As a seasoned Call of Duty enthusiast with countless hours spent in virtual battlefields, I must say that Black Ops 6 has left me both intrigued and slightly frustrated. The gameplay is fast-paced and thrilling, much like a rollercoaster ride that leaves you breathless but yearning for more.
In 2010, when Call of Duty: Black Ops was launched, it entered a period where the new approach was facing some criticism. Previous games like Modern Warfare 1, 2, and World at War had received high praise from both critics and fans, consistently breaking records. Despite this, Black Ops dared to innovate in areas such as storytelling, mission design, character development, and game modes, often resulting in a cheesy but effective outcome. However, where is the boundary? How much can you innovate or alter without facing significant backlash, a trend that has been noticeable post-Black Ops 2?
As a gamer who’s been through the intense battles of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, here’s how I’d put it: If you’re expecting some major updates with Black Ops 6, I’m afraid that’s not quite what you’ll get. The campaign is all about climbing your way out, and the multiplayer introduces this new Omnimovement feature without forcing you to use it. As for Zombies, well, it’s still the thrilling, round-based Zombies experience we love, now with some fresh Augments. Despite the changes, the overall vibe remains quintessentially Call of Duty – a mix of excitement and frustration. Compared to last year’s underwhelming Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops 6 feels like a completely different universe – in a good way!
Despite all the transformations, there’s a unique essence that undeniably echoes “Call of Duty,” which can be both positive and negative. However, overall, it surpasses expectations significantly – offering a completely new realm, in fact – compared to the disappointing “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” from last year.
Prior to discussing further, let’s touch upon the interface design in Call of Duty: It’s more streamlined compared to HQ, and I appreciate the ability to download only what I need. However, it shouldn’t take this much clicking to enter a Black Ops 6 mode of my preference. Worse still is the anxiety that comes with worrying about closing the game due to the time it takes to reopen it. The frequent updates that necessitate restarts are another point of contention.
The story revolves around a new threat called Pantheon, which appeared out of nowhere during a CIA operation with Troy Marshall, handler Jane Harrow and William “Case” Calderon (whom you control). Russel Adler, who was touted (falsely) as a mole for Raul Menendez from Black Ops 2, also pops up, and after Marshall, Case, and Frank Woods are suspended, they investigate Pantheon on their own following a coded message. It leads them to an abandoned safe house called the Rook – remotely located and the site of Adler’s research into Pantheon. Thus begins the hunt for the group and the mysterious bio-weapon, The Cradle.
In the game “Black Ops”, missions are sequentially given, but they usually offer various strategies to achieve your goal. The mission “Most Wanted” showcases this particularly well, as you’re assigned the task of acquiring a retinal scan for a U.S senator, which allows you to infiltrate a CIA black site located under Capitol Station, where Adler is imprisoned.
I chose three methods, but I decided on blackmail because it appeared to be the simplest option. This choice involved listening in on conversations, sneaking around, and secretly obtaining the necessary material before confronting those involved. However, that was just one phase of the operation. The second phase involved navigating a facility that had been infiltrated by Pantheon, offering various opportunities for stealth or making a loud commotion.
As a gamer, I’ve got to admit that this game is quite hand-holdy. You won’t find yourself lost in a sea of possibilities, experimenting to your heart’s content. But don’t let that discourage you – once you’ve mastered the basics, replaying the game becomes more engaging, even with its scripted sections that might feel a bit contrived at times.
A different operation that delves deeper into the subject is titled “Hunting Season.” In this mission, your team traverses an expansive map in a vehicle, aiming to destroy three SCUD launchers. Although destroying these launchers is crucial, there are several other areas of interest to investigate for resources and to clear out SAM launchers to allow air support, among other tasks that facilitate the destruction of the SCUDs and the uncovering of more information about “The Cradle” in the subsequent mission. Occasionally, these optional objectives might be agents with valuable intelligence about a location, marking targets and potentially granting a sniper rifle and strategic vantage point for the initial assault.
You’re not required to focus on extra goals beyond what feels natural, just as you wouldn’t need to be covert in most (but not all) operations. Yes, the game can be quite directive at times. However, it’s important to note that a sandbox-style gaming experience with lots of exploration and experimentation may not be the norm here, but replaying the game becomes more engaging due to this structure, even with its scripted parts. To sweeten the deal, you can unlock various safe house upgrades by earning enough money, which enhances your health, armor piercing ability, wearable armor plating, and even grants a health bonus for quickly defeating enemies.
