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. Moe_Fugga
    Nov 16, 2012
    4
    I will start of with a disclaimer saying that I am not a COD fanboy nor am I a COD hater. I bought an XBOX 360 exclusively for COD 4 5 Years ago. I have played every one since and enjoyed all of them (at least for a little while) up until Modern Warfare 3. I am giving this game a 4 out of 10 and will explain in depth why (unlike other fanboys and haters on here giving ignorant reviews). If you are on the fence about this game and whether or not to buy it then read this. I'll start off with the good. This game introduced the Pick 10 System which works well. It opens up a bounty of options for everyones unique play style. If you want 6 perks and a pistol then go for it. If you want a shotgun, rifle, and grenades go for it. There is a limit to what you can do, but the limit is set high. At 60 frames per second this game looks excellent. Graphics are cartoonish in a way, but it is consistent with the other COD gas compared to Battlefield 3. The guns look great, the soldiers look great, and it is just an excellent looking game. Along with the graphics is the sound mix. The guns sound like guns and the explosions sound like explosions. The sound is what really pulls you into the game. Other than the variety in load outs, graphics, and sound this game has big problems. First is the campers. Now I know every FPS has campers, but this game brings it to the next level. The maps are cluttered and filled with windows, corners, and barrels to hide behind. I have never been so frustrated with campers in any other COD game, or any other FPS game for that matter. And the fact that Ghost is not unlocked until level 55 just adds to that problem. You cannot hide from the overused UAVs. Next is the lag. In every other COD I could run and gun and beast. I have found in Black Ops 2 that when I run up on somebody and get the drop on them they can turn around and kill me. EVEN after they have been hit 2-3 times already. And if I meet up with somebody rounding a corner and I clearly get the first shot off, I die. In the kill cam I don't even fire a shot. It is very aggravating. I researched it and turned the "search preference" to "best" and I still have the problem. So, what ever is causing this needs to be fixed before I play again. The last this is the aim assist. Every console FPS has aim assist due to the inherent non-precise aiming that comes with joysticks. I have not had a problem with this until now. As I am trying to track a moving opponent or shoot a stationary opponent My reticle drifts off target to the right about 80% of the time. I tried to turn aim-assist off, but that is a pain in the ass. With these problems outweighing the good stuff I gave this game a 4 out of 10. Until these problems are fixed I am going to stick with MOH: Warfighter. Unlike the critics on this site I love the multiplayer.… Expand
  2. Shotgun45
    Nov 16, 2012
    4
    I'm really disappointed in this game. The campaign is so-so at best. The multiplayer maps seem to favor those that like to wait in a dark corner or behind a half-wall. It's not terribly difficult to spawn trap the opposite team. (No matter the game type.) What has made it fun so far is playing with friends, but there are other games out there can do the same.
  3. 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!
  4. Arkamedius
    Nov 16, 2012
    0
    Same COD... I am no fan boy and I have or had purchased the entire COD franchise, really after playing this intensely over the past couple of days I can honestly say I am so tired of the same graphics, there is no production really required for them to publish this over and over again. All they need to do is think of a name slap a half assed campaign in and copy the multi player over and charge another 60 bucks for it.
    I am tired of this... so tired, I thought this game might be the turning point but it seems that they just stick to the same game over and over again, slap a number on the end and advertise the **** out of the game. This will be my last COD (unless they actually go from square 1 and rebuild). Really there are other games out there being made by actual Production companies that are worth money where as this should be included in a cereal box.    … Expand
  5. TheOmniMachine
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    First of all, lets get this straight. The people who are giving this game negative reviews while claiming this is the "same old COD" are dead wrong. I am not claiming this game is perfect, by any means, but calling the people at Treyarch "lazy" because they feel like they shipped a copy of any of the previous COD games need to play BLOPS 2 for longer than an hour to actually realize how different it really is. Starting with the campaign: I'll get this out right now, I enjoyed the Black Ops 1 story better, granted I've only played BLOPS 2 once so far but that is just how I feel right now. That's not to say BLOPS 2 isn't enjoyable, though. Unlike every other COD campaign, Treyarch decided to make this one less linear and scripted and actual gives the player choices throughout the game. Some of these are choose to kill or spare another character, while others are a little more subtle. After each mission, you get a screen that highlights all the choices made and shows how your story has progressed so far based on your decisions. No other COD has given the player the ability to write their own story as they are playing. There are also optional "strike-force" missions, which is a simple RTS style game, where you command troops from an aircraft up above. While this won't necessarily blow you away, its good to see something different. Another campaign feature is the ability to choose your loadout before each mission, although I never used this feature much because I didn't know which gun would be good for the missions I hadn't played yet. As I mentioned earlier this game isn't perfect and one thing I disliked about this campaign was the lack of variety in the missions. In previous COD games, they were able to break up the run and gunning with slow stealthy missions or sniper missions, but those weren't included in the game. I personally would have preferred having a couple of these missions to break up the fighting off hordes of enemies style. Multiplayer has also seen lots of changes. First and foremost, I felt Black Ops 1 had the worst lag compensation in any COD game and way too many times I found myself not getting credit for hits where the enemy was clearly in my sights on my screen, but when looking at the host's view, I was about a foot away from actually hitting him. This led to very frustrating situations, where actually getting a kill was out of your control. Treyarch did a great job with the netcode this time and hit detection and lag compensation are leaps and bounds better than its predecessor, which makes the games much more enjoyable. The create-a-class system has drastically changed too, with Treyarch implementing a "pick 10" system. Basically this means you can choose from up to 10 items for your loadout with little restrictions on what you can actually use. You can go as far as having a class with 6 perks and only a combat knife to a class with your primary having three attachments, but having no equipment. This leads to a lot of creative options that fits your style of play. One thing about multiplayer that I haven't found too great is the map variety. While, one strong point of the maps is they have a ton of detail to them all in order to convey what they want to show, like a destroyed part of Los Angeles (Aftermath) looks like it actually just got bombed, they all seem very bland and repetitive. While Black Ops 1 did a good job of having maps that were noticeably different, like having a couple of snow maps to one that has a live rocket go off to one at a firing range, BLOPS 2 maps all seem to center around buildings. Every map has buildings as its main focus and I have yet to find a map that I can say I really look forward to playing at, although in my defense I have only played a few hours and am still getting used to the map layouts. Treyarch easily could have made a carbon copy of any of its previous games and still gotten the same amount of money, but Treyarch really made a conscience effort to make a different type of game. I respect peoples opinion, but for the people who gave this game a 0 and claimed its the same COD really have not played it long enough to make a fair judgement. While I'm not saying this game is perfect, its certainly has some flaws, I'm really happy to see Treyarch make an effort to produce something different and for that, I believe this game earns an 8.… Expand
  6. X1xxCYGNUSxxX1
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    You get a lot of bang for the buck in this game. Campaign was enjoyable. Multiplayer is all new with its pick 10 system. The lag issues are something that every cod has worked through. Give it some time and that will be better also. Zombies is back in a big way with 3 different game modes. I know that this game will give me many hours of fun with friends online. The boot camp option for new players is a great way to get introduced into multiplayer without having to worry about stats. If you like shooters on console, this one needs to be in your library.… Expand
  7. OdinsChild
    Nov 16, 2012
    1
    all that was good has been taken away,to be replaced by very weak components,the actual MP gameplay is good,let down with a poor perks system,ugly playercards,a league play system that can put you in leagues you've no hope in,weapons aren't great,although attachments are an improvement,quick scoping and lag make a return,it doesn't have that addictive feel,that makes you play more,to get that next unlockable item,challenges don't pull you in either,it could have been so much more,they were so hell bent on change,they never stopped to think if they should… Expand
  8. cadeus
    Nov 16, 2012
    0
    . the game deserves a 1 but i gave it a 0 because of people who give this game a 10, so the user score will go up. so that is all i wanna say Look at my review history. Am I someone who jumps on a bandwagon in any way? Look at my review of mw3, and by the way, BO1 was mt favorite COD. BO2 is a compete waste of my money and it makes me happy mw3 was so poorly recieved. Granted, I've only played it for 1 night. But, the campaign is as most basic as possible,… Expand
  9. papdingding
    Nov 16, 2012
    4
    I've tried to like this game, but its just no use. There's just too many flaws especially in multiplayer holding this game back. Instead of fixing past mistakes like bad spawns, bad hit detection, lag compensation, and terrible matchmaking service they've decided to relabel these as features and sell the same old crap to you. Lack of weapons, game-modes and uninspired maps makes it even less enjoyable. Zombies has been fun, though there's no real story in "campaign mode". It's just the same old move from point A to point B. The actual campaign for the game is not bad either, the multiple choices add some replay-ability to an otherwise forgetful 6 hour story. I fail to see how this game is "innovative or "the new COD standard" and not just the same thing you've seen every year.… Expand
  10. Ormegasm
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    This game has zombies in it.......................................................................................................................5/10
  11. 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!
  12. 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
  13. Calebwilli
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    Black ops 2 tells an outstanding story and has very fun multiplayer modes. zombies is back and is better then ever and the new pick ten system in multiplayer is also very cool
  14. bySaer
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    this is my 2nd review, and now i realize that this game has its flaws, and has its high points. i like this game, rent it before buying because your opinion could be different than mine or any other metacritic user.
  15. Gilgamesh
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    MW3 is the easily one that should take the beating out of these two as it catered to the mindless auto aim twits. Black Ops 2 brings an actually interesting Campaign and much improved visuals. Granted some of the maps look similar to previous maps but it's a multiplayer game and why fix something that ain't broke. Sad that many people consider it a bad game instead of seeing it for what it is... an solid improvement over BO1. Simply put... anyone who gives this a 0 or 1 is not someone who's reviews are worth reading. You can't beat a game down simply because you expected something you didn't get instead of looking at the quality of what it is.… Expand
  16. Lap
    Nov 16, 2012
    0
    Another year another game that should of been a dlc. The game franchise has been worn out and overproduced. The multiplayer gameplay is atrocious and is still based on a select few overpowered weapons. Maps are filled with clutter and horrible corners made for camping. On a brighter note, the story was a great addition to the first, while gameplay is repetitive and you struggle to find the will to complete the game, the story makes it worth it. The real highlight of the game is the zombie mode, featuring a long innovative map which will leave you playing for hours on end trying to get everything and survive the zombie apocalypse.… Expand
  17. Juxhin
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    I actually think this game is much different and more enjoyable online. The smaller maps make it an all out war. Its not always about graphics people. In my opinion the game feels really sharp and the frame rate on the ps3 is amazing. It deserves an 8 but people were unfairly grading it expecting something different.
  18. LAB200
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Since the first time I played MW3 I did not see anything amazing, but with BO2 it was very different.
    For me this game is awesome. The zombies are fun, multiplayer has a much better cheek, graphics really good, by far the best CoD ever made. Many people are complaining because they don't want play this franchise, they're annoyed with it. I recommend that these guys try another franchise,     play the same game a lot is boring.… Expand
  19. 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
  20. 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 .
  21. EmericaCKY2k
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    The game is honestly a lot of fun. The graphics look a little outdated; but the engine runs smooth at 60 fps. As good as Medal of Honor and BF3 looks, it sometimes drops as low as 15 fps. In comparison, I'd prefer consistency over the "wow factor. "The gameplay is crisp and the new format for score-streaks and weapon load-outs provide a new value to the game.
  22. Johng4
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Why the hell is the user score for this game so low, if you guys dont like call of duty anymore then dont buy it. The fact is this game sold millions of copies because it is a good game, and heres why. The campaign in this game is fantsastic and it feels a lot different from the other cod campaigns. Now you make your own decisions that affect the outcome of your story and its a blast to play. The multiplayer isnt that different but now theres a new pick ten system in which you pick your guns and perks and each item is worth one point and you get up to ten points. I didnt really like it because it does limit you to what you can choose. And zombies is fantastic if you loved in black ops 1 then your going to die when you see what theyve done here im not gonna spoil it youll be shocked to see how much effort theyve put into zombies. This is by far the best cod yet and knock mw3 out of the park(mw3 sucked) do yourself a favor and buy this game its more than worth the price.… Expand
  23. MarkMorway
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    Some people must be looking for a earth shattering new experience. We all know it's not going to be so stop getting your hopes up. Not ground breaking, but great none the less. I like the MW series much better, but definitely some great additions to the game all around. The new "pick 10 system" is awesome. I like the new attachments like the enemy finder and stuff. It's fun, and that's what I score on.… Expand
  24. microskies
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    I perhaps wouldn't be giving this a 10 if it weren't for all the people who presumably haven't even played the game rating it 0, but anyway here's my review:
    Campaign is good, follows the same narrative style of the original Black Ops, which i think is a really nice feature, however strike force missions are definitely a let down. They're more Real Time Strategy game than First Person Sho    oter and a poor one at that, very unintuitive.
    Multiplayer though is the best in the series, with the new "Pick 10" system and balanced weapons, making it more about skill rather than what gun you have. The new "combat training" lobbies allow new users to get used to the game, in 1/2 XP games, deterring the veterans. The new league play is a better ranking system than the regular leaderboards, with thew choice of everything in create-a-class, and subdivisions make it easy to compare league spots.
    Zombies are decent, the "zombies campaign" promised turn out to be Tranzit, making it a bit of a disappointment, but Tranzit is still a fun mode to play. The new maps are a little difficult to navigate round at first due to all the fog and low-light but once you've got used to it, then its more enjoyable.    … Expand
  25. szchifo
    Nov 16, 2012
    3
    ok so its that time of year once again where we all have our fingers crossed hoping this iteration of the annual franchise will once again blow our minds just as it did in 2007.

