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

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1713 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 658 out of 1713
  2. Mixed: 182 out of 1713
  3. Negative: 873 out of 1713

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  1. AveryM17
    Jun 17, 2013
    7
    When it first came out, I thought of this game as an 8 out of 10. But now that I've seen Activision's horrible DLC marketing strategies such as the camo packs and the purchasable calling cards, that are flipping country flags, my opinion has changed. I loved the single player. I thought it wasn't anything spectacularly innovative but in terms of story-telling and how your choice affects the outcome of the game it was really great. I felt that the single-player was the best of all the Call of Duty's to-date, just surpassing Black Ops 1's single-player. The zombies mode felt like it was done before and better at that, but that's not saying there isn't any fun to be had here, quite the opposite actually. The implementation of easter eggs in a desirable achievement wrapping makes it all the more fun when you're plowing through hundreds of zombies with your friends. The Tranzit map was definitely blown way out of proportion at E3 and what not, saying that a bus drives you all over an entire country-side to randomized locations and a huge open-world sandbox. All of that wasn't true. It was a set course that drives you from one location after the other, and I believe there are five of them. All in the same order. Anyways, about the multiplayer. I felt that it was one of the best multiplayers of all the CoD's, but I felt that they definitely took big missteps in their marketing strategies and the actual quality of the DLC maps. All of the DLC maps except a few are literally HORRIBLE. No innovation or even attraction in any way and the strategic placement of the objects is basically non existent. Anyways, this is one of the best CoD's to date and I think that if you enjoyed MW2 and/or MW3 than you will enjoy this one.… Expand
  2. GameInterpreter
    Jun 17, 2013
    5
    Th game itself is a lot more enjoyable than past titles trying desperately to offer something new to the series with optional side missions that can alter the outcome along with important changes that can affect the ending as well, but it still manages to come out as the same game offering absolutely nothing new with multiplayer and zombies feeling again like a sloppily thrown together side feature.

