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

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1667 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 640 out of 1667
  2. Mixed: 175 out of 1667
  3. Negative: 852 out of 1667

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  1. DoubleNegativ
    Feb 13, 2013
    5
    I'm not going to complain about the game being the same as last years (it works for sports game and no one says a thing). This game has a bunch of flaws. Ever since COD1 there's been a horrible hit box. You can miss a person completely and kill them or shot a person in the knees and get a head shot. If the hit box was more accurate like the previous games I wouldn't have an issue with this game.
  2. illage2
    Jan 2, 2013
    6
    Another year, another Call of Duty game. The multiplayer is still the laggy mess it was last year, the SMG's and Shotguns are the overpowered guns this time, the graphics are still the same low res textures we saw last year.

    The campaign choices were nothing more than take path A,B or C and character deaths had little (or no) impact on the overall story. (Despite them hyping this up to     the max)

    I will praise the strike force missions and Zombies mode. As they are the only thing keeping the game from getting a lower score.    … Expand
  3. rykeith
    Jan 26, 2013
    6
    The campaign story is one of the best COD has recently offered. The one glaring (and frankly, unforgivable) flaw is with the Strike Force missions. If you are not planning on playing on the harder difficulties, they really are not that big of an issue, albeit poorly executed with respect to controls and friendly AI. On the harder settings, these become a gigantic nuisance due to the terrible friendly AI. The multiplayer is also good, and I think I enjoy it more than the BO1. Overall, above average game that could have been great.… Expand
  4. geekofband007
    Mar 29, 2013
    5
    If this was a new IP, this would be a fine game. probably a 7.5/10 or an 8/10. Instead it is plagued by many of the problems of it's predecessors. This is the biggest problem that i find with the CoD series of games. They are broken and then the next one is not fixed. Lets get on to BO2 though. 1st, presentation, the look of the game is fairly fluid. It runs at a smooth 60fps but that still isn't enough to ignore the graphics that look like they are about 3 years behind. It's had to play a game like this after playing something like BF3 or Halo 4. When you actually stop and look at something you can tell the textures are very sub par. This wouldn't be a huge deal if that was the standard, but I know that there can be so much better. Best that I can tell, the developers are hoping you would be moving to quickly to notice such poor graphics. This is true for the most part. Most of the game play moves along very quickly which does help the graphics problem. Story, It's Call of Duty. It's a massive scale war that has Michael Bay as the Commander in Chief. It looks cool, it is adrenaline pumping, but after 6 games of the basically same massive scale war, different day. It gets old. The jumps in time are cool and an interesting way to break up the game. The game also tried to introduce something new called Strike Force mode. It is terrible, you are suppose to be able to control different units from above and jump between them and it just doesn't work. They are not smart enough and it ends up just being annoying. I found myself doing the one required strike force mission then skipping the rest. Gameplay: It's a CoD game, it plays very much like every other CoD game. Multiplayer: I've played a lot of multiplayer and it is fun. It can also be very frustrating. It, like many other CoD games is very unbalanced. The other problem is that they don't fix it. When the lifetime of your game is only 1 year, there isn't much of a motivation to actually release patches to fix issues with the game. So there are many things that ended up being heavily unbalanced and have been left totally unfixed. Also, the map design is the standard 3 lane maps. Zombies: I have not played much of zombies, from what I have played, it does not feel nearly as solid of flushed out as it was in BO or WaW. I feel like they tried to do to much and forgot what zombies was all about.

    This once a year release gets lots of money for activision but it doesn't help make good games. I could probably right the same review for the past 4 CoD's. They all share the same issues and these issues are never fixed. The graphics also need to catch up. They are way behind. Like I said before if this was a new IP, I would give it a 7.5/10 with hopes that where they go from here will improve the problems. But, seeing as how this is the 6th game in the modern CoD series, there are really no excuses at this point. I give it a 5/10    … Expand
  5. JoeJutty
    Dec 12, 2012
    3
    Traded this piece in after a week. This game is horrendously unimagined. Every weapon feels like re-skinned version of something from a previous COD. Melee attack misses constantly. Constantly got shot behind hard cover. Graphics are god awful, especially the "lightning strike" score streak. Audio is poor. Maps are forgettable. Campaign story was weak, only highlight there was the array of armaments available. Zombie maps are okay, but not nearly as amusing as the prior installment.… Expand
  6. Bosefus123
    Nov 28, 2012
    5
    The single player campaign was average at best, no real memorable moments and it felt extremely short.

    The multiplayer is the least innovative cod in the series, but it offers some refreshing changes like the new pick 10 loadout system, scorestreaks and league play ranking, but don't expect to be blown away by it. The maps are poorly designed with head glitch spots at every corner and w    indows for people to camp in everywhere which makes it frustrating to run around, plus the maps are really small and tight. The guns are very balanced and every one is usable unlike Black ops 1.

    They only offer one new game mode Hardpoint which is a crappy version of headquarters. Every other game is either slightly refined or not touched.

