MULTIPLAYER!
It's funny how things change, just a few years ago when people thought of Call of Duty, they thought of a World War II shooter with a robust single player campaign. But times have changed my friends. Now when someone talks about Call of Duty, they are most likely referring to the online multiplayer, and with good reason it's probably the best online experience you can find on a console.
It pains me to say this, it honestly does. I'd hate for the backwards baseball cap, scar face worshiping bros out there to get the wrong idea, but Call of duty has consistently had the most in depth multiplayer with each new release. Black Ops is no different, still relies on the tried and true system of leveling up, perks, and killstreaks.
However what sets Black Ops apart, is the amount of balance, and polish, that Treyarch has managed to squeeze into the game.Also in Black Ops, leveling up and purchasing weapons is based on a new system of Cod Points. You still level up the way you did before, however now you can use the points you earn to specifically buy whatever guns you need. Don't snipe? Don't worry, you'll never have to buy a sniper rifle if you don't want to. After the disastrously unbalanced multiplayer of Modern Warfare 2, Treyarch decided that less is more, removing the ability to stack killstreaks (meaning your killstreaks can get you more killstreaks), juggernaut and stopping power, and of course the removal of the ridiculous death streaks. All of these changes result in a much more balanced, and enjoyable twitch shooter.
However the multiplayer fun doesn't end with the basic modes you have seen in every Call of Duty so far. Whether it was the fact that Treyarch often gets overshadowed by Infinity Ward, or a genuine concern that the online experience was beginning to become stale, Treyarch threw in Wager Matches. Now that purchasing guns is based on the Cod point system, the new Wager mode allows you to put some of those points on the line in hopes of getting rich quick. The new game types are varied, ranging from a game where each person starts with only one bullet and has only three lives, to a game in which plays have to proceed through a set list of guns before their opponents. The wager matches add a new element to the somewhat stale multiplayer experience.
Now I am going to try to get through this in a few sentences, but just know this, Black Ops is in love with customization. Without going into depth, you can essentially customize anything in the game, from what your characters face paint is, to whether or not your clan tag shows up on your gun. It's definitely a much more personal addition, that is a welcomed change.
Not everything is perfect in the game though. The fact that this is the most testosterone based, bro shooter, means that there are still the racial and sexual slurs being thrown out at every corner. However there is always the option to mute people. PROTIP: MUTE EVERYONE EXCEPT FRIENDS
There are also some connection issues on the ps3 that make it pretty much impossible to keep a party together for more than a game or two. However Treyarch has promised to fix these issues eventually.
OH AND DID I MENTION SPLIT SCREEN ONLINE MULTIPLAYER!!!!!
Zombies/ Dead Ops
Listen guys, zombies are played out. I know it, you know it, and if you dont know it you can read my previous blog on the subject here
And yet here we are again. Another awesome zombie themed mode has been released, making me feel like an idiot for ever question the divine wisdom of money hungry video game publishers. Sigh, I guess you guys win.
But what exactly is the zombie mode in Black Ops? Well if you played Call Of Duty World at War, you'll be familiar with the system. Up to 4 players attempt to hold off an ever increasing horde of zombies, while upgrading their weapons and rebuilding barricades. The system worked in WAW, and it works here. What initially feels like a poor mans Left 4 Dead, really comes into it's own once you realize how in depth the strategies for survival can get. Not to mention after beating the single player you unlock a hilarious map in which you and your friends can play as President Kennedy, Castro, Richard Nixon, and Robert McNamara (but nobody cares about him).
Also in Black Ops is a hidden arcade game entitled "Dead Ops Arcade". Now this is what I'm talking about! A twin stick shooter that screams Super Stardust, or Smash TV, in which you try to defend against zombies with multiple power ups and special abilities? HELL YEAH! This mode is so fantastic, and the fact that they managed to just throw this in under the radar is amazing to me.
Also you can play Zork. It's a really old text adventure. I am a fan of history, but you probably wont spend much time with this.