    5 out of 10    … Expand
  3. zyryx
    Jun 16, 2013
    8
    I gave the game an 8 for the multiplayer alone. I still haven't finished the single player, it was boring. And I completely hated the RTS alternate mission. They had no place in a FPS. But the multiplayer... the point system is pure genius. Finally a developer listened and brought back on of the best features of the original title: custom games with bots.I refuse to play with random idiot/racist/homophobic/sexist preteens on XBL anymore, yet it's rare that all my friends can find the time to game together. It's nice to have bots to fill out the teams. And like the original Halo, the level designers took extreme pride in giving us amazing well thought out levels. Usually I love one or two maps and hate the rest. While I do have a couple of favorites, I was surprised to fine myself liking all of the maps. Zombies have been revamped a bit with the addition of an easy mode (which isn't all that easy), but they are still completely unplayable solo. I would love to see a much easier easy mode (sometimes you just want to mindlessly kill zombies for hours stress free), and maybe an ammo station in the easy mode. Also the option to have the revive cola station set to infinate (it disappears after three uses) It's quite frustrating to get your face weapons from the drop box, upgrade them with the pack-a-punch, only to run out of ammo. them with zombies closing in you hit up the drop box, only to get completely screwed over with knife, or grenade launcher. Then the zombies kill you. But overall a great game, one I'll keep and play for years. Maybe I'll even get around to finishing the single player campaign.… Expand
  4. aryh98
    Jun 14, 2013
    0
    same different toilet
  5. Dastrados
    Jun 14, 2013
    6
    SP was fun, Zombies is ok. only the dlc maps are fun) Tranzit is pretty bad. MP is boring as hell, I preferred MW3 MP and that says something. Get it for the zombies but don't expect anything amazing.
  6. Rate-And-Hate
    Jun 13, 2013
    0
    This game is for 7 year old kids who like to shove pillows so far up their arse that they scream Hallelujah. People have been bummed because this game is that bad, you might aswell buy Viva Pinata and play that like you would play with your dads bald head.
  7. Caanite
    Jun 11, 2013
    7
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is a game which tries to be original but ends up being another good shooter.
    Concept: 6/10
    Graphics: 7/10
    Sound: 9/10
    Playability: 10/10
    Entertainment: 8/10
    Total Score: 7/10
  8. WarlordDanyon
    Jun 11, 2013
    9
    Black Ops 2 was a very good game the campaign was good but the multiplayer is fantastic the fast paced gameplay, the guns are great, the maps are very good and even the dlc is good just a fantastic game.
  9. iamTylerDurden
    Jun 9, 2013
    6
    HONESTLY IT DOES HURT THE GAME INDUSTRY THAT THESE REDUNDANT COD GAMES SELL 30MIL COPPIES EACH. People buy 20-30mil copies of CoD and miss out on truly unique games like metro 2033 or the darkness 2 and these are in the same genre they are FPS's and damn good too. How many people can say they truly bought call of duty black ops AND Metro 2033 Not many if any and at least metro is an FPS too. Can anyone say black op2 was actually pound for pound better than Deus Ex H.R.? Now i don't always agree with critics but even they thought deus ex was much better than black ops2 and look how deus ex sells maybe 2 million including pc and Call of doody black oops2 sells 10 times that on xbox alone. Even worse a great immersive FPS with ten times the heart and story Metro 2033 sells under 500,000 copies, yes it sold in the ball park of four hundred thousand copies...shameful that a quality game like that sells all together less than what CoD sells in one day. Is this because CoD blows ops2 is soooooo much better than metro....? NO, it is not but brain washed sheep buy the same game with the same engine in it with the same graphics every single year, they just change the name or put a creative (1),(2),or (3) next to it and the lambs come running to shell out 60$ instead of getting a truly unique experience and maybe having some taste or style or any uniqueness of your own. Even a mega hit multiplatform game that in my opinion might be the best of all time the vaunted "Fallout 3" pales in comparison with around 8mil sold while each CoD game more than triples those sales. Can even a CoD fan name any CoD game that even comes close to being as great as Fallout 3....wait i forgot to say that modernwarfare 2 doesn't count........just kidding that would be too cruel because that is what you were gonna say right CoD fanboy you original gamer you, and i bet you play CoD on your XBOX too how original and i bet you don't even play the 4hr campaign do you? All you 14yr olds and 40yr olds alike just grab a slim jim, take a swig of Monster if you are 14 and of course Budweiser if you are 40 and start on that CoD multiplayer with all that great story and non repetitive MP gameplay, of course you do this while waiting in anticipation for bungie's next sterile, super unique( i.e. halo 3 odst) game. Oh wait bungie is actually doing something good now (i.e. Destiny) so i guess 343 or whatever their name is will be copy and pasting a new label on the same old halo game, but at least halo doesnt come out twice a year. Good luck on not being as good as Battlefield 4 Call of Doody Ghosts (scary ghosts) but hey there are enough dumb people out there so you will outsell them even with last gen graphics and the same exact engine as model warfare. Greedy, Greedy Activision shoveling crap and calling it caviar when will you stop buying it.… Expand
  10. SpideyMaster661
    Jun 7, 2013
    10
    Absolute gameplay, weapon, actors, and any other stuff in the game. You really can't miss it. I recomended the weapon is M8A1 with Finder Sight and Grenade Launcher attatchment for the 2025, other 2025 era weapon is M27 with ACOG scope and Grip attachment. in the 80's, i recomended M16A4 with ACOG scope and a Grenade Launcher Attatchment, the other 80's era is the new automatic FAL, the attatchment is ACOG scope and a Grenade Launcher.… Expand
  11. GrandTrollArmy
    Jun 6, 2013
    7
    Okay people, seriously? Sure it's not revolutionary, but COD: Black Ops 2 is still a fun game and a neat past time.

    Treyarch did a good job this time around with the single player experience, but still, the story was forgettable. It can take up to eight hours to complete the campaign, which is pretty impressive for Call of Duty. Branching storylines do open the way for some replay-abili    ty value, as well as customizable load outs for campaign levels.

    Multiplayer, the only thing that keeps Call of Duty alive, this time around, is disappointingly the same. It sticks far too close to familiar formula, the most innovative thing this year was the Pick 10 system, but just because they now have the Pick 10 system, doesn't mean suddenly it's totally different from the previous games in the franchise. Twelve and under kids continue to run around, screaming every time they died, and acting like they are the supreme commander of the U.S. army when they get a kill. Weapon customization is my favorite part, as well as some of the fun scorestreaks that you'll probably rarely ever get. But of course, most of the on-disc camos aren't any good and if you want some good ones, you're going to have to pay up.

    Graphics are slightly above average, they're not Battlefield 3 level graphics but get the job done, they opted for a little bit more "cartoonish" like look this time around. The graphics look great are first glance, but if you look around and observe, you're going to notice the absolutely ugly low resolution textures on things like rocks and buildings.

    Finally zombies, probably the most disappointing aspect of this game. It remains the same. Nothing new here but a crappy, boring "Grief" mode that takes five hours to find a game in. In order to get your hands on some good zombies maps your going to have to pay up once again.

