Monday, October 28, 2024

Game Review: 'Call of Duty Black Ops 6'

Although the days of midnight releases and the accompanying ravenous fandom over the yearly "Call of Duty" release have passed, the game's release is still the most massive tentpole of the gaming year. The advent of "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" is the last near-universal gaming touchstone. My favorite quarterback, for one, is all-in on this year's game. 

That's why it's so gratifying that the game manages to thrive on nearly every level imaginable. The campaign, which has been little more than a throwaway for the past few years, is back with a vengeance, and stands as a wild escapade well worth the price of admission in and of itself. The other pillars, Zombies and multiplayer, are refined to razor-sharp versions of previous iterations, providing a veritable playground for the cat-and-mouse game provided by the preeminent FPS of our day.

When you're locked into an annual release cycle with the biggest shooter franchise on the planet, it's tough to generate a product that manages to surprise and please stalwart fans while also catering to new audiences. There is plenty here for four-star generals and plebes alike to relish.

The joint effort between developers Treyarch and Raven Software, which has been working on the game since 2020. The extra time in the incubator paid off in spades, resulting in a robust package that gives gamers loads of material to savor. With the expected parade of seasonal content and joint efforts with other pop culture phenomena in the offing, there is little doubt that "Black Ops 6" will stay relevant as the months fly by. 

From the opening moments of the campaign, you're thrust into an intense firefight that has you scurrying for survival. Ensuing moments include emotional resonance, clever intertwined narratives touched up with historical fiction, and twists that knock you sideways. Zombies is equally entertaining, with the horror level ratcheted up considerably from the efforts of the last few years. No one does the undead like "Call of Duty."

The mix of multiplayer modes, of course, is where most players will spend the majority of their time. With 16 new maps in the offing at launch and the ability to Prestige through all levels 10 times, there is plenty to savor.

The advent of cross-play and cross-progression across Xbox X/S, PS5 and PC, as well as availability on GamePass, massively increases and democratizes the player base, making it easy to find a game at any time with an eclectic mix of players from around the world. The community monitoring has also upped its game considerably, smoothing out the ranks so matches run more professionally and respectfully.

"Black Ops 6" plastered a wide smile on my face throughout my initial weekend with the game. Far more than a perfunctory continuation of an entrenched franchise, the latest game feels like something of a fresh redeployment. It's time to start appreciating and adoring "Call of Duty" once again.

Publisher provided review code.

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