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

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

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

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

    If you like cod fine but if youre like me and expect more for your money then I would avoid getting suckered and say no this year.    … Expand
  26. StarElite
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    BEST GAME EVER! The graphics look incredible, the campaign is the best FPS campaign yet, zombies returns and is better than ever, loved it, the multiplayer is incredibly different in this game with the whole 'pick 10' style which I loved, being set in the future is awesome, I love the new guns/attachments, overall, just the best FPS ever, love it so much
  27. 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
  28. JoePeli
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    It is a really solid COD game. The campaign was really good and not like any other COD game before. Zombies are awesome! The multiplayer could be better, but it is still pretty solid. Many won't agree with me on this, but this is probably the best COD game ever! However, it is still a COD game, same engine, pretty much same graphics etc. Especially the multiplayer still plays the same, which is not exactly a bad thing (for me anyway) and most importantly, the online community is huge!
    I'm really enjoying this game...It's impossible to give this game a negative rating, should be a 6 at the lowest!    … Expand
  29. 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
  30. 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
  31. 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
  32. TomComics
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    Treyarch returns to the Call of Duty franchise with the sequel to Black Ops. Black Ops II offers a brand new challenging campaign Treyarch tried to make different than others by including "Strike Force Missions", which means that whatever your actions occur, such as if you die in the game, will effect how the game will end. While Strike Force missions may sound promising, they do not always make the game as fun and can be annoying, and the campaign is overall solid. Multiplayer as always returns and feels the same as always only with futuristic weapons, but at least Treyarch is doing a better job and listening to the community for ways to better the game. Zombies is back and better than ever. TranZit was well done and everytime I play I learn something new and fun. Treyarch really put effort into hearing the fans calls out from the community for the best Zombies gameplay. The Nuketown Zombies map is decent, but nothing to get really hyped for. Overall, Black Ops II is a better game than the original, (but the graphics should have improved so much more!) offering a solid campaign with its weak moments, a same feeling multiplayer only with new maps and a more futuristic setting, and a much better and extremely fun Zombies mode,… Expand
  33. xcomponent
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    This game is huge fail! The sound is awful, graphics - mediocre. Maps - my, oh my!
    Zero the Hero!
  34. Phenom557
    Nov 15, 2012
    4
    I will start by saying this, Call of Duty:Black Ops II is not a terrible game. Its just as polished if not more so then the previous titles. Slight improvements in game play mechanics and zombie mode(s) don't go un-noticed. I've been a Call of Duty fan since the start (I'm talking the original COD and all its expansions on PC) but only a fool can play this game and say its ANYTHING more then MORE OF THE SAME!!. Nothing about the game stood out, nothing revolutionary and nothing mind blowing. The dated graphics engine is absolutely showing its age and cant hold up to gorgeous titles like Halo 4 or even BF3. I finished the campaign in about 6 hours and the multiplayer sadly did absolutely nothing for me, The level designs are un-imaginative and even the "futuristic" weapons lack the punch I was looking for. All in all Call of Duty Black Ops II is the solid 60fps shooter we've come to expect but nothing more. Sadly the back to back COD releases have taken their toll on most of the veteran gaming community leaving us all craving for something new.… Expand
  35. isturbo1984
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    Let's be honest. Most people giving this game a bad score haven't even played the game. It's the popular thing to do these days. Any gamer worth his or her salt isn't going to judge a game like that without playing it. That said, who the heck is going to buy the new Call of Duty expecting anything other than what it is? The developer, Trearch, deserves more respect and recognition that this. They busted their hump after the MW3 fiasco last year (a separate developer btw) to bring innovation to the CoD franchises while not changing too much so that it wouldn't be recognizable. They brought major changes too the campaign, multiplayer and their signature Zombies mode. This internet cred/score/thing is getting ridiculous.… Expand
  36. v0lten
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I give BO2 a solid 7. I love Treyarch as a company and believe they are a much better company than IW.