Black Ops 6 packs an exciting blend of high-octane action and spectacular sequences into its missions, giving off a vibe reminiscent of a collection of thrilling hits. This includes dramatic slow-motion quick-time events, cars that need to be destroyed in slow motion, intense standoffs against numerous enemies, vehicle segments, a turret section, the obligatory stealth moments, and so forth.
In addition to its main theme, Emergence delves deeper into the realms of surrealism and mental landscapes, adding an intriguing touch. I won’t reveal much about the mission (which appears to draw inspiration from Control’s The Oldest House), but it’s entertaining. However, the same concept is overused in the final mission, creating a sense of déjà vu reminiscent of Black Ops 3’s campaign, and even includes a part that strongly resembles F.E.A.R. 2. You’ll recognize it when you reach it.
Following the less-than-pleasant depiction of Task Force 141 in the previous game, the characters in Black Ops 6 seem like a welcome change, much like taking a refreshing breath.
This discussion leads us to one of the more questionable aspects of Black Ops 6’s campaign: its storyline. It offers sleeper agents, conspiracies, betrayals, and moments that leave you asking “what just happened?”, which seem to be obligatory elements. However, the issue lies in the fact that it’s predictable – you might even guess the main villain within the first couple of missions. My familiarity with Black Ops lore is scant at best. Furthermore, while the abstract themes don’t entirely destroy the spy-thriller ambiance, they can slow things down and occasionally veer into the absurd.
On the positive note, it’s nice that the characters in Black Ops 6 are engaging. Compared to last year’s grating portrayal of Task Force 141, the character development in Black Ops 6 feels refreshingly new. Woods remains true to his nature, but each team member seems fully-fledged and authentic. Sevati Dumas, the Guild assassin, is both calculating and enigmatic yet has a knack for being lighthearted and amusing. Felix Neumann, the tech whiz, transcends typical nerd stereotypes with his commitment to nonviolence, especially after he regrets working for the Stasi. Marshall emerges as a strong leader who ultimately turns out to be quite soft-hearted.
But more important than their characters, which are all backed with excellent performances by the cast and stellar facial animations, are their interactions. Each Rook “mission” has your standard debriefings with the group, but some may break away to have their own interactions to observe. Again, all optional, but more than just compelling scenes, they further explore characters’ responses to what just happened. One particular conversation provided more context to a brutal execution in a mission, which felt right. If only certain subplots were explored a bit deeper.
Among all experiences in Black Ops 6, Zombies stood out as my top choice, flaws included. Although I had a great time with Operation Deadbolt last year, the return to the round-based format was particularly delightful for me. Initially launched with two maps – Terminus Island and Liberty Falls – each offers distinct narratives and goals.
In one version, the story revolves around a prison escape from the named island, orchestrated by former members of the Requiem task force. On the other hand, the second version takes place in a peaceful town where players search for the fragments of Project Janus. Both narratives involve Edward Richtofen, but they unfold in distinctly different ways.
Although the campaign in Black Ops 6 was enjoyable with all its imperfections, Zombies stood out as my preferred experience within the game. Even though I enjoyed Operation Deadbolt last year, I was thrilled to see the comeback of the round-based format.
Terminus Island is characterized by a darker, moodier atmosphere, emphasizing vertical structures and multiple levels. Each section is well-developed, and the tasks are more clearly defined to align with its storyline depth. On the other hand, Liberty Falls offers a freer, less structured experience, where small buildings harmoniously blend with wider roads and passageways. I found myself drawn to the openness of Liberty Falls, whether it was strategizing in the bowling alley or confronting threats from various directions on the rooftops – its fluid layout seemed more appealing to me.
Enhancements offer an exciting twist to the game mechanics by enabling you to delve deeper into the advantages of your Skills, Special Abilities, and Weapon Modifications through research. For instance, you might choose Dead Wire to amplify its damage output and extend its stun effect to multiple enemies, or decrease its cooldown period. Alternatively, Energy Mines could be transformed into a permanent turret that targets incoming enemies, instead of dispersing shockwave blasts. Yet, it’s important to note that Enhancements can only be researched individually, and the time required to unlock them may result in a slightly tedious progression process.
Despite the disorder, the excitement is unquestionably thrilling, and I found myself enjoying the challenge of tough decisions. Do I choose to upgrade my current weapon with Pack-A-Punch or hold off until Wall Weapons’ rarities improve before making that investment? Would it be wiser to purchase Gobblegums to spawn bonuses like Double Points and Insta-Kill, the latter being particularly useful for exfiltration, or go for higher rarities (such as gaining all Perks) for longer gaming sessions?
