Call of Duty: Black Ops

Before I start my review, I want to let u guys know that I own the following games: Killzone 2, BFBC1 & 2, COD4, CODW@W, CODMW2, MAG, and MOH. I notice it's a fashionable thing to bash a mainstream game, but I believe in order to appreciate COD:Black Ops, you have to come from a background playing other FPS games such as COD4 and MOH, and not only from playing MW2. I loved MW2 and I prestiged as well, but you cannot expect a carbon copy of MW2. If you want MW2, then just play MW2 with those $15 map-packs (I bought the stimulus package for myself as well, lol). PERSONAL REVIEW ON THE MULTIPLAYER MODE: I realized many MW2 players are hating on COD:Black ops(BO) because of the graphic. I agree with them somewhat, that is why I wanna give 4.5 out of 5, but it doesn't mean u could give the game only 1 star just cuz it doesn't have more textures than MW2!! If you ever played W@W, you know the graphic and innovation isn't everything for Treyarch; they care more of the gameplay and balance in COD. If you want the innovation in COD, just don't play COD and just pick up a copy of BFBC2. After playing W@W, I knew in terms of graphic, Treyarch is still playing the catch up game with Infinite ward. The heavily modified id Tech graphic engine used in the development of COD4 and MW2 by Infinite Ward is far more superior. That is why many people who ONLY played MW2 with high expectations especially on graphic are disappointed. Anyway, a matter of fact, I was amazed how Treyarch pulled off such an amazing graphic in BO, which is almost close to MW2 consider W@W's graphic was really bad compared to COD4. Well, I believe those MW2 players who gave lower rating simply cuz BO got rid of the following: 1)Noob-tubing: scavenger + Danger close perk do not exist anymore for those noobtubers; so players who are not good at aiming cannot kill. 2)Sniping: it became so much more difficult due to the fact that BO got rid of the quick scoping. If you ever played MOH, you will know how annoying and over powered snipers are. Especially in MW2, many players want to earn their higher kill-streak combo such as Harrier --> AC130 --> Nuke, that the game promotes campers and snipers. I really like how kill-streak do not chained-up as more kills in BO, which further gets rid of campers. 3)Camping and dual shoguning: again there were so many campers and dual shotguners in MW2 that their strategies do not work in BO anymore. The implementation of RC-XD w/ ONLY 3 kill-streak (2 kill-streak with hardline perk) is simply to get rid of corner campers. I love that idea. For those of you thought that BO is just an inferior copy of MW2 with just few hours of gameplay, I suggest you to keep on playing. The multi-player mode doesn't grow on some players until you start the CUSTOMIZATION. The personalization of emblem, camo, face-paint, lens color, and lens will have you appreciate and hooked on BO even more. People who are hating on BO is only mentioning the surface of the game (graphic and sound), and have not experienced the real potential of BO. Those who are complaining about the lag, maybe their internet connections aren't good or do not know how to change their setting to LOCALE. You could change your connection setting to LOCALE, where you get to play with local people in your area/region, which personally helps getting the full bar while playing online. The game only came last week, and patches will come to fix those who really experiencing lags. All online games have lag and glitch problems when they first released. If you remember when COD4 first came out, many people including myself simply couldn't play online due to the infinite "DOWNLOADING GAME SETTING SCREEN" freeze. That was MUCH worse than any lag you will experience in BO. NOW, MY REVIEW ON THE SINGLE PLAYER MODE: I finished the campaign in 8 hours and loved every moment of it. The story was intense and creative that it reminded me of the movie, "Shutter Island." Treyarch did a great job. I loved how Reznov and Dimitri from W@W came back in the story, and how you actually get to be in Hong kong, and even in German to get rid of SS soldiers like the good old W@W. For me, I thought the story was much much better than other FPS out there. OVERALL: Call of Duty:Black Ops is the closest thing to COD4!!! which for me was the most balanced multi-player experience. In BO, players actually have to run and circulate around the map in Team Deathmatch, which reminded me much of COD4 and I really enjoy that. However, I know there are many people do not appreciate how balanced BO's gameplay is and judging the game by just the surface appearance. Simply, for me, the gameplay of BO is amazing, fun, and addictive.

