Call of Duty: Black Ops II Xbox 360
User Score
4.5 out of 10

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1672 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 643 out of 1672
  2. Mixed: 175 out of 1672
  3. Negative: 854 out of 1672

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  1. microskies
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    I perhaps wouldn't be giving this a 10 if it weren't for all the people who presumably haven't even played the game rating it 0, but anyway here's my review:
    Campaign is good, follows the same narrative style of the original Black Ops, which i think is a really nice feature, however strike force missions are definitely a let down. They're more Real Time Strategy game than First Person Sho    oter and a poor one at that, very unintuitive.
    Multiplayer though is the best in the series, with the new "Pick 10" system and balanced weapons, making it more about skill rather than what gun you have. The new "combat training" lobbies allow new users to get used to the game, in 1/2 XP games, deterring the veterans. The new league play is a better ranking system than the regular leaderboards, with thew choice of everything in create-a-class, and subdivisions make it easy to compare league spots.
    Zombies are decent, the "zombies campaign" promised turn out to be Tranzit, making it a bit of a disappointment, but Tranzit is still a fun mode to play. The new maps are a little difficult to navigate round at first due to all the fog and low-light but once you've got used to it, then its more enjoyable.    … Expand
  2. N1kke
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    i see all kids crying and grip about why this game is so low rate.. its simple this game sucks balls, play halo 4 if you want futuristic game this is another AD/HD shooter like every year.... sry my bad english..
  3. truthaboutgames
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    One of the best Call of Duties the franchise has ever seen!.

    The story is great , the set pieces are in the right places to keep you interested, the multiple choices you can make during the story really make a huge difference to previous CoD games, the fact you can change your load out for each chapter (which the inventory of choices increases as you progress so if you replay the story     you have more to choose from) makes it even better.Then the intertwined special missions change it up a bit too with squad control kinda like ghost recon games.

    The multi-player is a lot of fun the maps are diverse and have some many paths to take it keeps it interesting, the guns are varied and the customisation of your individual loadouts are good, and one of the things that got me to give this CoD a chance was the fact A.I bots are back so i can play with my son offline and still have a lot of fun.

    For anyone jaded by the franchise after the disappointing MW3, give this game a go its definitely a vast improvement and will get you hooked again.    … Expand
  4. Delorean
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    Horrible. This feels like 2 steps backward in game play. Really bummed at it's arcade like feel and look. Tried to like it but I can't.
    Blops I was my favorite game - and I was hoping for this game. But it's really just crappy comparatively speaking. Major let down. Games are short, you can't get pro perks anymore, no rewards for skill. Blah.
  5. steakosaurrus
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    So i am not some kind of COD fan boy or anything but i do believe games should be reviewed based on what they are. I cant take any of these people giving this game a 0 seriously because no game unless completely unplayable deserves a 0 regardless of how much you don't like like the franchise as a whole. I was not the biggest MW3 fan but when it comes to modern military shooters BO2 offers the best story by far and yes i understand the engine and graphics are a bit outdated but the game is still a solid offering with a zombie/ multiplayer experience that rivals any other console shooters at the present. But for all the people blatantly just throwing a 0 at this game because it's COD is a bit sad, grow up and review a game on its pros and cons and not on the title of the franchise.… Expand
  6. L4DMalus
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Every user on here is absolutely ridiculous. The game is amazing and you are all just a bunch of pissed off Halo fanboys who are upset because your community got executed with the release of this game. While the graphics haven't changed from the previous Black Ops (which is the only reason this game doesn't get a 10/10) the Multiplayer experience is by far the best I have seen since CoD4 or Modern Warfare 2. The Pick 10 System works perfectly to make sure every class you pick isn't atrociously overpowered unless you give up equipment/weapon slots for Wildcards. The maps are small, but not as small as Shipment or Rust from Cod4 and Modern Warfare 2 respectively, the maps make for great, fast paced gameplay across the entire game and it's not a 10 minute camp-out. Halo fanboys need to stop hating because they don't know what it's like to have to shoot less that a full clip into someone to kill them.… Expand
  7. jeffo2448
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Pros:
    Multiplayer is still fun, gameplay is addictive, there are tons of stats to view and improve upon, maps are decent, new kill streak point system is solid

    Cons:
    Still feels like an expansion pack rather than a whole new game
    Graphics aren't the greatest
  8. Jonex
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Some seriously delusional people giving user reviews here. I personally really enjoy Black Ops 2. The campaign isn't the strongest, but it's far from the weakest in the COD series. The Zombies and multiplayer more than justify the retail price. You'll be playing this for months, I know I will.
  9. Kevin4Rox
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    I feel it important to say first and foremost that i have never enjoyed the multiplayer of COD. The spawning is stupid, the fighting erratic and importantly the variety non existent. What mildly intelligent person actually cares about the relentless barrage of trophies and medals which remain as completely useless mementos locked away in the dark quarters of your console. Receiving a trophy does not make a game fun. Playing the game should be all the fun needed. COD is not fun. I started up the single player campaign to be blown away by the complete lack of 3D during cinematics. To clarify i have just finished AC3 in 3D and the 3D was awesome, the game, so so. Then the game finally started, thought id get my kill on. Instead i was left feeling sick by the poorly programmed 3D in the game. OK, i'll play without 3D then (dissapointing since 3D games are few and far between). I thought maybe i would stop feeling sick now. I was wrong. The urge to bring up breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner from the night before was simply to great. You see i am a sympathetic vomiter, i see vomit, i vomit. What was being served up on my beautiful 1080P 63" 3D TV was indeed vomit. The graphics are worse than bad. I can hear all you braindead fanboys now, "it runs at 60fps...how can it be bad when so many people buy it?..." Well first of all, in case you hadnt noticed, nobody cares about 60fps, as long as it can hold a steady frame rate of say 30fps and not stutter it is perfectly acceptable even imperceptible, ie BF3 which incidentally craps all over CODBO1 & 2. "Why do so many people buy it?" Easy. People are idiots! One need only walk down the street and witness a slew of teenage boys wearing their little sisters jeans with hair that must having taken all morning to style to understand this. More evidence you ask. Look at those that sit atop society in any region of the world, they are always a minority, why you ask again. Because people are overwhelmingly idiots. Back to COD. I am not a hater, honestly i want all games to be fun. I've been gaming for like 25 years, i do not discriminate. So where did my CODBO2 story end?? I was so disillusioned with gaming after just 10 mins of CODBO2 ( I know your thinking, "well you didn't even play it, you missed the options and story line blah blah blah zombies blah blah") I didn't and wont miss anything. If i want to be bored and have options that lead to different endings i'll read one of my old chose your own adventure novels. If i want zombies I'll watch The Walking Dead (which is awesome BTW). So... I digress. After attempting to play and ending up heaving in the toilet i was depressed. I thought to myself i cant wait until the end of the month for Far Cry 3 or more importantly the end of the year for more expansions for BF3. I need to have my new found hatred of games quashed. Now i must tell you that i have never owned an XBOX always PC games and Playstations. I did the only thing i could. I bought a XBOX and Halo 4 and whilst is very far from the greatest game ive played, it has all but erased the sour taste left by CODBO2. Shame on you Treyarch for dishing up such a pile of steaming hot turd when you have the resources and fan base to do something truly revolutionary. Shame on you, you masses of idiots out there who will buy and love this game for no apparent reason other than you liked the one before it and before that and so on. Shame on you professional critics for giving this game such a high score. I have never posted anything online before, not a blog, not a tweet nothing. This game has brought out the entitled **** in me that so many of you had embraced so long ago. I feel that what i have to say is important enough that the world need access it. Shame on you CODBO2 for making me an internet posting geek who thinks that people care what i have to say. Please stop buying this dribble. Please start thinking for yourselves. I gave it a zero because im sure i played this already...in the '80's.… Expand
  10. quasar44
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    If there were no other Call of Duty games, gamers would be raving about Black Ops II. DONT LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO GIVES THIS GAME A score of 0. They either wanted BOII to be completely different than all previous Call of Duty games or they're just people who complain about everything in life.
  11. jusperino
    Nov 14, 2012
    5
    The graphics are ATROCIOUS, even on maximum settings on PC. Gun sounds are mediocre at best.
    singleplayer campaign is uninspired. Zombie mode seems a little more enjoyable. Can't comment on multiplayer, although the map aesthetics seem improved compared to previous call of duty titles.
    Overall nothing to write home about. A new engine is desperately needed for the series to continue, to     enable both better graphics and new gameplay depths.… Expand
  12. bySaer
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    this is my 2nd review, and now i realize that this game has its flaws, and has its high points. i like this game, rent it before buying because your opinion could be different than mine or any other metacritic user.
  13. pieman2013
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    The ones that put a 0 for this game are the ones that used to be on top in the other games before and now they start to die more. that is because more and more people are getting better and learning how to play, the only bad thing about this game would be sometimes the spawn sucks and I get killed from behind. It is frustrating at first but you have to get the hang of it. I slowly got better after playing starting with a .5k/d to a .9 in quite a few games. It takes time to get used to. And dont complain, you bought the game so enjoy it, Treyarch put so much work into this game so give them credit. Just have fun… Expand
  14. ThatKiddLe_Fonz
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is my very first review. Ever. I just wanted to put this out here, though:

    I sincerely cannot believe the ignorance of people and their views on Call of Duty. Call of Duty: Black Ops II is great. Much improved upon in nearly every way (except for possibly the campaign). I never played the campaigns much, and I have not played a Call of Duty for the campaign since Modern Warfare 2.     I played through the first Black Ops title, and it was one of the more enjoyable ones for me.

    But, let's get real here-- who actually plays Call of Duty solely for the campaign? There are probably a small amount that, in all actuality, do just that, but the core elements of Call of Duty all revolve around the smooth, fast-paced gameplay that has been dominating our logged hours of online play.

