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. msherry9
    Mar 26, 2011
    6
    I'm a little disappointed that the Call of Duty franchise has hit a point in the series' history where any subpar developer can slap the words "Call of Duty" on the front cover and it will become the most successful selling game of all time. Yes, Black Ops is still an excellent game, but I'm giving it a 6 because the game had a ridiculous amount of hype and yet, it delivered absolutelyI'm a little disappointed that the Call of Duty franchise has hit a point in the series' history where any subpar developer can slap the words "Call of Duty" on the front cover and it will become the most successful selling game of all time. Yes, Black Ops is still an excellent game, but I'm giving it a 6 because the game had a ridiculous amount of hype and yet, it delivered absolutely nothing new or inspiring to the table. As another user critic said, the game is doing nothing except receive a piggy back ride from Modern Warfare 2. If Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 switched release dates, MW2 would be the best selling game of all time. You could not tell the difference between which game was released first. The only reason that Black Ops is as successful as it is, is because of one reason: it is more new. I am not exaggerating this when I say it. It is not superior in any way, but rather actually a degrade in many aspects. To start, the graphics are literally the exact same. And in some cases, it somehow manages to be worse. I have absolutely no idea how, and I still have don't have an answer to this day, other than the engine is worse the MW2's. On the topic, since the engine is different, the entire feel of the game isn't as smooth as MW2 feels. I can't describe it too well, it just feels clunkier, and the hit detection is worse. The single player is very good, despite having another extremely short campaign. You can complete the campaign on Normal difficulty in probably 3 hours tops, so if you don't have online, I highly urge you to not buy this game. The storyline of the campaign is very original in my opinion, and the ending was very well-written. Despite this, it was a little anti-climatic, as I'm used to a pulsating thrill-ride the last ten minutes of a standard Call of Duty campaign. Voice-acting was extremely well-done, and there's some recognizable names behind the acting such as Ice Cube that really deliver an astounding performance. Some of the missions are a little cliche, a mere, "Been there, done that" feeling that you have already experienced this in other installments. Moving on to multiplayer, this is where I feel that I was disappointed the most. Sure, Black Ops has their original Nazi Zombies, but let's be honest, would you really pay $60 for just that? It's fun for awhile, but not enough to warrant a purchase alone. The multiplayer maps online are merely a host of mediocre maps that are nothing memorable. They involve a lot of camping spots and chokepoints that enemy players are constantly hovering around. Also, because so many of them are not as largescale as MW2's maps, sniping essentially goes out the window. On the topic of snipers, they themselves are worthless weapons in comparison to any assault rifle, and it is not uncommon to be called a noob for using one. The weapons are unbalanced, and everyone uses either the FAMAS or the AK74u, which is to be expected, since both of these guns are far superior to the others. The sound quality has actually become worse than on MW2, and the killstreaks available to you are boring or borrowed from MW2. One example is the Chopper Gunner; sound familiar? Amidst this darkness are some great new addions, however, such as the ability to customize your own personal emblem. Also, the addition of contracts is a rather cool idea, and some new game modes such as One in the Chamber are a blast to play. Overall, there are some great additions to Black Ops, but they don't add up to much. And they certainly don't add up to an entire purchase of a brand new game that feels, looks, and plays like MW2. If you have your copy of MW2 stlll, it would be best if you stuck with that. If not, I guess Black Ops would be a worthy purchase since that's what everyone else plays.… Expand
  2. r6ruffrider
    Nov 10, 2010
    3
    I'm sorry I bought this game. I've never been a big fan of the campaign but I have always loved the multiplayer of the COD franchise. But I felt this multiplayer lacks when compared to the previous titles. The graphics look worse than MW2, and the game play is EXACTLY the same. They added a few new killstreaks and call it a NEW game? The maps are small and boring, and I refuse to payI'm sorry I bought this game. I've never been a big fan of the campaign but I have always loved the multiplayer of the COD franchise. But I felt this multiplayer lacks when compared to the previous titles. The graphics look worse than MW2, and the game play is EXACTLY the same. They added a few new killstreaks and call it a NEW game? The maps are small and boring, and I refuse to pay 800-1200 Microsoft points to get new maps when they come out. Overall I wish I could have my 60 bucks back. I hate when major titles change developers, it ruined the Final Fantasy series and now the COD series. Bottom line.... Black Ops effin' lame.… Expand
  3. PsychoSimatic
    Nov 10, 2010
    1
    Quick look at the review:

    Conclusion: Wish i had not purchased this, it certainly shouldn't cost $60 and it was a big let down Pro: Story line was engaging Cons: A quick summary if you dont want to read below: Graphics are the same but run worse (ya i don't get it either, go figure) Shorter than the first, took me 4 hours 20 minutes to beat on Hardened collecting all but 2 pieces of    Quick look at the review:

    Conclusion: Wish i had not purchased this, it certainly shouldn't cost $60 and it was a big let down

    Pro: Story line was engaging

    Cons: A quick summary if you dont want to read below:

    Graphics are the same but run worse (ya i don't get it either, go figure)
    Shorter than the first, took me 4 hours 20 minutes to beat on Hardened collecting all but 2 pieces of intel.
    Multiplayer is buggy and laggy, constant kicks, crashes, disconnects make it close to unplayable.
    for $60 you get a poorly made expansion that will let you down.

    Now I'll explain it a bit more for those who want to know my reasoning

    The graphics of the game are the same as the first, It looks the same, nothing new, if anything i almost feel like they pushed the bar even less. Really no moments that are visually stunning. Given that somehow they've managed to make it run less efficiently. During my setup for single player graphics i experienced instense lag, my screen would flash yellow and i had to lower the settings down on AA AASA. At this point the game still had moments of extreme choppiness though i could play with the settings further because of the poorly done menu. Every mutliplayer game i've joined has people lagging out or crashing because of graphical issues. I run a Nvidia 480GTX, Quad-core Intel, 8GB of ram and I STILL get lag in this game (yes i have the latest drivers). The game play is the roughly the same as the first but it feels less fluid, the AI does nothing but get in the way the entire time, you basically feel like your just running through a movie and only you down know the script. You end up having to kill everything you see as your AI squad members really dont do anything except follow their scripts. In this game they've simply reused what they had and spent even less time on making it feel "epic" and even less time on the menu system of the game which at this point its so PC unfriendly that it makes me want to cry.

    The list of complaints tends to drag on but over all the fact that this was a $59.99 for an even shorter game than the first, using the same engine, same everything is really just criminal. I regret spending my $60 for something that should have been in the $30 price range as an expansion.

    To the Critic's that have reviewed this. Did you even play Modern Warfare 2? How can people even suggest that this "tops" that? You had to crawl through a trench under heavy machine gun fire in front of the WHITE HOUSE in the first one, nuclear war, defending the homeland they managed to hit every button to get people to connect with their game. The story of this game is a giant flash back, that has nothing to do with us, and lets just say the ending was a joke.    … Expand
  4. ColdSpike
    Nov 10, 2010
    4
    Meh. Stuck on Rebirth Island in a loop. Standing behind the Russki he says I've been spotted and he just stands there and I'm looking around trying to see who spotted me, and trying to figure where all of the bullets are coming from.

    If I don't hit the marks that the developers say I should I die. I REALLY hate having to play a level over and over, and over, and over, from the start    Meh. Stuck on Rebirth Island in a loop. Standing behind the Russki he says I've been spotted and he just stands there and I'm looking around trying to see who spotted me, and trying to figure where all of the bullets are coming from.