I am writing this review after 5 hours of playing time. To that end, please realize that this should not be viewed as a comprehensive review. I will update as I become more familiar with the product, and if you do not find this review helpful, please let me know why in the comments section. I'll be happy to address the issue ASAP. Original Review begins here: COD: Black Ops is the third COD game I have played but the first I have owned. I opted for Battlefield Bad Company 2 over MW2 last time around, but I am neither a COD, BF, or MoH fanboy. I am also a professional software tester, and while that doesn't lend more inherent weight to my opinions, I hope it lets you know where I'm coming from in a review. For a game to be enjoyable to me, it has to be bug-free, smooth, and without major play imbalances. Each of these three types of issues have plagued FPS games, so I will begin with this point -- COD:BO does not suffer from any of those issues. It is the smoothest game, particularly multi-player, that I have ever played. I have read reviews on amazon from other customers who felt exactly the opposite, so I'm tempted to think that's an internet issue. I have the fastest connection possible, and I can tell you without doubt that it is much, much smoother than anything else I've played in the FPS realm for PS3 (or even PC, for that matter). Graphics: Really, really, really good -- but not perfect. This doesn't bother me, even a little. Multiplayer: Good gun balance but a bit of a learning curve. I'm an old-school PC FPS guy, so I still don't have my stick reflexes worked out. Melee attacks seem to have minimal "suck-in" effect (as opposed to, say, Gears of War) but I do wish the melee attack animations were a little more visually appealing. I haven't encountered any overpowered weapons yet, which is a huge plus. This game will *not*, however, work well for folks who like the objective-based squad play of BFBC2. If you want that out of this game, it isn't there -- at least not within five hours of gameplay. Maybe one of the unlocked modes will suffice -- I just simply can't say that yet. The unlockable system is great. It's vastly superior to anything else out there right now. Single Player: Beautiful and engaging from the first moments. I haven't played very far into it, so I'll leave it at that for now. Major gaming review sites seemed to think very highly of the story line, though, so I'd recommend checking around for some of those reviews. Training Mode: Honestly, this is a stroke of genius. Thank you, Treyarch. Thank you. You can actually learn the multiplayer maps before you play them now. This is the most useful tool I've seen included for a gamer because it lessens the learning curve. Critiques: Spawning in multiplayer can be bad. Sometimes you will spawn in as an enemy runs around the corner and pegs you while you try to figure out which way is up. The upside here is that camping choke-points off of spawn is virtually impossible (for the 'attacker') due to each map's design. The maps are smaller than I expected, but larger maps may have been too much to ask for. Overall: I highly recommend this game so far, and I also would submit that anyone experiencing "frame rate issues" in multi is instead suffering from a subpar internet connection. If you aren't a diehard of any previous shooter, this one will do very nicely for you. If you love BFBC2 and want something similar, hold off. If you love MW2, you may still prefer it. I'm not sure what to say for MoH because the critic reviews have been so negative about it that I didn't put any eggs in that basket at all. I'll be updating this review as we go. Good luck, and God bless! ***First Edit*** This game is just crazy fun in multi. I haven't spent any time in single player due to how fun multi is. There are issues -- there's no real reason to play with anything other than an assault rifle (famas or galil, usually) except for novelty. Certain killstreaks are virtually useless against experienced players (planes should be shot down 5 seconds after they're up if you're playing someone who knows what they're doing). Spawns are as good as they can be due to map size and game style. You *will* be spawn killed once in a great while. That being said, it's like crack. You won't be able to stop playing.