    I just don't understand what it is people want. It's like they want Call of Duty to not be Call of Duty anymore. They want some kind of radical change that just isn't what it is known for. Call of Duty is Call of Duty. It's all about gunfire and an individual's skill with the various weapon types. It doesn't have vehicles, it doesn't have destructible environments (though I would personally not be opposed to that), and, as much as you hate it or not, it's ALL about the running and gunning of the arcade shooter. That's what it has always been, and that is what it still is today with Black Ops II.

    Now, in terms of online play, I believe that it is the best, most balanced and fine-tuned we have yet to see from Activision and the two differentiable development teams (I personally prefer Treyarch over InfinityWard. Just look at Modern Warfare 3). I will admit that, right now, there are some overpowered aspects, ie the laser sight and longbarrel attatchments hooked on to your SMG of choice. But all of the guns are so powerful right now, you really can't go too wrong with any of them. It has the same fast pace and smooth, responsive gameplay all true Call of Duty fans know and love. Maps are new and refreshing, and there are quite a lot for on-disc content as of now. It has essentially remained itself while also tweaking the formula via Create a Class and the Pick 10 system, the branching storyline in the single-player campaign, the change from kill to score-based streaks.

    Don't let all these negative reviews bog you down. It really is a great shooter, and it always has been. Those people that gave this game solely for its "lack of innovation" are not true fans of the franchise's core system that has been proven to work and sell millions every year. I will admit, I am not a fan of the annual release schedule and the lack of time that is often put into these games, but with a gaming-goliath like Call of Duty, how could you blame Activision for milking it?

    I really do think it is a Call of Duty above all others this generation. If you're a tried and true fan of the series and the insanely addictive gameplay, you will be pleasantly surprised at how balanced and fair the game is. The hit detection is SUPERB, by the way. If you like Call of Duty at all, you just can't go wrong with this. Let the haters hate, and let the sheep follow their shepherds. I guess it's popular to hate and criticize something as globally dominating as Call of Duty. It's easy to hate it for what you want it to be, but Call of Duty is... Call of Duty.

    Maybe for all of you nay-sayers out there that are just hating so hard on CoD right now, the innovation will come with the new tech and systems soon to arrive. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But, either way, Call of Duty will remain what it has always been. So I give this game a 9 out of 10 for remaining true to its roots while making some pretty significant changes. Peace, interwebz    … Expand
  15. WhyuHating
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    Wow, so many Zer0es, the game is so bad that it deserves a 0. I don't love COD but i at least thinks it deserves higher than a 4. Changing the formula to a game that is very repetitive takes guts. They should at least get a 5 for effort. (plus an extra 4 for all the haters out there)
  16. ryankugel
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    Treyarch, congrats. You've officially embedded yourself in my mind as horrible at game making. Many people here are complaining about the lack of change, but I disagree. I hate the changes they've made. For this review I'll be talking about the multiplayer part of the game.

    And it sucks. Sniping is absolutely impossible. The guns scope in incredibly slow and awkwardly. It's honestly so     frustrating. The killstreaks in this game blow. You randomly die from being electrocuted or somehow explode. The game overall is very dark color wise which makes spotting enemies nearly impossible. Lastly, the create a class system is just plain stupid. So many perks are made into attachments and it's impossible to get a class that really fits your needs without making serious cuts.

    Honestly, I want more of the same. I want the old CoD 4 back. Not with these stupid "advancements",    … Expand
  17. ddmonkey15
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    I love these idiots that review this game and most likely haven't even bought it. Don't listen to these morons that give this game a zero... I even saw someone complain about noob-tubing when that hasn't been an issue since MW2. It's absurd Overall its a great game. they added new things to the multiplayer like new class system and plenty of new modes and maps. They also changed around the way killstreaks work and of course added new ones. Defiantly check it out its a great addition to the series and don't listen do these idiots reviewing this game and giving it a zero for BS reasons.… Expand
  18. spinbotlv1
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    the real score and the real quality of this game is around 4. But I give 1 against treyach and activision mentality. well, regarding the quality of the game, what I can say is : the game is outdated with indecent graphycs a boring story, stupid characters and a sp campaign structured on stupid, fast ride and mindless mission on rails that lasts 5 hours. If you are searching for a solid fps well structured in single player campaign, with an open world or sandbox missions or freeroaming DON'T BUY COD Blackops2, DON'T waste your money or rent it for a day and wait for farcry3 release or go out and buy the best fps yet available of this year: borderlands 2. The single player campiagn is only an excuse to sell this game at 60 bucks, but in reality the lenght is like a dlc of the previous Cod:black ops. Cod: Blops2 is only for fanboys multiplayer addicted, but warning because the multiplayer mode isn't perfect and has actually connection issues.… Expand
  19. MikeHoncho
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I don't normally do this kind of thing but I'm sick and tired of reading reviews that say "The graphics are outdated". Obviously from little children who pay $60 for a game that looks pretty, same kids who would say games from past generations of consoles (NES, SNES, PS2, N64, etc) are bad because of the graphics . I haven't played the Campaign or Zombies yet, but the Multiplayer is fun, just like it always is. Thats what a game should be rated on. Yes, there are campers, try-hards, and these elite super players that come on here and own every other game, but who cares, its just a game. I'm no expert MLG gamer, I didn't stand in line for hours in the rain like all of those other losers just to think I'm the first one who has the game, and I'm not a fan boy. I just like to play Call of Duty with my friends as a social thing and I think thats what separates the men from the boys. If you don't like it because its "the same old thing every year" then you're the idiot who paid the money for it. The people who generally gave the review a good score are the people who like the CoD games for what they always are, and what they probably always will be.… Expand
  20. radimarzio
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    This game really surprised me. It's so good to see that the makers didn't sit over the old formula and still work to find new ways to put people on the battlefield and still feel like it's something they didn't pass before. The campaign has a good story, with a high mature level of violence,with a very convincing storytelling that, even with all the future stuff, can make we recognize the nature of the environment. Multiplayer rocks as always and the zombie mode is even larger than before. Enjoying every moment with friends!… Expand
  21. Generallee109
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    I'm a 34 y/o guy that is a huge of shooters but if you think this is an improvement, you are nucking futs! The graphics are terrible and they borrowed the color scheme from Serious Sam. Multiplayer is king these days and the pick 10 system does not redefine this title. The levels are small, easily campable and just plain dull and boring. I give it 1 for how smooth it feels but could not shake the feeling like I was getting killed when I clearly had the upper hand in gun battles. I've already lost interest here after 2 days of trying to give it a chance. I hate HALO but i'm trading in BO2 in for it today.… Expand
  22. ReadySetGo
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I was a bit edgy on purchasing this game when it released, so I thought I would rent it, and I had very low hopes for it after the terrible performance of Modern Warfare 3, which if I reviewed now, would have gotten a 4/10 at most, and to say the least, I was surprised at this game, I won't get into too much detail about the Campaign, but I have to say the Campaign would probably get a 7/10, but the new and improved Zombie mode is very fun, with a new mode called "TranZit", where you travel by bus from place to place, spanning across all of the maps, it's very enjoyable and very addictive.
    The mode "Grief" on zombies is a unexpected pleasure as you try and survive longer than the other team in a battle for life over the zombies.
    The Multiplayer is still a bit lacklustre and is probably a setback for the game, although Combat Training (Not named that, it's now just a private match with bots) makes an expected, yet nice comeback, the Combat Training was my favourite part of Black Ops's multiplayer.
    The removal of Wager Matches left me quite sad, but they do still have some of the wager match game types, but you can only do them on private matches, which is pointless, as you gain no reward from this.
    I feel the only way for me to rate this is rate each bit of the game and find an average:
    Campaign: 8/10, More of the same, but more enjoyable this time around.
    Zombies: 9/10, Extremely addictive as long as you have friends to play with.
    Multiplayer: 7.5, Same lacklustre dragging, but at least it's better than MW3 (Thank god).
    Combat Training/Private matches: 8/10, definitely worth a shot, fun and even more so with some friends.
    All together, Black Ops II gets an 8/10, a nice change from the series and I hope to see more from Treyarch on the Next Generation of consoles.    … Expand
  23. JoePeli
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    It is a really solid COD game. The campaign was really good and not like any other COD game before. Zombies are awesome! The multiplayer could be better, but it is still pretty solid. Many won't agree with me on this, but this is probably the best COD game ever! However, it is still a COD game, same engine, pretty much same graphics etc. Especially the multiplayer still plays the same, which is not exactly a bad thing (for me anyway) and most importantly, the online community is huge!
    I'm really enjoying this game...It's impossible to give this game a negative rating, should be a 6 at the lowest!    … Expand
  24. LAB200
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Since the first time I played MW3 I did not see anything amazing, but with BO2 it was very different.
    For me this game is awesome. The zombies are fun, multiplayer has a much better cheek, graphics really good, by far the best CoD ever made. Many people are complaining because they don't want play this franchise, they're annoyed with it. I recommend that these guys try another franchise,     play the same game a lot is boring.… Expand
  25. Calebwilli
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    Black ops 2 tells an outstanding story and has very fun multiplayer modes. zombies is back and is better then ever and the new pick ten system in multiplayer is also very cool
  26. TheOmniMachine
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    First of all, lets get this straight. The people who are giving this game negative reviews while claiming this is the "same old COD" are dead wrong. I am not claiming this game is perfect, by any means, but calling the people at Treyarch "lazy" because they feel like they shipped a copy of any of the previous COD games need to play BLOPS 2 for longer than an hour to actually realize how different it really is. Starting with the campaign: I'll get this out right now, I enjoyed the Black Ops 1 story better, granted I've only played BLOPS 2 once so far but that is just how I feel right now. That's not to say BLOPS 2 isn't enjoyable, though. Unlike every other COD campaign, Treyarch decided to make this one less linear and scripted and actual gives the player choices throughout the game. Some of these are choose to kill or spare another character, while others are a little more subtle. After each mission, you get a screen that highlights all the choices made and shows how your story has progressed so far based on your decisions. No other COD has given the player the ability to write their own story as they are playing. There are also optional "strike-force" missions, which is a simple RTS style game, where you command troops from an aircraft up above. While this won't necessarily blow you away, its good to see something different. Another campaign feature is the ability to choose your loadout before each mission, although I never used this feature much because I didn't know which gun would be good for the missions I hadn't played yet. As I mentioned earlier this game isn't perfect and one thing I disliked about this campaign was the lack of variety in the missions. In previous COD games, they were able to break up the run and gunning with slow stealthy missions or sniper missions, but those weren't included in the game. I personally would have preferred having a couple of these missions to break up the fighting off hordes of enemies style. Multiplayer has also seen lots of changes. First and foremost, I felt Black Ops 1 had the worst lag compensation in any COD game and way too many times I found myself not getting credit for hits where the enemy was clearly in my sights on my screen, but when looking at the host's view, I was about a foot away from actually hitting him. This led to very frustrating situations, where actually getting a kill was out of your control. Treyarch did a great job with the netcode this time and hit detection and lag compensation are leaps and bounds better than its predecessor, which makes the games much more enjoyable. The create-a-class system has drastically changed too, with Treyarch implementing a "pick 10" system. Basically this means you can choose from up to 10 items for your loadout with little restrictions on what you can actually use. You can go as far as having a class with 6 perks and only a combat knife to a class with your primary having three attachments, but having no equipment. This leads to a lot of creative options that fits your style of play. One thing about multiplayer that I haven't found too great is the map variety. While, one strong point of the maps is they have a ton of detail to them all in order to convey what they want to show, like a destroyed part of Los Angeles (Aftermath) looks like it actually just got bombed, they all seem very bland and repetitive. While Black Ops 1 did a good job of having maps that were noticeably different, like having a couple of snow maps to one that has a live rocket go off to one at a firing range, BLOPS 2 maps all seem to center around buildings. Every map has buildings as its main focus and I have yet to find a map that I can say I really look forward to playing at, although in my defense I have only played a few hours and am still getting used to the map layouts. Treyarch easily could have made a carbon copy of any of its previous games and still gotten the same amount of money, but Treyarch really made a conscience effort to make a different type of game. I respect peoples opinion, but for the people who gave this game a 0 and claimed its the same COD really have not played it long enough to make a fair judgement. While I'm not saying this game is perfect, its certainly has some flaws, I'm really happy to see Treyarch make an effort to produce something different and for that, I believe this game earns an 8.… Expand
  27. Atomic91
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    As far as the campaign is concerned, the game fared better than I thought it would. There were some nuances, and although the story line was linear and predictable, the game play was decent. I give the campaign an 8. My problem is with the multiplier game play. The controls are clunky, the guns are generic and the registry is terrible. Don't even bother using a suppressor, you won't get a kill. The spawn system is an absolute abortion. I die and spawn right in front of an enemy player. This happened twice in a row several times. Guns sights (including the ACOG) are an embarrassment. The multiplier just seems unfinished. There are too many kill streaks. The maps are boring and allow for too much camping. Knife kills register from 5 feet away. I give the multiplier a 2/10. The zombie aspect of the game may very well be the only saving grace. Its innovative and pretty darn fun. If not for the zombies this game would get a 2 or a 3. Zombies gets an 8/10. Save your money and don't buy this game. Might as well stick with the other CoD games. They're all the same anyways.… Expand
  28. GrazerMagic
    Nov 17, 2012
    2
    The campaign was terrible, which was what I expected. The multiplayer was terrible, which was what I expected.