SINGLE PLAYER
Here we go guys. Finally we are here, the main dish. The single player campaign in Black Ops. Again this is going to be hefty so I've decided to separate this into two categories, story, and gameplay. Lets start with the story of Black Ops.I'm going to try to leave out major spoilers FYI.
Story
The single player campaign takes place mostly as a series of flashbacks. You play (for the most part) Alex Mason, the most generic white male protagonist I have seen in a very long time. Mason is played by Sam Worthington (the guy from Avatar), who although somewhat believable, has a really hard time covering up his Australian accent. I mean seriously, this dude sounds like Crocodile Dundee at some points. It's a bit puzzling why they didn't decide to do another take for the times in which our "American" protagonist lets his Aussie flag fly.
Anywho, so Alex Mason is being interrogated by some mysterious hidden men, as they bombard him with questions like "WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?" and "TELL ME ABOUT THE NUMBERS!" The plot is all a bit convoluted as you are continually jumping back and forth in flashbacks and sometimes randomly flashing back to other peoples memories. The basic conflict is this, Russians have a gas, the gas is bad, find the gas. That's about it, but it is a fun ride while it lasts, as you will travel everywhere from Cuba during the bay of pigs, to a Vietnamese POW camp.
While the story telling in Call of Duty has really gone down hill in my opinion. The ending of Black Ops really brings things together nicely, and is actually a huge step forward from the ridiculous and hard to follow story of MW2. Although I have to mention the last shot of the game, which without giving anything away, is the goofiest most overtly patriotic imagery every produced in a game. A lot of the game feels like it's trying to hard to be cool for their frat boy audience, but to people with brains, it just comes off as shallow and silly.
While the story is still convoluted and hard to follow, it's at least supported by a great cast of characters, and by that I mean one guy, Viktor Resnov. Oh god how I love Viktor Resnov. For those of you not in the know, Resnov was first introduced in Call of Duty World at War, and just like in that game he steals the show. Resnov is voiced by Gary Oldman, and is probably the only character I have ever had an actual connection with in the history of the Call of Duty franchise. In World at War, Resnov fights along side you against the Nazi's, in Black Ops you see how he has been forgotten and discarded by his country. He is a believable character, and some of the best missions in the game are those in which he fights along side you.
Some of you may be yelling at me right now. "BUT WHAT ABOUT ICE CUBE!!!" Yeah Ice Cube is in the game guys, and yeah he basically plays Ice Cube if he were in the military. My problem with this is that while I love Ice Cube with every fiber of my being, I couldn't stop hearing Ice Cube. So what initially was a cool idea ended up pulling me out of the experience more times than I can count. Everytime Ice Cube would open his mouth I would stop believing in the game and just think "Lol Ice Cube, you so crazy."
Gameplay
So this is probably what a large majority of you care about. "WHO CARES ABOUT THE STORY CAN I STILL SHOOT DUDES?" Well yes you can shoot dudes. In fact if shooting dudes is all you care about you'll probably be really happy with this game.
The game is a mixed bag of shooting dudes and running forward, set piece moments , and vehicle sections. It's all pretty much standard for Call of Duty, however I have to mention that some of the set pieces are getting kind of old. After the nuke in Call of Duty 4, having bad stuff happen to you is not really that shocking anymore, it's just predictable.
So yeah, you run down areas and shoot dudes, constantly stopping to regrow your face. Oh did I mention that? Everyone in Call of Duty has the uncanny ability to pause for cover and regrow their face. This part kind of bugged me. I get it, Call of Duty is striving for realism, so you can't run into the fray with just a shotgun screaming "I AM RAMBO", although god knows I tried. However is standing behind a knee high wall waiting for your face to regrow any more realistic? I dunno I play games to feel like a badass, and so I would rather be a bullet sponge who has the ability to run into the fray like a madman, then a dude who is "REALISTIC", but at the same time has to pause every five seconds to regrow himself.
The A.I. is still a bit dull, running into a room full of your squad mates and madly trying to melee you to death. Oh and your squad mates just sit there shooting at some far off threat while you get your face beat in.