I cant believe that Infinity Ward released Modern Warfare 3 after this game with as little as they added to the series unlike Black Ops. Black Ops adds several features that try to keep the COD train going including more gun customization like putting your clan tag and emblem on your gun, you can completely make your own player card which is choose a background and design your own emblem, unlike MW3 where the titles are almost the exact same as MW2. They also added a credit system, wager matches and when you chose your first perk it is the deciding factor of what your character will look like. On top of that the campaign is actually lengthy and entertaining but doesn't try to be over entertaining like Infinity Wards last two entries. Then the zombies also return and are better than ever also this is the perfect start up game for someone new to the series with the addition of combat training which is where you can play team deathmatch with AI opponents so you can get the feel for online play and the maps without everyone getting mad and yelling stuff like noob in your ear which seems to ruin the experience for people right out of the gate. So really it just depends what you want, more of the same with spec ops where you shoot AI soldiers with a buddy or would you rather shoot zombies with buddies. Do you want a very short and explosion ridden overly exciting to the point that its predictable and boring campaign or a deep very thought out lengthy campaign and the thing that I care the most about: Multiplayer, do you want the exact same game as the one from a few years ago, granted COD online is almost the same anyway but the changes black ops added make it the best COD yet and hands down a no brainer for the COD game to get until we see whats happening this year with the series. To shorten this, lengthy entertaining campaign, plenty of zombies new maps and old, and the best multiplayer including customization, perks, hit detection, weapons and map choice the series has ever seen. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up and just let Modern Warfare slip back to 2009 where it belongs. Also anyone thinking about buying this for there children under 17 please reconsider. What people dont seem to understand is that there is a reason why its rated M for mature. I cant believe parents would buy a game like this for anyone under 17 and if you do dont get mad when your son or daughter run around throwing F bombs and racial slurs everywhere because thats a majority of what you hear online is 14 and under year olds using curse words and racial slurs in every sentence, Video games are not babysitters, pay attention to your kids in general and pay attention to what you buy them or what games they are playing because there are some pretty graphic games out there and they are easy to overlook. It sickens me to see so many young children playing a game like this and there parents thinking that its fine because they can trust there kids and there kids are "mature" for there age and everyone elses kids are playing it so why not ect. If you let them play them at least make sure they understand its just a game and parents realize that online gaming is a new social media and people from all over the world and of all ages are on there and alot of them say some pretty sick and disturbing things online, especially when a girl with a mic gets online, also make sure they understand that guns are not toys I cant count how many times Ive heard of firearm accidents in which online shooters and video games in general were the main thing to blame. The parents should be the ones to blame for buying a game that your child couldnt buy if he wanted to without you because its rated mature.

I have been a pretty big fan of the Call of Duty series. I much enjoyed Call of Duty 2, wasn't much into Modern Warfare, but I did like Modern Warfare 2 (unlike most) and World at War. Two different studios make Call of Duty games. They seem to trade off every year, one making a title every 2 years. Treyarch had their shot at World at War, which I thought was a good game, though for many the graphics were lacking, and ease of mechanics. The game looked as if the characters were in pain while they moved, and almost looked cartoonish. This game has none of this, and I believe to this date (with Modern Warfare 3 released) is the best Call of Duty game. In recent years I have swayed away from the single player aspect of most games into a more multiplayer role, mainly due to the ease of access with other people and how simple it has become to play with others online. The single player of this game gets a 5/5. I enjoy playing any game on the most extreme of difficulties, which makes it a challenge, though sometimes, a little less fun. There were instances were there seemed to be the infamous `infinite spawn' of enemy waves until you passed a certain point, though this happened seldom, on the few missions it did, it become annoying. The graphics were good, as well an overhaul of mechanics. The character's reacted better, and it was more of a real feel than the previous developed World at War. (SPOILERS) The single player story was enjoyable. Unlike a lot it seems I really liked the aspect of it. As you progress trying to piece together what had taken place to have gotten you to this point. You are trapped in this chair, having to tell two dark shadowed men every mission you had done. The twist at the end is fantastic, as I didn't see it coming, almost like a movie! The era it is based in is a new fresh feel to the series! Multiplayer: The multiplayer gets a 6/5 for me. I think, behind only Battlefield 3 (at the time it was #1 on my list) is an amazing FPS and I don't find much wrong with it. They have fixed all issues that plagued Modern Warfare 2. This includes unlimited noob tubes, people camping for the sole purpose of kill streaks, nukes, and the annoying `quick scope'. These are shooters, that are supposed to be relevant and more of a realistic feel (though who sprints around in jungles with an SMG killing everyone in real life). Gone being able to use a sniper rifle more effectively in close quarters than a heavy machine gun. The maps are a great size, none to big or to small. Most of the weapons seemed decently balanced (I am a fan of the AUG). Killstreaks are great, must not overpowered like the previous Modern Warfare 2's chopper gunner. Class progression is normal. I really have no complaints about this game. I would highly recommend this game to anyone I know.