    Overall, this game is not as bad as some say (like the 4.5 user score) but also isn't as good as some others say (like IGN's 9.3 out of 10), it's a slight step forward for the franchise but didn't exactly deliver on all of it's promises, but did a fairly good job.    … Expand
  12. Jamison12
    Jun 6, 2013
    3
    A boring game. If this game was only reviewed based on it's multi-player capabilities, then this would be a 9/10. But COD is the same damn thing over and over again. I don't see a huge difference between this one and one I played on the Gamecube when I was 8.
  13. UGM
    Jun 6, 2013
    3
    Black ops 2 is a high-budget game that does little to no effort in order to surprise us.The campaign is refreshing but not amazing.New characters come in the story but they are not well written and i found myself not really caring about them.The gameplay is the same with the change of being able to pick your own equipment before a level.The graphics are amazing but the whole experience is not that good.The zombie mode is not like the first one;it is very worse or at least for me.The multiplayer is not a change from the old and it is repetitive over time.All in all black ops 2 is a game that fell short of my expectations and think that it was a bad game… Expand
  14. Ravens1294
    Jun 4, 2013
    7
    A fine sequel.
  15. HellWolf18
    Jun 4, 2013
    0
    lets be honest. The multiplayer is awful, theres to much lag, the camping is unreal, all of the call of dutys has been like this and im not looking forward to call of duty ghosts. They just suck.
  16. lxliNsAniTylxl
    Jun 2, 2013
    4
    I'm only giving this a 4 because of the zombies maps. The multiplayer was probably the most boring out of the whole franchise. When you were running around as menendez and were literally getting shot continuously, was just ridiculous. It was easy and it was a safe route in my opinion. I didn't like the multiplayer when it first launched and I still have issues with it. Servers are awful worst I've seen in a Call of Duty game. Graphics aren't that great, but they're not the worst. LMG's most overpowered thing ever. Maps are way too small. Connections are terrible. Hosting is a joke. Zombies maps are fine except for the one in China. that one was too confusing and dumb. I could be wrong, but my opinion.… Expand
  17. alpha-and-omega
    Jun 2, 2013
    3
    The sniping has gotten out of control and they don't seem to be in touch with the community. Guns are unbalanced and the mp maps are not very good. They need to release a new COD every two years just to give the devs more time to polish and maybe even a beta. Pumping out a new COD every year is a lot to ask.
  18. ultimategamer69
    Jun 2, 2013
    0
    This game is nothing but garbage. Multiplayers sucks unless you have a modded controller. The spawn system is arrocious. Enemies are constantly spawning on you. The weapons are unbalanced. The hit detection is terrible. This is by far the worst game in the series yet. Treyarch refuses to fix any of the problems. Save your money for battlefield 4.
  19. thebigjman
    May 31, 2013
    8
    People give Call of Duty a lot of crap, but Treyarch at least provides somewhat of a reason to buy the next in the series.

    Let's start with campaign- Actually, although many players never even once try the campaign after dishing $60 for the dang game, the single player is a lot of fun. Treyarch introduces choices for the campaign--- some of which affect which of the three endings you ge    t. Additionally, new optional missions called Strike Force are included. These are fun on the lower difficulties, since you feel as if you are in control of the whole battlefield, which is great but on the harder difficulties, it proves impossible since the AI on your side simply cannot hold its own against the larger and stronger enemy forces. As a final last touch, you can now pick your weapons and perks before going into battle. The plot unfortunately isn't too great: they make Menendez (the antagonist) too much of the villain who is always one step ahead and flawless, up until the very end where that image magically dies in the finale. The rest is still worth playing for, however.

    The multiplayer, is as expected. Not a lot has changed since Cod 4: although killstreaks are now pointstreaks which thankfully award actually going after the objective instead of camping. The new "pick ten" class design is nice, adding flavor to the otherwise bland class design we've all seen before. The camos and emblem designer are hardly worth mentioning. Treyarch at least brings back classic maps like NukeTown and a redesign of Firing Range, which is at least neat. The maps are good too, and the weapons all feel balanced--- no MW2 noob tubes here.

    Zombies is where BO2 really shines: The new maps are tons of fun to explore, discover secrets on, and of course kill zombies. DLC gets lots of criticism, but the maps are usually worth it: the maps are very well done and Zombies' fun gameplay does a lot to breathe life into this otherwise overdone series.

