There are many games that require a strong multiplayer component to be successful in eyes of the fans clamoring to play it, and nothing is closer to the truth for Treyarch Studios’ Call of Duty: Black Ops. Thankfully the development team decided to include as much content as possible on the multiplayer side of things, other than campaign co-op (this time around replaced by Co-Op Zombies). This obvious exclusion is made up ten fold by the insane slew of gameplay modes, for gamers to enjoy both online and offline. First up is the Combat Training mode, which allows players to train in all different sorts of multiplayer gaming with bots; yes computer-controlled bots are showing up in a Call of Duty game. All of the standard multiplayer modes that we have come to love are also in Black Ops; players can jump online with a friend via split-screen gaming (yes they can rank up in level as well) and play everything from team deathmatch, capture the flag, to free-for-all, and everything in between. The most-prominent addition to the Call of Duty series, in terms of multiplayer gaming, is something the developers coined Wager Match, and it involves making bets (using your COD points, which are used to buy online upgrades and weapons) on five different gameplay modes. Wager Match is a hell of a good time and will add hours of variety to the Black Ops online experience. Another new feature for COD is the Theater Mode, where players can watch and edit video clips of their best (or worst) multiplayer moments – all captured and saved on the official Black Ops servers. The super not-so-secret Dead Ops Arcade mode is a blast to play with three of your friends; the top-down shooter (think Smash TV meets zombies) looks great and is a sweet little bonus (search Google for how-to unlock Dead Ops Arcade). A multitude of new maps (varying environments - large, medium, and small), solid gameplay, insanely fun perks, new weapons and accessories, Prestige levels, and so much more all add-up to one of the best Call of Duty multiplayer experiences ever to grace the Xbox 360; you will love it.
Does Black Ops’ campaign or multiplayer component redefine the Call of Duty series? Not necessarily (at least to all gamers), but it does well to change and evolve the direction, focusing more so on the trials of Alex Mason, as opposed to revolving around a large cast of protagonists. Mason, having much more vocal role in the game, also brings about a much more interesting lead, especially in deciphering what is happening in the confines of his mind. After having played through the campaign multiple times, I can easily say this is my favorite story told in the universe. Black Ops features a few wild plot twists that play out perfectly and bring the game to an outstanding close. Playing through the game again with the understanding of all the goings-on, is a great experience, and some of the specific interactions with characters that once seemed odd, all fall perfectly into place when you’re not trying to grasp Mason’s psychosis. While Black Ops doesn’t reinvent the modern FPS (although the 3D mode is pretty amazing - and yes it works on the 360), it manages to place CoD as the year’s blockbuster action game, rarely letting off the throttle, delivering a much more intriguing narrative than previously seen. Don’t let the Treyarch stamp get in the way of your decision to pick up Black Ops for the campaign. They’ve proved that they have a handle on how to make an outstanding Call of Duty singe-player experience, nearly outperforming the acclaimed works of Infinity Ward on almost every level. Add to that the insanely deep multiplayer portion and COD: Black Ops is one of the best games of 2010, especially from a value standpoint. There are few video games released this year that you simply cannot miss, Call of Duty: Black Ops is one of them.