The Good: I have an Xbox 360 that I play COD MW2 in multiplayer mode. I bout COD Black Ops on the PS# to play multiplayer. Despite what many of the reviews claim on here, I have a great experience with Black Ops on the PS3. If I listened to the reviews on here I might not have bought the game and I would have really been missing out. If you even think you might want Black Ops on the PS3, then buy it. I enjoy myself so much more than I do on the Xbox 360 COD MW2. The games are different enough to warrant having both games. I think the maps on Black Ops and the First Strike DLC offer a superior experience when compared to the maps on COD MW2. To be fair, I do not own any of the expansion maps available for COD MW2. If all of this isn't enough to convince you, then consider that there is a built in zombie mode that is like having a totally separate game included. Its pretty fun but I spend most of my time in Black Ops. What surprised me: I have grown accustomed to the controller on the Xbox 360 from all the multiplayer I have done in COD MW2. I thought the PS3 controller was going to ruin the experience for me. However that was not the case and I rather enjoy using the slim PS3 controller even more than the Xbox 360 Controller. If you have both platforms and if the controller being the last thing to tip the scales. I would encourage the PS3. YMMV of course. The Bad: The one thing that I noticed occasionally occur in Black ops is that sometimes the match may pause the game and do a host migration and then resume. I don't know if this is unique to this game or this platform but it is worth mentioning. However, this event is rare enough of an occurrence that it has not affected the five star rating I give this game on this platform. Please Note: I never wrote a review on Amazon.com no matter how much I liked or disliked a product before. I was just never motivated to do so. However, since the reviews on here for COD Black Ops on the PS3 almost dissuaded me from buying the game on this platform, I felt it was my duty to reinforce the fact that this game on this platform offers an amazing experience. Well worth it.

I'm basing my review on the multiplayer aspect of the game only. I'm sure a lot of you do play the campaigns but single player aspects of most games play a secondary role these days. For example, I played 100 hours of muliplayer vs 6 hours for the campaign in MW2. That was of course completing the campaign. A game earns its keep in multiplayer and thats why I'm focusing on that. The online component of this game is a clear indicator that it was released prior to any substantial QA testing and debug. I've not witnessed a COD title with so many online issues since the infamous first days of COD 2. First you have to get into a game lobby, which certainly is not easy. Then, you pray the lobby doesn't close on you. Finally is the match, which is a full blown lag fest. In 5 hours of play, I'd say 75% of matches had some kind of detrimental lag going on at some point. Numerous times did I encounter mid game host migration that ended up canning the match entirely and also closing out the lobby. I have a superior internet connection so that is certainly not the reason for these issues. Regardless of host, the chatter amongst the players proved beyond a reasonable doubt that I wasn't the only one experiencing lag. As for the actual game, ho hum. Treyarch is a capable developer for sure but there isn't the magical innovation present that we saw in COD 2, MW, and to a slightly lesser degree, MW2. They usually do an OK job of taking what Infinity Ward comes up with in the game prior and modifying it enough so it feels somewhat new and fresh. Who didn't like tanks and the flamethrower in World at War? This being their 3rd full blown title, perhaps my expectations were higher than they should have been. I figured 3rd time is the charm. Boy was I wrong! Its not that the game isn't fun. It is. I will certainly play it for many hours. Its a quality game but with COD, we want and expect more than quality. First and foremost are the graphics. This is the 4th game now on the very tired and very modified MW engine. Its time for a new game engine guys! Old tech is only capable of so much. The fire effects, the blood effects, and the explosions are all being done better in other games this year. While the PS3 graphics capabilities are pretty much maxed with current games, this game takes us back a couple of years. Very disappointing. The leveling mechanic has been broken with the introduction of points. Points can be used for purchasing guns, perks, equipment, etc. You gain points over the course of matches just like you do experience points. The points system was surely implemented to enable the new wager matches and contracts but it seriously gimps the leveling mechanic and fights against it at times. One way it breaks the leveling mechanic is now many things that used to be unlockable via leveling or successful gameplay can be had at very low experience levels if you purchase them. Most of the perks are available right up front. Weapon attachments can be purchased as well. I take serious exception with purchasing of weapons attachments because having all of the attachments really meant you had mastered a particular weapon. It could take hours and hours to unlock all of a guns options via challenges in previous games. Now, spend 1000 points, and you can get a red dot sight. Spend 3000, get a grenade launcher. That one aspect of prior games contributed greatly to replay value. It was fun to unlock every paint scheme and attachment for a gun and then start new on another gun. The guns themselves are still unlocked as you level, which leaves some credibility with the leveling mechanic. However, once you unlock a gun at level 21 for example, you can't go using it just yet. You have to buy it with points! So, you may finally get to a certain level that has the gun you really want, and you can't have it yet because you haven't saved enough points to purchase it. Sure, some pre-planning will save one from that scenario, but it can be a letdown nonetheless when it does happen. Luckily, nothing is very expensive. That is the biggest problem with points. Everything is cheap so you can quickly get access to all of the perks and weapon attachments. Nothing is so expensive that it really makes you save points. So, there isn't much gratification associated with getting a particular perk or attachment. Kill streak rewards took a step back. I suppose it has to do with the era the game is set it but there aren't as many as MW2 and a lot are retreads. The SAM turret is pretty neat but the RC car is useless. Its a guaranteed kill when you nail someone with it but its a time drain to drive it around and search for people. I used it a couple of times and never bothered again. Nukes are gone, which I am pleased with. The actual game play is same old first person shooter stuff. The guns seem balanced with the notable exception of the flamethrower gun attachment. It was so fun to use in World at War but is pretty ineffective in this game. I tried to use it in quite a few matches and it is just too underpowered. Cover mechanics are largely nonexistent except for the new dive to prone ability. I was hoping we'd start to see some cover ability (ability to stick to walls, and peak around corners) introduced to the series but perhaps in the next game. So all that being said, this game is certainly enjoyable but the tinkering with the leveling system and addition of the points system could ultimately detract from replay value. That is if you can even play multiplayer without the huge lag issues. Treyach does a fine job sticking to the COD formula but their tweaks in this particular game generally take more steps back than forward. When the multiplayer is patched, you'll more than likely get your moneys worth out of Black Ops. However, with Infinity Ward no longer around to establish the formula for Treyarch to follow, I believe this is the last good COD game we'll see.

