doesn't allow for much camping and stagnant fights. There will be blood. So, after getting a little better at the game, I was having even more fun and enjoing unlocking all the features and cusomizing my player tag. I usually always try to make sure I have played a game a good deal and beaten it before I have reviewed it. So here you have it from someone that has actually put a good amount of hours into it. If you do not like online multi-player however, I would say that is where all the value is in this game. Games like MW2 definately had better campaigns.    … Expand
  17. Zeph
    Nov 9, 2010
    8
    When compared to MW2, the campaign mode in Black Ops chews MW2's up and spits it out. Graphics are similar to MW2's graphics, there is not much difference. Black Ops adds nice new weapons such as RC Detonators and Flamethrowers to mix up the action, and multiplayer maps are very interesting, albeit some are extremely small. that you often find you are on a kill streak, or a death streak,When compared to MW2, the campaign mode in Black Ops chews MW2's up and spits it out. Graphics are similar to MW2's graphics, there is not much difference. Black Ops adds nice new weapons such as RC Detonators and Flamethrowers to mix up the action, and multiplayer maps are very interesting, albeit some are extremely small. that you often find you are on a kill streak, or a death streak, considering how the game often will respawn you in a spot that can get you immediately picked off without warning. Another major issue with multiplayer are the servers, which disconnect very frequently and disrupt gameplay. And frequently is about maybe once per every other game or so. This was written after only a single day live, so that issue may change in due time. For now though, the game gets an 8, server problems holding it back from any higher.… Expand
  18. nicky69
    Nov 12, 2010
    8
    Some of the scores given here by fellow gamers are stupid.Black Ops isn`t the best in the series as that goes to Modern Warfare 2,but this is a decent effort.The campaign has a good story although it is very short.The mutliplayer is decent,but for me not a patch on MW2 as some of the maps seem more camper friendly than ever and the respawn system can be a pain in the backside.Some of theSome of the scores given here by fellow gamers are stupid.Black Ops isn`t the best in the series as that goes to Modern Warfare 2,but this is a decent effort.The campaign has a good story although it is very short.The mutliplayer is decent,but for me not a patch on MW2 as some of the maps seem more camper friendly than ever and the respawn system can be a pain in the backside.Some of the weapons feel a little odd and i feel like they lack abit of punch,and they feel kinda light to me,but they are the only failings to me.People putting scores of 1 are just stupid in my honest opinion.Black Ops isn`t groundbreaking,but it's a decent effort by Treyarch.Although Infinity Ward still have the edge on the development side of the COD franchise.If you want a mix of Modern warfare 1 and World At War then this is for you,if not then don't bother.… Expand
  19. conorbobonor
    Nov 21, 2010
    8
    I hold a completely different view then ColdSpike(not saying he's wrong he's entitled to his own opinion) you can't just rate the game for its campaign qualities you most certainly need xbox live. i think the campaign is the best in the call of duty series yet. Its as if your in a movie due to some stunning gameplay cinematics and an exellent plot line. This is probrably the only call ofI hold a completely different view then ColdSpike(not saying he's wrong he's entitled to his own opinion) you can't just rate the game for its campaign qualities you most certainly need xbox live. i think the campaign is the best in the call of duty series yet. Its as if your in a movie due to some stunning gameplay cinematics and an exellent plot line. This is probrably the only call of duty game i was actually bothered about what happened in the campaign. The online is also a high standard with alot more features. Since there is an awful lot to describe its probrably best you watch some gameplay footage. The zombies mode is also very fun with a whole new dead ops mode in which you shoot using the analog stick. To summarize