Instead of going for powerful weapons, would it be wiser to prioritize investing in Legendary armor for increased survivability? Plus, with Salvage at your disposal, you can craft scorestreaks like chopper support, Hellfire missile strikes, and sentry turrets. You’ll also find Wonder Weapons readily available. This setup offers a variety of engaging approaches to the game. The optional challenges given by S.A.M. add an element of fun unpredictability, but the Legendary rewards could benefit from a slight boost in power.
On the other hand, there are some adjustments needed regarding balance. The higher rounds seem to produce an excessive number of Elite enemies, which can be overwhelming considering the amount of ammunition required to eliminate a Mangler. In such cases, it might be more effective to continuously craft Chopper support and utilize its mini-gun for destruction, as you’re invincible during its use.
There was a lot of enthusiasm for the freshly introduced Core maps in Black Ops 6. However, some players have expressed dissatisfaction with their layout; they either find them too compact, similar to Payback, or questionable about spawn points, as seen in Vorkuta.
The Amalgam seems overly balanced, both in terms of its health reserves (even when hitting weak spots) and utility. Extraction can be incredibly difficult due to the massive horde of zombies that need to be eradicated before extraction – even leaving just five results in failure. Additionally, I find it puzzling that there’s only a limited amount of time to pause the game during solo mode, despite the option to save and quit.
Despite those concerns, I found Zombies to be an entertaining experience that I might revisit excessively, even beyond what’s considered healthy. The aspect of it I appreciated the least was the multiplayer mode.
According to Treyarch, Omnimovement isn’t a game-changer; instead, it offers stunning maneuvers such as mid-air jumps and backward dives, plus 360-degree rotation, but it’s not mandatory in matches. The movement and gunplay feel as you’d expect, with the shooting feeling responsive and the balance appearing well-maintained at present.
The sleek Gunsmith offers an enjoyable experience for tinkering and exploration, but I’ll require additional time before determining the impact of its modifications. New game modes such as Kill Order introduce a distinctly objective-paced rhythm to battles, though your fun largely depends on the skill level of your team. However, it shows promise, particularly when maneuvering for flanking and counter-flanking strategies against opponents.
As a gamer, I’ve got to say, something’s off about the map designs in Black Ops 6. Last year, we were thrilled with the remastered versions of Modern Warfare 2 (2009) maps, expecting fresh Core maps here. But some of these new ones just don’t cut it – either they feel cramped like Payback or have iffy spawn points like Vorkuta. I haven’t had a chance to try them all yet since many are still missing, but so far, they’re not impressing me much.
By the close of the day, it’s clear that “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” is just another entry in the “Call of Duty” series, yet it stands out due to its well-constructed nature, leveraging its strong points effectively.
I find myself regretting it, not because I detest the rapid tempo, but due to a lack of engaging moments or the thrill of each footstep. The exhilaration of striking down an enemy’s flank and annihilating three players before they realize what’s happening is fantastic. However, Black Ops 6’s multiplayer doesn’t captivate me as much as other game modes do. With more playtime and improved maps, it might come into its own. For the time being, I find myself setting it aside.
Discussing the presentation and visuals in a new Call of Duty game isn’t really necessary given how consistently they live up to expectations. However, I can’t help but mention it again. Everything about Black Ops 6, including its ambiance, lighting, special effects, and facial animations, is truly impressive. Regrettably, despite four years of development, there are still some areas that require refinement.
As I sit at Neumann’s desk, a folder casually unfolds before me, but in a blink of an eye, Sevati appears, seemingly teleporting over. The characters’ jittery animations when they’re perched on vehicles are a bit off-putting, and the Upscaling insists on shouting “FidelityFX CAS,” even though I’ve switched to DLAA. I can deal with these quirks, but there’s one glitch that’s driving me nuts: it’s draining my in-game balance into negative billions, which prevents me from upgrading any of the safe houses.
In summary, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” is another installment in the Call of Duty series, but it’s notably well-constructed, leveraging its strengths and primarily focusing on them. While it may not perfectly execute all its novel ideas and features, or even deliver one of the greatest stories ever (and arguably not as good as “Black Ops Cold War”), if you know what to expect, it can offer a lot of enjoyable gameplay.
This game was reviewed on PC.
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2024-10-29 16:22