Another mundane FPS
First off, I am no fan of aim assist in multiplayer. I know the thumbsticks are not adequate for precision aiming but I now see why I held out as long as I could with my keyboard and mouse. I cannot compare Black Ops on the 360 with the PC version. I have only played Black Ops on the Xbox. I will say that the game seems dumbed down and the weapons yet again seem one-sided. I notice on frequent occasion that those with SMGs and rapid fire often have an edge. The same applies to certain assault rifles coupled with a suppressor. In some cases the recoil is almost non-existent. The maps do vary and with that certain weapons may be more advantageous. My point is, any idiot can pick up this game and find aspects of this game that can be exploited.
I never understood the point of Team Deathmatch with MW2 and Black Ops. The game rewards the individual, not any teamwork per se. It does reward you for rescuing, avenging, or reviving a teammate but that's it. Killstreak rewards reward only the individual, making this game a competition within a competition. The opposing team wants to win, but the players are also competing against each other for more kills. Teamwork is almost non-existent in Black Ops.
There is a mode called Barebones which does allow you to play without killstreak rewards, perks, and attachments. My personal take on that mode is that is how it should have been from the get. I do see the need for attachments, just not dual wield or rapid fire. This game is purely arcade, nothing tactical about Black Ops. I do not know that the developers intended this game to be tactical or not, I just expected it. Simply running and gunning or camping to get kills gets very boring (i.e. set down claymore, camp at window, get some kills). That gets incredibly boring. The gameplay seems identical in every single game I play. No major tactical changes due to opposing team's skill. It will forever be run, gun and hope you shoot first.
In this review I found it hard to review just Black Ops as the entire genre has seemed to become severely dumbed down. I think the customization options saw more development time than the more important aspects of this game. For hardcore snipers, Treyarch seemed to have forgotten about them. Sniping is seen much less in Black Ops. It does occur, but for the most part the maps leave much to be desired for snipers. The maps are fairly small. Larger maps are fantastic for snipers. I hate sniping, but I find because I rarely see snipers in Black Ops it makes the game less interesting. Snipers keep you on your toes. The game in itself can be fun, but not worth the $50 I spent. Perhaps 1600 ($20) points via the Game Marketplace.
The game is worth the try for those who enjoy arcade-style shooters. It's also great for those who enjoy the Call of Duty franchise but are tired of RPGs, Grenade Launchers, and akimbo G18s being overused (MW2). I will say that Black Ops seems entirely more balanced in that regard.