    This game has been a blast to play. Right now Im level 25 Prestige 1 and its Nov. 15th. Treyarch has implemented so many things into this game to make it a better experience and I love them. There are, however, a few key things that just ruin my experience sometimes. Listed in order or     annoyance/importance for me;

    1) Sound - Before I got the perk Awareness I never, not even once, heard someone sprinting up behind me to knife me. I could be standing on top of a metal staircase and their can be nothing else going on in the game (gunfire, etc) and I still can not hear this guy sprinting up this metal staircase to knife me in the back. I have Turtle Beach X41's and I play with them all the way up. In Black Ops, I could quite easily hear people even without whatever perk it was. In MW3 there was SitRep Pro, which let me hear clear across the map where people where hiding in corners. Now, in Blops 2, I cant hear a damn thing. Someone could come up behind me and throw a party and I would never know it. I couldnt wait to get the Awareness perk thinking it would be similar to SitRep Pro, well, its not, not even close. There were a few games where I actually heard some footsteps, but, if there is ANYTHING going on in the background (gunfire, choppers, etc), you cant hear footsteps again. 2 - Aim Assist - Is it just me or does every single bad player all of a sudden have the most amazing aim in the world? It doesnt matter if Im clear across the map with just my eyeball peaking out while head glitching, that person just scopes in and starts spraying and every bullet is smacking me. You watch the kill cam and you see the cross hairs just magically find you as long as he went ADS somewhere in your vicinity. I look at everyone K:D a lot and you just dont see the really BAD players anymore. Everyone is at least a .8 K:D. Theres a reason and thats because of this crazy aim assist. Coming from PC gaming, I understand the need for Aim Assist in a controller operated game but my god, turn it down a little.
    3 - Headglitching - 50% of gun battles involve you having to try to take off someones head because thats all there is in this game. I dont even know how you would try to fix this but I've never seen so many people head glitching. Every 5 feet there is another obstacle for you to stand behind and head glitch.
    4 - Domination Game Mode - One of my old favorite game modes, now my most hated. Unless you are on a very good team, this game mode is one sided. There are only ever 3 flag captures per round. One team gets A, the other team gets C, and whoever captures B wins. Very few games involve multiple Dom point swaps. The spawns in this game mode are also responsible for this because even if you manage to sneak all the way around to try to capture their starting flag, if you die, you spawn all the way behind your own starting flag and you have to do it all over again. Its crazy how bad this actually is. On a side note, I would love to see a 5 second respawn delay or something in this game mode.
    5 - Partying up - 2 things - Im usually playing with a full party of 6 people and when you go to start a game sometimes it takes a minute or so. For some reason, once the leader of the party starts the game, he can no longer hear anything from his teammates until they actually all get into the lobby, but, they can still hear him. Its kind of a weird/glitch thing that Im sure lots of people are complaining about and should be easy to fix. Another is being able to switch the party leader. If Im the leader of a party of 6 and I want to pass lead, that person has to back out and start a whole new party and send out invites. Kind of stupid.

    Well thats my review, Im still having a blast playing the game and Im confident Treyarch will fix a bunch of these issues once they start hearing from the community.    … Expand
  37. MasterReviewer
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    WOW, what a terrible game!
    Why do we allow this franchise to continue. Please stop supporting this game. THANK god I tried it for free. Call of Duty has been the same exact game since COD2.
    Gamers deserve better than this, a high price tag for absolute trash.
  38. Jhahn505
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    10/10. I have owned every call of duty since the original modern warfare. This is the best cod game to date and ill tell you why.

    Up to black ops 2, the original call of duty modern warfare was the best, modern warfare 3 being the worst.

    Honestly I was very hesitant in buying black ops 2 because modern warfare 3 was awful. I find it funny people criticize others for jumping on the co    d bandwagon every year but then haters give the game a review without 0 score review without even playing it! You are the one in a bandwagon!

    Here's why Black Ops 2 multiplayer is the best:
    -Best graphics
    -AMAZING gun sound effects
    -Intuitive and easy to use menus/options
    -Best map designs (opposite of MW3's maps)
    -Better gun balance than even MW3
    -Customization (32 layer playercard, camo on knives, ect)
    -Pick 10 system lets you be any type of player you want -Tough restrictions on hackers (permanent IP ban)
    -Zombies mode is a blast. My GF hates video games but plays this with me
    -TONS of new weapons attachments (pick 10 system lets you have 3 on primary)
    -Prestige mode does not reset weapons
    -league play actually ranks you against players of your skill level
    -COD tv gives you way more opportunities to get sponsored
    -in depth stat tracking right from the game

    Overall it's just fun! It's a game that I love playing and honestly don't care if people don't like it    … Expand
  39. MetaZ3489
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Black ops 2 is probably the best cod I have ever played. I dont understand why little kids and rage quitters are talking complete b.s. about this game. You suck so get over it. The story is flat out awesome and that doesn't even include the multiplayer. Online is great and zombies has gone to a new level! All hardcore cod fans need to play this game.
  40. Bosniak
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    -Best Cod Campaign ever
    -Best Multiplayer since Cod 4
    -Multiple Zombie Modes
    -dogs are back
    -4 player split screen zombies
    -score streaks are awesome
    -balls
  41. Shmowzow
    Nov 15, 2012
    4
    I don't want to give this game a four, but words cannot describe how depressed it made me feel. I guess the campaign was alright, but it's time for a change, CoD. Especially when it comes to multiplayer, something Halo 4 actually managed to pull off.
  42. Tacobadgers
    Nov 15, 2012
    4
    Call of Duty... what can be said? they have stretched the FPS Genre to its limits first they burned out the WWII era now the modern and slightly beyond era have gone down in boring flames.
  43. ReadySetGo
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I was a bit edgy on purchasing this game when it released, so I thought I would rent it, and I had very low hopes for it after the terrible performance of Modern Warfare 3, which if I reviewed now, would have gotten a 4/10 at most, and to say the least, I was surprised at this game, I won't get into too much detail about the Campaign, but I have to say the Campaign would probably get a 7/10, but the new and improved Zombie mode is very fun, with a new mode called "TranZit", where you travel by bus from place to place, spanning across all of the maps, it's very enjoyable and very addictive.
    The mode "Grief" on zombies is a unexpected pleasure as you try and survive longer than the other team in a battle for life over the zombies.
    The Multiplayer is still a bit lacklustre and is probably a setback for the game, although Combat Training (Not named that, it's now just a private match with bots) makes an expected, yet nice comeback, the Combat Training was my favourite part of Black Ops's multiplayer.
    The removal of Wager Matches left me quite sad, but they do still have some of the wager match game types, but you can only do them on private matches, which is pointless, as you gain no reward from this.
    I feel the only way for me to rate this is rate each bit of the game and find an average:
    Campaign: 8/10, More of the same, but more enjoyable this time around.
    Zombies: 9/10, Extremely addictive as long as you have friends to play with.
    Multiplayer: 7.5, Same lacklustre dragging, but at least it's better than MW3 (Thank god).
    Combat Training/Private matches: 8/10, definitely worth a shot, fun and even more so with some friends.
    All together, Black Ops II gets an 8/10, a nice change from the series and I hope to see more from Treyarch on the Next Generation of consoles.    … Expand
  44. Generallee109
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    I'm a 34 y/o guy that is a huge of shooters but if you think this is an improvement, you are nucking futs! The graphics are terrible and they borrowed the color scheme from Serious Sam. Multiplayer is king these days and the pick 10 system does not redefine this title. The levels are small, easily campable and just plain dull and boring. I give it 1 for how smooth it feels but could not shake the feeling like I was getting killed when I clearly had the upper hand in gun battles. I've already lost interest here after 2 days of trying to give it a chance. I hate HALO but i'm trading in BO2 in for it today.… Expand
  45. radimarzio
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    This game really surprised me. It's so good to see that the makers didn't sit over the old formula and still work to find new ways to put people on the battlefield and still feel like it's something they didn't pass before. The campaign has a good story, with a high mature level of violence,with a very convincing storytelling that, even with all the future stuff, can make we recognize the nature of the environment. Multiplayer rocks as always and the zombie mode is even larger than before. Enjoying every moment with friends!… Expand
  46. ClayMerritt
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    Well.... I fell for it AGAIN. I've been playing Call of Duty since Call of Duty 3. It stopped getting good by Modern Warfare 2. This is what Call of Duty does. They play all these awesome trailers on YouTube and on TV, and you think.... "Well, I don't know if I want to get this game." And then around 2 weeks before the release date, they play the best trailer they got for their last sales pitch, and you really want the game. Okay, so I got the game Tuesday night and I hesitated to play it until yesterday. I beat the campaign last night, it sucked. Graphics were slightly improved, but it was typical COD style, no big problem there... The story was annoying. The whole future-istic crap is so over done. It felt generic and dumb. So, I played the multiplayer. Typical COD sh*t. Nothing changes but the maps and weapons, and people STILL hack the game so it ruins what little fun there is. I quit half way through a Team Deathmatch, because this was incredibly stupid. So I played zombies.... Fantastic stuff! It seems Call of Duty needs to release their own zombies installment instead of the same ole crap they spew at us every year. Zombies is the only thing they've gotten right. CALL OF DUTY, WE DON'T WANT A MODERN WARFARE 4 NEXT YEAR, WE DON'T WANT A BLACK OPS 3, WE WANT CALL OF DUTY: ZOMBIES. JUST A FULL GAME OF ZOMBIES. ZOMBIE MULTIPLAYER, ZOMBIE CAMPAIGN, ALL THE GOOD STUFF. Ugh. I would say I won't be buying next year's installment.... but I've said that since MW2.… Expand
  47. nufrequency
    Nov 15, 2012
    3
    If you or your kid have been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or Kalnienk vision disorder this game is designed especially for YOU ! This is not the Black Ops game you were hoping for... This is Super Turbo Edition ! Treyarch came to the conclusion medium size maps are boring and not engaging enough.Play area has been shrinked significantly (on most of the maps) to accommodate extremely engaging close quarters play-stile of spawn chuck a grenade and then either kill something or get killed by whatever flew out of opposite side. Every map has been build around simple principle of tiny area and 3 corridors to flow the gameplay in the middle left and right side. I dont care about single player or will be talking about it but I assure you its Michael Bay style showcase from killing Vietcong soldiers, wing-suit flying all the way to some idiotic command and conquer RTS style mini-missions 0_o why ? I don't know... and YES ! There is dubstep, because every game in 2012 needs some of that wub wub. The only redeeming factor could be zombies, but why would you be willing to pay full price for it when there are more engaging brain eating themed games available for a lot less (L4D series) So far I've spend 5 hours in online battles and had no fun at all ! I'll try to sell this game by the end of the week or trade with somebody for something else. Meantime I'm going back to battlefield, maybe I won't have shiny 60 frames per second but at least game is not forcing me to have fun doing escapades inside rat maze size of a shoe box !… Expand
  48. The_Gooser
    Nov 15, 2012
    5
    If you are a long time fan of the Call of Duty franchise I would advise you to stay away, Call of Duty has not been the same since Modern Warfare 2, and Black Ops 2 is a just another turd dropped in the toilet of FPS turds.