    I WAS however looking forward to zombies, with Treyarch's promise of a whole plate of maps, and its own campaign.

    Unfortunately they didn't seem to want to follow through with that promise, as there is absolutely no campaign to speak of, a sickingly boring 'easter egg', and     only ONE zombie map, not including the day one DLC.

    This is ass.    … Expand
  29. Dreagthe
    Nov 17, 2012
    3
    Well once again, Treyarch refuses to fix even one of the issues that makes anyone that respects and plays any sort of first person shooter cringe. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is a disgusting mess of a game. It features a grand total of four different spawn points per game, a shallow thoughtless campaign, rehashed graphics from 2010, and hit markers that are once again dysfunctional. I really need to stop giving this franchise chances, because they don't even try anymore. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.… Expand
  30. GrimmBro
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    This is quite simply the best Call of Duty (CoD) yet. With a campaign that has a good storyline with memorable characters; there is a want to play the game to the end not just simply to complete it but to enjoy the experience. Multiplayer is of course just as good as all the predecessors and has a new loadout system which allows for extra customisation. Levelling remains largely the same and could maybe do with some sort overhaul. Zombies is a an added extra and gives you something else to do if you are waiting for friends for multiplayer or just fancy a bit of horror. Not sure why people complain about the CoD; it does the games industry wonders.… Expand
  31. Thatuserguy
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    Black Ops 2 was a rather favorable game. Black Ops' campaign was a sort of short and sweet type of ordeal, while Black Ops 2's is longer and more in depth. Your actions control the outcome of the story, as do missions being failed or completed successfully. You also get to customize your loadout before each mission rather than the game just handing you weapons and expecting you to use them, really allowing you to tailor it to the experience in which you wish to play. Small modifiers also exist to help enhance this, such as an ability that lets your bullets do more damage, or an ability that lets you gain access to otherwise unreachable parts of the campaign that give you weapons, ammo, and other such things. There were plenty of surprises and plot twists that were much different than what I expected, and let me tell you, the campaign is hardly one where you're exclusively boots on the ground the entire time: there's plenty of interesting other experiences thrown in there, such as piloting a jet, controlling a drone, or driving a car.

    Multiplayer is the main part that dragged this game's score down. Is it fun to play? Oh yeah, definitely. They brought back all the gamemodes from the original Black Ops, and even added a few, such as kill confirmed. So what's the issue? Mainly, maps and loadout customization. The maps not so much, but there definitely is some reason to complain. The maps don't have any interactable pieces with them, and something about their designs just no longer carries the magic of Black Ops' maps as well as Black Ops did. If you sit and look at some of the maps though, you get an almost deja vu feeling, because some of them seem to be based off of maps from Black Ops in design. As for the loadouts, they just aren't as fulfilling as far as customization as the original Black Ops' loadout system was. Rather than earning money from matches that may be used to buy weapons, attachments, perks, and all that other stuff, you instead now unlock them based on weapon usage and ranking up, sadly similar to the Modern Warfare series' design. Where as in Black Ops you had a main weapon, one or two attachments for it and a skin and custom crosshair, a secondary, one or two attachments for it, equipment, one or two lethal and tactical grenades, and 3 perks that may be pro or not; due to the pick ten system, you can now only have ten or less of those. You might have a primary with two attachments, 3 perks, a modifier allowing you to have two lethal grenades, two lethal grenades, and a single tactical grenade, and that's all you get; you can't have a secondary or second tactical grenade. It was a cool concept on paper, but actually playing with it, it really limits your experience. To add on to that, pro perks no longer even exist, and neither do equipment or crosshair customization. Getting your emblem and clan tag on your weapon also requires "weapon prestiges," which I can only assume means getting rid of every attachment and such for your weapon and starting over. So what happens if after you get them, you don't like that weapon any more? Oh well, all that hard work is down the drain, and you better find a new weapon to get working at to get that same stuff. Generally, the pick ten system and the whole system of customizing your loadout and weapons just does more to ruin the experience, than it does help it; the old system was much better. It's not all bad though. The emblem creator was overhauled, and the game is still fun to play regardless of the previously mentioned issues.

    I haven't touched zombies yet except for a couple of minutes, but they made some radical changes that I can already tell will make things quite fun, especially with a few friends to tag along, so if you were a fan of zombies in the original Black Ops, you'll probably enjoy Black Ops 2's even more.