    If I don't hit the marks that the developers say I should I die. I REALLY hate having to play a level over and over, and over, and over, from the start because I didn't jump fast enough, or read the BS directions about hitting X to deploy the parachute. BO is more frustrating than fun. Once I complete it I won't be replaying the campaign, and since I don't have Gold Live multi player is out. If the Zombies game sucks I'll be selling it back to Gamestop.    … Expand
  5. HydroWarDaddy
    Nov 9, 2010
    10
    This is by far the most complete and deep gaming experience in history. The balance in the multi-player maps and weapons will be imitated and praised for years to come. This is the BEST game ever.
  6. 0fof0fo
    Mar 14, 2011
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops has many things going for it. Addictive multiplayer, descent story, amazing Zombies, and great replay ability. Unlike some reviewers, I do not think Black Ops is similar to previous games in the series, except in the core defining features that make it Call of Duty. I, personally, consider this the best game in the series. That being said, It is hard to argue thisCall of Duty: Black Ops has many things going for it. Addictive multiplayer, descent story, amazing Zombies, and great replay ability. Unlike some reviewers, I do not think Black Ops is similar to previous games in the series, except in the core defining features that make it Call of Duty. I, personally, consider this the best game in the series. That being said, It is hard to argue this game is flawless. While the campaign is the best yet, the easier difficulties are altogether to easy. Honestly, in many cases you can simply sit back and let your bot allies take care of the enemies. The exception to this is veteran, which is extremely challenging. Unfortunately, there really is no medium difficulty for Black Ops. That being said, the campaign is fun and exciting, with a story that is surprisingly interesting for a Call of Duty game. Multiplayer wise, Black Ops is like any other Call of Duty. Addicting, but frustrating. Due to the majority of players buying Call of Duty for the multiplayer, I will review this section extensively. To begin, the multiplayer, like any other CoD, is fast-paced and frantic. Even though Treyarch increased the amount of damage you take, you still die quickly and you will not find yourself getting away from gunfights in most scenarios. In addition, the guns in Black Ops are disappointing. If you are trying to do well, the assault rifles are vastly superior to all other gun's, save the AK74u. That being said, in and of themselves, the assault rifles are balanced and each fun to use in their own way. Additionally, the sub machine guns, shotguns, and Light Machine Gun's are all balanced and unique, if not for the Assault Rifles outshining them in most situations. Finally, the Sniper Rifles are, sadly, useless in this game, and you will not be able to quickscope like previous Call of Duty's. While this may come to a relief to some, because Treyarch made only a couple sniper-friendly maps, the Sniper is a gun that could have easily been left out without being missed. Customization wise,Treyarch brings many new attachments, camos, perks, and kill streaks. Although some could argue kill streaks underpowered, all in all the customization is balanced and, depending on the different load outs you go with, the game can feel very different. Unlike previous Call of Duty games, the grenade launcher has a very reasonable blast radius and, when against Flak Jacket (A perk that gives you extra explosive resistance) its overall useless. On the gameplay aspect, the map's are fun and interesting, the gameplay is fluid, the control's flawless, and the graphics passable. Unfortunately, the spawns could use some tweaking. Depending on the game mode you play, you can easily be trapped in your spawn or, on the opposite side of things, switch spawns to easily and spawn behind enemies, or vise-versa. Additionally, the matchmaking is not ideal. In many cases, when playng with parties, you will get into a game with a few people missing. This never happened in previous call of duties and, even worse, you could get into a game that is already, in essence, a loss. Finally, I will address the zombie mode. Zombie's is arguably the best part of Black Ops. There is something altogether to satisfying by annihilating endless zombie hordes with a couple of friends. On the later rounds, it takes a lot of teamwork to survive. Black Ops comes with 2 map's, Kino der Toten and Five. Although Five is not as enjoyable for me, Kino der Toten is extremely fun and pack's hours of play. In addition, if you purchased the Hardened addition to Black Ops, you will gain access to the 4 zombie maps from WaW with modern weapons. While all fun, my personal favorite is Der Reise. Finally, if you purchase the fifteen dollar map pack you will gain the ability to play Ascension, my favorite zombie map. Ascension is surprisingly complicated for a zombie map, even coming with a side-objective to try if your feeling lucky. Unfortunately, its not easy and you'll need a full party of four. In the end, Black Ops is a very fun game that deserves your purchase, especially if you enjoyed the previous call of duties. Although the Multiplayer will surely attract most, be sure not to overlook Zombies and the Campaign. My only caution is that multiplayer, even the campaign in some parts, will be frustrating. However, if this happens just take a break and come back later. My final thoughts, great purchase, but if your not a fan of shooters I would let this one pass.… Expand
  7. pirodev
    Nov 22, 2010
    7
    I couldn't help but be very excited for this game because it was so well marketed and the expectation was that it would be better than modern warfare. Needless to say there was a big let down. The campain was good, but felt forced, with no real new ideas. I had hoped that it would be more of a solo mission without your team members which usually only add to the mass confusion when tryingI couldn't help but be very excited for this game because it was so well marketed and the expectation was that it would be better than modern warfare. Needless to say there was a big let down. The campain was good, but felt forced, with no real new ideas. I had hoped that it would be more of a solo mission without your team members which usually only add to the mass confusion when trying to shoot your way to safety. The game is called black ops but it never really felt like Black ops. Theres still a ways to go before Call of Duty will get character development right, and a truly engulfed story line.