    Black Ops 2 is a giant mess of a game, not much has changed, and the things that were changed have very little impact on the actual gameplay/setting. Black Ops 2 bo    asts future warfare, yet I am still able to make a class based around knifing people and end up on the top of the leaderboards. The weapons have not changed much, there is very little recoil, the differences between an LMG and SMG is next to none. The best way to describe this game is if Medal of Honor and Black Ops had rough sex and this is bastard child of that one night stand. The token unlock system is nice, I enjoy sacrificing certain things for more perks, but none of that matters, because there is very little difference between the weapons. From what I have seen, once people reach a certain level, everyone choose the Microwaver thingy, and camps in a corner. I remember this game touting the fact that it is anti-camper, have you seen the blackest night shadows in the broad daylight levels, you are practically invisible. The maps are way too big, not enough players to fill the maps, and the game modes are tired/old. The achievement system compared to MW3's achievement system is like comparing a mongoloid to Einstein. Play this game if you enjoy looking at or making emblems of chick's buttholes, because that is all the craze with the kids these days.… Expand
  49. Delorean
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    Horrible. This feels like 2 steps backward in game play. Really bummed at it's arcade like feel and look. Tried to like it but I can't.
    Blops I was my favorite game - and I was hoping for this game. But it's really just crappy comparatively speaking. Major let down. Games are short, you can't get pro perks anymore, no rewards for skill. Blah.
  50. pjams76
    Nov 15, 2012
    2
    Wow could they beat this dead horse anymore. This is by the far the worst in the series. They just keep pumping them out. The Story makes no sense and the game play is just more of the same. I'm done buying this crap. MW is now dead to me and BLOPS is beyond dead. I think we need to face facts MW is dead my friends.
  51. Zombie3DRU
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    This is one of the best action game ever, and I thing best action game on current gen. It seams that's another one CoD game game, but it something big, something serious and it HAS a really good storyline.
  52. mafiaalexpt
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    I Put the Game in Xbox360, and i installed, the menus are bad, i play the entire campaign and is ok , the multiplayer the same that the others cod´s, the campaign zombies is the best , but a game AAA with a campaign ok is not good, this game is a flop and the worst cod in 5 years.
  53. Rogredrabbit
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Love halo kilzone cod borderlands, been playing games 20 years black ops 2 ticks all the boxes,extensive options and modes. great bot mode for checking out all the toys, good fun, is as serious a shooter as YOU want it to be. Highly recommended
  54. comacoma
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    Haters gonna hate, but it's the best CoD up to date, and so it's the best Single-Player and Co-op FPS EVER. Non-linear, explosive roller-coaster with choices that matter. Too bad there is only one zombies map, but it'd be fixed obviously. Maybe has some flaws in MP but there is no competition anyway - BF3 is different game (not to mention boring sp/coop) which sucked at gunplay, and just release MoH simply flopped. At least Activision don't want my money for free unlocks. And here we are, people whine about engine and other incompetent stuff. You know, I can imagine PC gamers whine about dated visuals, but x360 crowd with 8yo hardware? Get over yourself.… Expand
  55. rmartinezdl
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    I dont get why Activision keeps renaming their Single Player Campgain dlc ($10) and take 1 **** year to release a weapons/map patch, and why on earth is this patch $60.
  56. clubdrift123
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    This game has really blown me away with the way that Treyarch have put in so much effort to make it better than that sorry excuse for a game Infinity Ward produced last year. The way the story entangles you in the characters is very cinematic and often plays like a movie. The Mulyplayer has been revamped and brought to a whole new level. This game is a great example of a Call of Duty sequel that is great (take notes Infinity ward because I was not impressed with MW2 or MW3). Thank you Treyarch for making the Black Ops games the best in the series.… Expand
  57. MrVasNormandy
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    It's called market saturation. Counter-Strike, TF2, and Battlefield 2 have as much if not even more content than Black Ops 2. These games are over 5 years old and when released costed less than 70 dollars. I wouldn't have a problem with Black Ops 2 if they sold it for 30 or 40 dollars because I don't see a 70 dollar value in its content or in the innovation in it. It's exactly the same as the CODs before it except the weapon models are changed (Which is very easy to do) more added to multiplayer customization and more added to zombies. These improvements are not worthy of a 70 dollar price tag as if it is a full game. A 5 hour campaign and some new content is something an expansion pack should have, not a full game.

