Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Overrated"

In 2010 Call of Duty: Black Ops was the most anticipated first-person-shooter on the market, and the critical reception reflected it. I on the other hand just do not understand the love this game got. By no means is Black Ops a bad video game, but I don't have the same love for it that many others do. Black Ops has a lot going for it, but on the way it shows many flaws, some of them quite glaring.

Gameplay, 6. Unlike many console shooters, Black Ops runs at 60 frames per second. Something that many console gamers such as myself are not used to (especially if you prefer the sluggish and realistic feeling of some FPSs such as Killzone), but with a little practice you should get used to the quick pace of the game. The place to do this is obviously the campaign mode. The campaign consists of what are essentially corridors where you get into shoot-off after shoot-off. The gameplay of the campaign is quite linear; never are you allowed to just explore or look around. You have to just keep on moving.

At times this style of gameplay becomes boring. Corridor after corridor, hide behind cover after cover, and shoot enemy after enemy and then get back behind cover to avoid getting shot to death by the other enemies. It wouldn't feel so repetitive if the A.I. wasn't so poor. It becomes quite apparent that the enemy A.I. is solely focused on you, and will never acknowledge the existence of the friendly A.I., aside from scripted pre-programmed moments, and when you're under cover long enough. It feels quite unrealistic when you poke your head out from cover, and all the enemies seemingly in lockstep change their aim towards you.

In fairness though, the single player mode is not the main attraction in Black Ops; actually, it feels like it's just a practice mode who's purpose is to train you for the real Call of Duty, that is, online multiplayer. There is quite a variety of ways to play online: from Team Deathmatch to Sticks and Stones. Black Ops's quick paced leveling system that gives rewards constantly gives the game a sort of addictive feeling to it. When you kill a certain amount of times in one life you get a kill streak. You are also allowed perks to give you the upper hand in specific scenarios.

Unfortunately, Black Ops's online multiplayer is not all it's cracked up to be. Many of the maps suffer from poor design which seemingly encourage camping. Many a time did I spawn only to get shot in the back five seconds later. The kill streak system is also flawed: many of the rewards are broken and result in spawn camping. The game also suffers from lag periodically.

The last mode is Zombies, which is probably the best of the three. Zombies is basically a mode of survival where you and up to three other people work together to fight a limitless hoard of zombies. This mode is fun for a while, eventually it will to start to lose it's flare though.

There is also local multiplayer if that's what you prefer.

Presentation, 7. The graphics on Black Ops aren't all that impressive actually. There are some jagged objects, particularly in multiplayer. However, to be fair this game is running in 60 frames per second so taking that in account the graphics are actually pretty good. Although that doesn't excuse recycled animations.

The sound track is all right. Nothing special about it really. The sound effects are quite impressive though.

Value, 8. The campaign is about six hours long, which isn't very impressive, but the game's main focus is multplayer, and that will last you a very long time if you have friends to play this game online with (and chances are considering this game's popularity). Zombies will last you a long time if you have friends to play with as well.

This game doesn't have much replay value for you solo gamers out there. The campaign is short and the MP just isn't that fun by yourself. Zombies has even less replay value for solo gamers.

PROS
Addictive online multiplayer
Large variety of ways to play online
Zombies is a blast with friends
CONS
Poor and short campaign
Unbalanced multiplayer at times
Zombies has little replay value

Call of Duty: Black Ops is a game marketed towards social gamers. If you like multiplayer of any kind in FPSs then this game is definitely for you. Solo gamers will not find much here: the campaign isn't very good, the MP gets frusturating at times, and Zombies can only last you so long before it gets droll. All in all, Black Ops is a game for social, casual FPS fans.