Treyarch didn’t just make a shooter here; they made a high-stakes psychological thriller. From the "Numbers" mystery to the birth of the modern Zombies craze, this title represents the peak of military noir storytelling. The Campaign: A Masterclass in Narrative Most FPS campaigns are forgettable "Michael Bay" explosions, but Black Ops is different. Following Alex Mason through the Cold War, the Bay of Pigs, and Vietnam, the story is dark, claustrophobic, and genuinely surprising. The performance by Sam Worthington (Mason) and the return of Viktor Reznov (Gary Oldman) create an emotional weight that is rarely found in the genre. On the PS3, the cinematic pacing remains tight, and the "mind-bending" twists still land with incredible impact. Multiplayer: The Birth of Personalization This was the game that introduced CoD Points and Wager Matches (Gun Game, Sticks & Stones). The Maps: Firing Range, Summit, and the legendary Nuketown were born here. These maps were designed with "three-lane" perfection that modern shooters still try to emulate. The Feel: The gunplay on the DualShock 3 is snappy. While the graphics show their age today, the "crunchy" sound design and the recoil patterns of the Galil and Famas still feel incredibly satisfying. Zombies: The Gold Standard While World at War started it, Black Ops perfected it. Kino der Toten is arguably the most iconic Zombies map of all time. It struck the perfect balance between accessible survival and deep "Easter Egg" lore. On the PS3, the split-screen performance is surprisingly stable, making it a staple for couch co-op nostalgia. PROS Unrivaled Storytelling: This is widely considered the best story in the Call of Duty franchise. It’s gritty, smart, and doesn’t pull any punches. The "Wager Match" Suite: These party modes (especially One in the Chamber) are some of the most fun you can have in local or online multiplayer. Comprehensive Zombies Content: From the "Five" map (featuring JFK and Nixon) to the Dead Ops Arcade, the amount of content outside of the campaign is massive. Iconic Soundtrack: Sean Murray’s score captures the tension of the 1960s perfectly. Stereoscopic 3D Support: For those with 3D-capable TVs of that era, this was a rare, immersive treat on the PS3. CONS PS3 Performance Dips: Compared to the Xbox 360 version of the time, the PS3 version occasionally suffers from lower frame rates and slightly softer textures in high-action scenes. Host Migration: Since the game relies on peer-to-peer hosting, a player with a poor connection "leaving" can still interrupt the flow of a match. Graphics are Dated: By 2026 standards, the lighting and character models look blocky, but the art direction carries it through. Overall Input Call of Duty: Black Ops for the PS3 is a definitive piece of gaming history. It proved that Treyarch could not only compete with Infinity Ward but could surpass them in terms of creative storytelling and world-building. It is a rugged, intense, and endlessly replayable title that defines an entire era of gaming. Reviewer Pro-Tip: If you’re playing the campaign again, keep your eyes peeled for the hidden computer terminal in the main menu. If you break out of your chair (tap L2 and R2 repeatedly), you can access the terminal to play the text-adventure game Zork or unlock the Dead Ops Arcade! Who is this for? FPS fans who value story, Zombies enthusiasts, and anyone looking to experience the high-water mark of the 7th-generation console era.

