It is always difficult to write a review on a game owing to the numerous facets that a game embodies. We cannot just look at face value on a game, especially when it comes to a game like Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. For the purposes of this review, the title was played on a Desktop Computer with a Ryzen 2700X, RTX 2080 Super, NVMe SSD, 100mb Fiber and 16GB Ram at 3000Mhz. The best place to start is always the opening impression, and I have to say I was completely wowed. From the first time the title is launched you are absorbed in all the new components of Cold War. The opening user interface is a bit overwhelming at first but this can be expected of any new game unless you are playing Tetris or Pac Man. The initial loading screen does tend to make you wait in long anticipation, but was it worth it?
The Campaign
Like any die hard gamer looking for an adventure I started with the campaign. The opening scenes absorb you completely as if there is nothing but you and the game in the world. After the general scenes, at least for me, something awesome happens…You get to select who you are. You are given the call sign “Bell” BUT you select your history as to whether you were CIA or MI6 (If Memory serves KGB was there too). Further to this you select individual traits and defining characteristics. Immediately the game is telling you something… it’s telling you that there will be choices, and these choices will have consequences. The campaign allows you to play in your own style, whether you wish to gun sling like John Wayne or practice a more covert style of killing only when necessary. In my natural fashion, I really wanted to be the clandestine covert agent but my trigger fingers turned my Dr Jekyll into a Mr Hyde. Further to this, the scenes are perfect for the time period, with music choices that had me hopping through the live stream in my seat and singing along with the lyrics, revealing my age. What really made the campaign absorbing was not only the choices offered, but further the variety of mission types. It’s not all action, but there is a call for an intellectual approach too. This is seen especially when trying to decipher codes and evidence that if completed, enhances the story quality and depth. Intellectual stimulation is a tricky element as you have to balance intrigue with frustration or you lose gamers interest (also you don’t want to be the only one of your friends who could not work something out so it causes motivated participation). One particular point where I was amazed is that I checked with my friend to see how he was doing on his cypher to find that it was completely randomised, while this sounds easy in theory, the different parts that are brought together makes this in itself an impressive feat. Now a side note…THAT RED DOOR! I constantly had to check the walls and the floor as a counter balance, as I was convinced that my bottle of water was spiked with some hallucinogenic. I will avoid spoilers here, but a standing ovation to Activision for a mission that caused massive frustration but still kept me entrenched in the game play. Overall COD did it again, where either the saying of “time flies when having fun”, OR that campaign was too short AGAIN. The twists and turns, ups and downs and general rollercoaster of emotional turmoil created a fully absorbing experience. To anyone who just enjoys a story line, this game comes highly recommended.
Multiplayer
Having been involved in the Call of Duty multiplayer scene for a while, I ask the reader to adopt what Neo said to the Dues Ex Machina in Matrix Revolutions: “I only ask to say what I’ve come to say, after that, do what you want and I won’t try to stop you”. Now with that out of the way I am going to assume you fall in line and say: “Speak”There have been mixed feelings around the transition from Modern Warfare to Black Ops Cold War. But with any game there has to be change; We would have hated on Activision if they had taken the exact style and pace of Modern Warfare and pasted that into Black Ops Cold War. My feeling is that time will be the remedy to this. As a Modern Warfare player going into Black Ops Cold War, I explained it like trying to punch someone in your sleep, as the game play is slowed down and feels sluggish, but is this a bad thing?Black Ops Cold War has adopted a different style of play whereby the barometer is reset and the opportunity is afforded to all to be the new masters of the game. With the different hitbox percentages changed it creates a more lifelike experience to the game. One thing that was a personal irritation is the avatars head bopping left and right, up and down as if it was replaced with a pinata begging it to be shot off (and it was…several times…. and several times again). But again, unless you are Zen Chicken, when we move, so does our head. The weapons mirror the style of Modern Warfare which allows players to retake their previous CDL roles whether it was a flex or objective player which allows for a smoother competitive transition. Further the field upgrades offer the same transition to an extent. Weaponry however seems to be unbalanced again with a handful of weapons turning the rest into effective potato guns. Overall, I believe when the dust settles and Black Ops Cold War is fully embraced, we are going to be in for a very exciting multiplayer competitive game. Further with CDL being used on PC with 120 render resolution and 144Hz, we are going to be shocked by the level of skill dormant in players who were limited by the aforementioned changes.
Overall
Whether it is for single player in campaign or multiplayer in CDL, Black Ops Cold War has much to offer the First Person Shooter enthusiast. I believe it is just a matter of time before Call of Duty will take the throne officially from CSGO as the most prolific FPS game (Provided bugs and errors are dealt with timeously). I think COD is going from strength to strength despite the comments of Black Ops Cold War being a step backwards from Modern Warfare (Well guess what, it literally goes back in time!…what did you expect?)Lastly, if Activision ever reads this. Miami has got to go, let LMFAO have it.
Wootometer
Graphics: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Excitement Factor: 8/10
Concept vs Result: 9/10
Overall: 8.4/10