    Overall, Treyarch took some interesting design choices that makes Black Ops 2 feel both familiar, and different. If you liked Black Ops and weren't particularly a major fan of MW3, you're more than likely to enjoy this game quite thoroughly, at least for a little while anyways.    … Expand
  32. Vandral007
    Nov 25, 2012
    7
    I can't help but laugh at half of these reviews for this game. They are either "Call of Duty Sucks Trolololol" or "Call of Duty is bestest game evah for 1337 haxorz like me!" Ignore both these schools of thought, and try to judge the game under your own merits. Black Ops 2 does what it does very well. All of the CoD's since Modern Warfare have. Is it the best game ever, or even in the franchise? No, it isn't, but that doesn't make it a terrible game. What the game actually is is slightly above average. Complaints from both lovers and haters are valid. The campaign is woefully short, but lets be honest, few people actually buy this game for the singleplayer campaign. I'll still mention it though, because with all of the talent behind it, it feels kind of like a let down. I was far more engrossed by Black Ops 1's story than I was with this poor man's Red Dawn. The jarring cuts from past/present/future really hurt the narrative flow, leaving the story feeling disjointed, and really doesn't allow you to actually care about any of the characters you're controlling. The zombie feature has been improved, but not to the point where I see myself playing it again in a week or so (I never really cared for the zombie features in any of the CoD's. They're not bad, just not my cup of tea.) So the real reason people buy CoD: Multiplayer. And it works. The formula still has the magic first inspired by the original Modern Warfare, albiet a formula thats beggining to grow a little tired. The maps are for the most part well designed, if a little small and stifiling to guy who's been playing a lot of BF3 and Halo 4 online. But these smaller maps are designed with close quarters combat in mind. If you think the maps are to small, simply adjust your loadout. Graphically (and here's where I sound like a hater) the game is an abysmal mess. Four years ago these graphics would have been jaw dropping, but minor enhancements to an aging game engine can only do so much. The complaints about the sound design seem to be legit for the most part, and I will say that I never experienced any performance issues online or off. The graphics are just... aged. Not what you'd expect for a game in a series that makes more money than God. Overall, Black Ops 2 is a good game, if tired and stilted. I think this is the last time Activision should be allowed to charge $60 for it until they do something groundbreaking and radical. Worth the money (moreso than MW3), but it's hard to say how long it will keep you.… Expand
  33. RSiNNAL999
    Dec 1, 2012
    3
    There are so many FUNDAMENTAL COD multi-player mainstays that treyarch has just thrown out the window it's unbelievable! The problem is that they messed around with things that did NOT need to be touched. Here are some examples. Assault rifles are basically useless now, sub machine guns and pistols are RIDICULOUSLY Overpowered!! Ballistic knives have taken the place of the regular knife, as in when you use them they have a kill radius that the regular knife used to have. It's almost laughable how bad the regular knife is now, numerous times I've been DIRECTLY behind an enemy and pressed knife, and I somehow fly right past them, ending up right in front of them... Anyone that's played COD is used to the knife reacting a certian way, up close and personal, when you turn a corner and there's an enemy right there, we've both flown past eachother where one or the other would have gotten the kill in previous games. It's just annoying that something as SIMPLE as the knife, treyarch HAD to screw up! The pick 10 is good in theory, my problem with it is that it taxes you for EVERYTHING you would normally just get, and creates this false illusion of juggling. Perks, have been comletely destroyed, no upgrading your perks, I do like the fact that those that use Ghost have to be moving for it to work, but it DOES NOT work! I've been running with it, and enemies will spin around and kill me the second a UAV goes up. The rest of the perks have been dumbed down to laughable levels, some are completely pointless, as in the one that makes you immune to EMP and Counter UAV. I get that they're trying to make things a bit more even, but to just junk a lot of what made COD fun, is just disapointing. To top it off, there are times when Perks just don't work at all!!! I've been running Engineer, and run into a Claymore, been shot by a stealth chopper when using Blind eye, saw myself in a kill camera with my name and red redicle when running Cold blooded MW3 introduced Kill Confirmed, you got 50 points for a kill and 100 for collecting the tag, and if your teammate collected it, you both got 100, this was a little unfair, but treyarch has completely RUINED this mode! In their infinite wisdom, they decided that the teammate still gets 100 but you only get 25, well this is just great for NO SKILL, CAN'T BUY A KILL BUMS that wait for you to do all the work, then run out in front of you to collect your kill tags, just to obstruct your view, then get both of you killed so the enemy gets 2 kill tags unstead of a 25 point kill deny. It doesn't matter anymore what your kill to death is, or how much you help out your team, these No talent D-bags have 6 kills and 25 deaths but are at the very top of the leaderboard, In points per minute. It's a real shame, it just takes the fun out of it. At least with MW3, there was incentive to get the tags, but in BO2, team work goes right out the window! They could fix this by making it fair, as in 50 points each for a collected kill, would balance this, or even make it so another teammate can only collect your kill tags IF YOU'RE DEAD. Very simple for a game that pulls in 500 MILLION dollars on it's FIRST DAY!!! Spawns have NOT been fixed, they're just as bad, and maybe Worse than ever. NUMEROUS times I spawn only to immediately be knifed in the back by some douche running around with ballistic knives, or sniped, or shot. Sometimes this happens a few times a match. And this brings me to the one of the biggest problems with this game, BLOWOUTS, there's very few games I play where it's close and it's competative! It's either my team's blowingout the other, or vice versa. It's Frustrating, when the spawns work against you constantly, where I spawn into a lightning strike, or a hellstorm missle, then I spawn into a group of enemies, then I spawin into a hunterkiller drone or rxd! It's enough to make ANYBODY want to break something! The balance is GONE! In MW3, nearly Every game was close! It was fun, and even though there where a few cheap deaths, it made up for it by giving you a cheap kill every now and again. Black Ops 2 is like a refferee that makes bad call after bad call for one side, I'll admit, I don't have a problem with it when it's my team that's benifiting from it, but it takes the wind out of the sails RIGHT QUICK when you have to deal with this Garbage, match after match after match!!! Also I have noticed that the more I've prestiged, the worse my spawns are, I'm now level 30 prestige 3, well ahead of most players, but it just keeps getting worse, a lot of the above mentioned cheap deaths are recent. Maybe this is Treyarchs way of "Balancing" the fact I'm ahead and have unlocked some better weapons, I don't know for sure, but it's pretty Lame!… Expand
  34. zakster01
    Dec 2, 2012
    3
    A singleplayer campaign so nonsensical that it almost feels like it was developed by Hideo Kojima. The difference being that none of the Metal Gear Solid games were as lack luster as this. There's nothing new in terms of game play mechanics. The whole thing is essentially a rehash of the previous games. Did you enjoy the multiplayer in the first Black Ops? Then you'll enjoy the multiplayer in this, because nothing of major significance has changed. In fact, it's so similar that it suffers from some of the same bugs as the old Black Ops (e.g. texture popin at the beginning of a match), and it looks like they may have reused a bunch of the textures. This isn't worth $60. Save your money.… Expand
  35. airborne17th
    Dec 7, 2012
    7
    Ah, Black Ops II. For some one of the greatest Call of Duty ever and for others a pile of crap (a lot more).
    I played every Call of Duty since Finest Hour and played like maybe 80 hours of Black Ops 2 altogether. Does this make me qualified? idk, well anyways le'ts split the review up a bit, into three sections, singeplayer, multiplayer, and zombies. First, Singleplayer, I have never seen     such terrible railroading, disastrous plot holes, and sloppy writing on this scale for Call of Duty. Don… Expand
  36. XMSquiZZ360
    Dec 9, 2012
    6
    I'm going to be honest here. After playing MW3, and being massively disappointed, This game had a lot riding on it's shoulders for me. If this game was even worse than MW3, I was done with the CoD franchise. Now, is this game absolutely ground-breaking, earth-shattering, the best thing since sliced bread kind of game? No, not even close. Call of Duty has always been a perfect example of the "if it's not broken, don't mess with it" rule, and although there are some cool new additions to both the campaign, multiplayer, and zombies, I still have feelings that this game could have been so much more. I thought the story was interesting, but nothing absolutely amazing. The new choices to the story make for a new addition to the series, and was quite welcome in my opinion. Either way, though, the story was predictable, and it's the same "shoot 15 enemies here, advance, shoot more enemies, advance, cut scene, end of mission". Of course, Call of Duty over the years hasn't earned its high reputation for its great storytelling, but rather the multiplayer. The multiplayer for me has stepped up. I thoroughly enjoy playing this game's multiplayer, especially with the new Pick-10 system, it allows you to play your way, at least in the weapons category. One of the downfalls to the multiplayer are the rather bland maps. One or two of them are decent, but the rest of them feel like they're just rehashed from previous games, and polished up a bit to make them seem "new". Even though the maps are bland, I have yet to find a game where all anyone does is camp. Sure, you're going to have your one or two teammates on each team that camps somewhere, surrounded by a Bouncing Betty and shock charges, but overall my multiplayer experience is far superior to that of what MW3 had to offer. And lastly, Zombies. My review of this comes off of playing three matches to date, and although they added new twists to the mode, it's still the same old stuff. Shoot endless waves of zombies until you and your teammates are all dead. However, the attitude I have towards this does not reflect my final score, because I have NEVER been a fan of the straightforward type shooters, and while the campaign is the same idea, at least it kept me motivated to play, at least to finish the story. Zombies doesn't give you much for story, but if you like to just shoot stuff, Zombies is right up your alley! Overall, Black Ops 2 delivers, but doesn't stand out. It's still Call of Duty, and if you love Call of Duty, you will love this game. When it comes to the CoD games released over all of time with multiplayer capabilities, not a single Call of Duty game has been able to touch Call of Duty 3 OR Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. To be honest, though, this game has it's moments, but it's still the same system they've been throwing in their games since the first Modern Warfare. Black Ops 2 is for fans of the franchise, but if you're looking for a better wartime shooter, especially in online play, Battlefield is the way to go with your money.… Expand
  37. Iceman9725
    Dec 13, 2012
    3
    Horrible spawn system in multiplayer has ruined any chance at this game being good for me. I only play for the multiplayer and the spawning was tolerable in other games, but it is just abysmal in this one. There are some great new additions to multiplayer, but they are not enjoyable when you are spawning and getting shot in the back after taking 2 steps. I have always been a fan of Duty and the first one to step up and defend it, but this year's game is very disappointing for me. Hopefully these bugs can be worked out next year or in a future patch, until then, 3/10.… Expand
  38. TonyArnold2
    Dec 18, 2012
    0
    Might have been a good game, if this was 2007. The multiplayer is decent, but is pretty much the same as previous Call of Duty games. If you've played games like Halo 4, Borderlands 2, and Far Cry 3, this game looks laughable. The campaign is generic and has a basic story designed for simpletons. The zombies mode is fun, but there is only one map to play on, which means that if you don't like the TranZit map, you'll have to shell out $15 for whatever DLC they make. The survival maps are simply sections of TranZit, unfortunately. As usual, a few minor tweaks were made to multiplayer to convince people that it's new and different, but it's really not. It is just like every other Call of Duty and is now desperately falling behind other shooters.… Expand
  39. skynet
    Jan 6, 2013
    6
    The only thing about Black Ops 2 worth buying is zombies... Level 26 if anyone is wondering.
    Played like 5 mins of single player and had to stop playing multiplayer because it is so terrible to play....