The fire looks good, and the graphics are fantastic, but the real issue I had with this game was whether or not I actually found it fun. The pacing of the game is so frantic, that I actually found it draining. I wanted the shooting of dudes to be over as quickly as possible, and that my friends is not fun. But maybe I'm going about this the wrong way? Perhaps these games are not meant to be fun. God knows that war itself isnt fun, so why should a game based on war be any different? This game gets really brutal and left me with a feeling of guilt that I haven't experienced in a game in awhile. Killing dudes while they are sleeping, stabbing some dude in the neck multiple times, and THERE IS A TROPHY FOR KILLING MONKEYS!?....I like monkeys... I felt bad. I actually killed myself at one point after accidentally killing a pig. Poor pig.
But honestly the biggest thing that I found bothering me about this game is its intended audience. People who gobble up Call of Duty every year tend to be teenage boys, and bros. People who will probably never take into consideration the implications of the their in game actions. Now I am not some sissy kid, who can't take my fair share of violence. Violence is in our nature lets face it. But I'd much rather be killing Nazi's or monsters, something that leaves much less gray area than the Cold War era of battle. And as I killed my way through countless enemies of different shades of "Not American", I couldn't help but draw comparisons to real life and think "I wonder if any of these guys have families?"
That's another thing, Call of Duty is a sausage fest. Where are the ladies... Just saying.
War is not fun, interesting maybe, but fun no. That's why I'm having a really hard time figuring out whether or not I enjoyed this game. I think I began to enjoy it towards the end when there was a clear cut evil and not some ambiguous man sleeping in his tent.
So the single player of Call of Duty is good, but not great. Its something to play while the mulitplayer servers are down. Its a lot like the movie transformers, its bright , and shiny but if you want actual depth or substance you're better off with a game like resistance or portal....yes I love resistance. So while on its own the single player doesn't carry the game, the extra modes really bring it together, making this one of the best overall packages in a long time.
Well that's it folks. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope this made you question somethings. If you have any comments or disagreements go ahead and put them in the comment section below. We really love feedback. As always have a good one, and be safe.
Awesome review. I didnt read the story part of the singleplayer cuz frankly.. I havent played it yet.. but I will by the end of the break! =P I will have to disagree with what you wrote about the 'unrealistic' aspect of regrowing your face. I actually prefer this for a couple of reasons. One, I find myself being drawn much more into the game with this type of system because it does feel more realistic. Yes, in real life you cant just regrow your face, but then people would be dropping left and right without actually doing anything. Two, I find this type of health system actually helps to balance the weapons. For instance, take Halo 2. It has the 'Rambo' feel, where you get shot, have to bring down your shields, then health, and if you manage to survive, you can replenish your shields. The only gun that was used besides snipers and power weapons (swords, rockets, etc), was the battle rifle. Three shot kills. Every other weapon, including the 'shield piercing' assault rifle and dual wields were pointless. With less health, each gun is less over powered. Yes, some guns do more damage, but what they have in damage they lack in say range or accuracy. Treyarch also listens to our raging and balances weapons we may seem are overpowered. But this is just my thought =D
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I completely agree.. Where are the girls?! Honestly, there are tons of girls playing this game yet they have to look like a dude, which probably is a slight turn off for them. Nut then again, Im willing to bet if they had female characters.. 70% of them in game would be lonely fat 28 year old guys living in their mom's basement.
Lastly, I heard about the brutality and controversy of this game. People I know did not even finish the game because of the exact fact there was no clear cut good/evil line and they understood the Vietnamese lol. But yeah thats my input for now.. Ill let you know of what I think of the story when Im done.
-KTel
Thanks for the response man, its greatly appreciated. But yeah, for the growing the face thing I should have made it clear that I was merely referring to the single player. In the multiplayer I dont mind the system of growing your face back, but in the single player I think it makes the gameplay slower and a bit of a chore.
ReplyDelete