    *WARNING below is a rant*
    I don't believe Black Ops 2 be a 0. But it sure isn't anything above a 6. Here critics are giving a game that shows no innovation 9/10 or 10/10's. There are indie developers out there working their asses off for years to make a new game with new innovative ideas, and there are developers out there trying new ideas and working on games for years. Yet they don't get 9's or even 8's for double the work and heart they put into their game. I'm not saying give these games higher ratings, I'm saying don't hand out ratings to games that DO NOT TRULY DESERVE IT. What kind of a market are we creating? That games should come out every year with only small improvements instead of large improvements? Should we continue to saturate the video game market with similar mediocre games for the sake of being called "a good game" by critics and fans alike. We're encouraging developers to stick to what works and never try to differentiate their games. This is why so many games are moving away from their original genre of game and swapping to first person shooters instead of their traditional strategy or tactical third-person shooter genre because of the cult-following of unoriginal games like COD. This could easily happen again with game developers seeing the reception from critics towards COD. Prototype 2 got flak for being too similar to the original (which came out little over 3 years ago) from both critics and fans, yet a Call of Duty that uses the same 5 year old engine is called remarkable, breath-taking, innovative and to my discontent; "A MASTERPIECE"    … Expand
  58. MikeHoncho
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I don't normally do this kind of thing but I'm sick and tired of reading reviews that say "The graphics are outdated". Obviously from little children who pay $60 for a game that looks pretty, same kids who would say games from past generations of consoles (NES, SNES, PS2, N64, etc) are bad because of the graphics . I haven't played the Campaign or Zombies yet, but the Multiplayer is fun, just like it always is. Thats what a game should be rated on. Yes, there are campers, try-hards, and these elite super players that come on here and own every other game, but who cares, its just a game. I'm no expert MLG gamer, I didn't stand in line for hours in the rain like all of those other losers just to think I'm the first one who has the game, and I'm not a fan boy. I just like to play Call of Duty with my friends as a social thing and I think thats what separates the men from the boys. If you don't like it because its "the same old thing every year" then you're the idiot who paid the money for it. The people who generally gave the review a good score are the people who like the CoD games for what they always are, and what they probably always will be.… Expand
  59. BIGDADDYBURPEE
    Nov 15, 2012
    2
    Oh look, it's THIS game again. Wee, Call of Duty 4! We're having fun! The 6th DLC- I'M SORRY I MEAN BRAND NEW CALL OF DUTY has been released. Boy oh boy, where the hell do we begin with this stinker. Same boring story, same boring guns, same boring graphics (come on you'd think with record breaking sales they'd at least upgrade the graphics engine but nope, same old sepia toned goodness to please my eyes). Here we have the deadbeat devs pulling what capcom did back in the late 80s and early 90s with megaman. Annual release? Don't mind if I do (except classic megaman was actually fun). Now don't get me wrong, Call of Duty 4 was actually a pretty fun game, but when all you do is just release these games that hardly qualify as a CoD4 DLC, let alone a new game, your customers are going to be upset with the extremely obvious stagnation of the series except brain dead children (WHICH IS WHAT THESE GAMES ARE TARGETED TO WHOOPS). Do yourself a favor, and pick up Call of Duty 4 for 5 bucks in your local hicksville wal-mart bargain bin and don't spend 60 dollars for really the same exact thing. If you're new to the whole Call of Duty shindig, stay away from it like the Chernobyl disaster site, or lock yourself in a hot tar kettle until your soul is relinquished to the sphincter of hell where you'll find the developers for these terrible terrible mistakes at work.… Expand
  60. ronswanson
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I am scoring this game an 8, on paper its the best COD game yet but my comments are comparing this game to MW2 and Black Ops. The key adjustments to note are that this is the most balanced COD game yet, with the least overpowered weapons / tech which many people considered game breaking. However, this also makes it underwhelming for those who were used to the overpowered features of MW2 and Blops (im looking at you TAR and dual shotguns). The weapons especially feel very similar to each other with very little individuality, you will feel comfortable with every weapon you use, this sadly takes out the desire to make a specific gun your own. In terms of Maps, they are fantastic. Many of them are very symmetrical and easy to navigate similar to MW2, however, they lack to control points and sightlines of MW2. This means that you will not rake up easy kill streaks by controlling certain high activity zones like you could with MW2. Again, this makes it very balanced for all players, with very few main focal points to go to, the 1v1 confrontations are not as predictable as MW2 and you will be kept on your toes. In terms of things that BLOPS 2 undeniably does better, its the graphics and gameplay scenarios in single player and sci-fi tech in general. While the campaign is still riddled with hand holding events and setpieces, they are done very well and are the most engaging since COD4. Overall this is a great game if you want your MP experience balanced and fair. But as someone who took the liberty of those overpowered elements in MW2 and Black Ops, the level playing field of Black Ops 2 comes across as a little underwhelming.… Expand
  61. Pepefromage
    Nov 15, 2012
    3
    I dont honestly know why people are still buying these games. After all cod game launches, commentary are all the same :been there done that blablabla. Will people ever learn? I played with my friend computer a few minute and honestly i'm glad to not have purchase this other cod "cut and paste" title.. They think by adding different perks and gadgets they will keep the franchise alive. But its dead since a long time ago. And they put so much money on publicity to make them sell tons of that crap over and over again . Its capitalism at its best. Pathetic!… Expand
  62. warzone132
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    Buying Black Ops 2 is like buying a burger that has some sort of "add on" that makes it seem tastier. E.g. burger with added hot spicy onion rings or some special sauce.

    Essentially you're purchasing the same game but with some minor tweaks.....

    Black Ops 2- Futuristic setting, Multiple endings, Choose 2 choices in game which lead you back to the same linear path (i.e. rappel down an    d fight enemies in close quarter combat ? or be a sniper and support your allies?)

    A good attempt at being innovative. Robots, future tech.... meh.................

    Graphics- No changes

    Multiplayer- Same thing

    Zombies: Yeah, I admit this is better than Black Ops and fun with friends, but still.... meh

