Game Review – COD: Black Ops 4
Have you been curious about Black Ops 4? Come check out what KSI FadeZ 7 had to say about his overall experiences – both good and bad.
The Release!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was released on October 12th, 2018. It’s the 5th installment of the Black Ops series and the 15th installment of the Call of Duty franchise. It’s the first Call of Duty to not have a traditional single player experience. Instead, it’s replaced with tutorial like missions and a Battle Royale mode called Blackout.
This installment has also introduced changes to the formula with a predictive recoil system and a new ballistic damage system tied to individual weapons. They also removed regenerating health for a manual healing system. These changes mix things up and create a different yet familiar experience, combining new elements with the old that we all either love or hate.
The Good
Loadouts
Black Ops 4 is a multiplayer directed game. Their dedication to this is shown in its focus on the 10 specialists setup; 6 previously coming from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, and 4 are new to this entry. Also included is a detailed customization system with the familiar pick 10 structureA? and additional cosmetics.
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The guns feel fun to use and are viable in multiple situations. However, some still stand out as the a??go toa?? type weapons. I personally enjoy the manual healing system that hot keys to your LB button. This works on a short recharge each time you use it.
Zombies
Zombie mode launched with 2 different stories and 3-4 maps, dependent on if you have the season pass. These consist of different locals like a Gladiatorial Arena and the Titanic. Also included is Return to Alcatraz, a Mob of the Dead map from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Therea??s a tweaked “create a class system” with special abilities and weapons that charge up on zombie kills. It generates a fresh and fun, yet familiar experience with maps full of Easter Eggs and secrets.
Blackout
Black Ops 4a??s newest addition, and biggest selling gem, is Blackout. This is the Battle Royale mode introduced for the first time on a AAA scale. It consists of Solos, Duos (which hosts 2 man teams), and Squads consisting of 3-4 players.
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Here, each team drops from helicopters onto a map filled with locations and references throughout the Black Ops series. Players have to find ammo, armor, attachments, bags, meds, perks, and weapons – all while trying to eliminate other players and be the last team standing. The match gradually progresses as a lethal field that slowly pushes into a small circle, forcing players into confrontation until only a person or team is left standing. All this combined gives the game a lot to offer and makes it fun to play.
The Bad
Campaign
While the addition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 adds a lot of impressive new features, there are still arguably some negatives that come into play. For one, in my opinion, the lack of a single player campaign is a huge loss. While the solo missions add story, they lack a certain depth of a true campaign that Treyarch has specifically delivered on so well in the past. The company, it seems like, decided to give into the a??multiplayer onlya?? hype. Essentially, ita??s missing out on the compelling narrative the Black Ops series has become known for.
Imbalances
While all weapons are viable, some feel very unbalanced or overpowered in certain scenarios. The majority of the new maps feel very confined and close quarters. Although not necessarily bad on its own, it creates a lot less viability for long range weapons like sniper rifles. This also causes issues with spawning. Constantly in a rapid change, these locations become very close to hostile players sometimes forcing you to respawn into a firefight.
The Verdict
Overall, I find this series pretty great! While I do miss the single player modes, I feel they make up for it with the content and different things offered. I would rate it a 8.9/10, with room for some improvement. I can honestly recommend it to you all. But that’s just my thoughts; take them as you will.
Thank you for reading and keep your eyes out for the next game review!