I have been playing COD casually since the beginning of the franchise and regularly since "COD: Modern Warfare (MW)" came out. There have been a couple of COD games released between MW and Black Ops (COD: World at War (WAW) and COD: Modern Warfare 2 (MW2)) and while all of them have been fun and entertaining, Black Ops is my favorite entry since the original Modern Warfare. Modern Warfare was a great game and a "game changer" when it was release. It broke away from the traditional WWII setting and introduced us to modern weaponry, locations, weapon attachments, etc. It's a tough game to beat in my opinion. Modern Warfare was followed by World at War, and while WAW was, in my opinion, a well balanced and fun game, it had two strikes against it: 1. It was developed by a different studio than the ground breaking MW. 2. It returned to the WWII time period. World at War was followed by Modern Warfare 2, which brought us back to modern times. Many people liked this fact, but there was also a lot wrong with this game (again, this is just my opinion). There are too many things to go into here, but to make a long story short it came down to the simple fact that MW2 was a bit unbalanced. It became very easy for a savvy player to take advantage of this and made it very hard for new, inexperienced, and casual players to have a fighting chance. (Side note: If you are familiar with MW2, I am talking about things like the "One Man Army" perk, which let you switch classes during a match and replenish not just your regular ammo, but you grenade launcher, claymores, etc. The "Scavenger" perk accomplished pretty much the same thing. This led to grenade/claymore spamming. "Quick Scoping" went from a difficult skill in MW to an easy skill in MW2. There ended up being snipers everywhere and it became extremely annoying. Also, several guns were/still are overpowered, such as the Akimbo 1887, Akimbo Rangers, etc.) So this brings us to Black Ops., which followed MW2. Black Ops. breaks away from the typical modern setting again, but this time the game is set during the Cold War era. Even though it's not "modern", it's still better than going back to the old, tired WWII setting. Also, there has been a distinct lack of Cold War era games, so this is basically new territory for the serious which, to some, is refreshing. But the best thing, in my opinion, is the return to a balanced multiplayer. If you played a lot of Modern Warfare 2 you will definitely notice a difference in the game play right away. Perks have been trimmed down and balanced and guns seem to be on pretty equal footing. Seriously, if you were a heavy MW2 player like I was, it might take you a little while to adjust like it did for me. This balanced game play is a good thing, as it allows inexperienced players a chance to get acquainted with the game and not get pummeled every time they try to play online. It also forces the veteran playing to take a step back and use their "fundamentals". In addition to this, there are several other features which make the multiplayer experience great, including new game modes (wager matches!) which bring a new life to an otherwise old, tired, and standard multiplayer experience, a new system of unlocking weapons, perks, attachments, etc, and a compelling single player campaign. There are some negatives though. I have experienced some pretty severe online lag while playing this game. However, Treyarch (the developer) has said they are working on the issue. Also, I am not one of the people who is thrilled by the Cold War setting. Yes, it's a change of pace, but the guns and locations are still too outdated for my tastes. What I really wanted was just a more balanced version of MW2. Overall, this game is a lot of fun to play, and I think when they get the online issues fixed the main negatives associated with this game will be gone. If you are a First Person Shooter and an original Modern Warfare fan, then this game is for you. If you started out on Modern Warfare 2, then prepare for a different (sometimes humbling) experience.

It's ordered and waiting for delivery. Can wait to play my game again

Great thanks

Although is the US version and usually you could change the language to Spanish, in this version I only can play in English but it still be good.

Excelente saga

Product arrived fast and worked!