The most important change that Black Ops brings to the Call of Duty series is the inclusion of CoD points, a currency system within the Multiplayer mode that allows players to unlock items using points they have earned from online matches. The money earned from matches can pay for things like unlocking custom class slots, new game modes, bonuses and weapons. Points make it possible to earn the maximum amount of game content without having to prestige (resetting your entire multiplayer progress and starting from scratch) like Modern Warfare 2 required.
These points can be used in whatever way you choose. You can customize your game play, buying weapons and perks in any order, though players must be conscious because once you buy something you can’t necessarily go back. This system adds a lot to the multiplayer game play and is something new that may take some time to get used to if you have never played CoD before.
The contract system is unique because you bet on your gaming skills and try to achieve specific challenges in exchange for CoD points and XP. You purchase a contract and are given a time limit to complete it, and if you don’t complete it by the set time, you forfeit your payment. Black Ops allows you to earn three contracts at once, and successfully completing them not only rewards you with points, but can improve your playing style.
Player profiles add another dynamic to Multiplayer mode. When you hover over someone’s name, a profile pops up, revealing their rank, level, clan tags and icon. The icons are completely customizable, featuring a wide range of images, colors and backgrounds, and can be purchased with CoD points.
The actual game play matches seem to emphasize the points system. For those still interested in the hallmark Team Deathmatch and Domination modes, Black Ops offers these, and they differ little from Modern Warfare 2. The Wager Match offers something new, as it lets players earn more points by using their points to gamble on the outcome of each match.
Since there are a lot of new kill-streak rewards and perks, you’ll most likely encounter the newest of these, which includes an explosive RC car in many of the preliminary rounds.
Lag and frame-rate drops are also an occasional problem. In a game where life and death is determined in a fraction of a second, it sucks when you knife a guy, only to die because he was actually looking at you with his pistol. Choosing local players instead of global players does occasionally help, but at the price of longer matchmaking times.
The Zombie mode places up to four players in a slowly expanding environment where they shoot zombies and repair doors that the invading zombies have. Zombie fans will get a kick out of the mode, but the fact that there’s only three environments shows that developer Treyarch didn’t have enough time to flesh it out. It’s not as engaging as the Multiplayer mode, but it is fun to try out.
The Single Player campaign is where the game truly shines, not because of the decent graphics or solid gameplay, but rather the well-paced and engaging story. Central Intelligence Agency operative Alex Mason begins his ordeal in an interrogation room, and what the player participates in are his memories of prior missions. This allows the game to jump quickly between different locations and time frames.
Since former Black Ops soldiers consulted on the events depicted in the game, the missions hold much more weight than other first person shooters that are currently available. Every word and bullet has both emotional and historical backing, and that’s a rare treat in today’s gaming market.
Originally published in the Daily Titan on November 18, 2010.
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