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

    As for Zombies I could'nt be bothered, I miss the spec ops, which was my favorite feature for Modern Warfare 2. Overall: Campain - 6 Multiplayer - 9    … Expand
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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.
  12. EliteForce1uk
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    True amazing experience online and offline.. now that mw3 has been released people will see how much off a good game this truly is!
    Its cool to hate black ops , i cant think for one reason why !
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. Shortstack_519
    Jun 19, 2013
    7
    As my First Cod game, I think this one is my favorite. It isn't that good of a game, but I poured countless hours into zombies and online play. And as much as I'm done with Cod me and my friends did enjoy our time with this one.
  16. Sammechu
    Aug 2, 2013
    7
    CODBO is not one of the best games ever in any way, but it is one of my favorites. Zombies is what makes the game really stand out, without that it would just be a game with a slightly decent story and an alright multiplayer experience.
  17. wegie125
    Nov 15, 2017
    10
    This game was my first real call of duty and I have loved it ever since. I loved this black ops and the second one even more. This one was so simple yet it did so much right. I didn't ever play the campaign or really much of the multiplayer but the zombies was enough to get me hooked. They had the right amount of balance of complexity and simplicity. The new games tried too hard for easterThis game was my first real call of duty and I have loved it ever since. I loved this black ops and the second one even more. This one was so simple yet it did so much right. I didn't ever play the campaign or really much of the multiplayer but the zombies was enough to get me hooked. They had the right amount of balance of complexity and simplicity. The new games tried too hard for easter eggs and other nonsense. This game did it right and I have been so trilled with that. I don't think any other call of duty zombie game will be as charming as this one. Thank you. This game earned the perfect score… Expand
  18. EzioA88
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    9.5 out of 10 (rounded up to 10)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Everything about BLOPs is polished and well executed. It controls well, the performances and score are brilliant and it looks great as well- even 4 years on. The campaign, multiplayer and Zombies mode still aren't highly innovative, but who cares? This is some of the best fun in COD in years. Treyarch is better than Infinity Ward anyway...    … Expand
  19. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    Campaign not the best, Multiplayer was actually good on this COD, However it's the Zombies mode that is the real selling point here, especially with all the maps. Definely one of my favorite COD games.
  20. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Sep 10, 2018
    9
    The first "Black Ops" is Treyarch's best COD game. It's also the best entry in the BLOPS series. At the time of its release, the developer was often mocked as the 'B' team to Infinity Ward's 'A' team. But with this installment, Treyarch really delivered. I'm sure they had felt the pressure to live up to the first two "Modern Warfare" games. While it's not a masterpiece, "Call of Duty:The first "Black Ops" is Treyarch's best COD game. It's also the best entry in the BLOPS series. At the time of its release, the developer was often mocked as the 'B' team to Infinity Ward's 'A' team. But with this installment, Treyarch really delivered. I'm sure they had felt the pressure to live up to the first two "Modern Warfare" games. While it's not a masterpiece, "Call of Duty: Black Ops" is very good. It contains a great story mode, terrific multiplayer and a solid zombies map. I would rate it with a 9 out of 10.… Expand
  21. SKSK
    Jul 22, 2018
    10
    A memorable campaign with memorable characters. It also has an amazing multiplayer that will amuse you for dozens of hours.
  22. xLeTudex
    Mar 13, 2011
    6