    CAMPAIGN --------- 92/100
    ONLINE----------84/100
    ZOMBIES---------87/100

    OVERALL -------- 88/100    … Expand
  20. Frostbite
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    Black Ops is a great game, of that there is no doubt. But it's a real shame that many of the problems from Modern Warfare 2 have been carried over into Treyarch's iteration of this series. These problems aren't of hackers, or glitchers, or really anything of that sort. The two games suffer from what I like to call, "Michael Bay-ism," where the games focus more on the action than trying toBlack Ops is a great game, of that there is no doubt. But it's a real shame that many of the problems from Modern Warfare 2 have been carried over into Treyarch's iteration of this series. These problems aren't of hackers, or glitchers, or really anything of that sort. The two games suffer from what I like to call, "Michael Bay-ism," where the games focus more on the action than trying to develop a real storyline. Now this is not entirely true- Black Ops has crafted a story that you will probably care about much more than you did with Modern Warfare 2, and this time you will understand why you are piloting an attack helicopter and blowing the living $^@& out of everything instead of just hanging on for the ride. And the masterfully-crafted multi-player from MW2 has returned, giving any normal player a reason to keep going back to this game even after you've played it for hours and hours on end. And the multi-player has a new couple of twists- for one, practically every weapon is available early on, but you have to spend points you earn from playing matches to buy them. You also must buy your perks, attachments, and kill-streaks. Plus, the best kill-streaks only send out a pack of dogs or give you control of a gunship, scrapping the extremely overpowered Nuke from the last game. Also new were the Wage Matches, a type of game-mode where you could bet your hard-earned points and play in one of four match types. If you place in the top 3 spots at the end of the game, you earn your money back and some more. Honestly, this game isn't perfect. Hell, it could do with some work. But what it is is an unforgettable experience that must be played.… Expand
  21. klinesmokerr
    Nov 9, 2010
    8
    Let me preface this by saying that I was not a fan of COD:MW2. I felt that perks in that game stole the show. However COD:BO has pushed away my frustrations and welcomed me back with open arms into a legitimately good game. The multiplayer is the prime selling point of the title, and the system of purchases is fairly well fleshed out. It's a slight disappointment that they decided to mixLet me preface this by saying that I was not a fan of COD:MW2. I felt that perks in that game stole the show. However COD:BO has pushed away my frustrations and welcomed me back with open arms into a legitimately good game. The multiplayer is the prime selling point of the title, and the system of purchases is fairly well fleshed out. It's a slight disappointment that they decided to mix in rank AND credits for weapon customization, but ultimately it forces you as a player to make a smart decision about the direction you want to go. The king of the maps is most certainly Nuketown with its great vintage feel and tight map. The standee bodies only add to the effect. My primary concern with multiplayer is bullet penetration. It feels as though practically every surface can be easily penetrated to the point that cover can feel relatively useless. Camping remains an issue, but the maps themselves don't tend to lend to a horrific amount of easy spots to hole up, and this results in a great shift away from said issue. It's difficult to discuss the campaign without spoiling, but suffice it to say that it is an enjoyable romp and the best of the COD franchise. Zombie mode is every bit as tight and crazy as you remember and will create all the whooping and hollering you'd anticipate. While the game has flaws in its hitbox detection and penetration, there's nothing gamebreaking. But alas the game itself does not necessarily break new ground, it only polishes the floor to a nice sheen. That's good enough for me. 8.5/10… Expand
  22. SixDelt822
    Nov 11, 2010
    8
    Call of Duty Black Ops is a good overall package, however it does have some issues. The campaign has a good Hollywood story taken from the minds of conspirators everywhere. The campaign has a lot of great moments but don't expect a true to life story like Medal of Honor delivers. I found some technical problems with the campaign such as poor hit detection and crappy AI. One of the biggestCall of Duty Black Ops is a good overall package, however it does have some issues. The campaign has a good Hollywood story taken from the minds of conspirators everywhere. The campaign has a lot of great moments but don't expect a true to life story like Medal of Honor delivers. I found some technical problems with the campaign such as poor hit detection and crappy AI. One of the biggest problems with the campaign is they didn't add the 4 player coop that was in World at War which is really too bad. The zombie mode is great as long as you have the secret code to get the two other maps. Also I was hoping they would let you win zombie mode this time like halo reach added with firefight but they didn't. Its still a great mode, however it will get old fast. That brings us to multiplayer this is the bread and butter of the call of duty series and it does deliver a solid call of duty experience. Just like modern warfare 2 there are a ton of lag issues and I also have found some hit detection problems as well. It doesn't make sense why the biggest multiplayer game on the market doesn't fix there network problems. The multiplayer has some great new modes which change up the experience such as wager matches and gun game which are both fun if you have a good host. The new customization is a great addition but would of been better if you could customize your character on what you want and not what perk you choose. The way you unlock weapons and attachments is fun but I liked the modern warfare 2 system better overall. Overall its a solid FPS would good multiplayer and a decent campaign.… Expand
  23. 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.
  24. Alladaskill17
    Nov 18, 2010
    8
    Call of Duty: Black Ops has a magnificent campaign that is quite in depth and theatrical in nature. Though, as with the COD series the graphics are not top notch; this is nice for the multiplayer though as it keeps the fps high. The addition of new game types (gun game, 1 bullet in the chamber etc.) adds a great deal to the online experience. Overall the online is fun, kills hours forCall of Duty: Black Ops has a magnificent campaign that is quite in depth and theatrical in nature. Though, as with the COD series the graphics are not top notch; this is nice for the multiplayer though as it keeps the fps high. The addition of new game types (gun game, 1 bullet in the chamber etc.) adds a great deal to the online experience. Overall the online is fun, kills hours for each of my roommates and myself and it should be stated again the campaign is really well done.… Expand
  25. Comrade_Critic
    Nov 10, 2010
    8
    Hey let's face it, a lot of people have an axe to grind against either Treyarch or the Call of Duty franchise for reasons nobody can explain. I found this to be a fun first person shooter. Was it as ground breaking as the first Modern Warfare? Not in the least. Is it buggy and the worst game ever? Not even close. They've revamped the multiplayer mode, increased the zombies and actuallyHey let's face it, a lot of people have an axe to grind against either Treyarch or the Call of Duty franchise for reasons nobody can explain. I found this to be a fun first person shooter. Was it as ground breaking as the first Modern Warfare? Not in the least. Is it buggy and the worst game ever? Not even close. They've revamped the multiplayer mode, increased the zombies and actually created a campaign mode that doesn't stink. That alone is an accomplishment. It doesn't deserve a 9 or 10, but it's a solid 8. If you're a COD fan you won't be disappointed. If you're looking for a videogame that's going to transcend the genre and become art, look elsewhere, like at a book maybe.… Expand
  26. wots
    Nov 9, 2010
    8
    A cross between cod4 and waw online, dont expect a mw2 game, graphics are not as smooth as mw2, gameplay is very good, i think some of the features in here should of been in mw2. This is a treyarc game and i hated them for world at war which in my opinion was pants so i have always stuck by infinity ward but sadly that original team is no more due to greedy CEO's. Not played single playerA cross between cod4 and waw online, dont expect a mw2 game, graphics are not as smooth as mw2, gameplay is very good, i think some of the features in here should of been in mw2. This is a treyarc game and i hated them for world at war which in my opinion was pants so i have always stuck by infinity ward but sadly that original team is no more due to greedy CEO's. Not played single player yet, as someone else has stated it'll be the more you play the better your upgrades… Expand
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. AJBuscemi
    Nov 21, 2010
    8
    Every fall, thereââ
  31. BubblegumImp
    Nov 25, 2010
    8
    The latest entry in the COD franchise features one of the most memorable single player campaigns in recent memory. Ditching Modern Warfare 2's OTT theatrics, Blops tells a a grittier tale which focuses on black ops agents during the 1960s. COD's highly popular multiplayer is back and largely resembles the last few entries. New additions include wager matches and credits which players mustThe latest entry in the COD franchise features one of the most memorable single player campaigns in recent memory. Ditching Modern Warfare 2's OTT theatrics, Blops tells a a grittier tale which focuses on black ops agents during the 1960s. COD's highly popular multiplayer is back and largely resembles the last few entries. New additions include wager matches and credits which players must earn to unlock new weapons, killstreaks and a host of customization options. The only real knock on this game is that some of the weapons sound very weak and flimsy.… Expand
  32. cfh
    Jun 28, 2012
    8
    Black ops is fun, but the campaign makes no sense. Besides the Campaign being confusing; you get to do a lot of cool things like fly a helicopter, ride a motorcycle, swim in a lake, and much more. Zombies can be really tough espeically by your self. It has cool guns like the Thunder Cannon. Co-op is really good. Black Ops has the first Co-Op Online Gameplay, so you can play split screenBlack ops is fun, but the campaign makes no sense. Besides the Campaign being confusing; you get to do a lot of cool things like fly a helicopter, ride a motorcycle, swim in a lake, and much more. Zombies can be really tough espeically by your self. It has cool guns like the Thunder Cannon. Co-op is really good. Black Ops has the first Co-Op Online Gameplay, so you can play split screen online. You can also go up against CPU charaters. While playing split screen in 'Mutiplayer' except for online you can get any gun, attachment and camo. Except for the Campaign this game is great.… Expand
  33. Ruler101
    Nov 30, 2010
    8
    Yes this game is similar to the last one but which games aren't?? This game has BETTER movie clips, graphics and story lines. Some think that because it is a video game it shouldn't have these clips in it but it is a war game that has a story line and if you don't know the story then it all makes no sense. That's what i think they were trying to achieve. The games levels are harder andYes this game is similar to the last one but which games aren't?? This game has BETTER movie clips, graphics and story lines. Some think that because it is a video game it shouldn't have these clips in it but it is a war game that has a story line and if you don't know the story then it all makes no sense. That's what i think they were trying to achieve. The games levels are harder and they still keep it interesting.… Expand
