Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

 Xbox One
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Cheat Code Central
    Nov 17, 2020
    96
    A great entry into to Black Ops storyline. It gives an interesting view of the time, has a compelling storyline, and leaves you wanting more.
  2. Generación Xbox
    Nov 27, 2020
    86
    Black Ops Cold War keeps the standard high despite the difficulties of development this year and continues to be one of this year's must-have shooters.
  3. Xbox Achievements
    Nov 18, 2020
    85
    For some reason, I always have a preconceived notion that I won't enjoy this year's Call of Duty. How can a series that releases every single year without fail possibly maintain a consistent quality bar? There are detractors who'd say it doesn't, but let's be honest – it does. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is very good.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 185 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 93 out of 185
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 185
  3. Negative: 74 out of 185
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War: In the era of Battle Royale, where games are free and sim to be almost everlasting, the concept of payingCall Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War: In the era of Battle Royale, where games are free and sim to be almost everlasting, the concept of paying retail price for an annual first-person shooter release feels outdated. Regarlesss here comes Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the sixth title in developer Treyarch’s series of conspiracy filled historical franchise, this time taking us to the dawn of the Reagan era and channelling movies such as Apocalypse Now. As ever for Call Of Duty, you’re not getting one game this time but several as an action movie single player experience, a range of multiplayer competitive options, and the co-op horde mode, and my long time favorite mode Zombies. The campaign follows a group of top secret government operatives tracking down a Soviet agent named Perseus who wants to destroy Europe, it’s short, sharp, and a bit perfunctory. There are thrilling sequences such as a raid on the KGB headquarters that’s set up like a Hitman style level, and a few moments where the story branches depending on the player’s choices for a change of pace. There are also some enticing references to previous Black Ops characters and plots, which will be noted by fans. However we don’t get anything truly fresh. Mostly, this is comprised of what I call Call Of Duty campaign staples, for example helicopter crashes, escaping to rooftops, waiting for evacuations, calling in airstrikes, and taking temporary control of an aircraft chain-guns. What’s really disappointing is that the soundtrack and environmental design make little effort to capitalize on the early 1980s setting. The Black Ops titles have always been great at cultural references, matching pop music to its bombastic action in highly enjoyable ways, but apart from some grainy news footage of Reagan speeches and an admittedly wonderful scene set in an amusement arcade, there’s little nostalgic revelry in the era. How can there be a scene set in Berlin in 1981 without high impact music from the era? Clearly multiplayer is the focus, and all the usual modes are here, along with newcomers including VIP Escort, where you have to protect one player until you’re able to airlift them out while the other team attacks, and Fireteam: Dirty Bomb, where teams of four players compete to gather uranium and set off bombs in an Alpine setting. These are acceptable if rather chaotic diversions, but old faves such as Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search and Destroy remain paramount, offering blisteringly fast, super-intense combat with a range of simulated real-world guns that feel deadly and responsive. Maps such as Checkmate, set in an aircraft hangar, and Moscow, which winds through the grand, rainy streets of the Russian capital, are vintage CoD: tight, with excellent verticality and lots of open chokepoints for those enthralling multi-kill encounters. It’s a shame there aren’t a few more experimental venues, and some less well-known weapons, but it’s a solid offering for fans of the CoD style of virtual gunplay. Zombies is set in an abandoned Nazi science research base in Poland, it’s typically exciting, nerve-shredding stuff as you leg it around the crumbling corridors and wreckage-strewn exteriors, trying to find better weapons while being pursued by plutonium-spewing boss baddies. This time round you can choose to extract your team alive from a level, earning bonuses as you go, it feels unusual, however it’s a good addition, allowing team mates to bask in the thrill of a hard fought final escape vs the all day match for people like myself who have a solid team of zombie training experts. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War does everything it needs to with polish and zeal, and those who plan to spend the next year leveling up through its multiplayer ranks won’t be disappointed Given how disruptive March’s battle-royale Call of Duty game Warzone has been, both as a competitor to Fortnite and Apex Legends and as a new meeting place for Call Of Duty fans, Cold War could definitely have used some additional innovation. The campaign hints at it, and the 1981 setting offered much promise, but, sadly, this is not the subversive 80’s throwback shooter I was waiting for. This is still an excellent entry and I am being tough on the seasoned franchise. I personally am one of the few who hasn’t fallen head over heals in love with the likes of Fortnite and the much better Apex Legends. This is still more than worthy for Xbox console owners to add to their ever growing libraries. The game scene is evolving, the next generation has arrived and it will be interesting to see what direction the Call Of Duty franchise takes in the series’ future offerings.… Full Review »
  2. Playernr1
    Mar 25, 2021
    10
    One of the best Call of Duty games in long time. It had kind of bad launch, but it's way better now. Can't wait for COD 2021, hopefully WW 2 !!!
  3. HotHead1
    Feb 22, 2021
    9
    Runs fine on all consoles, if you like the classic cod feel you'll really like this game. I especially like the longer ttk and the more runRuns fine on all consoles, if you like the classic cod feel you'll really like this game. I especially like the longer ttk and the more run and gun approach.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »