Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 611 Ratings

  • Summary: Call of Duty: Black Ops II thrusts players into a potential near future - a 21st Century Cold War in which technology and weapons have merged to create a new generation of warfare. Black Ops 2 introduces players to an insidious villain named Raul Menendez who hijacks the US military infrastructure to further his own agenda. Take control of the power of near-future technology and advanced robotics to pull the world back from the brink of annihilation. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Jan 3, 2013
    90
    While the campaign length is fairly standard of past iterations of the series, it's worth multiple playthroughs and the multiplayer offers endless hours of fun and enjoyment; whether it's slaying zombies or facing off against other players in a wide range of multiplayer modes with an endless number of loadout combinations.
  2. Nov 13, 2012
    85
    Even if Treyarch misses the mark on occasion, I respect the developer for taking chances with a series that would sell just fine if it stuck with the status quo.
  3. 85
    Black Ops 2 brings the same intense action the series is known for, with some interesting Treyarch twists. It may not be shiny and sparkly new, but it's a hell of a lot of fun to play.
  4. Nov 25, 2012
    70
    Though the single-player campaign is far from a strong point of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 due to its clumsy narrative, ill-judged sections and short length, the online multiplayer still hits all of the right targets. Some crucial changes ensure that it's a decent fit for a range of skill levels and more flexible than before, and the Zombies mode has been improved once again. It might not fire on all cylinders, but as a multiplayer game, Black Ops 2 is still in the upper ranks.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 225
  1. I am a fan of Battlefield 3 and Gotham City imposterT.his is actually the great Call of Duty game. I played CoD 1 , Blops, and MW3. I love the map design in this game. I like the little tweak they made. I don't understand all the complaints. I actually feel like I am using my brain to play, unlike mw3. Expand
  2. Haters love to hate and say that critics reviews for this game is biased. Maybe, but isn't haters just as biased. After all, they're probably fan boys of Halo or Battlefield and they think that the franchise is so superior that they have to hate every other games by saying it's the same thing every year (which is pretty cheap). But don't worry, this review is not biased. This review comes from a person who plays Call of Duty but accepts the fact that other franchises are just as good or better, but some do suck. We can't like everything but you can trust an unbiased review, like this one, where details about the game are considered, not the haters who say it's the same because it is and that's it.

    Call of Duty is not getting better but to say it's the same is completely false and that's not even an opinion, it's a fact. Sequels can be different but they generally aren't which would usually make the franchise, as well as the business, inconsistent. Is Halo 2 so much different than Halo: Combat Evolved? Don't expect something completely new, it's a new game for a franchise that's been around for almost 10 years now. Also, game franchises that are released annually doesn't mean bad. Is Call of Duty the only franchise that does this? No, look at Assassin's Creed and Fifa. So, there are three modes. Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. Seen before but revamped with added features. Campaign is the first in the franchise to feature branching storyline driven by player choice. It's also the first to feature nonlinear gameplay, thanks to it's multiple endings. But this feature is not so impressive if you're not into the story in the Black Ops series, you would instead go straight into the multiplayer like many fans. If you are, campaign is a real treat. The way you play the game is different and the story is not too predictable. Strike Force sounds awesome on paper and it could have been if it had been executed a bit better. The AI for allies is poor, you often have to direct them to one area and then do everything yourself.

    When it comes to multiplayer, Infinity Ward has always been stronger with a more innovative and addictive multiplayer mode that adds depth to the franchise. Infected and Kill Confirmed especially in Modern Warfare 3. Theatre Mode sucks, it doesn't save all recent gameplays and you can only view them as clips but hopefully Treyarch will fix that. There are obviously new stuff you would expect such as guns, perks and scorestreaks. Pick 10 system is the best system in the franchise for class customization. It changes the way you play the game so instead of having to choose a grenade, you can replace it with another attachment if that's what you prefer. Wildcards cost one point each, they break the normal rules of creating a class, which allows you to select an additional perk. Three wildcards can be used in a loadout at a time which lets you select a perk from Tier 1, 2 or 3. The Pick 10 systems lets you choose 10 elements to make up a loadout and this is a system that should be used in future titles. Good thing about small maps is that the gameplay is paced faster so that shouldn't be a negative aspect, although the multiplayer map designs aren't the best in Black Ops II. CODCast is an innovative feature which allows you stream via YouTube if making YouTube video is one of your hobbies, which it is for many people. There may be a lot of little kids online but children these days don't play games that are age appropriate. Does that mean the franchise is bad? Hell, no! Kids play Grand Theft Auto and Halo but I don't hear any complaints about that. They may ruin the multiplayer experience but it's no one's fault but the parent who is responsible for the content that their child plays and watch.

    Zombies comes with two new modes as well as Survival, Tranzit and Grief. Grief supports 8 players, 4 players per team, and the team wins if at least one of their players is the last one to survive. Tranzit mode is basically a combination of multiple maps and the only way to travel is by bus, as you might have seen in the trailer. Zombie is good fun and these are fun new modes if you want to play more than just Survival. Lava encourages you not to stand in one place, like you could do in previous titles featuring zombies, and it makes it more challenging but it's also annoying. When you get hit by a zombie a few times, you would often run into a lava and you could die. Still, you die and try again in many video games. Zombie is still the best aspect of Black Ops. Graphics isn't everything and it doesn't have to look the best, the franchise isn't really known for having the best graphics, but it's still good enough for the standard of modern games. They use the same engine from Black Ops and improved it but because Infinity Ward uses a newer engine for their Call of Duty games, Modern Warfare 3 looks better.
    Expand
  3. Black Ops 2 the game is fun it has some good action is playable and has a fun zombie mode some complaints though I found out some weapons are reused weapons from Modern Warfare like the M-tar weapon is a Tar 21 with a different name overall it is meh not bad not good 6/10 Expand
  4. Game released for PS3 crashes locally or online after 2 rounds of zombies or multiplayer. The patches have not fixed the issues for me (as of 1.03). This will be the last COD I buy, and I'm looking to return/sell my copy now. Expand

See all 225 User Reviews

Related Articles

  1. Fall 2012 Games Preview: Notable Upcoming Releases

    Fall 2012 Games Preview: Notable Upcoming Releases Image
    Published: September 13, 2012
    You might have to wait until next year to play GTA V or BioShock: Infinite, but there are still plenty of major games arriving over the next few months, including a new Assassin's Creed, the latest Call of Duty, and the beginning of a new Halo trilogy.