    Overall an average game that will not wow you, especially if you've been playing cod for years now.    … Expand
  7. BrandonBonasera
    Dec 7, 2012
    5
    Call of Duty: Black Ops II is an improvement from the other Call of Duty games; this instalment has better graphics, now there is gory blood-splatter via AI deaths, well-constructed action sequences and there is a story/plot that is actually present, though not much of it. But the gameplay is far to similar to the other games, therefore players (that aren't the easily amused) may be bored at times.… Expand
  8. Quirkus
    Nov 22, 2012
    5
    I haven't even played the game but its fair to say that this is just another update.Fifa started this crap a long long time ago.It takes min 2 years to develop a game.3 years to develop a good game.CoD is always fun to play and that's all it is.Why do have to have two different developers?It makes no sense.Only to Activision who are just plain greedy.Let Infinity Ward develop the CoD series and let Treyarch develop the zombies.Thats what they're good at.All we ever wanted was more maps for CoD 4. Treyarch should spend their 1-2 years developing decent zombie maps instead of some of the recent rubbish they released on the 1st BOps… Expand
  9. IHateFanboys
    Feb 6, 2013
    8
    This game is fairly standard in the CoD franchise, not my favorite one either. But the things that made the franchise popular with the general public are still here: smooth graphics, fast gun play and lots of kill-streaks (score-streaks). If you didn't like the series before, you probably still won't, and if you loved the series, this game won't let you down. Side-note: Still unsure how I feel about the new layout for zombies, it is an interesting step, but it would be better with some solid instructions.… Expand
  10. Timneodante
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    I really want to like this game, it's fast and fun but at the same time it really hasn't wowed me at all and I think this is going to be the last COD I buy on launch day. I like the new pick 10 system and some of the new features like the shock sticks and the millimetre scanners but the maps seem to be designed to encourage spawn trapping, the spawn system is broken and god help you if you're playing mp split screen! Yes I realise in games like domination you swap spawns at half time but that does not excuse spawning in the exact same location again and again if your team is spawn trapped! How is it that after all these years they still haven't done something about these issues!?!? When I played on my own it was a mix of fun and frustrating but this was down to the other players in all fairness (being paired with randoms against a full team is rarely fun!), however when I later played split screen with my wife it was almost unplayable! I have a 38MB broadband speed and I am a damn good player, other players should not need near enough a full clip to die! Oh and also what's the point of altering perks to discourage camping when the maps seem to do nothing but encourage camping!! I really, really wanted to like this game after the frustration-fest that was MW3 but so far I'm really not impressed.… Expand
  11. Runfocovah
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    This is an honest review, Im not just bashing the game. First of all the campaign.. WTF!?!?!... graphic wise, some times I felt I was playing a wii game, they are terrible, a lot of missions are boring and got you doing stupid stuff like the one in the dessert riding a horse, honestly TERRIBLE STUFF. Zombies? well I dont know why this **** mode keeps getting so much praise when there is L4D 1 & 2 out there, movement is slow, zombies are overpowered, etc. Multiplayer.. well, its way more of the same every year. This constant wave of yearly COD keeps feeling more like a DLC. I yet have to see the day when a COD game beats what once was done by COD:MW1… Expand
  12. DarrkHawk
    Dec 27, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Another year and all is the same with the Call of Duty franchise and I eventually gave up and rented it. 9 games now how the infamous "Call of Duty" title and this one is by far the worst. Campaign wise, the story is a very poor follow on from the half decent Black Ops. With the "past and future" story completely dominating the game which makes the flow of the game just fall apart. The level layout, objectives and story progress are literally the same as of the previous 5 games. Maybe next year we will get a bit of variety? The only real change to this game is the stolen aspects from other games that treyarch have tried to bind with this game, but failing to make it work. The futuristic aspect of this game is clearly taken from that of the crisis series and abilities are just a rip off of the ever more popular halo series. It is nice that treyarch are trying but their QA team needs to step in and stop such creations. The whole feel of the games just isn't the feel that Call of Duty once had (Call of Duty 4). The multiplayer aspect is certainly nothing new. The EXACT same feel, the EXACT same flow, the EXACT same server quality, the EXACT same unbalancing and the same poorly designed maps. This games multiplayer actually got me asking the question "why is Call of Duty so popular?". The reason I came up with, slap this title on any other game and it will sell just as well. People see those 3 infamous words and immediately want in. Pre-teens nag their parents for these games to fit in with the crows (despite the 18 certificate), Teenagers want the game for an easy game to yell abuse and annoyances down the microphone. Adults buy the game because of its annual tradition and the gaming season. These are the only reasons I feel that keeps the CoD title alive. The one redeeming feature I thought would help this game is the infamous zombies. Loved by many since world at war and by far the greatest part of the Call of Duty series. However, even this falls short. Zombies is about endurance and having fun. So why have treyarch started interpreting stories into this. Sure, It can be fun to search and unlock the story but it is just not necessary. Keep zombies the fast paced endurance game it once was. I can safely say I am glad I didn't pay full retail for this game. Even the £8 i paid for rental is too much of a loss. I could have bought a lovely pair of socks and be more satisfied (and have some change for a snack). Call of Duty, you are kept alive by the bandwagon that your name of created.… Expand
  13. RighteousSteel
    Nov 28, 2012
    1
    Campaign was boring, couldn't even get myself to finish it. The multiplayer has actually degraded over the years. I can say with a clear conscience that 90% of the players use submachine guns due to their ungodly ability to kill you nearly instantaneously without any consideration for accuracy (lazer sights) or ammo (extended magazine). I played this game for about 3 weeks, and I cannot waste any more time playing it. I've playing this series since CoD 4, and I can say with all certainty that this series is dead. Don't waste your time or money on this game. Go buy Dishonored, Halo 4, Far Cry 3, or some other title that is infinitely better than this garbage. Oh yeah, and season pass? Seriously? Is $60 once a year for the same ole garbage not enough? I'm done.… Expand
  14. letterse7en
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    I'm glad I rented it first. The game really isn't that good. I'm not a COD hater. I used to love this franchise, but it just isn't the same...or actually that is the problem, it is the same. Same old same old. So they set it in the future, but the overall experience is just the same old thing and I just couldn't get into it this time. I got bored right away and this is going back to RedBox tomorrow. Infinity Ward and Treyarch both need to sit down together with Activision and figure out how to innovate and breathe new life into the COD franchise. Nothing they've done over the last 2 years has felt innovative. Its like lipstick on a pig. Come up with a new graphics engine, come up with some new ideas and figure out how to get that spark back. I really want to like COD again, but this is not the one that will get me back into it. Everything just feels tired and old. I know that some will point out that the futuristic technology is what sets this one apart. But you now what this feels like? BO2 just feels like that hot actress that everyone couldn't stop talking about 10 years ago, but now she's old, tired, washed up and raiding your medicine cabinet for prescription pain killers, but if she'd just invest some money in an extreme makeover and get herself checked into rehab, she could shine once again.… Expand
  15. Henrycsi
    Nov 21, 2012
    0
    Terrible. The multiplayer encourages camping and headglitching and features tons of overpowered and annoying killstreaks. Also, hit detection is terrible, and I'm constantly on a 4-bar! The campaign is terrible, besides a few cool set pieces, and is not satisfying at all. And the new RTS mode is probably the worst part of it all. Zombies is a retread, featuring lame maps (Nothing like the original classics or ascension), and there is lava along the ground which lights you on fire and turns zombies into annoying exploding zombies. There is literally nothing in this game that would justify even a 20$ price tag. COD, your days are numbered.… Expand
  16. oildboy29
    Jan 26, 2013
    0
    I got the Hardened Edition and the season pass. I really gave black ops 2 almost 100 hrs of my life, until I said screw it and threw the game in the trash. . . after I destroyed the disc. The graphics are awesome! The weapons are awesome! the perks are good! zombies is boring! the single player is good. Yet i purchased black ops 2 for the multiplayer. after years of trying I can say that COD multiplayer is not fun!!! Black Ops 2 has the same crap from all the other COD games online. Campers everywhere! Teams locking down the maps with snipers! Mercenary Mosh pit being hacked by teams! Constant host migration! I'm completely done with this COD FPS crap! I'm not spending hours of my precious gaming time with black ops 2, 3, 4, whatever! Gaming is suppose to be fun, not an exercise in frustration!… Expand
  17. charlie412
    Nov 20, 2012
    0
    This map pack is definately a must buy if you are into call of duty, the main reason i bought it was because i have MUG written on my forehead, you have to shine a UV light to detect it but its still there unfortunately, this means activision has implanted me with a chip that blips off when a new call of duty is released and makes me go and buy it or if you have the V2 chip you immediately pre order it 4 months in advance, upon release you buy the game play it for 2 hours and wonder how you spent your money, then you have 8 months of life to live until they activate the chips again.… Expand
  18. DaJoeyBoii
    Dec 6, 2012
    2
    im rlly dissapointed with treyarchs BO2. multiplayer isnt fun but instead feels just like mw3 A Camping Zone!!! all over. -__- zombies is somewhat fun but compared to BO zombies in BO2 are boring & small maps other than tranzit (when playing with strangers every1 is lost around & is stupid...loved BO but the 2nd is pretty crappy...
  19. LolTurdFerguson
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    Are you joking me? 60 dollars down the drain for yet ANOTHER skin on the same CoD game. I wanted to love this game, I really did. The original Black Ops was by far superior to this. Let's start off with Multiplayer (as that is what I mainly play). Same CoD formula, but with a ton of bugs. First off, the spawn system is ridiculous. You will find that no matter where you spawn on the map, enemies will be there with you. Ballistics~ bullets are able to penetrate all materials (whether it is plastic, stone, or steel), even when dimmed by a suppressor. The maps are different, yet still maintain the same aspects of both black ops and MW2. In fact, when I first put the game into my drive, I noticed how much like Modern Warfare 2 this game really looked like. Unfortunately, I was expecting a Pandora's box of options, game play and design. Unfortunately, I was left with nothing but a dirty cardboard box, wrapped in some futuristic paper. With Halo 4 being it's main contender, I find it hard pressed to believe that this game has outsold 343's title in units. When it comes down to it, Call of Duty is nothing more than a high brand mimic of it's predecessors. People will continue to by it because of it's name, regardless of how awful the game play really is. Treyarch as well as Activision know this, so they will continue to crank out mediocre titles too satiate even the most hungry of CoD addicts. I'm disappointed that I cannot like this game. Looks like Halo 4 will be my new steady go-to, and Black Ops 2 will be traded in.… Expand
  20. HausmanPrime
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    I buy these games for one reason and one reason alone and that is multiplayer. While i can appreciate the steps Treyarch as made to bring in change to the facist regime that is COD the multiplayer falls short in almost every way, maps are crap, guns arent fun and the overall feel of the gameplay is just very off. I have been an advocate for the series since COD4 but my patience is wearing thin. STOP coming out with one every year take a break and bring us a COD we deserve, not the one we need right now....… Expand
  21. xcomponent
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    This game is huge fail! The sound is awful, graphics - mediocre. Maps - my, oh my!
    Zero the Hero!
  22. kotwr424
    Dec 22, 2012
    3
    Remeber CoD4?? Well if you don't or haven't played it I'm truly sorry. Black Ops 2 brings with it the same things made famous by MW2 with a twist Killstreaks are now scorestreaks nice addition to the game makes things more rewarding to players that go for the objective. Next the weapon selection is by far the best improvement to this game and the series this is however where the Pro's of BO2 MP end. MP is plagued, it makes me yearn for MW2 again. SMG's are the flavor of this game as are 3 Pistols that are overpowered to a large degree. Now why are these overpowered well the recoil on some isn't there okay its the future I get it that, but this is MP level playing field needs to be present currently there damage is to great it needs to be less. Another issue that would help this is the atrocious hitboxe's used in this game, Ever year it gets worse and worse to make lesser players better and make great players greater and more frustrated by the bullet that truly missed you in the killcam but hit you in-game. Quick scoping is still present although not as prevalent thus far It does however need to go fast pace has taken over realism something CoD4 did fairly well to a degree. Lastly my biggest complaint is when a 9mm smg bullet goes through a wall but my .30 cal cannot..........or when I get shot through a metal cargo trailer but can't shoot through a haybarrel. These things add to one at times Fun but utimately frustrating experience that we've come to love and hate about CoD series. I however truly miss the glory days of CoD4 and CoD:UO where things worked properly......before the console generation of xbox live ruined a once great series.… Expand
  23. EchoLimaKilo
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    Gotta admit, this game took me by surprise. I had previously written off the CoD franchise in favor of Battlefield for it's vehicles & many different & new modes of game play & variety. Black Ops II is so different from the other CoD's that its gotten me hooked again. The campaign is no better or worse than Warfighter's & as a matter of fact, I think I enjoyed Warfighter more. But the Multiplayer in Black Ops II has so much more to offer its worth every penny you'll pay. My only gripes are the limited selection of weapons & for Chrissakes, beefup the gunfire sound effects. I shouldn't be able to hear someone in the game trying to explain something to me when I'm discharging my weapon. Battlefield's sound is far superior. The revamped score streak as opposed to kill streak makes the game a bit more fun for those of us that aren't dead-eye sights & aimers....

    You should buy this game. Nice job Treyarch!    … Expand
  24. SirEddieCook
    Nov 26, 2012
    9
    Underrated dramatically from the core gaming community. Black Ops 2 features some great strides into depth of story, futuristic design and yet a more refined Call of Duty shooter. I am very impressed with this game in terms of Campaign and Multiplayer. The experience is consistently smooth, maps are great, weapons are exciting and distinctive. Both a strong technical and creative achievement, and better than MW3 and the original Black Ops.… Expand
  25. vinnie_vegas
    Nov 19, 2012
    5
    To me ops2 is a very poor game. Mp is so full of bugs and lag. There isn't anything new in this game right down to the maps. It really is a copy and paste game. I gave it a 5 do to the fact that the game loads up and plays. I really hope that this is the end to cod with the 2025 setting as I'm tried of getting the same old game each year. This game really could have been a dlc pack for mw3 than called ops2 as in fact it's faster game style of play is set more to that than in the first ops game. They added score chain to kill streaks and qs is back with the sniping in this as well. Lag comp is worse than mw3 or any other cod out in the past right now. I'm sure they will give a lame we fixed it in a few days but by then my copy of the game will be setting at a store for resale. So long ops 2 ):… Expand
  26. mattbtheg
    Nov 22, 2012
    2
    This game is pretty much garbage. The campaign is one of the worst of any "AAA" title I've played. Sure it's cool that you can choose what weapons you want at the start of the mission, but everything is so poorly thrown together it feels like it was designed by a team of poorly trained monkeys. The multiplayer is the same old crap from before. No changes were made, and a few of the maps are pretty much just reskinned versions of old maps. The only thing that is keeping me from giving this game a zero is zombies. Zombies is moderately fun, but gets old fast because lets face it: its still pretty much the same thing as it has been for the last three treyarch games. I would not recommend this game, and I urge everyone to quit buying these games.... actually, I don't care. This game pretty much killed my enjoyment of video games in general… Expand
  27. CameoCream
    Dec 23, 2012
    0
    By far the worst Call of Duty game I've ever played, and by far the worst campaign I've ever played in my entire life. After 3 levels I quit because the story is simply pathetic, it tries too much to be dramatic for no apparent reason apart from the sake of being dramatic. The story is linear like every other Call of Duty game, but is simply just so god awfully stupid. I bought this game knowing the campaign was going to be terrible...... but I never thought it would be this bad. It would have been more entertaining to eat the disc than play the campaign, it is simply - horrible.