  34. BlockBuster
    Dec 4, 2010
    8
    The online multi-player game is not the best. Modern Warfare II is a lot better because you have to earn your attachments rather than buying them as in Black Ops. I rate Black Ops a high eight out of ten compared to Modern Warfare II that I rate a solid nine out of ten. Don't be fooled by the exciting campaign mode and the graphics. If I had created Black Ops, I would have kept theThe online multi-player game is not the best. Modern Warfare II is a lot better because you have to earn your attachments rather than buying them as in Black Ops. I rate Black Ops a high eight out of ten compared to Modern Warfare II that I rate a solid nine out of ten. Don't be fooled by the exciting campaign mode and the graphics. If I had created Black Ops, I would have kept the concept of having to earn your attachments. If there is one thing that I like about Black Ops, it's that the Famas is not a three-round burst and that the game has pretty good maps. If they make another Call of Duty, I hope they change the attachments back to having to be earned and make a decent two to four player map.… Expand
  35. mattman586
    Dec 8, 2010
    8
    Ok for all those people that think mod warfare 2 was a good game get over your selves it was mediocre at best. this game gets the best qualities from modwarfare 2 like gameplay which let's face it is the only thing a game needs to be good and i'll agree the graphics are shocking but that doesn't make a game bad as a result so to all you people raging out there about how bad this game is inOk for all those people that think mod warfare 2 was a good game get over your selves it was mediocre at best. this game gets the best qualities from modwarfare 2 like gameplay which let's face it is the only thing a game needs to be good and i'll agree the graphics are shocking but that doesn't make a game bad as a result so to all you people raging out there about how bad this game is in comparison why don't you go marry the developers of infinity ward games and hey maybe they'll love you for who you are not who you are in comparison with someone else and if you think the game isn't good because of a glitch, it worked for several million other people so stop blaming the game and get an xbox without the red ring.… Expand
  36. 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
  37. Batchi
    Dec 13, 2010
    8
    The action is still awesome, as the previous installments, but the story is very shallow and lame, and they replaced the special ops (from MW2) with boring zombie survival missions. Bad move.
  38. TimZka
    Dec 13, 2010
    8
    I've red some reviews, and found out that most of the time the writers are complaining about laggy gameplay. I haven't experienced any lag yet, so let me tell you how the game is without any lag. The single player is absolutely AWESOME. Especially the story has been improved. Good plot and stuff. Now about the multi player. The system of earning XP and unlocking weapons and stuff is theI've red some reviews, and found out that most of the time the writers are complaining about laggy gameplay. I haven't experienced any lag yet, so let me tell you how the game is without any lag. The single player is absolutely AWESOME. Especially the story has been improved. Good plot and stuff. Now about the multi player. The system of earning XP and unlocking weapons and stuff is the same, but some has been added to it. CP. With XP, you unlock weapons, attachments, emblems, layers (talk about that later) and lots of other things. With CP you buy it. This new system gives some variation in the Call of Duty series. Also there are wager matches. You wage your CP. If you become the first till the third player, your CP will increase. You lose, you'll lose all your CP. Also Combat Training has been added. It's a training with bots fighting against you, you can adjust the difficulty of the bots. And the emblem you have in the multi player, is custom. You choose layers, give them a colour, adjust size and make an emblem. cool isn't it? Zombie mode is also included with Black Ops. Long story short, a lot of new stuff. But now, the downside of this beautiful wonderland. Again, in this game (just as in MW2) there are some overpowered weapons + attachments. The flamethrower for example (yes you can use a flamethrower as attachment) is way too strong. Just one second on fire and you die. not fun. The killcam, as smooth as it was in MW2, now lags as **** Whatever you do, how amazing your computer is, the killcam will always lag. Just at the end, when the kill is being made, you only see three frames of a weapon firing and then the killcam's over. not satisfying if you made the final kill. It only works in combat training. There isn't really a graphic improvement, but that's not really a problem. It's about the game, right? Overall, this game is good if you have some sort of super computer (which i have). But with a regular computer, you're FPS will always stay under 15. Until Treyarch comes with a patch, this game is only fun for the people with a really good computer. My suggestion: buy this game when it has been patched, unless you think you're computer can take it. The score i give this game is based on the experience i had without having lag. With lag, my score would be around a 4.0, since the single player still makes up a lot.… Expand
  39. ddog510
    Dec 13, 2010
    8
    This review is mainly based off the multiplayer. I really enjoy the multiplayer a lot more than MW's. So much so, that I can no longet even play MW2. Why? The game is much more balanced. That includes, guns, perks, and killstreaks. It's a lot more fun to play and it never feels unfair.
  40. THE-RR
    Dec 31, 2010
    8
    Multilayer only As I believe that the COD series have been a little over hyped lately Treyarch has stuck to the basic formula (kill for xp unlock from xp rinse and repeat) with adding one large exception more customization as more is good it seems as though they had the idea but didn't go as far as they could it is in the middle. All and all it is a fine game if your tired of MW2.
  41. vgrama
    Dec 19, 2010
    8
    Call of Duty: Black Ops definitely contains the most intricate story in the Call of Duty franchise. In addition, stunning graphics and intense game play add to the quality of this game. Unfortunately, the game costs a whopping $60, which is not a reasonable price whatsoever and is not as detailed as Modern Warfare II. Regardless, this game will provide you with a substantial amount ofCall of Duty: Black Ops definitely contains the most intricate story in the Call of Duty franchise. In addition, stunning graphics and intense game play add to the quality of this game. Unfortunately, the game costs a whopping $60, which is not a reasonable price whatsoever and is not as detailed as Modern Warfare II. Regardless, this game will provide you with a substantial amount of entertainment, however, I would advise you wait for the price to decrease before purchasing it.… Expand
  42. Glowman9
    Dec 26, 2010
    8
    Wow. One of the most epic games ive ever played. I liked that the environment was always changing, giving each level a different feel. But it still doesn't have the same feel as the origínal modern warfare. Very good story line though, probably the best ive seen since halo 3. Its just the ending i didn't like, it wasn't the sort of ending i was hoping for. Both modern warfare'sWow. One of the most epic games ive ever played. I liked that the environment was always changing, giving each level a different feel. But it still doesn't have the same feel as the origínal modern warfare. Very good story line though, probably the best ive seen since halo 3. Its just the ending i didn't like, it wasn't the sort of ending i was hoping for. Both modern warfare's had a good ending, but black ops really dropped the ball. But the zombie mode is awesome, could play it for days on end.… Expand
  43. monsterzreo
    Dec 28, 2010
    8
    Black Ops is a fine game. It seems a bit recycled from the previous MW2 title. "Customization" feature is meh at best. Although the purchase of perks, weapons and such through experience points is a nice touch. BO is good but not as good as MW2.
  44. Swierczewski
    Jan 6, 2011
    8
    A fantastic game. Campaign could be a little better, but the multiplayer is groundbreaking, like all the Call of Duty games. I love how you can buy the guns you want, and all attachments are already available. And you don't have to wait around and do the annoying headshot challenges to get a camo for a certain gun. I own it for PS3, and I will be honest when saying, it is EXTREMELY laggy.A fantastic game. Campaign could be a little better, but the multiplayer is groundbreaking, like all the Call of Duty games. I love how you can buy the guns you want, and all attachments are already available. And you don't have to wait around and do the annoying headshot challenges to get a camo for a certain gun. I own it for PS3, and I will be honest when saying, it is EXTREMELY laggy. It could use an update, but other than that I LOVE this game. I also like the "Dead Ops Arcade" mode in Zombies!… Expand
  45. 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
  46. David_wayne
    Jan 10, 2011
    8
    Well I just finished the story of Black ops and I must say great job on the story Treyarch.the only reason I didn't give Black ops a 9 or 10 is because the multi player is just a copy of MW 1 and 2,very fun though...
  47. clubdrift123
    Jan 10, 2011
    8
    The single player campaign was the best that I have played in a CoD game to date! It is short like the other CoD games but very entertaining and had a great setting! The multiplayer has improved a lot with no more spamming nube toobs with scavenger or 80 foot knife lunges. Although the game has fixed many of the flaws from Modern Warfare 2, it has come with a few new ones. It isThe single player campaign was the best that I have played in a CoD game to date! It is short like the other CoD games but very entertaining and had a great setting! The multiplayer has improved a lot with no more spamming nube toobs with scavenger or 80 foot knife lunges. Although the game has fixed many of the flaws from Modern Warfare 2, it has come with a few new ones. It is Treyarch we are talking about, so that means that there are going to be a little more spawn kills than in the Infinity Ward games. Even though the knifing has been fixed with no knife lunges... the knifing in Black Ops is the most broken part of multiplayer. Don't be surprised if you try to knife somebody and it doesn't register and then get blasted 2 seconds later with a shotgun when you are recovering from the stab/ slash, or when you are running around the corner and then somebody slashes when you are 10 feet past them and it registers as a kill. Aside from the minor knife flaws in Multiplayer the game is pretty fun to play... until it's time to trade in when pre-orders come around for the next one!… Expand
  48. Charus
    Feb 8, 2011
    8
    Visually very refreshing experience. Good weapon responses.
    No proper co-op mode; Only objective is to survive the zombies. Wave-defence; If and when the objective fails; Wave 1 with the same **** room all over again. One point off.
    Really good improvement from MW2 to the campaing. While at it. Campaing was very colorful, a lot more details and improvements in areas. Still, found it too    Visually very refreshing experience. Good weapon responses.
    No proper co-op mode; Only objective is to survive the zombies. Wave-defence; If and when the objective fails; Wave 1 with the same **** room all over again. One point off.
    Really good improvement from MW2 to the campaing. While at it. Campaing was very colorful, a lot more details and improvements in areas. Still, found it too short, if a game can be played through in one night, its too short. One point off.