    But at the end of the day, this is my opinion so don't be hating on me

    Although I applaud Black Ops 2's marketing campaign of getting all these celebrities in one promo video, so that was good    … Expand
  63. spinbotlv1
    Nov 15, 2012
    1
    the real score and the real quality of this game is around 4. But I give 1 against treyach and activision mentality. well, regarding the quality of the game, what I can say is : the game is outdated with indecent graphycs a boring story, stupid characters and a sp campaign structured on stupid, fast ride and mindless mission on rails that lasts 5 hours. If you are searching for a solid fps well structured in single player campaign, with an open world or sandbox missions or freeroaming DON'T BUY COD Blackops2, DON'T waste your money or rent it for a day and wait for farcry3 release or go out and buy the best fps yet available of this year: borderlands 2. The single player campiagn is only an excuse to sell this game at 60 bucks, but in reality the lenght is like a dlc of the previous Cod:black ops. Cod: Blops2 is only for fanboys multiplayer addicted, but warning because the multiplayer mode isn't perfect and has actually connection issues.… Expand
  64. Anupsetzombie
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    I'm almost 100% sure that most of the people who rated this game poorly haven't played it, or probably played it with a friend for maybe 20 minutes. This game brings MUCH needed changes to the series, in the Single Player, Multiplayer AND Co-Op modes. Each of these modes are almost perfectly executed (Besides minor server problems, and some missions in the campaign being a little strange). I really don't see how this is the same Call of Duty "As all the others after the first Modern Warfare". Treyarch brings in a completely different create a class system, a multiple path campaign and THE best co-op mode ever created. I will agree that the story was not nearly as good as Black Ops 1, but it is MUCH MUCH better than CoD 4s and MW2s. I was NOT a fan of Call of Duty 4, MW2 and MW3. I personally love anything that Treyarch has made so far, and the mindless hate just toward the Call of Duty title really makes me upset. I could go on and on about what great things this game has, but I will agree that it is not perfect. But it is FAR superior to any FPS that has came out so far this year, and is probably the 2nd best Call of Duty in the series. But oh well, the mindless gaming hipsters will continue giving mainstream games low scores in hopes of "taking down the corporations, man". Go back to playing your boring as hell Borderlands and your various other **** indie games. Stop giving these games mindlessly bad reviews, it's super obvious when you haven't played it either.… Expand
  65. 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
  66. DicePlayer
    Nov 15, 2012
    0
    A miserable excuse for a sequel let alone a full game. This is more like a overly priced DLC expansion pack. Completely no innovation compared to other games this year. It's campaign is repetitive and suffers from the same world war military shooter "been there done that" shooter syndrome. It's Multiplayer is no different, a copy and pasted rushed Modern warfare 3 multiplayer with the slightest tweaks that leave this game with completely nothing new to offer but a dent in your wallet for the same 'copy and pasted' non-innovative online experience that leaves us bored and swapping game disc's almost immediately after playing this re-hashed 'expansion pack'. A certain waste of my money and will be trading this game in on my next stop to my local Game shop.… Expand
  67. 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
  68. 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
  69. iTRYPOD
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    Boring! MP is complete garbage,zombies is the same and the campaign is meh at best. I have been a huge fan of the series but now i'm done! The fun factor doesn't exist in this game.
  70. Veritas
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Let me preface this review by saying I hate what COD stands for. I have played every COD, and played competitively during MW2. I hate the fact that the engine is re-used. I hate it even more because it's the same problem we see with movies nowadays, it's laziness, but it's laziness that sells. I hated it so much that, even though everyone on my FL was playing it, I did not buy MW3. Based on what people have told me, it's a good thing I did not try that trainwreck. Oddly, a few weeks back, I made a decision to come back to COD. Blackops 2 is exactly what I thought it was. The one thing I don't understand is all the hate coming from the same direction. If you bought this game and were not expecting a COD game, I have nothing to say to you other than "what did you think it would be?" Anyway, the engine is old, but the MP shines. It and BF3 both do the multiplayer thing about as good as you'll find on a console, and we'll have to wait for the next gen of consoles for some true innovation, but this is exactly what you thought it would be.… Expand
  71. f___yocouch
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    "No differences," people who haven't played this game will say that. Single-player has at least three different endings (that I know of), it involves choices, not many, but it tries to change the linear feeling of ALL fps games. The campaign also INTRODUCED strike force missions, I have to admit it was poorly executed, in my opinion, but it introduces strategy to the campaign of COD. The campaign allows you to choose your own gun for each mission, small detail, but it helps. Yes, if you are a marathon video game player, the game does get boring, but all games do. Zombies also changed a lot, no need to go into that area, mostly because I haven't played zombies a whole bunch: multiple pack-a-punch uses, the work bench thing, other stuff. Multi-player introduces a new "Pick-ten" system (weapon loadout), a new sensitivity system, a different feel (for me), Pointstreaks, camping "restrictions," etc. The sounds are magnificent, they also help throw you into the game, I loved the colors of the game, I feel like they did a good job. Graphics aren't the best, but the game runs at an average of 60 frames per second, so don't complain; by the way who cares about graphics, I grew up with crappy graphics for games, so I see that the game play is what matters; for my experience to this point, I find the game to be amazing, one of the best COD's, I don't want to say "since COD 4" because that just makes me sound like a kid who has never played COD before, even though I played all since COD 2. If you are on the edge to buy it, go to amazon and wait for used games to pop up, they are usually at an extremely lowered price, I find that it is worth spending $60 on it, it is a fun game, the campaign, the multiplayer..... and the zombies (fingers crossed.) People mostly rate 0's because they haven't played the game, they just want to troll, so if you want a better and more honest review, go to youtube and watch "First Impression" videos from some commentators, and find the good and bad things in the game.… Expand
  72. Kevin4Rox
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    I feel it important to say first and foremost that i have never enjoyed the multiplayer of COD. The spawning is stupid, the fighting erratic and importantly the variety non existent. What mildly intelligent person actually cares about the relentless barrage of trophies and medals which remain as completely useless mementos locked away in the dark quarters of your console. Receiving a trophy does not make a game fun. Playing the game should be all the fun needed. COD is not fun. I started up the single player campaign to be blown away by the complete lack of 3D during cinematics. To clarify i have just finished AC3 in 3D and the 3D was awesome, the game, so so. Then the game finally started, thought id get my kill on. Instead i was left feeling sick by the poorly programmed 3D in the game. OK, i'll play without 3D then (dissapointing since 3D games are few and far between). I thought maybe i would stop feeling sick now. I was wrong. The urge to bring up breakfast, lunch and possibly dinner from the night before was simply to great. You see i am a sympathetic vomiter, i see vomit, i vomit. What was being served up on my beautiful 1080P 63" 3D TV was indeed vomit. The graphics are worse than bad. I can hear all you braindead fanboys now, "it runs at 60fps...how can it be bad when so many people buy it?..." Well first of all, in case you hadnt noticed, nobody cares about 60fps, as long as it can hold a steady frame rate of say 30fps and not stutter it is perfectly acceptable even imperceptible, ie BF3 which incidentally craps all over CODBO1 & 2. "Why do so many people buy it?" Easy. People are idiots! One need only walk down the street and witness a slew of teenage boys wearing their little sisters jeans with hair that must having taken all morning to style to understand this. More evidence you ask. Look at those that sit atop society in any region of the world, they are always a minority, why you ask again. Because people are overwhelmingly idiots. Back to COD. I am not a hater, honestly i want all games to be fun. I've been gaming for like 25 years, i do not discriminate. So where did my CODBO2 story end?? I was so disillusioned with gaming after just 10 mins of CODBO2 ( I know your thinking, "well you didn't even play it, you missed the options and story line blah blah blah zombies blah blah") I didn't and wont miss anything. If i want to be bored and have options that lead to different endings i'll read one of my old chose your own adventure novels. If i want zombies I'll watch The Walking Dead (which is awesome BTW). So... I digress. After attempting to play and ending up heaving in the toilet i was depressed. I thought to myself i cant wait until the end of the month for Far Cry 3 or more importantly the end of the year for more expansions for BF3. I need to have my new found hatred of games quashed. Now i must tell you that i have never owned an XBOX always PC games and Playstations. I did the only thing i could. I bought a XBOX and Halo 4 and whilst is very far from the greatest game ive played, it has all but erased the sour taste left by CODBO2. Shame on you Treyarch for dishing up such a pile of steaming hot turd when you have the resources and fan base to do something truly revolutionary. Shame on you, you masses of idiots out there who will buy and love this game for no apparent reason other than you liked the one before it and before that and so on. Shame on you professional critics for giving this game such a high score. I have never posted anything online before, not a blog, not a tweet nothing. This game has brought out the entitled **** in me that so many of you had embraced so long ago. I feel that what i have to say is important enough that the world need access it. Shame on you CODBO2 for making me an internet posting geek who thinks that people care what i have to say. Please stop buying this dribble. Please start thinking for yourselves. I gave it a zero because im sure i played this already...in the '80's.… Expand
  73. mirroredrecovry
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    When I saw Black ops 2 for the first time, I thought it looked cool. I had played previous Call of Duty's and found the first one to be great. Then, only every game afterwards, was the same thing. As great as Black Ops 2 looks, it is, the same damn thing. The campaign is ok, not going to keep you after your first play through. The multi-player is crap. Remember Modern Warfare 1? I almost thought I was just playing an awful map pack. It might be okay if the maps were well structered, but no, they are just awful and invite camping and cheap tactics. Zombies is the only thing I can say anything good about. It will keep you for a little while, but soon, and quickly, will get boring. I wish Black ops 2 was better, at the same time, I had wished, previous Call of Dutys had been better. Call of duty is just a cash cow now. Don't waste your money.… Expand
  74. geckowhite
    Nov 14, 2012
    3
    As a COD fan who picked this up at midnight. I'm very disappointed. The point system in multiplayer isn't bad, but the streaks are just blah. The strikeforce missions are a complete failure, and almost impossible without playing it as one of the characters. They take me completely out of the game. Zombies well, what happened??? All of the fun of playing is lost, and now it's just boring. This was the only reason I could get my girlfriend to play the game, and its completely broken. All of the maps follow the same cookie cutter form of each other. There's always 3 routes - left, right, middle. And they are made to be chaotic instead of strategic. Sniper rifles are almost useless for sniping. I really wish I had played the game more before I redeemed my 4000 points for a season pass.

    I've never bothered to create an account on MetaCritic, but after a few days of playing this game, I needed to express my disappointment. If this is your first COD game, go ahead and buy it. But if this isn't, and you haven't bought it yet, pass. It just feels like a half completed game.    … Expand
  75. ddmonkey15
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    I love these idiots that review this game and most likely haven't even bought it. Don't listen to these morons that give this game a zero... I even saw someone complain about noob-tubing when that hasn't been an issue since MW2. It's absurd Overall its a great game. they added new things to the multiplayer like new class system and plenty of new modes and maps. They also changed around the way killstreaks work and of course added new ones. Defiantly check it out its a great addition to the series and don't listen do these idiots reviewing this game and giving it a zero for BS reasons.… Expand
  76. ryankugel
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    Treyarch, congrats. You've officially embedded yourself in my mind as horrible at game making. Many people here are complaining about the lack of change, but I disagree. I hate the changes they've made. For this review I'll be talking about the multiplayer part of the game.

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

    Honestly, I want more of the same. I want the old CoD 4 back. Not with these stupid "advancements",    … Expand
  77. RaiderMX
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    The game is really weak and repetitive. The campaing is awful full of cliches, and boring. The multiplayer is the same as Modern Warfare, Zombies is somewhat good, but I still prefer the Nazi Zombies of World at War. The new features suck since they only works in first world countries(since the rest don't have enough bandwich) and no one of my friends would want to watch me play Call of Duty, when they can saw games that takes skill like LoL, Starcraft, Halo or DoTA. The game is bad, and the same thing like the last year, but like with Pokemon people will buy this game just because is easy to play.
    Also graphically the game resolution is really really bad.    … Expand
  78. happyorangejuce
    Nov 14, 2012
    1
    I wasn't expecting much, but I expected too much. The graphics would have been good, for 3 years ago. The campaign is weak like always and the Multiplayer is nothing new. Even the zombies, the one reason I had faith has been ruined. Tranzit is fun, but that's all there really is. Nobody in there right mind could possibly like this game.
  79. Maxson
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    I don't know how people rate this game 10/10, 9/10, or even 8/10. The campaign of this game was kinda weak, and like all CoD games, its very short. Just because they think adding bunch of explosions in one screen would make this game awesome...lol no...Multiplayer...oh man...the reason buy this game is multiplayer. The online of this game is basically the same sh!t as the other titles..similar perks and all. They might have added a few new additions like some new tech into the game multiplayer but still it feels the same. This game deserves 5 or lower out of 10. Its not worth the 60$ people...your basically buying the same game except with a new story and new toys added to your online experience. You guys please open your minds and face the fact that this game is not worth it. PS: Only positive thing about this game is zombie.… Expand
  80. RexReqz
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    I love CoD I've been a fan for so long that was very eager to get a copy of Black Ops 2 and jump in to a great game yet I was wrong. Let's start off with the campaign. It now has a branching storyline unlike previous CoD games where it was very linear. This adds to some of the thrall to keep playing and see where the story can end up. It is a good story but some parts just don't add up or keep me involved to caring what happens to Mason or Woods. I think I've become jaded to the suspense and the massive amounts of f bombs thrown around. This story could've been better if you would have stopped making me jump around characters so damn much. The other addition to the campaign is strike force. Strike force is a bad rendition of an RTS game. Now I played the game on Veteran because I believe it adds to the depth of a game unfortunately Strike Force mainly the mission FOB Spectre is impossible to beat. The AI can not adequately seek cover and be as good as the player therefore they get eliminated fast. There were times when the group that I had picked would not follow my orders or the way points that I would set up. Strike Force can be a great add but I prefer as a separate part of the game much like Zombies. The campaign could've been great but too much stuff and not very well done. The Avenged Sevenfold crap was the worst part. Crappy music for a crappy ending. Now let's get to the multiplayer. Crap. Yup that sums it up. Crap. The weapons all sound the same. See for yourself same damn POP POP sound. The weapons lack power and seem to have the same damage regardless of stats. The shotgun and sniper rifle are still 1 hit or 2 hits. Point system isn't something I cared for. The perks are varied but in the end the gameplay makes it forgettable. The maps are poorly designed and are filled and I mean FILLED with pigeon coops. I just can't describe how everything does not work well. The frantic pace of previous CoD's where you were able to rush and do well because the game worked but this game works against you. The multiplayer was supposed to be rooting out camping but low and behold this game has more camping than I have ever seen. It could be maybe because of the scorestreaks? Nothing works. It isn't fun. It's more of a chore to play. I love a good multiplayer but this multiplayer just was unable to keep me playing. I have yet to play Zombie mode since it doesn't interest me. I'd give it an 5 mainly because the multiplayer is a big let down but I'm giving it a 6 because Zombies might just be good. Just a big let down. Remove the Black Ops title and add another one because this doesn't do justice an even better game.… Expand
  81. Mana0530
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Decent story and a good multiplayer!!! People just hate cause they don't like the COD franchise . You don't need to give a game 0 cause you are on the hate train!!!!!!!!
  82. WhyuHating
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    Wow, so many Zer0es, the game is so bad that it deserves a 0. I don't love COD but i at least thinks it deserves higher than a 4. Changing the formula to a game that is very repetitive takes guts. They should at least get a 5 for effort. (plus an extra 4 for all the haters out there)
  83. Brandaman
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    It's quite funny looking at people's review history and seeing them giving every Call of Duty a Zero and every Halo a Ten. If you don't like CoD, fine, just leave it to the people who do like it.