    If you enjoy a horrible campaign with pointless drama, a terrible story line, and a cliche CoD storyline and gameplay, then this is the game for you.    … Expand
  28. Natedrake1994
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    I can see where fans are coming from in that Black Ops 2 is a rehash of other COD games, and I have to agree that the franchise needs some work and improvisation done to it. Nonetheless Black Ops 2 continues to surprise with its action-packed levels and great variety of weapons. The voice-acting is also still great and it's nice to see the continued character story-arc from BO with Woods, Mason, Hudson etc. and now continuing with Mason's son and co. However the story isn't quite up to scratch with the few other COD's I've played and it can be a little confusing when it switches from one level in the past to another in the future and so on, yet it can be forgiven because it ties in with the main villain's life who is definitely one of the best COD has ever seen since he seeks vengeance and you really get understand his motives. Also an addition to the campaign and a change to the series is player-choices in some of the levels which affect the outcome of the game, as well as Strike Force missions which can be slightly annoying and tricky to pull off. The choices however increase the replay value and its nice to see what your actions caused at the end of the campaign. Graphics wise, it's much the same as its always been yet still attractive and gameplay is still simple. For the multiplayer, I have to say I really got stuck into this (although I have hardly played any of the other CODs) and it has great customization for weapons etc, and while I can see zombies is improved I never play it. Overall, a great COD yet with a slightly weaker story, but which it makes up for in its pulse-pounding action and addictive multiplayer.… Expand
  29. senogad
    Nov 22, 2012
    8
    ...I really wanted this to be good, I was hoping more black ops was my favorite COD and I wanted to get the same experience I did from black ops with black ops 2 but no, the maps are terrible, hundreds of glitches, bad sound and it takes the game forever to start without freezing. Also, many fans such as myself pre-ordered the game to obtain what they called "nuke town 2025 24/7" but no they cant even get that right, they lied and only put it on for 2 days but don't worry, to make it up to us they made a gamemode calles "chaos mosh pit" so we can play nuketown but in order to play it we have to play through all the other terrible maps so thanks for deceiving all your fans. treyarch get your game fixed!… Expand
  30. defanual
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    This review is coming from the perspective of a someone who has never played a COD game which is worth bearing in mind because that seems it will be a large denominator factor on reviews found here. The Good: • Gameplay is tight in a semi-realism arcade shooter kinda way • Campaign is a tour de force • You know when your doing good and you know when your doing really good (I had troad trouble gaging this in Halo)
    • Loads of maps out the box and DLC maps are usually always solid at best if you want to go there
    • Loads of weapons to master and the challenges and different feels disciples of the variety of weapons on offer give the multiplayer extended life
    • Connection time is quick in comparison to many others
    • One of the better map voting systems although not perfect
    • Some nice (fair) tactically gaming changing attachments, scorestreaks and equipment
    • Nice to solid visuals
    • Unmatched levels of polish in presentations and menus (matches it premium price reputation at least)
    • Some nice customisations features

    The Bad:
    • Lag compensation connections issues are deadly in a game of this type and pace and I'm finding this to be a problem more regularly lately which makes playing it very frustrating at times
    • Zombies is pretty boring confusing unplayable without a buddy or 3

    Weapons Equipment Classes
    • Sniper quick-scoping seems ridiculous even for a semi-arcade shooter.
    • No sniper-free modes (Personal wish)
    • Combination snipers (more than one sniper coming into your spawn and multi quick-scoping you from various angles)
    • Tac-inserts, my word, what a hideous snipe-friendly, camp inducing, objective breaking invention. Just too easily and all too often massively abused and is trademark of the hate for the COD brand of gaming.

    Community
    • The map selection can get Halo-like some sessions with maps like Hijacked reappearing a little too much for my thirst for variety especially in a map filled game (even prior to DLC)
    • There's no real benefit for staying in a game where your losing or especially where your getting destroyed
    • Random public games are unbalanced one-sided affairs
    • No offense but the community mindset overall seems pretty negative and one dimensional in many respects
    • Domination is always the be all and end all, there's a preference for easy one-sided tactics and play even if it results in the game being very boring.
    • Mic use is random and usually full of nonsense talk and raging
    • Custom design banners are often unimaginative and or overwhelmingly vulgar sexist (women's breasts, men you get the idea)
    • Random invites and messages of people begging you to checkout their 1 million and 5th COD run-of-the-mill-to-poor youtube channel
    • No easy way of forming a band of like-minded similar level public players to soften the blows and make games more challenging
    • Matching public random players against mic using teams clans, not cool.

    Closing, overall, when the connections good (or at least fair), your teams good (or decent) and everything else is good (massively benefit from playing with buddies), this can be a great game unmatched in it's category (far more varied, tactical and rewarding then say halo 4's effort).

    But it's often spoilt by it's lag compensation connection nonsense and in a large part by it's community and it's tactics (in individual and team play) to only dominate at the expense of everything and everyone else.

    Could give it a 6 6.5 but the highs when things are working are better than that to be fair.    … Expand
  31. tenow
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    First good COD in years. Campaign had a great story and actually made me care. Great gameplay. All the good stuff. Only downside is strategy missions. I really didn't like controls and AI in them.
  32. A_on_the_I
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Single player is a 10, multiplayer is a 0. Graphics and sounds is a 5. Clearly, all the money went into the story, which is the best COD story yet, but from the lousy multiplayer to the 3D ready graphics (which means most of us are delivered lacklustre poly detail and textures) to the weapon sounds where the reload "click" of the weapon is noticeably louder than the sound of the weapon being shot, the graphics, sound, and multiplayer game-play are a bust. Some areas of BO2 look amazing in SP, too bad they couldn't apply that effort to the MP maps, which all look blurry and simplistic. The multiplayer is the lame level climb against vastly superiorly armed players that BO was. It won't grab you and hold your attention; first of all, that formula has been done before, done better and done with more effort focused on the multiplayer maps. If you were looking for a worthy successor to MW3, this ain't it. If what you want is a more balanced level climber, try Halo 4. If you want a more simulation of military combat, try the updated version of MOH:Warfighter. Black ops 2 multiplayer is just plain boring; and while the SP is worth the cost of admission, it's not what the majority of it's casual audience (those who don't hide penis size insecurity behind which game they prefer) expected or deserved. Warfighter and Halo 4 are out. Have a fun BO2 SP ride and then go back to whatever game it was you were doing.… Expand
  33. Ideclarewar901
    Dec 29, 2012
    3
    I am SO glad i did not pay for this game. YES! I went and instead i rent it. I AM GLAD I DID. Saved money. This game is an ABOMINATION. The Graphics are as good as a Free-To-Play Shooter on PC, they are WAY OUT-DATED, ALOT of graphical Bugs, the Campaign Story is absolutely HORRIBLE. The Gameplay is ordinary at best. Nothing fresh, nothing new. The same crap Activision tried to sell to Kids each year. The Multiplayer is SO MUCH uncomplete, it's even more horrible. This game is like an Add-On Pack (Or Map Pack) for Call of Duty: Black Ops, i do not know why Treyarch are called Game Developpers, because they are horrible. Want Ideas on Good Shooter Games? Go check out Far Cry 3, Battlefield 3, Rainbow Six: Patriots (Coming in 2013) and even better... Wait for Battlefield 4. DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF CRAP SOFTWARE, you've been warned. COD is NOT what it USED TO BE anymore.… Expand
  34. Nunito
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is probably one of the best games i've played all year and by far the the best call of duty to date. I want to be clear about something. I play most games for the story/singleplayer campaign. It's the most appealing aspect of a game to me. On those merits alone, this game DESERVES a near perfect score. It's really sad to see people tanking the games score without even trying it out first. It accomplishes nothing. The game reviews well with actual professionals and makes hundreds of millions of dollars. Being on the complaining side of a game that is that popular just makes you look like you need your head checked out.… Expand
  35. BlackAryan
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    The only reason why this game is not getting a 10 is because of the aging multiplayer and engine. The multiplayer outdoes MW3's. If you liked the previous multiplayer of the other call of duty's then you'll like this one too. The single player is just as great as the previous call of duty's. It's really intense. The zombies is the best part of this game. The TranZit mode is perfect for those who are continuing the story from Black Ops 1 and W@W. It also includes smaller survival maps that are boring for old timers but are sure to bring new people into zombies. The new grief mode is fun and refreshing and really entertaining. Looking forward to more zombies, don't care for multiplayer in the end.… Expand
  36. sumguitardude
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    Love or hate it COD is here to stay, if you are looking for something new then yes they have med some. But most of the game is the same as the other in the series. i am however really impressed by the story as it has to be the best in the series yet. With multiple endings and choices you have that impacts the campaign i love the new direction the story took. By far the best in the series even though it`s the same ol formula… Expand
  37. MenjiCA
    Nov 18, 2012
    0
    I had great expectation for this game since I really liked the first one. I've been playing Call Of Duty multiplayer on xbox live since Modern Warfare.
    I won't talk about the single player part I never played a single player campaign on any call of duty game.
    I won't talk either about the good things BOPS2 did good since they don't mean anything if the game is broken at it's core.
    The b    ig problem is that they implemented the lag compensation system again that Black ops 1 and modernwarfare 3 had at launch. I won't explain what this system is since it's common knowledge.
    The game is not fun because of it. They need to fix it like modernwarfare 3 did.    … Expand
  38. watithink123
    Dec 29, 2012
    5
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is the net Cod by Activision, so is it the next great Cod? No it is not! Campaign was good but boring story and Strike missions, god Strike missions were pointless and annoyin g and made me give the campaign a 5/10. But the campaign had some cool stuff like flying a jet and the first campaign were you have to make who lives or who dies. Multiplayer is by far the worst thing in Cod BO 2. Nice new create a class system but terrible maps and still unbalanced witch now I have giving up all hope about the multiplayer coming back as it was in Cod 4 and WaW. Zombies I got to admit was amazing and I never had so much fun with zombies since WaW. The new tranzet mode is awesome and survival is great on 3 different maps, but grief is an okay mode but i just dont see the point in playing it. Overall, bad campaign, terrible multiplayer, amazing zombies. Call of Duty: Back Ops 2 5.3/10… Expand
  39. bigbaldwolf
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    I haven't played the single payer campaign yet (and most people aren't buying it for single player) so I can't comment on that but my score is from what I have experienced on multiplayer and zombies. The changes to the class creation system are fantastic. The pick 10 system is genius and really lets you play how you want to. It was a bit confusing at first but I soon got to grips with it. The maps have been great to play on and the whole presentation has been given a facelift. For zombies, the maps are brilliant and tranzit is amazing. If you loved the zombies on the first game then you will like this one. Overall I am very happy with the game so far and intend to put a lot of hours into both of these modes.… Expand
  40. Xmayne
    Dec 5, 2012
    9
    I just find it hilarious how many people say the obligatory: "same as last year, adds nothing new, blah blah blah." It's just SUCH an exaggeration and only tells me that you didn't really play the game. That's NOT an effective review. You CANNOT just say "it's the same as before" and be done, because that's not technically true. Black Ops 2 actually added and changed a lot more than MW3 did. The campaign was good fun and had interesting missions. I enjoyed it. The multiplayer is fun, tried something new with the pick 10 system, and the UI is a big improvement over the crappy one MW3 had. The game is overall fun and enjoyable. There are so many people who just dislike COD because it's a bandwagon mentality and therefore their judgement is severely clouded. That tends to happen with certain games and it's REALLY a shame.… Expand
  41. Byron1c
    Dec 30, 2012
    5
    I received this game as a gift for christmas, so I think that has tempered my review a little. I have also recently finished playing Modern Warefare 2. Firstly the good about COD BOPs2: Graphics are excellent; computer AI isnt bad at all and is challenging; sound effects etc were noticeably good - I was able to tell locations of enemies more easily than other FPS in the past. The maps are fairly detailed too.