    Score (8.0)    … Expand
  49. Mr7Goat
    Mar 15, 2011
    8
    Call of Duty Black Ops, is another great game in the Call of Duty series, although some things could be changed.

    The campaign was great, you met up with some old friends, you got some new tech and weapons, and you even got to use some other cool gadgets inside the campaign. The campaign even had a twist to it which made the story line even more greater and made you think. The multiplayer    Call of Duty Black Ops, is another great game in the Call of Duty series, although some things could be changed.

    The campaign was great, you met up with some old friends, you got some new tech and weapons, and you even got to use some other cool gadgets inside the campaign. The campaign even had a twist to it which made the story line even more greater and made you think.

    The multiplayer was alright, but it could be better. It felt like almost all the other Multiplayers on other Call of Duty games but with different weapons, different maps, and different kill streaks. But it did add some new cool features including the Dolphin dive, or the prone dive. It even added more customization into the playercard, the player models, and the guns, but the multiplayer did feel the same and a little old.    … Expand
  50. OrbitalDeath
    Mar 22, 2011
    8
    If you look at this game as a standalone and not a sequel to arguably one of the most successful and profitable franchises in Gaming History, then it is a solid shooter. While plagued with early bugs because the Developer is known for being a beta hating, hype killing, bunch; the game still has a large package for $60. If you are a fan of the series and hate this one, your doing too muchIf you look at this game as a standalone and not a sequel to arguably one of the most successful and profitable franchises in Gaming History, then it is a solid shooter. While plagued with early bugs because the Developer is known for being a beta hating, hype killing, bunch; the game still has a large package for $60. If you are a fan of the series and hate this one, your doing too much comparing and contrasting. If every game is compared to a level of perfection that one game may rarely fall into, then only 1 or 2 games a year would even be worth talking about. But I will never buy another game with this much hype on launch night, throw a launch party, if the game didn't have a thorough open beta. Wake up Activision, stop counting your money for one minute, relieve some hype steam pressure, and ensure that you are delivering a solid product on launch day. Too many bugs for a AAA title launch.… Expand
  51. PigBodine
    Mar 23, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent story- liked how it tied in with the Stones song. Not as emotionally involving as World at War- but I'm a sucker for WW2- Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway brought me to tears and not for the reasons some bad reviews gave... Good set pieces- that crossbow zipline through the window from a tower you've just stormed was pretty damn awesome. Can't judge multiplayer as I'm a singleplayer campaign kinda guy. Only poor moment- the graphics on the boat mission.â… Expand
  52. Fordman555
    Jul 16, 2011
    8
    well compared to homefront this game is fantastic. to start out with the campaign it is hard, intense, a good story, and is entertaining. the campaign is base on a black opps agent (Mason) who was involved in the vietnam war. i wont tell you anymore. next the online play is excelent. the maps are not really oriented for sniping but all wepons are good. next the wepons are very good therewell compared to homefront this game is fantastic. to start out with the campaign it is hard, intense, a good story, and is entertaining. the campaign is base on a black opps agent (Mason) who was involved in the vietnam war. i wont tell you anymore. next the online play is excelent. the maps are not really oriented for sniping but all wepons are good. next the wepons are very good there are many chices of supmachine guns, assalt rifles, launchers, pistols,and others. this game in conclusion this game is worth the money you pay but its not worth any trade in value but you wont want to trade it in… Expand
  53. Proceo
    Apr 22, 2011
    8
    Engaging story, balanced multiplayer, good graphics, smooth gameplay, I don't see any of these problems "stated" (rather spewed) these negative reviews. The story has a lot more... well... story in it than any other previous CoD game. I guess the typical simple minded gamer rather would have a run-and-gun campaign without a story. The multiplayer which everyone seems to complain about,Engaging story, balanced multiplayer, good graphics, smooth gameplay, I don't see any of these problems "stated" (rather spewed) these negative reviews. The story has a lot more... well... story in it than any other previous CoD game. I guess the typical simple minded gamer rather would have a run-and-gun campaign without a story. The multiplayer which everyone seems to complain about, keeps the goods and throws out the bad from previous Call of Dutys. Balanced and fun, it contains a heightened sense of satisfaction when you win. Rarely any campers, and a simple way to counter them, this is probably the most balanced CoD to date. This Call of Duty also introduces some of the best features in game history to the series, theater mode, split screen online, combat training which is really fun with a friend in split-screen.
    Overall, I do not understand the negative review on this game and why everyone dislikes it so much. It's a great installment in my opinion and will be playing it for a long time.    … Expand
  54. Elarith
    May 11, 2011
    8
    Call Of Duty doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but why fix what isn't broken?
    The single player campaign was an average play. It seems that Treyarch wanted to make an 'epic' campaign, but for me, failed to deliver with a story that had trouble gripping me as I played through it.
    The multi player is where the game truly shines. Once again, nothing significant was added onto    Call Of Duty doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but why fix what isn't broken?
    The single player campaign was an average play. It seems that Treyarch wanted to make an 'epic' campaign, but for me, failed to deliver with a story that had trouble gripping me as I played through it.