    This is probably the best CoD since MW2, although I seem much worse at the MP compared to the other ones for some reason.
  84. Tjr185
    Nov 14, 2012
    5
    It's so frustrating. I was a huge COD fan since the original and have seen the series lifted off and took hold of gamers around the world. I enjoyed BO1 although I was greatly disappointed in MW3. I was so excited to get Black ops 2. I had heard all of the changes that were being made and implemented and then closer to release I read reviews giving it high praise. Well what happened? I'm not sure what happened to so many of the improvements they were supposedly making it into this game. There's not a whole lot changed from past CODs. Each year I've spent 60$ on the game and another 60& on dlc a d I can honestly say this has finally changed me. Especially with Halo 4 just coming out and being so good all around. The campaign is ok but the graphics and showing their age and the story is kind of cheesy. They tried to implement some strategy into the campaign but it fails miserably. Multiplayer is the same as its been. Really nothing new here. I was hoping for more. Just very unbalanced and I was not impressed with the maps. IMO this could have been dlc for black ops honestly. Zombies has changed and implemented some great things but the problem is its unfinished. You'll have to wait for future dlc to open the world up more and I'm tired of not getting everything I'm paying for when I buy a game. If you want give it to me later for free but don't charge more for something we should have received day 1. People can say how I'm a COD hater but I always loved the franchise which is why I'm so disappointed in this and last years game. People can also say how amazing this game is but I just don't understand that unless your 12 and are just trying to look cool with your friends at lunchtime. It's the same old same old and I'm tired of supporting this. Paying 120$ a year for the game and dlc is a joke when there is no innovation from our $. Just slap a 2 on the box or next year they will say how they are changing everything and going to move the series forward and they'll slap a 4 on that box too. I can say that with so many new games coming out in the next couple weeks and great games like halo 4 which have recently been released, why waste another moment playing the same game you played 2 years ago. It's not horrible. It's just not good. I guess I've fallen into that saying what's the definition of insanity...because I keep buying the same thing year after year expecting different results but never get any. Buy this when its 10$ or rent it and see for yourself but Save your money for something better.… Expand
  85. Satis
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    A copy and paste job, cheap lazy money grabbing offering, this franchise deserves more and gamers even more. What is achieved in this, could have been a £ 15.00 DLC update.
  86. beatflux
    Nov 14, 2012
    4
    The dirty little secret of the Call of Duty series is that the original creators left Infinity Ward to start Respawn Entertainment, and with them they took the intelligence and innovative spirit of the series. What was left were the bones of a great series left to be recast by two back to back developers who would futilely attempt to revamp the series again and again. The last great Call of Duty was Modern Warfare 2, and since them fans have been slowly exposed to a dying series that will eventually be a parody of itself. The core of Black Ops 2 multiplayer is broken because it doesn't not deal with fundamental aspects of fun and gameplay. The maps are chicken scratch attempts at creating an adrenaline fueled rat maze with no sense of intelligent direction. The spawns are absolutely horrid: spawn can often be a throw of the dice to see whether you manage to live or die. Finally, the lag in this game is still at a lower level than the MW1 and MW2 variations, the lag still puts you into that situations where you thought you had the jump on a guy, but the killcam reveals that you didn't even pull up your gun. Without addressing these core issues, the series is slowly withering away its hardcore fans, and eventually the rest of the community will start to catch on. Treyarch is a shady mom and pop used car sales lot who will praise the paint, but refuse to fix the engine.

    If the gun classes were balanced, the online gameplay fixed, and the maps completely redesigned with strong team deathmatch gameplay I would be inclined to give this game at least an 8 or a 9.    … Expand
  87. armystrong
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    This game is worse than the first black ops mwf is were it's at black ops controls are jerky and not smooth like mwf. Black ops is unrealistic. They made it harder to earn kill streak packages it's just a horrible game all around wish I could get my money back
  88. dirtyXboxUser
    Nov 14, 2012
    3
    To be fair after the last release (MW3) I was to say a little disappointed. I strongly believed that Activision were just trying to milk the 'cash cow' that was / is its loyal following. I have bought every previous version on release day myself before you start to slag me off!!
    This time though I decided that I was not going to stand in line like a mindless sheep that Activision would b    e banking on awaiting the midnight release. This year I decided to go down to my local Blockbuster and rent it for the week. Well, that was the plan....... having played this pile of stinking dogsh*t for 12 hours I find myself taking it back already!!
    They is nothing new in this game, nothing ground breaking as promised. To me, it looks like a step backwards rather than the much hoped leap forward! I my opinion, this is little more than another game that could have been just DLC for the original BO. The single player could be finished by a trained monkey in less than 3 hours! As for multi player - if your lucky enough to get online and stay there without being kicked, you find camper friendly maps, an unstable connection that often sees you die. Then, when viewing the kill cam the killer was in front of you!!
    Activision have stooped to an all time low, taking the money from loyal fans and doing a runner, almost like a legalised mugging!
    This franchise has sadly reached the end of the road. I myself will be saving my £45. I'm sure that this will be slated by fanboys who cannot see further than the end of their nose, but thats not really my problem.


    Put simply, I would not touch this with a barge pole unless being let down and disappointed is what your into!!    … Expand
  89. paquettemasks
    Nov 14, 2012
    1
    I'm extremely disappointed in this game. Treyarch wanted to get rid of the thing a lot of people complained (Ghost) about in the previous Black Ops, that they completely ruined the game. UAV is instantly unlocked while Ghost is unlocked at lvl 55, coupled with the fact that you still appear on radar even with ghost unless your are sprinting makes any kind of stealth play impossible. They wanted to get rid of campers by splitting up the original ghost perk into 3 separate perks, but people still are gonna camp. Now te campers are just going to know exactly when your coming in so there going to be ready. How does this make any sense to anybody? The way the game plays right now is pretty much a giant split screen and everyone is screen looking because UAVs are being used so much that people are constantly on the radar, so people are always going to know if your coming around the corner. I've always played a run-n-gun stealth class in every recent cod game, now I can't do that because there really is no more stealth class. So now I'm force to play a horrible play style of running around like a idiot and just spraying at people hoping I my connection is better so I get the kill. Sounds like fun right?!? Thank you Treyarch for having me waste my money on your horrible game, and thank you because I'll never be buying another COD game ever...… Expand
  90. gorgozola
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Wow, I guess we now know where all the COD haters congregate. A user score hovering around 4.2 is complete and utter BS. This game is through and through fantastic. To all those saying that nothing has changed, what rock have you been hiding under? With the implementation of the Pick 10 system and scorestreaks this completely changes the game going forward. Those are only two of the many changes that the franchise needed and made. I'm giving this a 10 out of 10 not to skew the ratings but rather because it deserves that rating. This is the best fps game on XBOX 360 (right there with Halo 4) that we are going to get.… Expand
  91. Burbaby
    Nov 14, 2012
    3
    Garbage. Same re-packed gameplay. Graphics are very, very disappointing for the latest game released this year. Multiplayer identical in almost every way. 'Ohhh new guns!'..... I wanted to like this game, I really did. Laughable campaign with 9,000 stupid AI that you mindlessly murder map after map until you make it to the checkpoints and suddenly become impervious to gunfire.. Better game than Black Ops I. Zombie maps have a somewhat new face and idea and are fun, but still confusing, which I suppose is part of the intrigue(I made it past lvl 50 on most of the last Zombie maps as to show I'm not a complete n0ob). Graphics still suck and zombies still act the exact same as the last game. Exact same. Music and sound is even the same. I would like this game a lot if it was the first CoD I played, but since it is JUST LIKE the first CoD game I played, I'm pretty bored and I can't believe people are paying $60 for another map pack and weapon re-skin in such record breaking numbers. Are we just mindless sheep? I love how we are eating up this garbage. If they make another game with this same engine and the same graphics, I fear it will make CoD a self parody(if it hasn't already). Treyarch and the rest of the CoD producers are laughing all the way to the bank with this one. And the last one. And the one before that.