    The Bad: Where to start: Annoyingly long and numerous story animations, with quicktime events inserted every now and then, just to make sure you havent stopped watching. I had problems getting stuck in scenery and even falling through it while parachute landing. At one point I was fighting a whole group of people with guns, all dressed exactly the same. Its like someone cloned a single hillbilly a bunch of times and handed them guns. In MW2 there was a "Survival mode" which was great for getting to know a map, and honing your skills. No sign of anything like that in this game. Instead you get some terrible zombie survival game. The controls are different enough to MW2 to be annoying and the cause of many a death ingame. There is very little in the way of introduction to the various game modes, etc. It seems there is a BIG assumption that only existing fans are going to play this game. It also suffers with Consolitis. Pointless loading screens (that dont even hint at being loading screens), the aforementioned control issues, among others. The RTS style missions are awful. Being in Australia, the pings are AWFUL for multiplayer, and I find it nearly pointless playing online when so many obviously have a jump on me. Which leads me to the other major problem, there seems to be little else to do in the game. In other words they have relied so heavily on the online multiplayer they seem to have forgotten those of us that really dont like multiplayer online games. In short - if its a gift, then its worth the price you paid    … Expand
  42. GamerGuy96
    Jan 18, 2013
    7
    Treyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a large amount of potential that strikes very hard key selling points. The stellar campaign given felt a lot (not completely though,) different. It gave players a little more freedom and choice throughout the game as well as a slight sense of emotional awareness within the choices they made as a character. From mission load screens to in-game non-avoidable choices. These things made me fall in love with the sometimes drooling campaign. Zombies of course makes its large return and greater than ever, with new maps and a long sought after theater mode. This combined with 4v4 chaos in grief mode ends up resulting in countless hours of play time (not including future DLC and modes). Of course as every CoD game has been in the past the multiplayer is EXTREMELY addictive, but repetitive in its level system. But to fix this Treyarch has added several things to keep the players busy and happy longer. With the inclusion of a "league mode" which allows for PvP action within certain skill levels makes any and every gamer feel like a professional in there own world while enjoying the game. Theater mode also returns as expected and feels a little easier to use and less task heavy. The greatest thing that makes the games multiplayer fall short is its poorly created and managed servers. this results in a lag compensation and the case where in the right game mode the winner (9 times out of ten) is the host. This makes the newest installment of CoD:Blops 2 a game that i would buy in a heart beat but with a lack of polish and finesse in certain cases… Expand
  43. ROMshinobi
    Nov 18, 2012
    7
    this is a review for the campaign only as I haven't had the chance yet to try out the multiplayer.

    Graphics: I realize that it is an older engine but the game still looks great and easily on par with warfigher but not with BF3. The lighting, clarity and detail in the foliage in the jungle type areas is great. the indoor environments though are pretty basic. overall, i give the graph    ics an eight. i suppose Infinity ward or the publisher? is waitng for the next generation consoles before they develop a new engine. the Guns: this is arguably the most important part of any first person shooter. The guns were a big let down. gunfire seems muted and lacked punch. In addition, the guns all sound very similar to eachother. the first black ops had much better sound. these days warfighter carries the torch for realistc gun sounds with ghost recon close behind. Only two of the modern weapons were really innovative namely the flechette gun and one of the sniper rifles that could penetrate through walls The one standout feature of this game was the new overhead tactical viewpoint for one modern set where you could control individual men or machines. I hope they turn this type of warfare into a stand alone strategy game. It worked incredibly well.

    The biggest let down is that none of the missions seemed very black ops. they are more like missions you would expect the marines to do. Black ops missions should rely on a bit of stealth (ghost recon), silenced weapons, and special goggles with night vision, infiltration, assasination.

    further, I think the story back arc to the 80's was uncessary. they should have kept the story confined to the modern era. It was uncessary to tie the current events into what happened in Afghanistan for instance or Africa for that matter.

    The weakest part of the game was the story. the main villian was completely unbelievable. This was a perfect opportunity to set up China as the main protaganist. they could have used teh korean or vietnam wars as backdrops if they really wanted to provide some context to the future events. Further, chinese soliders would actually have advanced and interesting weaponry to provide some sort of challenge. It is totally unbelievable that a former drug runner would turn into a terrorist and be able to finance technological innovations for weaponry and software which be capable of challenging established governments. His background and so called rise to power was really boring too. Not as boring as the warfighter drama with that guy's wife and kid, but pretty close.

    My harshest criticism for the game though it lacked what I call an "air of reality" which some shooters achieve. It's that feeling that the people on the screen could be actual soldiers out there, doing this incredible sh#t and you feel a part of that. the first modern warfare had heaps and heaps of that feeling. even modern warfare 3 had it to a certain extent.

    this game did not have it at all. It's like it was missing its shooter mojo or something. Warfighter did a much better job with shooter mojo than this in the campaign, even though the campaign itself wasn't as good. So, in summary, the game had one brilliant moment with respect to the tactical view and control system. that was ingenious. Otherwise, the game was pretty average. I'm looking forward to the multiplayer to see how it compares with warfighter. to my mind warfighter, with the exception of BF3, has the best multiplayer going at the moment. Cheers,    … Expand
  44. EpicMexicanTaco
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    A huge improvement on the disaster that was MW3 but it still doesnt convince me and many other people. This game is mediocre at best.

    -Single Player: 7/10
    -Multiplayer-5/10
    -Zombies 7/10
  45. LibertyLocked
    Mar 25, 2013
    7
    I was never a COD fan but I have to say that COD is never a bad game. People hate it just because Activision is abusing the same shooter stuff. To be honest, I don't really like this game and I only play zombies. Most people hate it because they spent (and they are going to spend) $60 on a shooter game that looks ALMOST the same as the game the bought last year. But hey, the problem is not about the game itself. Imagine if it's the first time you play this game. The graphics is awesome and the game runs at 60 FPS which is amazing. The multiplayer is intense and fun (in the beginning). The zombie mode is the best and very addictive. I wish Activision could release COD games every 2 or 3 years instead of 1, because people will get bored really fast.… Expand
  46. Sergeant_MarkIV
    Feb 18, 2013
    3
    The first Black Ops was great, this one doesn't. Predictable campaign, lack of memorable moments, online noobtobing, zombies mode is not as fun as in Black Ops 1, unmemorable soundtrack,... Makes you think that Infinity Ward made this game. The new features such as optional missions and alternative mission incomes are the only things that makes me not rate it a 0/10.
  47. nms1215
    Dec 20, 2012
    2
    I would pay at least $40 for the zombie mode. The extra $10 that they ask of me for the inclusion of multiplayer is not worth it. I love the zombie mode but the multiplayer has not appealed to me since World at War. They have removed all stealth and ambushing aspects of multiplayer and instead decided kill streaks and reaction time rule the game. Don't get me wrong, I can keep up and boasted a high 2.2 K/D ratio in the original Black Ops, but I was just bored. I felt that I did not have to think about what I was doing. I would just run, aim at the obvious locations and get quick kills, then continue moving; repeat. It made me feel like a machine. Zombie mode is excellent, and the additions they have made to it are game-changing. I just pray that the developers realize that these modes belong separate and dedicate a game solely to zombie mode.… Expand
  48. JEK
    Nov 24, 2012
    5
    I'm a fan of this franchise and I was disappointed from the story line. I mean If you compare the story from black ops 1, mw1 and mw2. It's no where near those COD. They feature new additional gameplay like horseback riding, controlling drones, robots and driving etc. but they lack climax of the story.
  49. tropicAces
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    I'm not a Call of Duty fanboy, but I have not given up on it like some other people. Looking at Black Ops 2 I had no intentions of getting it because BO1 was average. But my brother got it so I played the campaign. Wow. Treyarch really took some leaps of faith and some great improvements. The online is much improved over BO1 and overall this saves a franchise that was (pardon the cliche) bleeding out.… Expand
  50. Garian
    Nov 26, 2012
    7
    The singleplayer portion of this game was absolutely amazing, the story moreso than the gameplay, while black ops 1 had an amazing singleplayer too, black ops 2's campaign was just mind blowing. The multiplayer however, was new and some what fun, and it has stayed fun to this day, but due to it being on the xbox, the connection wasn't too great, and I haven't had fun playing it all the time. The zombie mode was fun, but they didn't change it enough for me to consider it 'amazing'.… Expand
  51. LethalThreat
    Dec 29, 2012
    4
    I use to be a fan of Call of Duty games, but now they have just gone down hill. I beat Call of Duty: Black Ops II within four hours, this was probably the shortest Call of Duty game, or any game that I have ever played. I also couldn't even follow the story line, it was all over the place and confusing. I didn't bother with multiplayer, I figure it'd be the same as any other CoD multiplayer. Don't bother listening to the journalists, this game is not intense, nor the best. If you're looking for a good Call of Duty game, go back to the first ones, that's all I can say.… Expand
  52. Ormegasm
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    This game has zombies in it.......................................................................................................................5/10
  53. Aeon
    Mar 7, 2013
    3
    Call of Duty is one of the best marketing games. Bringing out the same game every year with barely no changes at all and an awful singeplayer mode. A hype that I can't understand. The only bonus this game has is the multiplayer-mode, which you can play with alot of friends, because most of them don't have any other games than CoD or FIFA. And it's sometimes pretty fun. But all in all the game is a mess.… Expand
  54. Samotslayer
    Jan 26, 2013
    2
    While this is still a unpolished mess of a game. It's still not as bad as MW3 and I can really see the Pants-On-Head-Retarded staff at Treyarch really tried their best to make the best game they could. Too bad a good percent of the world brought the game New and gave activision money for this abomination.
  55. Taka_Dreams
    Dec 12, 2012
    9
    First Black Ops II, this is not the best game in the series, but it stands out a few new compared to its predecessor, what Black Ops. I do not compare to Modern Warfare 3, because it is not the developer. The highlights are: the zombie mode, the system class creation and maps, each with its own identity. The negatives are: small hideouts, the campaign is too Hollywood and the community, but 3arch tried to change a minimum it with the strengths, scorestreaks, and the sniper?! It seems Mw2 ...… Expand
  56. Coletrain128
    Mar 26, 2013
    2
    At one point, I did enjoy the Call of Duty franchise for what it was. It had an exciting campaign, an addictive multiplayer (until little children, hackers, and people who treated the game as if its a goddamn national sport ruined it all), and was an overall great package. But most of the hate has gone beyond this franchise itself and straight to the reputation of its developers as they will constantly force the same product every year in order to produce the same sales results as say MW2. This practice doesn't help evolve the industry, it destroys it. The more you release the same product every year, the more likely it will fade away. Look at Guitar Hero, a game that was published by Activison but failed because of over flooding the market with the same game every year. Because of this, Guitar Hero is not only dead, but so is the music game genre. Now, Call of Duty has not only attracted some of the more dedicated consumers, but the casual market as well. This game is the reason to why the game market is flooded with Shooters every year and there is hardly any diversity in the game market. The fact that these games are pumped out ever year with little to no creative is the reason why the material is dry, monotonous, and unappealing to many. The only positive is that the game isn't broken. This franchise not only reached its peak back way back in 2007, but it has also brought a downfall to games in general.… Expand
  57. Turrikan
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    The multiplayer is addictive yet annoying. Same old issues with connection, why cod still arent on dedicated servers is beyond me. Single player is awesome, best campaign to date. But where the game truly shines is in it's Zombie mode. So much content! So much content available, you really do get your money's worth.
  58. TheBartlez
    Jan 11, 2013
    6
    To begin, I have played all the COD games since COD4. I have broken down my review into PROS and CONS to show what works and what doesn't. PROS: 1) Campaign is pretty good and has a cool mix of missions from the 1980's and the near future. 2) Graphics improved over BLOPS 1. 3) Great sound - guns sound louder and more powerful. 4) Redone Nuketown for multiplayer and zombies! 5) Create-a-class system lets you really customize your class to your liking.