    The multi player is where the game truly shines. Once again, nothing significant was added onto the already existing engine, but is delivered as a very solid competitive shooter. Alternative Kill Streaks and the leveling up system have been implemented in a solid way, and aid the games re playability considerably. The multi-player maps are quite average, every map was well thought out, but none of them really stuck as favorites in my mind like some maps from the previous games had.

    Conclusion: If you aren't a fan of previous Call Of Duty games, this is not for you. If you played one of the previous games and found yourself getting bored, this does not bring a lot to the table, and you may find yourself feeling like you're playing the same game with a few tweaks. For some this may be enough to keep them going, but others will tire of the same old quite quickly. Call Of Duty: Black Ops could be summed up as a solid shooter that risks very little by delivering more of the familiar game-play that gamers have come to love across the past few years    … Expand
  55. LordOFlibertY
    Jun 1, 2011
    8
    Yet again Treyarch tries to compete with Infinity Ward as the best developer of the Call of Duty franchise. Black Ops is obviously much better then their previous game, World at War but like the latter, Black Ops just contrasts too much with the original Modern Warfare series we all play and love. The balance in Black Ops is much better then Modern Warfare 2 but the addictiveness severelyYet again Treyarch tries to compete with Infinity Ward as the best developer of the Call of Duty franchise. Black Ops is obviously much better then their previous game, World at War but like the latter, Black Ops just contrasts too much with the original Modern Warfare series we all play and love. The balance in Black Ops is much better then Modern Warfare 2 but the addictiveness severely lacks. For many players the only reason they haven't lost the Black Ops disc is probably due to Nazi Zombies. Nazi Zombies alone I give this game an overall score of 8/10. Without it I would give it a 6.5/10… Expand
  56. MrMayge
    Jun 14, 2011
    8
    Let me just say that, looking at this website, it's refreshing to not see a bunch of posers who only play the newest and most advertised games hating on every other game, and finally hating on a new, advertised game. That said, this is one game I don't mind people getting rabies over. While there are a dozen or so other games I'd like to play, including one or two in the CoD seriesLet me just say that, looking at this website, it's refreshing to not see a bunch of posers who only play the newest and most advertised games hating on every other game, and finally hating on a new, advertised game. That said, this is one game I don't mind people getting rabies over. While there are a dozen or so other games I'd like to play, including one or two in the CoD series itself.
    The campaign is nice, though you don't learn much about the characters. Basically, the Russians have created a super-deadly bio-chemical weapon and you have to remember how to stop it's activation. It starts in an interrogation room, where you're told to try and remember what a cryptic set of numbers mean. The missions, which, speaking story-wise, are flashbacks, should take you about 15-25 minutes to complete, of which there are about 15 missions. The plot is good, with a few big twists, most of which seemed to come out of nowhere, but make you say, "What? Oh. Oh, yeah! I get it!". The zombies mode is back, with two built in maps, a mansion and the pentagon. Just as fun and addictive as ever.
    But as with any first-person shooter, the multiplayer is what everyone (but me) buys the game for. There are several great maps, including my favorite: a close quarters map called "Nuketown". The gamemodes include the classics like team deathmatch and a new kind of game mode called wager. In wager, you bet your currency points (called CoD points) that you'll come in the top three ranking players in the game. I don't like the wagering in this mode so much (you could win four times as much easily in a regular match without risking losing a couple), but I love the game modes, like "One in the chamber," where everyone has one bullet, and if they miss, they're forced to knife their way to victory. Every kill grants you another bullet, and it's a nice twist to regular first person shooter attitude which is, "Screw the ammo, SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT!"
    All together, Black Ops is a great game, and fans of the series or genre should definitely add this to their respective collections.    … Expand
  57. 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
  58. Jarbas6
    Nov 30, 2011
    8
    Good game, not inovative at ALL, but still a good game. Nice story (only 5 hours, if you don't know it) and great multiplayer. Zombies mode is cool. But, you know, as I said, not inovative at all, same CoD stuff. But way better than MW3.
  59. sinadoom
    Dec 8, 2011
    8
    Well-made, balanced and works. But is that a good thing? For any other game, maybe. For Call of Duty, this is by far the most boring, least satisfying, easiest but technically the best. A robot might like it, but a human gamer will soon grow tired of yet another CoD which although adds new features, it still doesn't make the game exciting. However, if you asked me which shooter i'd beWell-made, balanced and works. But is that a good thing? For any other game, maybe. For Call of Duty, this is by far the most boring, least satisfying, easiest but technically the best. A robot might like it, but a human gamer will soon grow tired of yet another CoD which although adds new features, it still doesn't make the game exciting. However, if you asked me which shooter i'd be happy to play on the longest, it would definitely be this. Everything works well, and there are practically no flaws with multiplayer. Zombies are very well done (the default ones anyway), if not a bit too dark in Kino der Toten. Overall, the campaign is excellent and interactive, zombies is fun and multiplayer is arguably the best in all of CoD. What more could you ask for? The campaign is much better than MW2 and WaW, with more interactivity, more variety in level design, a new environment and great scenes, characters and storyline. It is a little too short, but still packed with epicness, from stealth to piloting gunships. The campaign is much more of an adventure- a journey- whereas the previous ones were more predictable and straightforward. As far as multiplayer is concerned, it's flawless. There are no imbalanced weapons or perks or attachments. If anything grenade launchers are underpowered. The weapons are still varied for differentp laystyles. There are many attachments, pro perks, balanced killstreaks and modes such as Barebones, where it's straight up gun on gun. Private matches are a lot more fun given the wealth of settings which can be tweaked. One can also save replays of recent games and store custom game modes in file share. Wager matches add a new facet to the multiplayer experience by allowing players to compete in three free-for-all game modes for CoD points (in-game currency). Although many dislike CoD points, it encourages players to try out new weapons and attachments when prestiging and yes, challenges don't unlock anything but pro perks anymore but this eliminates boosting- a problem which MW2 had. Any problems which MW2 had have been addressed, but Second Chance/Last Stand still remains albeit with the kill going to the player who put the victim in last stand. The maps aren't great but they're good enough and work well. the same playstyle can be applied to every map, but this and the addition of CoD points mean that the game is fair and equal for all. Black Ops has really modernised the franchise and brought it up to Halo levels of complete package with its new additions such as the complete stats tracking for weapons, kills, deaths, leaderboards, score, killstreaks- EVERYTHING IS TRACKED. Understandably, people are sick of CoD franchise in general so it has low ratings, but as a game, this is by far the most modern and polished Call of Duty game yet in all aspects.… Expand
  60. Grmzbeard
    Sep 30, 2011
    8
    With the short comings, bugs and glitches in the previous Call of Duty, I was apprehensive to purchase Black Ops. However, after playing through it for its entire shelf life I consider it a contender for the top spot in the series against World at War. There are still several issues with connection lag, hacks available to anyone with google and a USB thumb drive and naturally the immatureWith the short comings, bugs and glitches in the previous Call of Duty, I was apprehensive to purchase Black Ops. However, after playing through it for its entire shelf life I consider it a contender for the top spot in the series against World at War. There are still several issues with connection lag, hacks available to anyone with google and a USB thumb drive and naturally the immature and racist player base on Xbox Live. That notwithstanding, Cod:BlOps has turned into a decent game. The map packs and game modes have been refreshing and the developer listened to the player base offering new ways to play the game. It's too bad we need to wait for Modern Warfare 2 to (hopefully) resolve the quick-scope sniper, the noob tube and idiocy that is Ghost and Last/Second Chance.… Expand