    Gets a 3 because a 0 is stupid. There IS content here and there is even new content, just not enough to justify a new game.    … Expand
  92. goody1388
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Black Ops 2 is a good game period. Everyone is judging it on being the same as the older versions. If this rating system was to be this way any sports game should all have a 1. Assassins Creed 3 should have like a 2. Halo should have a 1 as well. If you dont like Black Ops 2 then thats fine but you should have more of a reason than that its like the other games in the franchise. If you insist on comparing them, you shouldnt compare it to Modern Warfare because they are from complete different developers. If anything you can compare it to WAW and BLOPS, its a pretty good game. You can tell that Treyarch tries to make a great game and and overall the suceed.… Expand
  93. ThatKiddLe_Fonz
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is my very first review. Ever. I just wanted to put this out here, though:

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Maybe for all of you nay-sayers out there that are just hating so hard on CoD right now, the innovation will come with the new tech and systems soon to arrive. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. But, either way, Call of Duty will remain what it has always been. So I give this game a 9 out of 10 for remaining true to its roots while making some pretty significant changes. Peace, interwebz    … Expand
  94. zpoc
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    a welcome evolution to the hyper-popular franchise - and the best COD since the first modern warfare. complaining about the graphics in a COD game has become a de-facto passtime every november, but to my eyes black ops 2 is a gorgeous game, especially in 3D. treyarch have polished the visuals, while still maintaining the essential-to-COD 60 frames per second the game demands. the only stumbling point are the non-required strikeforce missions, that attempt to blend rts with fps and mostly fail. thankfully they're still interesting, and props to the developer for trying something new.

    the multiplayer's class overhaul is perhaps the most interesting change. a system called 'pick 10' is implemented, that lets you mix and match your perks and loadout with a greater degree of precision than ever before.

    and the singleplayer campaign, which follows the same rhythm as past iterations of the game, is bolstered by the new near-future setting and larger, wider and more detailed levels. its also considerably longer than MW3's campaign - at least 30%, if not 50%. add to that the much loved, and expanded upon, zombie mode and i can't quite fathom how anyone could be disappointed in this game (though i'm sure there will be legions that are, more out of spite at something so 'mainstream' than legitimate criticism).    … Expand
  95. Luckypaddy
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    I Like this game! I think it's fast paced and dynamic. Any other bozo that just join this site to bash it should quit being such little whinning baby's. The campaign has so much to offer than the previous COD games. Multiplayer now has a better setup for every type of FPS gamer. You can truly costumize your loadout. And the fact that you can actually compete in a League setting is awesome. Simple enough review. But it is my opinion. Oh and the sales figure tells the haters to shut up......… Expand
  96. pieman2013
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    The ones that put a 0 for this game are the ones that used to be on top in the other games before and now they start to die more. that is because more and more people are getting better and learning how to play, the only bad thing about this game would be sometimes the spawn sucks and I get killed from behind. It is frustrating at first but you have to get the hang of it. I slowly got better after playing starting with a .5k/d to a .9 in quite a few games. It takes time to get used to. And dont complain, you bought the game so enjoy it, Treyarch put so much work into this game so give them credit. Just have fun… Expand
  97. Kuse
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    Worst iteration out of them all, this game is a cash cow and offers nothing new. Same weapons, same types of matches. It is just a very tired franchise and should be put out to pasture. Let the Kiddies keep the CoD Franchise, Halo 4 reigns supreme as always.
  98. DudeManGuy
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    After playing up to level 35 in MP I can say this:

    They've changed quite a bit in the interest of balance. Ghost is now a top-level perk. That changes everything. UAVs are now super important, as is shooting them down. "Pick 10" for loadouts also changes the way you'll play. Want to move quickly while ADS, with fast reloads and a red dot? Prepare to give up just about everything else. I    t's a system that guarantees nobody has too many ways to keep you down.

    Haters are going to hate, but this is a great game. Totally worth the money.    … Expand
  99. Tiger2182
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    From what I've seen the game should be competitive online. But for the bashed reviews, what did you expect? The game is pretty polished and not broken. What makes call of duty and other fps games not fun is the crowd. Not everyone though. If your competitive and play by the rules, its fun. If you camp, glitch, hack and boost. That's the crowd that make games frustrating. Remember the old days of MW2, it got me out of call of duty. Is the game worth $60 dollars? No. Is it worth $40? Maybe. Call of Duty will never change core mechanic of the gamepad but will change map design and size. But when the price drops for pc or I can get it on sale, I may buy it. I've never had a problem with the call of duty design but the ones who don't play by the rules make it pretty dang frustrating but its not Treyarch's fault. Battlefield 3 is the same its not broken and is fun but the people who don't play by the rules make a match terrible. So don't bash a game based on same old same old. Should of rented it before you bought it.… Expand
  100. MarkBells
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    GOOD REVIEW: All these user reviews are ridiculous, this is a great game. All these countless comments saying "Bad campaign, bad zombies, bad multiplayer" truly are just hating on the series. Call of Duty games feel the same, that's a given! Want a new game that doesn't play like a CoD game? Buy Warfighter and see how satisfied you are. The game flourishes off of its simplistic controls and addicting gameplay, why mess with the secret formula? The multiplayer in my opinion is most comparable (gun play wise) to CoD 4. The hit boxes are much cleaner, so kills are quick, but shots have to be on target. People say its the same old game, this is far from the truth. The multiplayer is built from the ground up (obviously keeping the same feel and inevitable game modes/menus and such). No longer is it just another game where guns my look different but play the same (EX: Famas [MW2] Type 95 [MW3]). There is plenty of variety, from a burst fire-high cyclic rate SMGs, to LMGs that steady during sustained fire, to guns with different trigger sensitivity, to 4 burst and 2 burst assault rifles. The game has changed. Maps are colorful and through playing can remind you of maps from every CoD game. The entire multiplayer menu system is revamped and awesome, the Pick 10 changes gameplay drastically. Single player is what you would expect with any CoD game (frankly who buys CoD for single player?) . Zombies is awesome, playing a game of TranZit you could leave and join session with your friends, and the gameplay is addicting. But what it all comes down to is the multiplayer. It's impossible to give it a true review on 2 days, just look how the tone of MW3 changed after release, but from what I have seen, and after playing every CoD game since Finest Hour I can tell you if you are a CoD fan, or a video game fan in general, then you won't be disappointed. I feel like people want to hate CoD, that's what these user reviews are. It's embarrassing, we buy the game, we play it, if you can't tell me the countless hours you will spend on this game isn't worth even 5/10 from your angry mind then you don't know what a good video game is. I made this account just so people would know the truth, don't listen to these spammers playing devils advocate, they are just pissing and moaning a classic rant about the repetitiveness of a series. I'm pretty positive we all saw this coming, the formula doesn't change, and it shouldn't. I want CoD to feel like CoD and in that respect this game succeeds in holding true to its name, but breaking more barriers then let's say, MW3. If you want a game with engaging multiplayer you will have a hard time putting down, a singles later campaign not afraid to take risks, and a zombies mode destined to keep you up till 3 am dead-bolted to the screen then this is a game you should get. But don't take it from me, take it from some of the other user reviews who's history show them copy and pasting the same review to different games.. Talk about in depth… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 67 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Xbox World Australia
    Jan 22, 2013
    80
    This is not to say it's a bad game, it's just not different enough from previous Call of Duty titles. The story isn't memorable, the maps and weapons aren't any different to what we've previously experienced, the gameplay is near identical to previous games, and when it's not identical it falls flat and fails to impress.
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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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