    CONS:
    1) Multiplayer maps are pretty limited and none really stand out.
    2) Zombies just feel unfinished - it is 1 big map with multiple locations, but none of the locations are memorable. New characters are annoying and boring.
    3) Still haven't fixed Zombie matchmaking, hard to find a good group in a timely manner.
    4) No guns feel all that great. Almost all the guns play almost the same way and the unique weapons from BLOPS 1 were nerfed, meaning there is no reason to use them.
    5) Scorestreak system means well, but the exciting scorestreaks are fairly unobtainable unless you are an amazing player or get one in a care package.

    As much as I loved BLOPS 1, and how excited I was for this game, I found myself pretty disappointing with how BLOPS 2 turned out. Zombies was a big selling point to me, but it just feels lackluster. MP is the same as ever, but there is no excitement to it like in BLOPS 1. I find myself being more frustrated with this game and even though it works well, I would trade it in if I hadn't bought the season pass.    … Expand
  59. Meruco
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    I can't understand negative critics because BLOPS 2 is just another COD. Of course it is. One of the better. Maybe the best just according to the different kind of games in one: not only zombies, the best zombies with its awsome new tranzit, multiplayer, of course, wich is better now because you can play in your league, boots, split screen, ..... BLOPS 1 was the best COD on 2010 and BLOPS 2 is the same staff, but improved. I found what I thought I'd find.… Expand
  60. noxx
    Dec 1, 2012
    1
    Worst spawn system ever! I'm not a hater, I like COD but the multi player in blops2 is so unbalanced to the point of being unfair, you constantly respawn near your killer just to be killed again... what used to be perks are now weapon attachments, all considered, the maps are not that great and some decisions are puzzling, COD age is showing, and in the end Infinity ward is the better developer
  61. ikenyon1
    Mar 4, 2013
    6
    There is nothing too wrong with this game, but that is also the problem. Treyarch did little to innovate outside the pick 10 system and released a buggy and lag-comp heavy mulitplayer. While the campaign is fine as always, I feel as if they ruined zombies too. They tried to hard to innovate while not preserving very much. I really had high hopes for this game after the travesty that was Modern Warfare 3 but I haven't touched this game in 2 months and it does not look like I will be returning anytime soon.… Expand
  62. Denkov
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    The hate has already started flowing for the new CoD. After playing so many versions of basically the same game, black ops 2 does enough to separate itself from the repetitive modern warfare formula over the years. It has a new and improved multiplayer. The new load out system is awesome allowing for complete customization of your classes. The single players story is great and the transfer between cold war and 2025 is seamless. The characters, writing, voice acting, and action sequences are all awesome. Yes, the engine is a bit dated but CoD is the only game to achieve 60fps CONSTANTLY. No other game has been able to capture the crisp movements and gameplay CoD offers. Black Ops 2 adds a new facial software allowing for better character expressions. It also adds choices to the single player. Some are simple go here or go there choices but during the story, based on the decisions you make, you'll get a different ending than someone who may have not done the same objectives. The ability to setup a load out in single player before missions start is also awesome. Single player = F'ing sweet. Lastly, the zombie mode is like crack. The new mode is awesome, getting on a bus to go to another area. The updated weaponry is sweet. In all, this game rocks. People can hate all day about CoD but this version is one that people will want to come back for more and more. And then some more after that...… Expand
  63. Tate_Laycraft
    Feb 20, 2013
    7
    Well, I told myself I wasn't going to buy it and as always I ended up getting it. However, unlike most people I am actually somewhat impressed. Don't take that the wrong way though. Black ops 2 is definitely not the new innovational COD everyone was hoping for, but it isn't as bad as some people proclaim it to be. As usual, the campaign is short and predictable but you'll still be able to get at least some satisfaction out of it. The multiplayer is actually quite good. For the first time they actually got the gun power right. Not one gun is over powered and used by everyone in the game, but instead each gun seems to be ment for a certain playing style/map. Speaking of the maps, they are by far the least innovational part of the game. I often times find myself thinking of a map from a previous COD while playing the multiplayer. (I swear to god, Hijacked is just Nuketown on a boat.) Then we have zombies. Now, I absolutely loved the zombies in the original Black ops and I must say that I am kind of disappointed with transit. It just feels like a giant cluster to me. Too complicated I guess? Then when you play on one of the four locations by itself it just feels too small. On the other hand though, the DLC's zombie map is much more enjoyable and I hope to see much more like it in the future. In my opinion, the game is definitely worth owning. I give it a 7 out of 10… Expand
  64. Defectionate
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    Well-fleshed out campaign: granted it is completely unrealistic and off the wall. The graphics sincerely need an overhaul, its now lacking in that department critically. The guns feel nice when shot. The MP as of now, in my experiences, is just shy of a train wreck. The lag even on 360 is atrocious, the maps are decent enough...when the spawns actually flip and its not both teams on the same side. The worst part of the MP is the hit detection, it is awful, you feel you should have won a gun fight but some how become insta-dead. People were complaining about Warfighter, this is worse, and they out in the theater mode again so you can watch yourself have crosshairs right on a guy and not even get a marker. Its bad. I feel they spent too much time on Zombies, that part is great, its new and different but not completely away from what made it popular. Overall this game is good at best, maybe if they fix the online MP problems it will be decent.… Expand
  65. RobYes92
    Jan 9, 2013
    2
    There's a common misconception going on that just because a game breaks sales records; it's a good game. The only reason COD Waste of Money 2 made any sales is because of the hype it generated prior to its release. It's just that all the 12 year old fan boys can't see it. I think they should just make a really **** COD this year, kill the series and be done with it. Why waste time on another one if all you're ever going to do is lie about how great it and then get other people to lie for you? I mean, an 83 over all from critics? Seriously? So if I made a game about me taking a **** in a different toilet every week and paid the right people then I'd get a high score too? The critics who gave this game any score above 60 should be ashamed of themselves. You want to know what the most frustrating thing is? You stupid ass users who review the game like a bunch of tit sucking fan-boys expecting us to feel the same way and shooting us down from a dizzying height when we don't. Seriously: **** you guys. If I say this game is **** then it's my opinion, go take your drool and **** stained diapers somewhere else. Okay, done ranting about that. Back to COD! or rather, never again back to COD. Not until they A) Make a game with a compelling story that doesn't feel like it was written for 5 year olds, B) Actually upgrade the graphics (Battlefield 3 still looks better after 2 years. **** sakes guys) and C) Not have the pretentious micro-penis it requires to actually charge more than the average first person shooter for a sub-par game. Bye.… Expand
  66. Abstractpurpose
    Nov 14, 2012
    3
    This title jumps past the previous black ops game in many ways but fell short in a few. The graphics are much better but the texture quality and overall look of the terrain still leaves a huge gap between treyarch and infinity ward whos had better looking faces facial animation and texture usage all the way back to the scene in mw2 where your scaling the icy cliff. Therefore you always feel like youre playing an older cod game. Second is there custom icon.there are far fewer options in this than in the first black ops. Not to mention a lack of weapons to pick from. They greatly improved the eeapon addons however. The target scope and quick aim forgrip are a few solid examples. All the maps feel small and full of close quarters corridor fighting and with the poor spawn system thats been with all call of duty games it makes those shots from behind in an area surrounded by teamates all the more annoying. None of the maps are in my opinion memorable such as crash terminal ambush or firing range which is another downside to the entire black ops series. No maps pop out and make you crave them.

