I can't believe I'm saying this. I really can't. But yes, it's good. It's as good as everyone guffaws about.
I used to rag on COD gamers for the absolutely low quality of story and gaming that their games provide. Campaigns that were almost silly in nature, almost obsessive amounts of high-tech military ordinance, and some of the most obnoxious gamers on the planet. Then I finally picked it up. OKAY, alright, it's good. Are you done making fun of me?
Don't get me wrong - most of what I've already mentioned applies. The campaign of Black Ops - while intriguing - is really dumbly written, and a bore, exploring uninteresting hypothetical conspiracy theories that have been gone over ten-thousand times before. Furthermore, there are no "black ops" in Black Ops. the term itself, black ops, harkens to devious military operations performed in secret. Something about an all-out helicopter assault on a battleship in the Gulf of Mexico doesn't strike me as very secretive, nor does blasting out the Vietcong with The Rolling Stones blaring from your in-chopper headsets. Yes, I am being serious - that is how ridiculously cliché Black Ops manages to reach.
However, the game is very polished, the sound is very good - as to be expected. But the appeal is absolutely the online multiplayer. As said, yes, it brings out some of the lowest of the low from all walks of life to the same table to combat each other. You'll spend much of your time listening to people name-call and teabag each other.
Does this lower the quality of the multiplayer? Absolutely not. As much as it dreads me to admit, Black Ops has undoubtedly some of the most competitive multiplayer experience offered in any game on the market to date, far usurping the competitiveness seen in the Halo franchise. The ranking and prestige system is very well designed, customization features allow for very different and varied gameplay, everything is fast paced and competitive, and it can constantly draw you back for a match or two.
It's good. And I'm done complimenting Black Ops. RAGH, damn you EA. You won me over. Now quit being so cocky.