    /Inserts MW3 disc
  40. SomeRandomGuy94
    Jan 22, 2013
    1
    Well, what can you really say about this damn series?... Not much, they have such a simple and effective cash grabbing formula for these games every year. All they do is make sure they show how "new" and "improved" their next game is, and hype it to oblivion. But when you get the game, you realize it is nothing new, and they just sucked your wallet dry. I also have to mention that the developers cannot take criticism, and will hold comments for approval just to make sure the no one says anything bad about their precious game. They probably masturbate to a picture of David Vonderhaar everyday.… Expand
  41. vito
    Feb 6, 2013
    10
    I'm sorry i now that this game isn't perfect but it is a pretty good game, I just think that you fan boys are just about BO2 is a copy.
    The zombies mode is one of the best zombie games I've ever played and this a very good multiplayer.
    The only thing about this game is the strike force missions, were I just used 1 soldier for all the mission until he die ,but I think it,was good campin    g (a short one) … Expand
  42. richmorehave
    Mar 9, 2013
    10
    Don't believe the lame low scores.
    This is the first shooter that REWARDS the guys that play the objectives!
    Now in score it shows the guys that NEVER go for a base or defend it.
    And everybody can see the selfish guys on the team, the guy with 40 kills and who do nothing to help the TEAM win the GAME'S Objective. So that is why the little kids don't like the game.
    It REWARDS the guys     that are contributing to the TEAM
    And in OBJECTIVE multiplayer game, more games should REWARD the TEAM PLAYER who dies helping the team and not the Rambo who could care less whether the TEAM wins or loses.
    Now if you just want to run around and just get kills, play MW3. I wish Battlefield 3 would have done this, REWARD the TEAM PLAYER and not the RAMBO.    … Expand
  43. Enforcer122
    Apr 16, 2013
    4
    Man, this was really disappointing. I can see what they were trying to do, and I respect that and understand it. But I just couldn't get in to this game. The campaign was very poor, zombies was an improvement but still not great and the multi player was more of the same. The campaign like I said, was the poorest I've played in COD history. I was just utterly confused throughout and it was a pain to play at times.… Expand
  44. killerghs
    May 10, 2013
    7
    This game is is one of those games that you constantly hear is terrible then when you actually decide to play it your blown away this is one of the better online experiences and with everyone complaining about it being unbalanced yet these guys will go ahead and play mw2 don't miss this game if the price is right its fun with friends and good by your-self
  45. Veritas
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Let me preface this review by saying I hate what COD stands for. I have played every COD, and played competitively during MW2. I hate the fact that the engine is re-used. I hate it even more because it's the same problem we see with movies nowadays, it's laziness, but it's laziness that sells. I hated it so much that, even though everyone on my FL was playing it, I did not buy MW3. Based on what people have told me, it's a good thing I did not try that trainwreck. Oddly, a few weeks back, I made a decision to come back to COD. Blackops 2 is exactly what I thought it was. The one thing I don't understand is all the hate coming from the same direction. If you bought this game and were not expecting a COD game, I have nothing to say to you other than "what did you think it would be?" Anyway, the engine is old, but the MP shines. It and BF3 both do the multiplayer thing about as good as you'll find on a console, and we'll have to wait for the next gen of consoles for some true innovation, but this is exactly what you thought it would be.… Expand
  46. Yostarone
    Nov 14, 2012
    2
    the game is so ugly, the campaign is so scripted, the weapons sounds so bad. the only things that works is the mp. but even the mp is boring as hell. i'll stick with cod mw 3.
  47. Phenom557
    Nov 15, 2012
    4
    I will start by saying this, Call of Duty:Black Ops II is not a terrible game. Its just as polished if not more so then the previous titles. Slight improvements in game play mechanics and zombie mode(s) don't go un-noticed. I've been a Call of Duty fan since the start (I'm talking the original COD and all its expansions on PC) but only a fool can play this game and say its ANYTHING more then MORE OF THE SAME!!. Nothing about the game stood out, nothing revolutionary and nothing mind blowing. The dated graphics engine is absolutely showing its age and cant hold up to gorgeous titles like Halo 4 or even BF3. I finished the campaign in about 6 hours and the multiplayer sadly did absolutely nothing for me, The level designs are un-imaginative and even the "futuristic" weapons lack the punch I was looking for. All in all Call of Duty Black Ops II is the solid 60fps shooter we've come to expect but nothing more. Sadly the back to back COD releases have taken their toll on most of the veteran gaming community leaving us all craving for something new.… Expand
  48. Jools86
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    I have got to say, what with this and Halo 4, FPS'ers are spoilt. The multiplayer maps are so much better than MW3, which was the 1st CoD game I stopped playing due to boredom. Always preferred Treyarch's maps to IW for some reason. Hope their next game is World at War 2!

    Little bit worried the Assault Rifles might be a little underpowered, but will upgrade my weapon and see.

    I haven    t played Single Player - due to the fact the last one I enjoyed was WaW.… Expand
  49. billruller
    Dec 9, 2012
    1
    This is ridiculous, Activision really needs to take their time with their Call of Duty games. Before you guys go smartass on me, I know there are 2 other companies that publish the multiplayer such as Infinity Ward and Treyarch. COD games have been coming every single year, which are all a complete cash in since after COD 4: Modern Warfare. The only good thing I like is the campaign, it always have a decent campaign but COD is mostly bought as a Multi-Platform Port for online multiplayer. Just like the previous ones, its the same friggin' thing as the other ones. Its the same exact multiplayer that you could be playing right now with the previous ones. Yet fans always defend it by the Maps and Weapon models, but I don't really care for that, I care for how its played and it is played exactly like the other ones. I'm surprised that they STILL didn't fix the annoying part with the bad health system and wobbling sniper aim. Let's not forget getting killed instantly by the Snipers and Campers which ruins the game. Some say I'm a noob for b*tching about that because they can pass it without a problem, well at least I'm not a noob for spending another $60 on the same FPS every year. Just rent it for the campaign, the multiplayer is not worth the $60. If you want to play this game, just play your MW3, Black Ops, or MW2 theres no difference at all.… Expand
  50. DalekHoser
    Dec 4, 2012
    0
    The game is extremely weak, repetitive. The campaing is awful, the multiplayer is boring, every year a Call of Duty game is release and every year it's basically the same thing: tedious and awful.
  51. mafiaalexpt
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    I Put the Game in Xbox360, and i installed, the menus are bad, i play the entire campaign and is ok , the multiplayer the same that the others cod´s, the campaign zombies is the best , but a game AAA with a campaign ok is not good, this game is a flop and the worst cod in 5 years.
  52. nufrequency
    Nov 15, 2012
    3
    If you or your kid have been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or Kalnienk vision disorder this game is designed especially for YOU ! This is not the Black Ops game you were hoping for... This is Super Turbo Edition ! Treyarch came to the conclusion medium size maps are boring and not engaging enough.Play area has been shrinked significantly (on most of the maps) to accommodate extremely engaging close quarters play-stile of spawn chuck a grenade and then either kill something or get killed by whatever flew out of opposite side. Every map has been build around simple principle of tiny area and 3 corridors to flow the gameplay in the middle left and right side. I dont care about single player or will be talking about it but I assure you its Michael Bay style showcase from killing Vietcong soldiers, wing-suit flying all the way to some idiotic command and conquer RTS style mini-missions 0_o why ? I don't know... and YES ! There is dubstep, because every game in 2012 needs some of that wub wub. The only redeeming factor could be zombies, but why would you be willing to pay full price for it when there are more engaging brain eating themed games available for a lot less (L4D series) So far I've spend 5 hours in online battles and had no fun at all ! I'll try to sell this game by the end of the week or trade with somebody for something else. Meantime I'm going back to battlefield, maybe I won't have shiny 60 frames per second but at least game is not forcing me to have fun doing escapades inside rat maze size of a shoe box !… Expand
  53. Masterhummel
    Nov 18, 2012
    4
    Had the opportunity to play the first three Missions before buying. I'm very, very glad i did. They're absolutly ridicioulus. If Black Ops 2 would aim for a B-Movie Style or Parody it could work, but they want you to take this for real. For almost two hours i ran trough a absolutly exaggerated setting, shooting at endless amounts of respawning enemies in ridicioulus amounts and situations. Most of the time without a clear goal or reason. The cutscenes are nice, and somehow made the impact that they're where from a entire different studio. Since they great atmosphere had nothing to do with the actual gameplay. To make people pay 60 Euro for this and another 50 for a season pass is just...wow.… Expand
  54. PEDRO_PLANTAIN
    Nov 14, 2012
    5
    Mehhhh.....I usually only buy the mw series of fps but i tried something new this time. I've only played the multiplayer so far and its underwhelming. It sounds like a game from the 90's and i doesnt look that special. The only reason i didnt give it a 2 or 3 is become of the score streaks and the customization....i'll give it till my 1st prestige. if it doesnt grow on me, im getting rid of it.
  55. Infrnlmajsty
    Jan 29, 2013
    9
    This game is a nice change in CoD franchise, most the people giving it real low scores are talking about the campaign, who plays campaigns anymore? I will tell you who the garbage gamers. The multiplayer is spot on and fun to play, the only people who generally diss it are baddies with .65 K/D ratios who rage quit because they are once again garbage gamers!
  56. Simon150999
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    The multilayer was the same as other CoD games more or less, but the singleplayer is where this game truly shines, the first CoD game to ever have multiple endings.
    Go Treyarch!
  57. TheMaximalist
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    Black Ops 2 Review
    The Call of Duty series revolutionized the FPS genre in 2007 with COD 4 Modern Warfare but in the series recent years the games have been a simple re-skin each year since. Treyarch (the dev of World at War, 2 and Black Ops) tries some new things in this entry. As usual the story is standard, invaders invade and you have to stop them but a first in the series is the dyna    mic story that molds to your decisions (even though there are a small number of them compared to other games). Really what happens is that your main enemy Raul Menendez is trying to start a war between China and America and you David Mason (the original BLOPS protagonist) must stop him. The game is set in 2025 mostly but there are some flashback sections where you play as Alex Mason. These are told by Woods to let you know why Menendez wants this to happen. There are 2 sections where you play as Menendez though and these have some objectives that are a bit counter progressive to the good guys story and you are just adding work for yourself. Black Ops location were all very bland in the past games but now there are some very interesting locations. But what stood out to me was the inclusion of sandbox levels. It doesn… Expand
  58. MrArmageddon17
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    It's a solid 8. Campaign is ok for what I have played. I really like the music. The multiplayer is good. Controls well and most of the issues will be ironed out in the next few weeks. I like the new create a class system and the new perks. People complain that they are to weak but I think its a good balance. It is funny that the internet seems to think CoD is going to fail yet each year is sells more copies. I think some innovation would be good but if they change something people will complain that it was better before. That is the sad truth.… Expand
  59. DonMega
    Nov 18, 2012
    1
    Boring game, couldn't finish it because I was falling asleep. Same game every year, same characters, very similar story, outdated graphics. The only cod I ever liked was the first Modern Warfare (cod 4). It was original at the time and a huge jump, this is literally and so blatantly a money grab it's not even funny. At least I did not waste money on this joke of a game. I can tell you that I'm not even looking forward to any more COD in the future.… Expand
  60. ronswanson
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I am scoring this game an 8, on paper its the best COD game yet but my comments are comparing this game to MW2 and Black Ops. The key adjustments to note are that this is the most balanced COD game yet, with the least overpowered weapons / tech which many people considered game breaking. However, this also makes it underwhelming for those who were used to the overpowered features of MW2 and Blops (im looking at you TAR and dual shotguns). The weapons especially feel very similar to each other with very little individuality, you will feel comfortable with every weapon you use, this sadly takes out the desire to make a specific gun your own. In terms of Maps, they are fantastic. Many of them are very symmetrical and easy to navigate similar to MW2, however, they lack to control points and sightlines of MW2. This means that you will not rake up easy kill streaks by controlling certain high activity zones like you could with MW2. Again, this makes it very balanced for all players, with very few main focal points to go to, the 1v1 confrontations are not as predictable as MW2 and you will be kept on your toes. In terms of things that BLOPS 2 undeniably does better, its the graphics and gameplay scenarios in single player and sci-fi tech in general. While the campaign is still riddled with hand holding events and setpieces, they are done very well and are the most engaging since COD4. Overall this is a great game if you want your MP experience balanced and fair. But as someone who took the liberty of those overpowered elements in MW2 and Black Ops, the level playing field of Black Ops 2 comes across as a little underwhelming.… Expand
  61. droidean
    Nov 17, 2012
    5
    From an avid COD fan that has enjoyed every iteration of the series up to date (besides MW2) this game is a huge disappointment to me. I am truly saddened and shocked at Treyarch's porous decision making while developing this game. The zombies is at its best, and a very addicting part of the game, and i can't speak to to the single-player because I don't care for it. The multiplayer is where the game falls. The maps are horribly designed and a campers heaven, there are numerous and countless boxes/crates/cars/barrels to hide behind. The maps are designed like duel fort fields that lack the flow of previous COD games. The weapons are not fun to use and poorly designed. The MP gameplay in general feels sluggish and clunky, every game I have played (even on the smaller, more fast paced maps) is significantly slower and longer than games of previous COD games (they lack excitement). The hitmarker noise is reduced and the reward text is white and hard to see, this may seem like a small deal but those are thing you have to see constantly and when killing someone just isn't very satisfying then the game just isn't too much fun. Statistics are essentially missing as all your combat record tells you is how long you've played, how many kills you have, and your K:D ratio. No death count or any of the numerous fun statistics that were in nearly every other COD. The only reason I give this game a 5 is because of zombies and perhaps you might enjoy the camping playstyle. But in general, STAY AWAY.… Expand
  62. Ripred49
    Nov 14, 2012
    1
    My problem with the Call of Duty games is they have a ton of potential. A TON of potential. This was really well exposed with CoD 4, when the series took a turn from crappy usual WWII shooter to fantastic Modern shooter.