    Pros-better graphics than the first black ops
    -no death streaks
    -more useful weapon attachments
    -good variation of game modes for normal core

    Cons-textures and graphics look far older than okder cod titles made by infinityward
    -small gun selection
    -less icon customization options
    -no larger maps open alot of corner dodging
    -poor spawn system putting you steps away from an enemy.    … Expand
  67. plotlesviolence
    Mar 15, 2013
    6
    This game is fun. Basically every criticism I've heard about it is true (i.e., doesn't innovate, is the same game as CoD4, etc., 100% linear). But it's fun. The linear CoD design has solved my biggest pet peeve from pre-1990s games: not knowing where to go next and feeling like I'm wasting my time. Before, I would just look up a walkthrough, but the objective marker just keeps me immersed in the game. Aside from the sandbox shooters, all the competitors copy CoD because it works. Also, it's a pretty, polished game with lots of spectacle.
    So why not a higher score? Because it doesn't innovate and it is more like an expansion pack to CoD4 than the 5th sequel. The new stuff (a pseudo-rts mode and a cool see-through-walls scope) is pretty minor, and I probably won't be replaying the single-player mode ever again. Also, while I really liked the revenge-driven plot of Modern Warfare 3, the plot of BlOps 2 doesn't really do anything for me. So I'd say slightly above average. Worth playing once if you like the linear FPS genre, but not something I'd stake my reputation recommending to my friends.    … Expand
  68. AOLfloppydisk
    Dec 11, 2012
    1
    I will start by saying I'm one of the people that doesn't partake in the annual map add-ons that Activision calls "Full Games" I still play World at War and Black Ops 1. I don't understand why a franchise that sells this much can't afford to do some real R&D and develop an excellent game through and through.

    I tried playing the campaign it just had a more stale feeling to it than any of     the other CoD's I've ever played, unexciting, I played half way through before I was so bored I couldn't take anymore, I've never been too much into the Multiplayer so I can't comment on that.

    The only positive side I can mention is the Zombie mode but even that's a mixed bag, on one hand it's fun and interesting, although I'd like it better if those annoying flying babies could be turned off so exploring between areas was fun and strategic, but no, your stuck in these tiny areas.

    The Zombie mode now requires friends to get anywhere, running around by yourself good luck with that not as fun as BO1 and WaW Zombie modes in my opinion, hopefully there DLC will breathe more light into the Zombie mode. They really didn't innovate anything here, and those parts where you command units and tell them where to go etc, feels worthless and thrown in as a last minute attempt to be "Different" which failed miserably.

    I am done with the CoD series until they seriously do some work on it, these games have become bland and stale. So I will sum it up two stars only cause the Zombie mode is kind of fun (only when you have good people to play with) but the rest of this is a add-on with the CoD name slapped onto it.

    Luckily, I didn't buy this game, I borrowed from my brother and had it for a few weeks. He to was disappointed and traded it in the second he got it back from me to get Far Cry 3 (Puts this game to shame). I know there's a lot to be said with the Cod and Halo series, but at least the Halo's aren't every single year, if your not going to change anything give us a break in between at least...    … Expand
  69. MurderTechnique
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    CALL OF DOODIE: CRAP OPS 2. People get suckered into spending $60 every November for the same game w/minor changes; it's too bad the COD franchise milks people for sales every year. Name a company that's gonna turn down the opportunity for multi million dollar sales every single year though. That said, it's understandable that another installment releases every single year. What I don't understand is why so many people feel compelled to spend $60 on it again and again and again. I shoud point out that I'm not one of the stupid, immature peope on here who submit reviews on games just to give them undeserving scores of "0" in order to pull their score down. The "reviewers" who are doing that should be banned from Metacritic because they're just ruining the site. If games like this deserve a "0" then what the does a truly bad game deserve to get? I think this game deserves a "7." The graphics are great. The campaign is epic and the game boasts lots of multiplayer modes. Zombies is still there too. The reason I only give it a 7 is because it doesn't do anything that previously released COD games haven't already done. It's simply another $60 rehash. My recommendation to fellow gamers is to STICK WITH INFINITY WARD. They're the true creators and developers of COD. Treyarch sucks in comparison because their games are plagued with glitches and they try too hard to make their games "over the top." Also, while on the subject of comparisons, Infinity Ward's "Special Ops" is way more impressive than Treyarch's "Zombies." Modern Warfare 4 will be out in November next year so there's no good reason to waste $60 on BO2. Get Halo 4 since it's a breath of fresher air, enjoy the DLC you likely already invested in for MW3, and look forward to MW4 kicking BO2's ass in a matter of months. :)… Expand
  70. insanityplee666
    Dec 26, 2012
    6
    I wanna start off honestly. COD Blacops 2 is a DECENT game. It is in the top percentile of games to come out this year. That being said, it would have made a fantastic 10/10 dlc for black ops 1. I honestly cannot tell how the graphics havent changed in years. Shouldn't a graphic update not be too much to ask for? Love the new hunter killer in multiplayer, but camping and constant rocket launchers stuffed down your throat has ruined decent multiplayer yet again. This is not the fault of the company that created the game, but rather apparently the type of player this game draws in. *spolier alert* Finally in campaign is (once again) a scene where you kill someone with a knife and pistol. It is sad, because other wise this campaign was actually (at least in my mind) slightly better than mw3. The music, as always in cod, sucked. With all of this being said, if cod releases another game with such a lack of creativity or at least a HUGE graphics update, I will not buy another cod game. This was their last freebee.… Expand
  71. DarrMunny
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    I think there are a few fan boys rearing their heads again, 0, really ? look we all know what we were going to get here, just like the poor cousin battlefield series and its 2 min single player campaign. Pretty much what I expected really, and now people are up in arms about it, seriously !! It's a fun free for all shooter and I love the zombies all ways have, me and a few mates get online and blast away at those zombies,we brought cod 2 just for that. Yeah more of the same....so what !! Get over yourselves and go play the Wii !!… Expand
  72. Snidzz
    Feb 16, 2013
    5
    Campaign is decent in comparison to other CoDs but still pretty mediocre. Multiplayer maps are also mediocre, and the game has some serious technical problems. The weapon balance is excellent, however, but in typical Treyarch fashion, there is very little variety among the weapons. Generally not enough recoil on them either. Zombies is actually a lot worse than it was in WaW and BO, but still playable. The game is decent overall, but it lacks in innovation and change, as we have come to expect from Call of Duty titles. Overall, very meh.… Expand
  73. FlippyisFloppy
    Dec 9, 2012
    7
    A game that shouldn't be getting as many negative reviews as it has been getting from the users , Black Ops 2 delivers what I was expecting from the campaign with a few surprises. I really loved the fact for once in the CoD series you get to have choices that will alter the ending! You can also choose on what missions you get to do that will also change the story line. The story line itself is action-packed and great! The gameplay is generally the same, but that's expected for most FPS games (for me at least). Although the campaign was great, the multiplayer was still the same as the modern warfare and above. Although I like the fact that it has 'score-streaks' instead of kill-streaks ( I don't know that was in MW3 as well, didn't play the multiplayer since i was disappointing with it in general). But I still have fun with it nevertheless. The guns in multiplayer are somewhat off-balanced, being that the SMGs are the superior weapons in multiplayer (like it has been since mw2) but it is not too bad (although the mp7 is a bit too good). Plenty of gamemodes to choose from.

    Zombie Mode though is great! It is improved and a bit more polished from Black Ops 1. It has 1 additional perk called Tombstone (wanna learn about it? Google it.) And of there is a good amount of weapons to choose from with few being worthless. Although there is one thing that disappointed me a a bit. The lack of maps on there. There is technically 4 maps ( Tranzit, Farm, Town, and Nuketown) but it only feels like their is 2 maps. Farm and Town can be played on Tranzit ( which is just basically one huge map) and Nuketown is only obtainable at the moment for Hardened Edition, Deluxe Edition, and the Care Package (The Collectors Edition). I know I could of payed gotten them easily, but I'am not spending 20$ extra dollars on a game for just one map and a few crappy other additions. But overall I'am still pleased with Zombie mode.    … Expand
  74. driftlv1
    Nov 23, 2012
    7
    Finally. A major change in the series for the first time since Call of duty 4. That sentence alone restored hype to this game for me and many others.

    After the huge failure and frustration MW3 was, thousands of people gave up on cod, hell nearly even me. But then Treyarch randomly comes out of nowhere and announces some big changes, and people got excited. Not only is Black ops 2 in the     near future with brand new technology. Campaign

    I first thing I played was campaign. It's great, a lot better than MW3's. However, it's still not the best cod campaign. I LOVED the create a class and challenge system. It added so much replay value. There are also choices throughout the story. The choices are fewer than I imagined, which disappointed me, but they have a pretty big impact on the story and it's ending. The campaign, like the others, is a blast. It's full of action and there's a twist at every turn, and it's VERY fun to play. You'll be utilizing a lot of vehicles such as a jeep, a VTOL jet, a chopper gunner, and much more. And a lot of it isn't just on rails either. You get to fully drive it through a pretty big world, not just one path, and it provides a fresh experience that is overdue. My favorite part was when you're playing as a spider robot, and you had to use strategy to maneuver throughout the vents and find a good route, and it's very cool and unexpected.

    The story is good, but there is still so many unexplained things and plotholes, and cheesy lines. I expected a bit more from the story, and it's probably the most unrealistic one to date, but it's still good. There are a few unneeded scenes like main characters getting brutally tortured and killed in front of you, like they're just minor characters, and unnecessary twists or moments.

    Menendez is a good villain, but I barely felt any pity or empathy for him, which is what the writers tried to achieved, but failed. I just hated him even more.

    They put a TON of work into the campaign, with great pre-rendered cutscenes that took a lot of work to probably do, and with all the custom animations instead of re-using others like in the MW games. Strike force missions are great, although a little confusing at first, and offer up a hugely new experience that I liked, but didn't love. The story is also surprisingly long, being as long as Cod 4. The story is also very violent, sometimes unnecessarily violent. Some deaths are just brutal and aren't needed. One interrogation that happens in the story involves someone stabbing a knife through his hand and watching him suffer, and although the guy you're interrogating is a huge jerk, it's still kind of unneeded. And some characters and plot elements could've been expanded upon, especially one character in general (you'll see who I mean).

    Zombies

    A lot of people just buy call of duty for the zombies, and it's obvious why. It's addicting as hell. Zombies in this game is fun, but not as good as the last two games. You can play tranzit, which is fun at first, exploring and finding out the huge amount of easter eggs, but once you've figured out how to do everything, it gets boring, and it's pretty damn hard. You can finally customize zombies and even change difficulty, but the only thing i've noticed is that slightly more power-ups spawn on easy. You also have that one option for tranzit, which dissapointed me. There also aren't very many guns you can get from the box, in fact a lot are from the first black ops.