  61. 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.
  62. biscuitboy46
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    A great addition to the Call of Duty series. I've had this game since day one, and I'm very pleased with it. the zombies mode is very fun and the campaign is original and exciting. Much rather play this instead of Modern Warfare 3.
  63. Generalizor
    Nov 26, 2011
    8
    It is very much fanboyism around infinity ward who took the series out of the second world war and brought it to modern day. However Blackops has a great story line and according to me a much better multiplayer then MW2 without a million tons of crap flying in the air. all respect to Blackops.
  64. Mako5
    Feb 26, 2012
    8
    Black Ops was an interesting experience. I enjoyed the campaign, it actually was enjoyable, made sense, and had somewhat of a coherent plot. This game was well made and well thought out. Multiplayer is amazing! Recommend this game out of any CoD game out there!
  65. 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
  66. 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
  67. iKen
    Apr 12, 2020
    8
    Played on XBOX 360.
    Gameplay: GOOD.
    Story: GOOD.
    Graphic: GOOD.
    Music/Sound: GOOD.
    Dialogue/Voice Acting: GOOD.
  68. SilenceinmotioN
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    Black Ops was a good comeback for Treyarch, having lived in the shadows of Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare series. With plenty of fast-paced action and awing scenes, you will likely find it hard to put the controller down until it is beaten. Aside from the campaign, there are challenges to master, and for most people, the main fun comes with the online multiplayer. One thinga bout Black OpsBlack Ops was a good comeback for Treyarch, having lived in the shadows of Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare series. With plenty of fast-paced action and awing scenes, you will likely find it hard to put the controller down until it is beaten. Aside from the campaign, there are challenges to master, and for most people, the main fun comes with the online multiplayer. One thinga bout Black Ops that is both a blessing and a curse is that it is very balanced. It makes multiplayer fairer, but for some, perhaps too fair. Snipers are supposed to kill, and bombs are supposed to dismantle- but that's not always the case. All in all, it is a great game if you are into shooters. It has a great story to go with it's badassery, and for it's time, well designed and polished.… Expand
  69. emoney
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    This game overall is a pretty good game and had some good ideas such as gun game but the servers were inconsistent and the guns shot paper bullets half the time. its more like a 7.5
  70. gdmatt
    Oct 3, 2017
    8
    A refined version of Modern Warfare 2, without all the **** Call of Duty: Black Ops is one of the best entries in the series, and provides a touch of magic from Treyarch who are clearly the leading Call of Duty studio.
  71. bradtheman123
    Jun 11, 2014
    8
    2010 wasn't a very big gaming year. For this it was. This game was one of the more complete and deep games of the series. Of course it probably wasn't the best or hardest, but it was one of the more popular ones. BO2 was not when I started playing COD (I started on MW1) but when a lot of "Noobs" started. I was actually very good at this game. I reached a very high prestige (around 9), so2010 wasn't a very big gaming year. For this it was. This game was one of the more complete and deep games of the series. Of course it probably wasn't the best or hardest, but it was one of the more popular ones. BO2 was not when I started playing COD (I started on MW1) but when a lot of "Noobs" started. I was actually very good at this game. I reached a very high prestige (around 9), so it clearly was filled with "Noobs." I think the single player campaign was 'ok', but not the highlight of the game. The multiplayer definitely was. I think what made the game so popular was the fact how MW2 kind of boosted the series A LOT. A big factor that went into making the game so popular was that it was sold as the fact that it was "easy", mainly because since there were a lot of 'Noobs", they were probably playing there first COD experience. The game was my second favorite in the series (following MW2), but after about 4 after it came out I tried playing it again and of course it was dead. Every good old game, there all just dead now, what a shame... SMH.… Expand
  72. Rem
    Jul 11, 2013
    8
    Call of Duty: Black Ops does just enough to stand out from the other CODs and making it a worthwhile package. I want to question though if Michael Bay worked with the creation of this game. There is a crap ton of explosions and it all becomes tediously annoying a few hours in. However, the story this time is actually interesting and manages to stand out from games even outside of theCall of Duty: Black Ops does just enough to stand out from the other CODs and making it a worthwhile package. I want to question though if Michael Bay worked with the creation of this game. There is a crap ton of explosions and it all becomes tediously annoying a few hours in. However, the story this time is actually interesting and manages to stand out from games even outside of the genre. The gunplay is the same as ever as you move through a level sprinkled with explosive setpieces here and there, but most people play COD for its multiplayer. COD points being the new addition, is well implemented and the contract system kept me playing for a while. The most improved feature of this package however is the fun Zombies mode. Holding off waves off Nazi zombies have never been so fun while coming with replay value. The framerate is a silky 60 frames again, but textures can be rough at times. There isn't too much changes to the overall way you play the game, but I still kept playing this release for the annual mega franchise.… Expand
  73. ICEExMagic
    Apr 29, 2013
    8
    This is my favorite COD ever.The campagin has a great story,Best multiplayer in the series and a really fun zombies mode.Even thought the cod points were stupid,this game is really fun.
  74. callumjsouth
    Dec 6, 2014
    8
    A fresh Call of Duty environment makes for more first person shooter glory in both single and multiplayer. The new zombies mode is a blockbuster hit and will surely return. It breaths fresh life into a series that undoubtedly deserves more entries.
  75. elitefour
    Oct 26, 2013
    8
    ok,i liked this game
    was fun. it doesnt have a good story
    but the game is fine,the graphics are the same as
    modern warfare 1,but still better that modern warfare trilogy
    i think is a good a game,is not excellent but is great
  76. GTArocks
    Feb 16, 2014
    8
    Very good game. Decent Zombies, interesting storyline and fun multiplayer. Only reason why I give this a 8 is because of the stupid underage speakers, 2008 graphics and framerate drops from 60 to 20.
  77. flametail23
    Oct 24, 2014
    8
    I'm not a COD fanboy, well not anymore but all joking aside this is just a great game. Zombies is where the game really shines for me, I have spent hundreds of hours blowing zombie's heads off and it never losses it's touch.
    8/10
  78. TFFANBOYYY
    Feb 15, 2015
    8
    Everything about this game is pretty awesome, but I do kind of feel like I already own this game. It's like the same thing as every other CoD game, but I still think this game is awesome.
  79. gapk1999
    Nov 23, 2014
    8
    Ah, plot twists, Russians and JFK killing zombies. This game has many elements of comedy but also seriousness. I loved the story line of how we 're-lived' the memories of Alex Mason as he was being interrogated and finding out that Reznov was never there!
    The Zonbie Maps have advanced a lot since COD World at War as in 'Kino der Toten' you literally have missions to do by unlocking rooms    Ah, plot twists, Russians and JFK killing zombies. This game has many elements of comedy but also seriousness. I loved the story line of how we 're-lived' the memories of Alex Mason as he was being interrogated and finding out that Reznov was never there!
    The Zonbie Maps have advanced a lot since COD World at War as in 'Kino der Toten' you literally have missions to do by unlocking rooms and connecting the teleporter. You can do this by yourself or with your friends.
    I still miss the days of COD WAW where we can do cooperative campaign but COD Black Ops is still undeniably a great game to play    … Expand
  80. LuanGamer
    Jun 17, 2015
    8
    Jogo ótimo , treyarch está de parabéns , joguei muito e ás vezes ainda jogo , modo zombies muito TOP , campanha muito bem pensada , já o multiplayer te deixa puto com o lag -'-
  81. KingAndCountry
    Sep 17, 2016
    8
    If you take a look at the rest of the recent reviews for Black Ops here, you'll notice all of the high scores, especially compared to recent COD games.