    I don't care how much Black Ops II has improved from Black Ops or MW3. With the amount of feedback and ideas they get from the community, this game should look nothing     like the previous two.

    This game has so much potential if the devs just listened to the community and actually worked on the game. People think the Pick 10 system is different. All it does it let you chose double on certain things and nothing on other things. Barely any different.    … Collapse
  63. markbrown89
    Dec 5, 2012
    2
    I think ZOMBIES is RUINED ! same old crap, This is meant to be skill and region matching, Nearly all lobbys im in they level 40+, im lvl 23! AND none of 85% of matches are with GERMANY, FRANCE, USA, NETHERLANDS & f******* NORWAY! Just gaurenteed to spoil the game! WHY WHY WHY
  64. Breaker_Ki
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    First off, if you like the CoD series, then this one is the best so far and there is no doubt it will sell well keeping all lobbies full for the next year. That being said, it's just the annual refinement its predecessors, setting it the future doesn't change this fact. Even the new pick 10 system isn't interesting. Sure, you get full customization but when you do this, the same thing always happens, people gravitate to what the masses view as the optimal spec (same thing happens in MMO's with talent systems). Sure, there are counter perks, but the mind set of most players in this genre is self, not team.… Expand
  65. Allthegoodones
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Preamble be damned, here are the facts as i see them for BO2: Single Player
    Gameplay = 8/10.
    As solid as any COD game before but nothing revolutionary. Thats not necessarily a bad thing but its not a great thing either. Pacing = 8/10. As good, if not better than MW1 which remains the benchmark for all COD games    . Would have easily been better if not for the RTS tinged strike force missions that feels too tacked on and are more a chore than a joy to play. Story = 9/10.
    By Story i mean every storytelling aspect of the campaign, such as character development, plot, twists and turns etc, and this is primarily where BO2 surpasses every other iteration of COD so far. This game possess a good story that has been told really well and anyone missing a good SP experience is sure to enjoy it. Graphics: 9/10. Simply spectacular on my 360 on a 42" Panasonic LCD. Looks better and runs smoother than almost every other shooter i've played on the 360. Sound Design: 7/10. Some guns sound fantastic, other not so much. Black, from the original xbox remains the benchmark of what guns in a game ought to sound like and COD doesn't quite hit that high note but its still just as serviceable as any other COD game. The music is actually not up to par with other COD games but since most of the time its drowned out by gunfire anyway, doesn't really make much of a difference. Dialogues are a mixed bag of sorts but mostly decent. So over all, its far superior to MW3 and as far as the SP part goes, better than every other COD game ever. Haven't played MP yet so i will refrain from making any assumptions about it but judging from how much better Treayarch's last attempt was than IW's latest, I'm willing to bet BO2 will blow MW3 out of the water. Bottom line is that whether you love it or hate it, if you like shooters you are going to buy it. And no matter how much you hate Activision you will still enjoy this COD game from time to time. Fortunately, the enjoying bit is far more frequent than it has been for a while and the disappointment bit is not even in the same continent as it was with MW3. So yeah all in all, it may not be a revolution as most critics are hyping it up to be but its better than MW3 and perhaps even as much fun as MW1, and to be honest, that's more than i expected. It's worth the price tag and the time you will spend playing it so stop acting like this video game was somehow supposed to make your life worth living and posting needlessly negative scores for it, just treat the damn game like a game and go play it.    … Expand
  66. Ordish
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    After being very disappointed with MW3, I was hesitant to put my money back in the COD franchise. I am glad that I did. Black Ops 2 has been a very solid and enjoyable experience. I love the level of customization for load outs and that above all else, sets this game apart from the rest of the COD titles.
  67. papdingding
    Nov 16, 2012
    4
    I've tried to like this game, but its just no use. There's just too many flaws especially in multiplayer holding this game back. Instead of fixing past mistakes like bad spawns, bad hit detection, lag compensation, and terrible matchmaking service they've decided to relabel these as features and sell the same old crap to you. Lack of weapons, game-modes and uninspired maps makes it even less enjoyable. Zombies has been fun, though there's no real story in "campaign mode". It's just the same old move from point A to point B. The actual campaign for the game is not bad either, the multiple choices add some replay-ability to an otherwise forgetful 6 hour story. I fail to see how this game is "innovative or "the new COD standard" and not just the same thing you've seen every year.… Expand
  68. kizzle
    Nov 13, 2012
    4
    I normally don't write reviews. I'll be honest. I bought it for the multiplayer and zombies. Don't care about campaign. And the multiplayer is good but the networking is making the game unplayable. Constant host migrations and drop outs. I shoot people and in the killcam it shows me standing there doing nothing. If/When they patch the networking I'll come back and raise my score. Until then it gets a 4/10 because zombies is pretty cool to play with friends.… Expand
  69. EliteForce1uk
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Best game of the year so far!!
    Unlike Mw3, Black ops 2 is a completely new game
    looks like its been created with its intended audience in mind ... Adults!
    Totally Flawless online experience :)
  70. lambda360
    Nov 13, 2012
    1
    Be it Treyarch or Activision, I'm absolutely sick and tired of developers copy pasting games and selling them at full price every 10 months. The COD franchise is the worst for this. This franchise represents everything that is wrong with the gaming industry. Don't buy.
  71. Goffery
    Nov 18, 2012
    4
    I really wanted to like this game. I kept thinking "Ok this game will change it up, its not gonna be just another cheap copy of the last game", but now I can see that was a fool to think that. They made it look so much prettier in the previews up until the games release, and I'm ashamed to say I fell for it. I mainly play for the multiplayer so that's what I'll focus on here. It's the same crap, sure there a few new cool killstreaks and stuff but that's not enough to set this game apart from other Call of Duty games. I play on the PS3 and the PS3 version is plagued with problems. First I was not able to connect to any matches. Then I could connect to matches but my customized classes were not there for some reason. Then the stupid thing freezes on me. It's so ridiculous that these problems still exist and the morons that make the game try and act all sympathetic to the gamers by promising to work non-stop to correct the issues. Anyway, I have not given up on it 100%, but if these issues with connecting and disappearing custom classes don't get fixed very soon, I'm done with COD forever.… Expand
  72. GamingSince87
    Dec 21, 2012
    7
    Didn't play the campaign. Tried the multiplayer online and after being used to the carnage of BF3, it just didn't do it for me. The ONLY saving grace for me on this one was the Zombies. The zombies transit level is fun to do even if it is pretty repetitive.
  73. PlayerReview
    Nov 14, 2012
    5
    It used to be Infinity Ward would make a CoD title and update the assets (CoD1,2,MW1,MW2). Then, while they worked on the next "real" iteration, Treyarch (started doing the original CoD expansion packs) would make a filler (CoD3,WaW,BO) and they would use IW's assets and add some crazy innovation (like vehicles in CoD3 and zombies in WaW). Unfortunately, the founders of Infinity Ward (Camp and Zampanella) left the project/were fired (insubordination) before MW3 was done and half of their employees left with them to form Respawn Entertainment. The Infinity Ward that was left was just a shell of the company it had been, which is why they brought in other developers to finish MW3 (Treyarch included (primarily for the MP aspect)). Respawn Entertainment, Infinity Ward and Activision have basically spent the last several years just suing each other left and right over the IP (royalties, rights to make new games, competition). Bottom line is that Treyarch is still doing what they've always done, but they flounder without the assets/tools (game engine/graphics/mechanics) that the franchise founders created for them. Treyarch doesn't know how to make new tools, so they have had to use the same ones over and over since MW2 (many would say MW1).