    Survival is classic survival on one of the maps in tranzit. Every map except one is terrible, containing no pack a punch and limited guns. One map has all the guns, perks, and a pack a punch, but it's still small as hell and gets boring.

    Grief is survival but with two teams, and it could even end up as 8v8. It's a fun change, but it would've been SOOOOO COOOLL on tranzit, but it's only for survival.

    Multiplayer

    Some argue that the multiplayer has been the same since cod 4. And it basically is. Want to know why? It's call of duty. Call of duty 4. CALL OF DUTY Black ops 2. Get it? If you changed in, not only would nobody buy it, but it wouldn't be call of duty anymore.

    Multiplayer overall is good. The maps are a definite improvement from MW3, although they still aren't amazing, mostly because they are very small, even the larger maps, so SMG's dominate. Lag compensation is still there, but it isn't as bad as when black ops 1 came out, or MW3, which is good. It's still very annoying and it breaks the gameplay, but it's not too bad and i'm sure they'll make it better like they did in Black Ops 1.

    The pick 10 system is awesome. It adds so much customizability and it's just awesome. I love all the different combinations you can do with it, and it allows me to play more like how I want to play.

    Overall Black ops 2 is a good game. It didn't meet my expectations, but it's a definite improvement over MW3, and it offers some change.    … Expand
  75. Hamburglar
    Nov 20, 2012
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I started the campaign and the cut-scenes looked decent, but damn the graphics were horrible for the introductory mission! I always disliked how simple, small and fake the vehicles look in CoD games. The graphics are neat in other places but still look outdated, reminded me of Black Mesa source in mission 2. They haven't improved anything much, even with the new post futuristic setting its all terrorist this terrorist that. The multiplayer is more of the same, still remains imblalanced with bugs everywhere, and worst how Nuketown was removed and now only available in special occasions, incredibly unsatisfied.… Expand
  76. donqmojito
    Nov 28, 2012
    0
    This game has the worst campaign ending. The multiplayer is the same **** **** The only thing good this game has is the zombies. Mass effect 3 has a better ending!!!!
  77. trentdarby
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    An awful display of how corrupt and stupid the gaming media are. How does a carbon copy game warrant a 9/10 score from anyone who has any degree of passion for games. This does nothing at all to improve on any aspect of what was already a tired and disfunctional series.

    Single player campaign is another disgrace full arrogant mess full of mindless relative actions such as shoot the hund    reds of brown terrorists in the face. The story is awful 80's action film tripe with every possible shock tactic thrown in to try and garner some publicity.

    Multiplayer is the same as ever, which would be fine if they were not charging 40 pounds for something you probably already have let alone the cost of the always overpriced and inevitable dlc.

    As for zombies my one last hope, its essentially a 40 pound map pack, same guns, same music, same sound effects, same everything just now with added Cappy fire all over the place and smoke to hide the ageing graphics.

    Please don't fall into the meat grinder, just play something good like dishonored for single player and stick to one of the old games for mp, it is the only way to tell them to stop excreting these rectangular turds on a yearly basis.    … Expand
  78. SirLube
    Nov 13, 2012
    3
    As a regular player of the original Black Ops I had hoped to enjoy almost every aspect of COD Black Ops II (with the exception of Zombies) but now that I have actually played the sequel I can only say what a massive disappointment it is.
    I bought this game at midnight and queued for an hour and a half to get it on release.
    When I got home and first loaded the disc I was greeted with a ma    ndatory update - 24 Mb - hardly a good start and increasingly common these days. Then came the Nuke-Town DLC - 125 MB - and when that was done I had the chore of setting the graphics / sound / safe zone options. Half an hour since the disc went in and I haven't actually fired a shot yet.
    When I did actually get to play I selected multiplayer first - and a quick look at the leader-boards revealed that some people at the top of the leader-boards have had nearly two (2) days game-time played already!! That's game-time folks - not time that they've actually owned the game but time spent playing BEFORE the game was officially released.
    When I did get into my first multiplayer game I had to select my weapons from the default classes - and no weapons were familiar favourates. It seems that 'just to be seen to be a bit different' all default weapons have to be ones I was unfamiliar with. Oh well it was getting late so just get on with it.
    Although the graphics looked very 'cartoony' I was impressed by the effort that went into the way the game looked - a lot of it seemed very graphically simular to MW2 and 3 though. When playing I did seem to be dying too easily and taking too many shots to kill people though - a nasty sign that lag compensation has reared its ugly head again. I am on a 56 mbs (15 ms ping) fibre connection so someone on a 2 mbs landline will own my ass because Trayarch seem to not understand or care how fast internet connections actually put the person with the fast connection at a massive disadvantage or that the faster your connection and the lower your ping the more clients will try to join your host and those clients will be further away so will lag more and your ping will be artificially increased to 'make it fair' for slower clients at your expense AND IT DOESN'T WORK.. grmbl.
    The Pick 10 system doesn't work either - it annoys me and restricts load-outs and I spent too much time compromising on stuff I couldn't have rather than picking the stuff I could have. I did miss the option to buy new stuff using the money from challenges/kills/contracts from Black Ops I. The contracts and option to buy should never have been removed as this again brings this new game closer to to MW3 - just the same way that all the good weapons are only available late in the Presige ladder it will encourage people not to bother Prestiging so again Trayarch got it wrong. By now I was yearning to just play a good game and realising that it wasn't going to happen.
    I played the Single Player mode the next morning - in 3D and in Regular difficulty. Very impressed with the cut-scenes which oozed quality. However, the game itself was a joke. I was surrounded by a huge number of enemies only to be getting slight grazes by their weapons and gunships, seemingly superhuman in the face of impossible odds. My AK-47 worked in a way that was massively different to the multiplayer game in that it mowed down wave after wave of enemies. Disappointed in yet another COD let-down, I ended the game.
    This will sell in millions. It doesn't deserve to.    … Expand
  79. hfreeman17
    Nov 13, 2012
    3
    Multiplayer was what I was looking forward to, yet the graphics are cartoonish. Difficult to know when you've killed an opponent at long distance. Non-intuitive Create a class section. Not worth commenting further. waste of money.
  80. Jheldridge
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    Absolute trash. Complete rehash of its predecessor in the most literal sense. Please my fellow gamers I care about your christmas money. Save your time and resources.
  81. JoeMercy
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    More of the same but now with a ridiculous story. The futuristic plot makes no sense at all. Multiplayer feels like Previously Call of Duty Games (MW and BO)I have it on sale now!
  82. mula
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    Game play: 2007
    Graphics: Sega Genesis
    Sound effects: think cheap made in China fireworks
    Whats new: you lost 60 bucks

    I feel bad for those who bought this game merely to play with their friends. Those who felt socially obligated to buy the game hopefully can take it back and use the money for a better game like Halo 4.
  83. SethRidgefire
    Nov 27, 2012
    0
    I gave this game a medium rating when I first played it since it was a step up from MW3. I am now giving it a zero after playing it for a couple of weeks. In an effort to make a balanced game, Treyarch has gone through and muted everything fun about this once great series. The guns are blanned and boring, the perks do very little to improve the experience, the graphics are the same as MW1. BO1 was original. Money/Wager system, exciting weapons, weekly assignments. All gone. And their lag comp system makes %70 of the games unplayable. Really disappointing effort, if you can call it an effort at all.… Expand
  84. ctruluck1324
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    I was excited to pick this game up after reading some reviews by critics. They made it sound like a lot had changed in this new cod game. After spending 60 dollars and playing the game, i realize these critics must have been paid to write all those good reviews. The games campaign is still the same on rails garbage that holds your hand through the entire game. Still has stupid enemy's that just run out in the open are just stand in one place and shoot. Its just a boring tin can shooter like all the other cod games. I know most people buy this for multiplayer, but I still would like to play a good fps campaign. The multiplayer is the same, so you will either love it or hate it.… Expand
  85. mataycalm
    Nov 14, 2012
    1
    My Son and I purchased the Hardened edition and were so looking forward to it. It is a let down, the game play is too simular to Ghost Recon, and the maps might as well have been issued as map pack for Black Ops 1. I find the whole feel of this greatly dissapointing and feel I have totally waisted my money. My Son, after just 20 minutes, "Dad, its crap". Sorry. But if you know the previous maps you can even work out where they have just re-skinned them too. Look for launch forinstance, or Ait Plane wreck in COD 2, diverse examples of copied mapping.… Expand
  86. WimpySugar
    Nov 29, 2012
    7
    Update since I gave the game a 5 within the first few days. The campaign is great and with the ending changing depending on your choices, it actually adds replay value, unlike previous COD games. Zombies is fun for a while but the maps grow old after a while but it is still a very fun mode. Zombies will probably be better once they release more maps and perks. Multiplayer is a combination of MW3 and Black Ops. If you liked either multiplayer, BO2 multiplayer may grow on you. The pick 10 system is great since you won't see two people with identical classes. The system adds great variety and constantly makes you adapt your classes. This game does however have one major flaw: the players. In pretty much every game I go into, people camp on the second floor of a vertical building with either bouncing betties or shock charges (immobilizes you). The people who don't camp in buildings run around the map with all stealth perks or shotguns which both become extremely annoying until it becomes available to you. There are very few players who just play the game normally without using the most overpowered setups. This takes away all the fun for me in multiplayer. If anyone gives this game a ten they are lying because COD has a long way to go before it becomes perfect. While this game is fun for the first few hours, it just won't last. However, I still find it better than MW3.… Expand
  87. ATOMB
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    What is wrong with you people? this game is Great! Sure its not perfect but it is FAR better then the last Black Ops and almost better then MW3.... The game looks great the sound and sound effects are awesome not to mention the control is flawless. No there is nothing ground breaking about this game but they did manage to get everything wright. There are not to many games that can claim that. I have been playing games since Pong, that's right 30+ years exp. I say this games a HIT and a must have for any COD fan!… Expand
  88. JJkedinca
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Ok Ok, this game has its downsides, I won't deny that. The campaign wasn't as "personal" as many thought it would be. The graphics/ game engine is a bit old and outdated. There still were tons of set pieces during the campaign and the "expanded choose your path" campaign that was so heavily advertised didn't branch out into any extra levels. But you got to look at the big picture here. The multiplayer element is back in full bloom and thats what most people play. I can't say exactly why, but the feel of the multiplayer reminds me of mw2's, and it got me hooked unlike the first blops and modern warfare 3. Almost every single map is fun to play, and the guns are varied enough for most of them to be able to stand out on their own. Zombies continue to expand with the new tranzit mode, and also a grief mode, to add onto the original survival game mode that has still not gone stale. The campaign itself showed signs of improvement, with the both non linear and strike force missions(which were quite fun tbh). Both are rather weak, but still shows signs that the franchise is headed into the right direction. So overall, though it's not the perfect game and it didn't really deliver on all of its expectations(which is why i think everybody is giving it a bad rep), it still is a good overall game with lots of replay value (awesome multiplayer and zombie modes).… Expand
  89. MonoMofeta
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game combines the best of black ops modern warfare 2 and 3 as well as a new look to the series, good class system so as to bet puntos.Treyacht streak for risking and renew the series and they went well, I give it a 10 if tubiera dedicated servers.… Expand
  90. fsuman
    Nov 25, 2012
    9
    black ops 2 is awesome just to let every konw treyrach had pacth update's for the mulitplayer a long list of thing's there fixing for xbox360 ps3 and the pc it well take time to fix all of this but in the mean time just hold on and wate till there down
  91. Smashsoul
    Nov 29, 2012
    5
    At the end of it all I was left feeling sorely disappointed with Black Ops II, but I went into it knowing this would probably be the outcome. Compared to WaW and Black Ops 1 in terms of story I get the feeling Treyarch just didn
  92. DanKageakaTK
    Nov 15, 2012
    2
    It is beyond me how we still have people who buy Call of Duty. It s the same thing it always is. The only thing i keep hearing in Trey Arcs case is that the game has zombies. So what? To any body that buys this game over many other great zombie games I say shame. If trey arc wants zombies, make a real zombie game, not a gimmick inside of a war shooter. Back to Call of Duty. Nothing changes to the point where I want to spend another 60 bucks. Id rather wait for much better FPS games like Far Cry 3 or just play current great FPS games like Crysis 2 or Borderlands 2. Sequals that took what was good about the first game and then multiplied it to make it its own without ruining what made them great. Call of Duty is just been played out.