    I am a big fan of the franchise and have played all the games. Its just seems all the good work done by Infinity Ward making the best shooters ever in the Modern Warfare games, are undone each year by Treyarch and their 'attempts'. World at War was disapointting and so is Black Ops. The campaign has decent action, but is so linear and the same throughout. I would love a different pacing inI am a big fan of the franchise and have played all the games. Its just seems all the good work done by Infinity Ward making the best shooters ever in the Modern Warfare games, are undone each year by Treyarch and their 'attempts'. World at War was disapointting and so is Black Ops. The campaign has decent action, but is so linear and the same throughout. I would love a different pacing in missions instead of the same old routine in killing enemy after enemy running towards you between an objective down a corridor. Zombies is just the same as in World at War, nothing new. Multiplayer can be fun, but also make you feel suicidal. LAG LAG LAG. Its a good job they put wager matches in because this is the only mode thats keeps me playing, they are a lot of fun. My advice, stick to Modern Warfare 2.… Expand
  23. grandpajoe6191
    Nov 8, 2011
    7
    Okay. "Call of duty: Black Ops" is a game in a situation called "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained". It's like copying MW2 into another CD and selling it back, except that it has different titles and more **** graphics. The zombies are the only stand-alone con that makes me play this game with my friends. Either than that, I'm ready to sell this ****
  24. dupplawt
    Mar 23, 2011
    6
    Call of Duty Black Ops doesn't do much to advance the series or change up the 'winning formula' that Call of Duty 4 established. Developed by Treyarch, they have once again made only refinements to the multi-player experience. The removal of juggernaut and stopping power perks is a good idea, as well as toning the kill-streaks down. But there's still some questionable decisions. RC-XD andCall of Duty Black Ops doesn't do much to advance the series or change up the 'winning formula' that Call of Duty 4 established. Developed by Treyarch, they have once again made only refinements to the multi-player experience. The removal of juggernaut and stopping power perks is a good idea, as well as toning the kill-streaks down. But there's still some questionable decisions. RC-XD and second chance being the main negatives of the multi-player experience. Luckily, there are lobbies to avoid the nuisance of the aforementioned perks. The ability to go split-screen online is a massive bonus, and the 2 zombie maps included are good for a few hours. The campaign was poor and although slightly longer than Modern Warfare 2, it was boring and generic **** and with no ability to play the game any differently to the millions who have likely played it. Nonetheless, the content including multi-player and zombies, including the top-down Dead Ops, are all decent but fail to break any new ground for the series.… Expand
  25. Sliggs
    Dec 26, 2010
    6
    Ok, some of these review scores are ridiculous, im seeing 0's? There are much much worse games out there than Black Ops. I agree its not as good as MW2 by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn't mean its a bad game. Treyarch introduced some cool new feature like the customisation, and theatre mode, some credit has to be given to Treyarch for introducing theatre to the series.Ok, some of these review scores are ridiculous, im seeing 0's? There are much much worse games out there than Black Ops. I agree its not as good as MW2 by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn't mean its a bad game. Treyarch introduced some cool new feature like the customisation, and theatre mode, some credit has to be given to Treyarch for introducing theatre to the series. While Treyarch got some things wrong they got some things right that Modern Warfare 2 did not. The Assist points are fairer, killstreaks (no nukes and kills from killstreaks do not count towads awards) etc. Dissapointed with the campaign but thats only compared to other COD games, as mentioned before there are much much worse games out there than this. This is an honest opinion and a fair score in my opinion.… Expand
  26. peopgamer
    Feb 15, 2011
    6