    The reason for that, I'd argue, is because this game did basically every aspect of the series well. Good single-player campaign setpieces, good storyline, good cooperative Zombies mode and maps, good multiplayer gunplay and the general    If you take a look at the rest of the recent reviews for Black Ops here, you'll notice all of the high scores, especially compared to recent COD games.

    The reason for that, I'd argue, is because this game did basically every aspect of the series well. Good single-player campaign setpieces, good storyline, good cooperative Zombies mode and maps, good multiplayer gunplay and the general atmosphere to everything. Perhaps each of these aspects alone don't stand out - WaW had better Zombies, MW2 had a more fun multiplayer (if less balanced), COD4's campaign pacing was more focused and had a more climactic conclusion.

    However, by doing each and every category well, BO forms one of the most cohesive experiences in the series, alongside the likes of CoD4 and CoD2. Take a look at MW3 - the co-op Survivalist mode was arguably shoehorned in. Take a look at BO3 - easily the worst campaign in the trilogy.

    Black Ops feels like a finished game, if a little unpolished, and it's Treyarch's first real foray into their own territory. Compare that to MW2, which was released a year too early, and the main villain of the plotline has a poorly developed and confusing motive.

    (As a side note, MW2 should have been released in 2010, Black Ops in 2011, and we should only just be hitting Black Ops II rather than III right about now, but Activision is one s h i t t y company. Infinity Ward was gutted in 2009, a **** PR manager and like 4 secretaries were all that was left, and that's what was forced into making MW3 for 2011. The series as a whole receives a whole lot of justified flak for being released yearly, and it's obvious that many games in the series suffered for it, 2011-2014 releases in particular. That doesn't make them all not worth playing though, in my opinion.)

    Overall, BO is still definitely one of the better games in the series, and it should be remembered that way too. I'd personally rank it at something like 4th overall, not for doing anything spectacular in a single specific category, but for being cohesive and doing everything well despite its early release.    … Expand
  82. BlakDak666
    May 31, 2017
    8
    With MW2 being a departure of its roots in favor of more popular and commercialized production, I was expecting some sort of return with the series. World War 2 was already repeated twice, so that was a no-go, leaving Vietnam and Korea on the map for the next war game. Would it return to the roots and still remain fresh for the players? In my opinion I would say Black Ops 1 does deliverWith MW2 being a departure of its roots in favor of more popular and commercialized production, I was expecting some sort of return with the series. World War 2 was already repeated twice, so that was a no-go, leaving Vietnam and Korea on the map for the next war game. Would it return to the roots and still remain fresh for the players? In my opinion I would say Black Ops 1 does deliver that war-like feel, but not of the same caliber as WAW.

    The campaign is not as action-packed as MW2, but it was going for a more twist with the Cold War and having this Black Operative style that reflected that paranoia of the U.S. and Russia in the Cold War's height. The brutality came back and I enjoyed it very much unlike MW2 lacking it. Unfortunately, my fears had surfaced when the hand holding and power of war and sacrifice had been trashed the moment I was given my "toys" to play without throughout. Bringing back the soldiers of WAW surprised me much like Soap and Price in MW2, but worked much better I think because it reflected the nature of the political spectrum Russia had when the U.S.S.R. was around. Not brilliantly or anything, but comparing the past three games, I'd say it is better than MW2's, but not as good as WAW and not even close to COD4's.