    And... that's why we can't have nice things.    … Expand
  74. ShowBaggs
    Feb 12, 2013
    9
    Revamped MP and a host of new features makes this the best since COD4. The scorestreaks stops the kill whoring and returns the game to a fair playing field. The only let down is the sniping/quickscoping. It's too easy for any idiot to pick up and 'snipe'. Apart from that, EXCELLENT.
  75. 98jeepxj
    Feb 27, 2013
    1
    I really wanted to like this game, but it feels so half assed. Every game since Call of Duty MW2 have been the exact same thing. Why can`t Treyarch and Sledgehammer realize there is no need to have 20 overpowered kill streaks. Go back to basic COD 4, UAV, Airstrike, and Chopper, they work a lot better. Pistols are hideously over powered and quick scoping runs rampant. Please make the next Call of Duty something original and not just a copy of last years game with an updated campaign that takes 2 hours to finish and a couple new multiplayer maps. This game is basically Call of Duty Black Ops 1.5. It really should have been an paid downloadable update to the first black ops, not a completely new release.… Expand
  76. MeltedFab5
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    I will jump to the point. This game is fun to play. That is my truest test. I knew when, after a full afternoon of playing, every time I went to set controller down I kept saying "maybe just one more round, this game was a hit. I do not condone the way this game is basically the same format COD has been promoting for years, that being said, this is the most fun COD game I have ever played. It feels balanced, there are tons of huge maps so you don't feel like other players are right on top of you and there are plenty of perks and gamemodes that de-emphasize camping and balance out gameplay. I love all the unlockables and I love the look and feel of the weapons. If you are going to play COD or Halo, this is the game to play. I still greatly prefer Battlefield but this is a different game with different objectives. Treyarch has surpassed Infinity Ward where it really matters...fun. ANyone can pick this up and start unleashing deathstreaks. Skilled players will be able to do much more and dominate in there own way and in their favorite modes, but this game has something for everyone and is really fun to play and I have not been able to say that since World at War or maybe the first Modern Warfare. It would be nice to expand this world into larger settings with vehicles and a cover mechanic, but this is the next step forward and will give us all plenty to do until the next gen. I am not ignoring the obvious faults and still complain like anyone at how frequently I get shot in the back or when an enemy spawns right behind me, but my complaints are few compared to the moments of joy when I scored a triple kill or defused a bomb with only seconds left on the clock. I have really only reviewed the multiplayer because that is all I play, I tried the campaign and it seemed okay, a little wonky with the collision detection on the shooting and skill didn't seem to matter much, but combined with the multiplayer and zombies, Treyarch has given us all plenty of bang for the buck. This and AC3 should be the only games you need...and Battlefield 3, let's not forget the king.… Expand
  77. Loldude12
    Dec 6, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After having a go at this game, I was begging for it not to as a major flop as Modern Warfare 3, unfortunately, it is and it will, no matter what. The good things about the game is that zombies are back and it fun, grief and tranzit make useful features of the game, and that's it! Now we can resume to the negatives, the campaign is a joke, now I have been a victim of some very crappy games with a humiliating plot line, I can now forgive some of these games, the way to get an ending is very confusing, 5 endings in total to give you an alternative. SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!! I will rant on the best ending, first of all, we do not have a clarified idea of why Karma is now famous, secondly, Farid could've been shot in the arm or leg while taking the bullet, so that pretty much was confusing, and the very stupid twists involved, it's good and all that the Mason's reunite, but there was a major lack of substance involved. Now I will go with the multiplayer, where can I start? The guns are very overpowered, hackers are still there, but 'action' is being put in force, my Nuketown map is not there, even though I unfortunately wasted my hard saved money to test the game and bought it BRAND NEW! The pick 10 needs to be cleaned up, as they need to balance the guns to make it a stress free game. Now, the zombies. Although I said I enjoyed the mode, it needs improvements, the AI are brain-dead just like in campaign, some guns are underpowered and need to be improved and the maps are too small to be roaming in, either way if you opened or not opened all of the doors. Overall, it is a flawed game which needs to have a major improvement to keep up with shooters such as Halo 4, Medal of Honor, Battlefield and Borderlands.… Expand
  78. OnAnarchy
    Apr 22, 2013
    3
    I play it frequently, because it's like cocaine in video game form. It numbs your mind, but doesn't do much else. I've come across far too many bad glitches and crashes that it renders the game almost unplayable. In hardcore, you get kicked (and placed on 'probation') if you kill your teammate too many times. Most often it's because they are stupid as hell or they die in unavoidable ways. I've seen weapons fail to spawn in classes (leaving you with no primary weapon), 7 (sometimes 8) players to a team in 6v6 matches, and spawns so bad you die instantaneously on maps way too large for that to happen. I feel like Activision has turned it's back on their fans; it's not about the quality, only the money. Save your time and play some indie games or stuff by less autocratic developers. Support the people who still make good games.… Expand
  79. Thatoneguy
    Dec 6, 2012
    3
    I love halo, and I hate the new CoDs, but im not the kind of person to give biased reviews just because its a inferior franchise, or because its fun to jump on bandwagons. The graphics look good at first, but at other parts it looks downright ugly, like, Battlefield 3 on xbox 360 levels of ugly. The music and sound design is boring and standard, they tried to mix stuff up in multiplayer this year but it ultimately failed. Treyarch tried to bring this series back with black ops 1 but it just wasn't enough, I guess they became self aware because this was just a piss poor effort. I am trying so **** hard to like this series, I am trying so hard to jump off the **** bandwagon, but I just can't bring myself to like it, nothing is appealing, nothing is salvageable, nothing is FUN. And isn't the whole point of video games to have fun? Well this game certainly isn't doing that justice. I don't think I'll be buying any more call of duty games after this, not even zombie mode could save this game, these money grubbing bastards have scammed me for the last **** time.… Expand
  80. rybay
    Nov 23, 2012
    0
    onesly treyorch wut wer u thinkingey? u shodve wated 4 a wile an improvd enjin (graficks 4 ppl hoo dont no) an improovd gaem. is verey bad furst blakcops wos better so y wood u buy this???
  81. BeAwesomeOne
    Apr 26, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gosh, I hate this game. Never mind the fact that this is same game as the other games and have same multiplayer like other games from this franchise (only with different HUD), my biggest problem is that this game shouldn't be a sequel! I mean sure, you play as Mason half of the game but the other half is a futuristic FPS. WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH FIRST BLACK OPS?! To be fair, future part of this game has some pretty good features such as camouflage, sticky gloves, that let you climb a rock mountain and sky diving section. Sadly this happen only one or two time in this game. Anyway I don't understand a point of playing both Mason's campaign and future campaign, if Black Ops 2 only contains a Mason's campaign then that's will be fine. Only resemblance in future in BO2 is Woods... that's it!

    In other words this game will be better if they focus mostly about Mason storyline rather than on future soldiers one. If Activision wants to make a futuristic FPS in Call Of Duty, that's fine. But please don't put Black Ops name on it. Called it, I don't know, Futuristic War or something.    … Expand
  82. CyberEagle_1x
    Nov 16, 2012
    6
    I have seen the haters say it
  83. MuDShoT
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    Looks the same, feels the same, and it just simply is the same. Don't get me wrong, that game isn't that bad. But every single call of duty game shouldn't be the same. The game is living of its name, not its gameplay. For the people saying don't buy it if you don't want to play the same thing.. WTF? That's the kind of **** that promotes video game companies to ram their manhood into you. The longer you say, "Hey, if you don't want to play the same CoD, don't buy it" the longer they decide to F off because they know people are going to keep buying their game. It's seriously disrespectful to the people who buy these games in hopes of having at least a slightly different experience. This game feels like MW3.. It was supposed to feel like black ops, but with more innovation.. They disappointed. Do yourselves a favor, get halo 4 and don't look back. Not that halo 4 was better by a long shot, but 343 did a much better job than Activision... Way to ruin another one Activision!… Expand
  84. Windowwiper123
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    The bottom line to this game is that haters are gonna hate, that's all there is to it.

