Call of Duty has been one of the most popular first-person shooter franchises of all time since 2007's Modern Warfare, releasing a mainline entry every year. This year's title is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, a direct sequel to 2010's Black Ops and a follow up to the game-changing and universally beloved Modern Warfare reboot from 2019.
The title has a lot of differences when compared to recent games in the franchise, but there is still plenty of unique goodness within it. Despite its positives, a few things about the package leave a lot to be desired, though for the most part, it is a satisfying year for Call of Duty. Spoilers follow.
10 Loved: The Bad Ending
This entry has spoilers, so move on if you have not beaten it yet. What many consider the bad ending involves the main character siding with Perseus, the antagonist, and blowing up half of Europe. The game pulls no punches if one pursues this path. Additionally, players learn more about the villain and the lore if they do this. The story also does not punish the player or imply they did anything wrong by activating this ending.
9 Don't Love: Slower Movement
The series is notable for fast-paced action, something which carries on to the multiplayer as well. Players rush into battle, get a few kills if they are lucky or skilled, die, and then repeat. While this process remains the same, the movement is significantly slower than in previous games. Additionally, the time to kill is increased, making gun fights last longer. The higher time to kill is appreciated, but the movement just feels sluggish sometimes.
8 Loved: Connections To Prior Games
Avid fans of the series will find a lot to love about Black Ops Cold War's story. A slew of easter eggs and cameos harken back to the older games. Imran Zakhaev makes an appearance in one mission, and the player directly interacts with him twice.
Additionally, there are several references to the first Black Ops game, including the numbers and the sleeper agents. This also makes one wonder which continuity the game takes place in; the old Modern Warfare canon or the reboot.
7 Don't Love: Lack Of Multiplayer Maps
It is almost unfair to compare the multiplayer offering to Modern Warfare because the 2019 game had an exceptionally beefy multiplayer suite with numerous game modes set on a large variety of maps. By comparison, Black Ops Cold War's multiplayer feels thin, with a small handful of locations to play on and only the bare minimum of game modes. The only new thing the multiplayer brings to the table is the Fireteam mode, which pits numerous squads against each other to complete objectives.
6 Loved: Story
The campaign is admittedly short, but there is a lot to sift through in terms of narrative. Every level does a great job of pushing the plot forward and no mission feels like filler. One would expect a quality story coming from David S. Goyer, who wrote films like Man of Steel, Blade, and The Dark Knight trilogy, and he does not disappoint. Fans of the Black Ops games will be pleased by the twists and revelations.
5 Don't Love: No Mounting
For some reason, players are no longer able to mount on objects, both in the single-player and multiplayer. This is an incredibly frustrating omission for those who have been steadily playing Modern Warfare throughout the year.
Maybe some did not like it, but it was a step forward for the series' gameplay, which notoriously includes very little interaction with the environment. Without mounting, using cover by simply crouching is less useful.
4 Loved: Non-Linear Levels
Most Call of Duty levels are extremely linear, shuffling players from one set piece to another. Black Ops Cold War's missions usually include bonus objectives and choices which impact the action later on. These moments do not impact the ending, which boils down to a binary choice, but it is cool to see NPCs react to decisions the players make. The player's actions may even determine the fate of one of the two supporting characters.
3 Don't Love: The Good Ending
Again; there are spoilers in this entry. Considering the future of the series, it is safe to say the canon ending involves the team saving the day and preventing Europe's destruction. Oddly enough, this ending feels incredibly unsatisfying. Compared to the other conclusion, it is rushed and the player learns less about Perseus. The player character even potentially bites the dust in this version. Ultimately, it is recommended to experience both endings, which is easy to do with the level select option in the menu.
2 Loved: Zombies
With Treyarch on the game's team of developers, one knows a zombies mode is included with the package. This year's zombies offerings are particularly nice, with two different modes, though one of them is exclusive to PlayStation platforms until November of 2021. Players drop into maps with their own loadouts and the experience and levels are shared between this mode and the competitive multiplayer suite. This helps people work up to a solid loadout without having to compete using weapons with no attachments.
1 Don't Love: No Doors In Multiplayer
Doors were a first for the series in Modern Warfare, so it feels weird complaining about their absence in the new game. After their appearance in last year's game, it is odd playing multiplayer maps without them again. It makes the levels feel less like real places, which is especially strange because some of the maps take place on city streets like Miami and Moscow. The tension of opening doors added a whole new layer to the combat, and now it is gone.