    I do however give the publisher activision much respect in the fact that they keep producing the same game year after year and get millions to buy it.

    "Its cause its great. People wouldnt buy it if it sucked."

    Good point. To that I say take out single player. See if people will buy it it if its only online. They would.

    The whole basis of my opinion is that they dont know how to make an engaging story.

    Bottom line. Buy it, dont buy it. I dont care. I know where I stand.    … Expand
  93. CROW3LL
    Nov 16, 2012
    3
    Starting in the Campaign. It had a good story line but It offered no challenge on Veteran, I was finished with it in 3 hours. Next is Multiplayer. Maps are horribly designed, head glitches are ridiculous, too easy to die on core, when you shoot someone half the time its not even the person, and all around horrible experience. The only this that brought my score from a 0 to a 3 is Zombies. I believe this new zombie idea is awesome. There maps added together though don't seem as big as they were talking. Tranzit is about as comparable as any other HUGE zombie map but is not actually HUGE. I want an expansive map that i can roam around and find something i haven't found before. Ranking of CoD 1. CoD 4, CoD WaW, CoD MW3, Cod BO, CoD MW2, CoD BO 2 THIS GAME DOES NOT DESERVE A 10!!!!… Expand
  94. 2nasic4u
    Nov 16, 2012
    2
    Worst game to date . Graphics are terrible . It's embarrising to think I support crap like this. With all the money they make they should get better graphics. I'd rather play a game on ps2 cause that's what it looks like .
  95. HunterGalactic
    Nov 16, 2012
    6
    Black Ops 2. 1) The campaign is pointlessly gory. Why do we need to watch people's heads getting cut off and listening to women getting raped? Who with a right mind takes pleasure in that?
    2) Multiplayer is boring. Some new killstreaks, guns maps but in the end its CoD MW3 and Black Ops in one.
    3) Cod is lost. The game designers are stupid. They are trying to do their best to make this g    ame good, but in the end its even worse.
    The only thing that stops me from hating this game is zombies. I love zombies and always will, If I will ever buy another Call Of Duty game it will be a zombies only game.
    Oh by the way the ending is even worse than Prometheus.    … Expand
  96. Scardij
    Nov 16, 2012
    4
    The whole point of Call of Duty is the online. That's pretty much why it's bought anymore. The only problem is that Treyarch can't overcome the fact that Call of Duty online is always poorly done. I've been playing Call of Duty games online since COD2. Black Ops 2's online is terrible. It just is. They implement lag compensation that punishes good connections and rewards bad. The submachine guns, like in every CoD, are obscenely overpowered to the point the other types are useless. They put in a new tactical grenade called the shock charge. For some reason, they felt the need to make it combine every feature of every grenade: can't move, does some damage, blinds you, and can be set in a spot to be triggered by passer-by. Probably the biggest problem is the map design. Every map leans towards the people who play Call of Duty by sitting in one spot where you're almost unkillable. Windows, random sandbags, boxes, upper floor buildings, etc. are all spots where only the tip of your head is able to be seen, while you can see everything, and they are literally at every corner. All-in-all, the online is dumbed down some more to appeal to the people who are no good at games in general.… Expand
  97. BelgianTofu
    Nov 16, 2012
    0
    Same old same old year in and year out. This series is a blatant exploitation of adolescent hormones. It's popular for the same reasons a certain young Canadian pop star is. Complete Rubbish!
  98. TDW333
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    I really thought this game was a good change from the last. The branches story line and decisions that affect the game is a cool touch. The new Zombie modes are killer!
  99. dwnwrob
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    To be quickly honest, I intended to purchase COD: Black Ops 2 mainly for the zombie gameplay. I loved the previous installments' zombie levels. The campaign continues on from the first COD, but it was difficult to understand the plot at first. It was only several missions in that I understood what was happening. The back and forth of the past and future felt off at times. The levels were diverse, but I had a huge issue with the strike force missions; forget commanding your teams from the bird's eye view. You literally have to win the battle yourself, the AI is so horrible.

    I had a huge problem with the character script of Admiral Briggs. In nearly every sequence, you'd hear him swear and/or over dramatize certain phrases. "Swears like a Sailor" is excruciatingly put to the test, even coming from someone who swears too often.

    The multiplayer point system for your loadout is really awesome. It adds a large benefit for broader customization. Player card editing is back but doesn't seem to provide as much as the first COD installment. The list of weapons is also a good size, allowing you to choose from many types, but the perks are still all too similar and seem to be limited. It would be great to have a larger list for even more customization.    … Expand
  100. TheJeffness
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    I was excited to try this after a lot of publications said it was way different than the past COD games, which I got bored with after modern warfare 2. Sadly this is only partly true. The single player game has improve quite a lot, but the multiplayer/zombies stays essentially the same. First the story is a ton better....I was actually constantly looking forward to the next part of the story. There is a huge amount of suspense built throughout the game because you know that **** is about to hit the fan with a America's drone force attacking itself. I usually dont like stories that jump around, but this works very well. Each level is completely different, varied, and in a different location...and you dont get lost within the timeline. It is cool how it allows you to make "Choices", but this feels like it wasnt built from the ground up....rather it was thrown in afterword because the different way of doing things seems tacked on. Some have said there is an open world element to the game....THIS IS NOT TRUE AT ALL...by open world they must mean a field surrounded invisible walls and only 2 routes to take. This is not open world and actually makes the game worse. Scripted sequences have always made the COD games stand out for action movie-like breathtaking sequences....but I think its time to move on. Yes, some of the scripted sequences within gameplay make for great parts, but many times it feels like my skill/shooting/moving abilities dont even matter because things are just flying by so fast and it feels that I would have survived, lets say a chase scene where you are shooting from the back of a truck , without even firing a bullet. Also for a scripted game, I dont understand why there are sometimes unlimited respawning enemies....I will be at a part in the game where I am constantly killing bad dudes, and they just keep coming, because I am unaware that I am supposed to move forwards....This especially gets annoying when you spend time killing an unknown number of buddies, decide to move up, than a random grenade lands at your feet or your hit by a mortar. The random deaths in this game from random greades really pisses me off, The multplayer is disappointing. The pick 10 feature is the only good new feature. Everyone has heard the arguments about why COD multplayer sucks now, so I will just list a few brief complaints... 1. There is no concept of a "front line" in this game....you will be facing a direction or moving in a direction for 15 seconds, and then suddenly someone has spawned behind your team and kills you with you not even knowing they are there. I know this cuts down on camping, but there must be better ways...I shouldnt have to keep looking behind at an area I just cleared.. FLANKING SHOULD BE A TEAM STRATEGY, not a spawning coincidence 2. First to be seen dies....there is really no point in aiming at heads because all the guns fire 100 bullets a second, and have no recoil....many people dont know that in console games there is a slight auto-aim in shooter games when your cursor gets close to a target. This is fine in games like Halo where you have time to dodge or take cover, but a slight auto aim with 1000 shots per seconds, 2 hit deaths, and shots going thru all walls, makes this game just plain stupid. ALL YOU DO IS SEE SOMEONE, SHOOT, AND IF YOU HAVE A FASTER FIRING GUN...YOU WIN! I realize that this game takes fast reaction time and reflex time, but I dont have that accuracy with my thumb...with a mouse I do, so it makes it so little teens with no IQ who only play COD ever have a chance of winning. You cant outsmart them because there is no way or time to....they see you first, you die, and they are probably behind you spawning in an area you just were in. It would be nice if there was any difference in the guns like in counter-strike GO....I mean I suck at that game on consoles because I dont have an accurate thumb from only playing COD all day, but I am amazing on PC...but atleast in that game there is actual RECOIL with the guns, and certain ways to shoot them...In this game you just aim in general direction and hold down bullet. I will admit that the multiplayer is addicting and a bit fun, but no other game makes me so angry. Its fun for awhile, but if I play multiplayer for more than an hour I am depressed and angry as ****....Battlefield 3, halo, counter-strike I would be having fun after an hour.. Overall. If you like modern warfare and black ops story, you will like this games single player a lot. Best story/characters/suspense/variation yet. If you hated most the other games single player story.characters then there is actually a chance you will like this. I you dont like call of duty multiplayer. you wont like this. If you like COD multiplayer, you will like this. Story = 9.2 Graphics = 6.3 multiplayer = 6.5 Replay = 8 Sound = 7.5 Originality = 6… Expand
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Critic Reviews

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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.
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  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.
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