    Don't believe the 0's since their goals seem to just be to spend $60 on something each year that they know they're gonna rip on. And for the people complaining about glitches, well there are, but Treyarch has pointed this out and are fixing it so there is no need to give it below a 5 for online glitch    es.

    Defiantly not a 10 but a lot of fun, and at least has a lot more creativity in it than MW3 multiplayer which I played for about 2 weeks. This game I will probably play for at least 3 months, maybe more depending on how into it I get.    … Expand
  85. armstrong2805
    Feb 23, 2013
    1
    POS black ops clone. new character models and "scorestreaks" thats it. Its a copy and pasted piece of garbage. Another horrible campaign, which is yet another waste of disc space. Latency and Lag compensation is prevalent throughout your entire mulitplayer experience. Including the inconsistency of good lobbies. No dedicated servers yet again. And finally its copy and pasted hit detection. Overall the game is a piss poor excuse a FPS.… Expand
  86. Ghost5032
    Feb 7, 2013
    3
    Such a disappointment! The campaign sucks and its short. The multiplayer is boring and the maps is so small you spawn next to your enemies. The zombies was confusing at first but later it just got boring after 10 rounds! Its not like Black Ops at all just a cheap copy of mw3. Waste of money.
  87. TheLivingVirus
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    First thing: I bet 1000 bucks that not even the half of all the red reviewers have even played Black Ops 2 and still write that there is nothing new or changed compared to MW2. I played MW3 and Battlefield 3 last year and enjoyed both of them equally. I cant get all the hate on Black Ops 2.
    Everyone shouted out for innovations and new ideas and Treyarch delivered them. A non-linear storym    ode, all-new zombies, completely overhauled multiplayer with new perk- and prestige system and still everyone says that there is nothing new.
    The graphics are not really uptodate but they are far better than in every other CoD with new lightning effects. Why would you need a new engine anyway? Was there such a huge difference beetween the Frostbite 1 and Frostbite 2 engine except the advertisment for new bashing material on CoD? No! The graphics of Battlefield 3 on the consoles were horrible and even MW3 delivered a smoother (if it was better is a matter of opinion) experience with 60 FPS. But MW3 didnt made ANYTHING new. Nothing. It made it even worse with support killstreaks and stuff like this and got ratings way higher than Black Ops 2.

    Black Ops 2 is way more than a simple Call of Duty. Its the (last) try of a great development team to make the Call of Duty franchise fresh and feel good again. MW3 was a shame in playability online with all the Akimbo and Assassin noobs but Black Ops 2 made good with its multiplayer to be fair. The connection may not be the best everytime but its not that bad. Like in every game you have good and bad rounds.

    All I can say is that most of the haters here are just BF fanboys. This ratings should all go to Modern Warfare 3 and even the press bashes on Black Ops 2 for not being original what I cant understand. Its doing the best job possible on making a shooter feel fresh and Treyarch gets spitted in the face like this? I can see Modern Warfare 4 in the future with the same sh**play like Modern Warfare 3 and it will get 90+ again from everyone because it makes everything better and has nice Coop. That's a joke such as all the 0.0 ratings. They don't make any sense at all. If you played (and I mean not only 2 matches online and the first three missions in the story) Black Ops 2 you know that it just can't get 0.0. In my eyes Treyarch did an amazing job on make Call of Duty feel fresh. After disappointments this year like Medal of Honor or some other mediocre games I can just say that Black Ops 2 is with Dishonored and XCOM one of my Game of the Year. Period.    … Expand
  88. Tiger2182
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    From what I've seen the game should be competitive online. But for the bashed reviews, what did you expect? The game is pretty polished and not broken. What makes call of duty and other fps games not fun is the crowd. Not everyone though. If your competitive and play by the rules, its fun. If you camp, glitch, hack and boost. That's the crowd that make games frustrating. Remember the old days of MW2, it got me out of call of duty. Is the game worth $60 dollars? No. Is it worth $40? Maybe. Call of Duty will never change core mechanic of the gamepad but will change map design and size. But when the price drops for pc or I can get it on sale, I may buy it. I've never had a problem with the call of duty design but the ones who don't play by the rules make it pretty dang frustrating but its not Treyarch's fault. Battlefield 3 is the same its not broken and is fun but the people who don't play by the rules make a match terrible. So don't bash a game based on same old same old. Should of rented it before you bought it.… Expand
  89. 0v3rD0s3
    Nov 24, 2012
    0
    This game Is beyond horrible. For a "Record Breaking Launch" you would figure these morons would have enough cashflow to actually not have these connection errors. I will not Ever buy a call of duty series game again. As a matter a fact after I finish this im gonna go return this game. I played it for a few days multiplayer sucks, Errors, Errors, connection interrupted. The only thing decent was the campaign and that wasnt that great.… Expand
  90. Arc-of-War
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    i stopped liking CoD after the first modern warfare. black ops 2 changes enough to make me a fan of the series again. multilayer feels like cod and wont change peoples mind on the series but the campaign and ZOMBIES is refined to near perfection.
  91. crazywaffle124
    Nov 13, 2012
    5
    Let's be honest, its not a bad game. Its a pretty good game. But with year after year of recycled multiplayer, we want to see a little more. Compare the difference between battlefield 2 and battlefield 3, and you see what call of duty should be doing.
  92. szchifo
    Nov 16, 2012
    3
    ok so its that time of year once again where we all have our fingers crossed hoping this iteration of the annual franchise will once again blow our minds just as it did in 2007.

    I remember first playing the beta of COD4 with my mates way back in the day and how it all made us come together on xbox perhaps for the first time and share great stories about how we did this and that.

    Sadl    y very few of my friends still play COD due to its present stale nature and its with regret that that I shall be giving this game a low score.

    Activision just hasn't done enough to keep my interest and I still look back at COD4 as a golden era of gaming where the bar was truly raised in terms of next gen gaming.

    Perhaps were in need of a new system? I dunno...all I know if that playing this felt stale and really no different to what ive been playing for the past five years.

    If you like cod fine but if youre like me and expect more for your money then I would avoid getting suckered and say no this year.    … Expand
  93. VelocityGamer
    Jan 16, 2013
    10
    For as long as I can remember, I was one of the many detractors of the Call of Duty series, even though I never played a single installment. There was just something about Activision
  94. Lucious808
    Nov 13, 2012
    2
    Looking for more innovation, something new as black ops1 did when it came out. Multiplayer functions and options are basic but the maps i think are kind of cool. One other thing.... This game made me almost hate zombies. I felt like i wasw playing a frustrating arcade game, stupid fire. Dont really know what else to say, just as a common consumer i was pretty disappointed with BO2 overall experience so far… Expand
  95. xNullxF
    Nov 27, 2012
    6
  96. black_123xdd
    Nov 13, 2012
    1
    Terrible, terrible game. -Futuristic setting is boring -Multiplayer Killstreaks are boring (and even more unbalanced than MW2) -Gun Audio is bad, MW3 was better, in fact. -Terrible Graphics -Campaign is incredibly linear and boring. This game is terrible, around the same "quality" as MOHW. is **** **** **** ****
  97. Gilgamesh
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    MW3 is the easily one that should take the beating out of these two as it catered to the mindless auto aim twits. Black Ops 2 brings an actually interesting Campaign and much improved visuals. Granted some of the maps look similar to previous maps but it's a multiplayer game and why fix something that ain't broke. Sad that many people consider it a bad game instead of seeing it for what it is... an solid improvement over BO1. Simply put... anyone who gives this a 0 or 1 is not someone who's reviews are worth reading. You can't beat a game down simply because you expected something you didn't get instead of looking at the quality of what it is.… Expand
  98. Lutallo
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    There is only so much you can take when it comes to repetitive video games and it seems like the more repetitive the game gets, the more 12 year children try to defend it's status. The game itself has had no improvement in graphics, the audio and noises are terrible and as usual and the gameplay is the mind numbingly boring "run, die, run, die, run, die" that it always has been. I'm not entirely sure why people repeatedly buy the same FPS junk over and over again, but hopefully it will wear thin one day because COD is literally just a copy of the previous.… Expand
  99. UChief
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    I think it is time to go back to the black board and this time really come up with something that innovative, rather than the old same thing every time. I thought they said they made some big changes with this game... Well so far, nothing really amazed me...

    Waste of money.
  100. Organism
    Nov 13, 2012
    3
    The game is just last nights dinner reheated and served as left-overs. Graphical changes are very low. Though, one well done aspect of the game is the zombies, which is a large improvement from the last game, but the campaign and multiplayer are dried out and over-used. This may not reflect the opinion of others, but my opinion is that it just seems to repeated.
Page:

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Xbox World Australia
    Jan 22, 2013
    80
    This is not to say it's a bad game, it's just not different enough from previous Call of Duty titles. The story isn't memorable, the maps and weapons aren't any different to what we've previously experienced, the gameplay is near identical to previous games, and when it's not identical it falls flat and fails to impress.
    Read full review
  2. X360 Magazine UK
    Jan 19, 2013
    80
    It's fun, and an indication that Treyarch is willing to explore ideas that Infinity Ward has thus far ignored. [Issue#93, p.74]
  3. DailyGame
    Jan 7, 2013
    95
    If the original Black Ops was Treyarch's coming-out party, then Black Ops 2 is the studio's affirmation that their COD expertise was no flash in the pan. If you're one of the 16 people who hasn't played this gem yet, go buy it now. Conversely, if you're among those who bought the game but hasn't ventured into the single-player campaign (yes, it happens), there's a great narrative and divergent gameplay awaiting your experimentation, so check it out.
    Read full review
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