    The zombies return and bring three maps instead of one (I only look at the base game here). Kino Der Toten from Nacht Der Untoten was perhaps the most brilliant jump in quality ever, as long as nobody played the DLC maps WAW had for zombies at the time. I really love its larger, yet simple design that echoes the original and pretty much evolves it. Playing with friends, or running solo was always a joy to play on that map and it's an easy top 10 for all maps currently. Five, however, then turns up and is one of the worst maps ever made to this date. A cool concept ruined by the zombie's behaviors and the tight close spaces, it was a dam shame such potential was wasted. Dead Ops Arcade was fun little distraction that takes the idea of zombies into a arcade shooter and (although clumsily) makes some challenge for players.

    The multiplayer in Black Ops was really really good. Once again, not as well done as COD4, but I loved the maps (mostly), the music and theme mixed with a retro feel of the guns. Perk Imbalance still ran rampant, but what Black Ops also did that I loved was adding emblem customizing, contracts, character customization options, the cod point system and theater mode on top of its multiplayer. Even if the emblem designs could look ridiculous or stupid, I loved the idea of creating your own identity. Adding face paint and wearing certain perks to define your character's outfit really made team tactics good and also define you as your own soldier. The cod point system was genius; you earn points (or money in this case) as you played matches and spend on weapons, camos, sights, and all sorts of things so you could spend it the way you wanted and not the game. The contract system made point gathering easier by allowing you to bet on challenges you set yourself to complete and earn not just experience but loads of points to help further benefit you. Add to that a wager match system where you bet those points in a pool with other players and win them by playing unique modes, and you have a competitive setup that actually helps everyone in the end for getting what they want.

    Combat wise, it did away with quickscoping and used a mix of old and new scorestreaks with a retro feel to them. Weapon imbalance was and still is an issue and coupling this with the perk imbalance, there was a arcade vibe more than a war vibe. I still enjoyed it for the setting and style however and is still one of my favorite Cod multiplayers to date.

    Black Ops receives alot of flak by the community on more than its fair share of issues, but I would argue it gave back the feel of what WAW and COD4 had that MW2 was lacking in, even if it doesn't live up to those standards. I always appreciated Black Ops for trying a different take on war through the lens of black operations and make us question what really goes on in our world that isn't always on a open battlefield. A well done game that is in my top five COD games of all time (#3).    … Expand
  83. MarvelJoe
    Mar 8, 2018
    8
    I just love how this game make you feel like a badass with the guns and music (not like DOOM). It has memorable charathers and great-confusing story if that makes sense but it was reveal almost at the end why everything was confusing. It has a great twist to the game and great lines but that's just the campaign. The zombies terrified me, the multiplayers were fun and enjoyable. This isI just love how this game make you feel like a badass with the guns and music (not like DOOM). It has memorable charathers and great-confusing story if that makes sense but it was reveal almost at the end why everything was confusing. It has a great twist to the game and great lines but that's just the campaign. The zombies terrified me, the multiplayers were fun and enjoyable. This is probably one of the best COD games.… Expand
  84. Yobyoni
    May 21, 2021
    8
    What is up with all the negative reviews of this game. It is great! Probably my 3rd favourite call of duty and what a huge upgrade for the zombies gamemode!
  85. Daniel_N
    Feb 5, 2021
    8
    I’ve only ever played the zombie mode, and I loved it. However, I’m not sure about the rest of the game, so this rating only includes my opinion of the zombies mode(s).
  86. notbradyn_YT
    Oct 30, 2021
    8
    I have history with this game. My best friend and I played the campaign simultaneously and loved all of it! We also played a lot of zombies with his brother and the highest round we got to was 23 and then the game crashed. Still, it is one of my favourite Call of Duty’s ever.
  87. Alex5Gremlin
    Aug 13, 2020
    8
    A butal story with fun characters and very entertaining visuals and implications, this games twists and turns and changed gameplay from other shooters is what truly shows this as one the of the best COD games ever played
  88. StrangeSlayer
    May 2, 2021
    8
    el mejor cod sin lugar a dudas,tiene unas misiones espectaculares y muy divertidas,mucha accion y adrenalina,buena dificultad y sobre todo una increible historia que me sorprendio bastante.Una narrativa muy potente y mucho mejor que otros cod.
  89. mlnsn
    Jul 16, 2021
    8
    Gameplay : 8/10
    Design (video + audio) : 7/10
    Story : 8/10
    Technical aspects : 8/10
    Repeatability: 8/10
  90. United009
    Dec 20, 2021
    8
    Has an remember-able, enjoyable campaign that I believe is the best in the "Black Ops" family of the series. The zombies mode was also fun, especially the maps.
  91. Superjackman117
    Feb 23, 2022
    8
    Having played every single Call of Duty campaign from 2 up till the latest Vanguard as of this review and nearly every multiplayer for each game, I would say this has to be one of the best if not most fun experience I've had with a call of duty ever, it's unique vietnam war era gameplay and weapon mechanics had me playing it for hours a day as a kid and the campaign is something special, aHaving played every single Call of Duty campaign from 2 up till the latest Vanguard as of this review and nearly every multiplayer for each game, I would say this has to be one of the best if not most fun experience I've had with a call of duty ever, it's unique vietnam war era gameplay and weapon mechanics had me playing it for hours a day as a kid and the campaign is something special, a must play for FPS fans.

    Highly Recommended.    … Expand
  92. Netherghul
    Mar 6, 2022
    8
    The best all around call of duty. Inferior to MW2's multiplayer by a long way. But has the best Campaign of any CoD with it just slightly above MW2. That along with the best Zombies of any Black Ops along with the best DLC behind Ghosts.
  93. atyoukha
    Aug 1, 2022
    8
    Okay, I loved the time-period it was set in. I loved the psychological manipulation the character deals with. I did find myself playing it a few times and playing the arcade game. But after awhile it did bore me. The zombie mode is only fun with friends.
  94. goodgriff33
    Apr 27, 2023
    8
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  95. ZackH25
    Mar 27, 2023
    8
    The campaign was very good especially core gameplay wise. The multiplayer was also amazing including a bunch of iconic maps such as Nuketown. The zombies was the best part for me. Kino Der Totten and five are such great both map wise and the guns/items you can use to survive. Some of the dlc for this game was also very good including call of the dead and Ascension. In terms of zombiesThe campaign was very good especially core gameplay wise. The multiplayer was also amazing including a bunch of iconic maps such as Nuketown. The zombies was the best part for me. Kino Der Totten and five are such great both map wise and the guns/items you can use to survive. Some of the dlc for this game was also very good including call of the dead and Ascension. In terms of zombies despite still being great the maps are still not as good as bo2 or bo3 when you consider dlc maps.… Expand
  96. 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
  97. 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
  98. 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.
  99. 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
  100. 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
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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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