    Every year their is Call of Duty game, and now its beginning to show. Im bored of the same gameplay and graphics engine, I want something new. It was new in Call of Duty 4. Fair enough the single player cinematic but again its only 6 hours long, as seen in the past 6 games. The multiplayer is just not as good as World at War or Modern Warfare 2, its not compelling. I think a Call of DutyEvery year their is Call of Duty game, and now its beginning to show. Im bored of the same gameplay and graphics engine, I want something new. It was new in Call of Duty 4. Fair enough the single player cinematic but again its only 6 hours long, as seen in the past 6 games. The multiplayer is just not as good as World at War or Modern Warfare 2, its not compelling. I think a Call of Duty game every year is too much. A… Expand
  27. MichiganMotorz1
    May 15, 2011
    1
    Most people buy this game for the online play. The truth is that Black Ops is a failure for multiplayer use.
    Lobbies are never synchronized....leaving huge gaps in aiming and target hit markers. Often times you can be killed without ever having actually been in view of the enemy. The spawns are horrible. Enemy players can sit where you will spawn in front of them, allowing them to shoot    Most people buy this game for the online play. The truth is that Black Ops is a failure for multiplayer use.
    Lobbies are never synchronized....leaving huge gaps in aiming and target hit markers. Often times you can be killed without ever having actually been in view of the enemy. The spawns are horrible. Enemy players can sit where you will spawn in front of them, allowing them to shoot you without a chance of even getting one step taken. Poor design and a waste of money. I will NEVER buy a Treyarch game again.    … Expand
  28. claychastain
    Nov 24, 2010
    7
    This isn't a bad game, but it isn't anything new. The single player didn't engage me at all and I had no idea or interest in whatever the plot was supposed to be about. Kill a Russian or something, just like every other game ever made. There are ridiculous moments in it and too many uses of "cool factor" slowmos that are more cliche than cool. As well, there are times when infinite numbersThis isn't a bad game, but it isn't anything new. The single player didn't engage me at all and I had no idea or interest in whatever the plot was supposed to be about. Kill a Russian or something, just like every other game ever made. There are ridiculous moments in it and too many uses of "cool factor" slowmos that are more cliche than cool. As well, there are times when infinite numbers of enemies rush trenches in mind-boggling simplicity that makes the entire game feel fake. The multiplayer is essentially the same as MW2 -- if you've played that, you played this. It's okay, but I dislike the maps. They're murky looking and not as fun to play in. All of the things that have frustrated me about MW2 are now compiled with all of the things that frustrated me about WaW and it's not enough to keep me playing.… Expand
  29. uncleowen
    Nov 14, 2010
    6
    I hope everyone enjoys broke ass servers, laughable spawning, and a cliche campaign. If so your in the right place. If not you'll probably stop playing the campaign at Khe Sahn. When you quit to multiplayer you'll try to connect with your pals but oh no we can't all get in a game together. Next you'll be by yourself in a game. Maybe I'll snipe you'll say. Nope, says treyarch we nerfedI hope everyone enjoys broke ass servers, laughable spawning, and a cliche campaign. If so your in the right place. If not you'll probably stop playing the campaign at Khe Sahn. When you quit to multiplayer you'll try to connect with your pals but oh no we can't all get in a game together. Next you'll be by yourself in a game. Maybe I'll snipe you'll say. Nope, says treyarch we nerfed sniping cause nuke boosters along with other **** **** about it. How about a shotgun, Oh please! Pros: map balance, emblem customization, rc car killstreak, crossbow, prison break mission, and dead ops arcade.… Expand
  30. zealot027
    Dec 16, 2010
    7
    I'm disappointed, to say the least. World at War is by far, to this day, my favorite Call of Duty game EVER. I thought Call of Duty 3 was a good game, too. Accordingly, I had high expectations for Treyarch. I can't say I hate Black Ops, because I don't, I just don't LOVE it. First off, let's start with the perks - The Campaign blew me away. I thought it would be a Modern Warfare 2-styleI'm disappointed, to say the least. World at War is by far, to this day, my favorite Call of Duty game EVER. I thought Call of Duty 3 was a good game, too. Accordingly, I had high expectations for Treyarch. I can't say I hate Black Ops, because I don't, I just don't LOVE it. First off, let's start with the perks - The Campaign blew me away. I thought it would be a Modern Warfare 2-style thing with a little more stealth and set in the 60`s. Hey, I wouldn't have had a problem with that, Modern Warfare 2's Campaign was great for me. Black Ops blew that out of the water... It was amazing. I'm not the most skilled player out there, Regular is about where I'm at. Every CoD game prior to this bored me at some point and just seemed too hard... Never did this happen in Black Ops. Treyarch's story is amazing, and I'd buy "Black Ops 2" or whatever just to see what else happens to Mason and Hudson and everyone... I actually felt attached to the characters this time. Next - Zombies. Kino Der Toten is one of the best Zombie Maps out there, better than the amazing Der Riese, which, until now, was my favorite map. Dempsy, Nikolai, Takeo and Richtofen are hilarious, and they can make an impossible situation to overcome all the brighter. Plus, I've never had so much fun slaughtering zombies as a Presidential Aid... Ever! "Five" is another great map in Zombies where you play as JFK, Robert McNamara, Richard Nixon and Fidel Castro as you hold off hordes of the undead in the Pentagon. How that makes any sense, I don't know. Just go with it. Split-screen System Link and XBL is also a great feature, even if it is only 2 players - my brother and I both have our own Xbox and Black Ops, so we're never short of players for a zombie match. The game's graphics are good, but not great - Reach's outshine them by a long shot, but Black Ops, like W@W, has very realistic gore in it, which Reach lacks. Now for the negatives... Multiplayer. Most people only play Call of Duty anymore for the online Multiplayer. You guys, back off, Black Ops's MP is awful. The maps are basically just a bunch of corridors and a few back alleys with windows to give people a "sniping perch." FAIL. Fifteen feet isn't nearly enough room to merit a sniper rifle use... heck, an MP5K would work better. Speaking of that, SMG`s seem to dominate the maps due to the lack of space. Snipers, as said before, out of the picture. LMG`s need a little room to use... The Stoner 63 is the only one worth using AT ALL, but you can't get that until you've bought all of the other LMG`s that you'll likely never use. AR`s are still useful, and Shotguns, primaries again, are actually usable to the same degree of effectiveness as, say, the M60 (LMG). All the weapons shoot a lot better than MW2's, though, so on the only good maps, Jungle and Array, it's actually fun to use them - heck, you can even snipe on these maps! I'd like to complain about the unlock system, though - I love the emblem creator and the fact that you can buy any perk you want at any time, saves me a lot of crap. But I no longer feel encouraged to use a weapon a lot so I can unlock all the attachments. In MW2, I'd stick with the M4 or whatever until I'd gotten everything, except Extended Mags (too hard for me lol) and the Shotgun (I loathe Noob Tubes, I only managed to unlock the shotgun for my absolute FAVORITE guns). Now, you buy each gun for 2000 CoD points, and then any attachment for 1000 - Suppressors are 2000, and Noob Tubes are 3000. Then you're finished. I don't want to waste my CoD points trying out different attachments. MW2 MADE you use them to get XP and more attachments. I now LOVE the ACOG Scope on the ACR - I never would've used that if the Thermal Scope hadn't been involved. There's no motivation here. I didn't realize that I liked the M16 with an ACOG Scope until just recently, whereas I'd have used it the instant I got it to get that Thermal (Infrared, in BO) Scope.

    Final thoughts - Good Game. Campaign gets 8.25/10 (Due to shortness). Zombies gets 10/10, and Multiplayer gets 3.5/10, terrible, save for that rare match on Array where I can crawl up onto the radio tower and snipe for a while.    … Expand
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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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