    All in all, I would rate campaign at a 8, multi at a 7, and the zombies at a 9. Each is worth playing, however, I would go for the campaign and zombies. Those two both have the most variety and new stuff, and it makes this game worth buying. Although it doesn't introduce much new, Treyarch at least provides a reason to return to Call of Duty once more.    … Expand
  20. yurface66
    May 29, 2013
    4
    This is black ops 2. Like almost every other Call Of Duty, this game says it is the best call of duty yet. Yes BO2 is the bet COD yet to me at Lear, it doesn't mean that it is a great game. This game's campaign is horrible. You at least can choose some weapons you use in missions but the story is completely terrible. The narrative is pretty much bland and the strike force missions are just a waste of time. Sure you can make choices in the game, but there are only about 6. The zombies: I love this mode. This is the only reason I bought DLC So I could play more. Zombies is addict ing and fun. The bad thing is, zombies sucks if you don't have a friend to play with and if you don't have a mic. Public matches on zombies is bad. You get paired up with really bad people and you don't get very far into the rounds. The multiplayer. It was fun at first and I got to prestige three in a couple of months, because I don't play that much. But the multiplayer gets repetitive and gets worse with campers and little kids. The only fun I found in multiplayer was playing quick scopes with my friends, but even that got tedious. I don't know about all these COD fans but this game is repetitive and the only good game mode is zombies if you have friends that play it There's a reason everything's the same, because each company decides to make a new one every year even though it is a different developer, most everything is the same. Releasing a COD game every year is just stupid. Almost nothing changes.… Expand
  21. Jake_
    May 28, 2013
    0
    Same guns, same story, same gamemodes, same maps, same graphics engine etc. It's like every other COD game, only somehow they managed to make it worse! I weep for humanity.
  22. HATEPOLICY
    May 28, 2013
    6
    I am a bit shocked at the low reviews, thought more COD fanboys would be all up in here!

    As others have said, its just another COD, but this one is even more polished,
    Matchmaking is a total joke tho,
    Not really sure why they put in so many weapons when SMG's are so dominant.

    I never even bother with COD campaigns, so my rating is only based on MP.
  23. Aquaris475
    May 26, 2013
    7
    When Black Ops II was announced, I didn't know what to think. another sequel in CoD, and another one taking place in the future? I was skeptical at first, but when I actually played it, I realized my original thoughts on the game all turned out to be opposite. The gameplay is the same as always, but some aspects of the campaign add to the mix. The campaign is actually the best part about the game. The story is well-written, and I say it's story is up there with CoD4. I like how you can now customize a class before starting a campaign mission. the access kit perk you can get is pretty nice, as it adds the sense of nonlinear gameplay, which is something I really like. The strike force missions, however, are one of the game's worst aspects. I didn't like the fact that RTS missions were in a game like Call of Duty, but the way the Strike force missions are set up is downright confusing. Unless you're going for the best ending of the game, ignore all of these missions. Black Ops II is the first to feature multiple endings. While I wasn't anticipating this to work, especially for Call of Duty, Treyarch manages to make it work just fine. The multiplayer is just like previous titles, with a level 55 cap before reaching prestige. the new game modes add to the fun, but I usually don't play multiplayer that often. That's because of the worst aspect of the game: the Pick 10 System. The Pick 10 system is terrible; I don't understand why the classes are now limited. Sure, there are more customization options, like the wildcards, but their effect doesn't matter when you reach the limit. It should have been like previous titles, and just have one or two wildcards. the custom classes were doing just fine in Black Ops, MW3, and even this game's singleplayer, so what happened here? The zombies mode, while good, isn't as good as previous zombie modes. the transit mode didn't entertain me that much, grief mode is a mess, and survival isn't as fun anymore since new gameplay options are being added. You may call adding new modes to zombies is a positive, but I usually don't like it when more things are added to something simple, like zombies. that may just be because I had a lot more enjoyment with past games than this one. Overall, Black Ops II isn't a bad game, just a decent, kind of bland one. The campaign will have you playing it again thanks to nonlinear gameplay, the multiplayer is butchered thanks to the Pick 10 System, and the zombies, while still enjoyable, doesn't seem as fun as past zombie modes. IF you're a CoD fan, you've probably already picked this up. If CoD doesn't interest you at al, this one won't change your mind.… Expand
  24. Captain_Howdy
    May 22, 2013
    7
    I usually don't get many CoD games since, they have the tendency to lack in change, after playing WaW, BO and MW3 at a friends, i realized the game just lost its innovation, if you get this game every year, I'm not sure why you bother, but anyways, after playing this game, I feel like it was worth while. I mean the story mode was pretty alright, took me about 5 to 6 hours off an on, on Veteran. Multiplayer is still the same as ever, although repetitive from previous games, I do give Treyarch a thumbs up for the new pick 10 system, it adds new ways to set up your equipment. I say if you're iffy about the game and have the previous one, don't bother, stick with the one you have, if you're like that haven't bought a CoD game since MW2 give it a try but don't bother with the season pass or dlc, to my opinion it just isn't worth it. If you're a fan of the series, well there's nothing I can tell you to change your mind, you're probably playing it AND have the season pass.… Expand
  25. mohmed
    May 20, 2013
    0
    Black Ops II is just another copy of CoD 4, both multiplayer and singleplayer. The multiplayer is super boring, you'll get completely outgunned by smg's and shotguns, which are much stronger than any assault rifle.
  26. VoxelMob
    May 18, 2013
    5
    ever since black ops 1 the call of duty games have lost their wow I mean the only great thing about this is its story but everything else is just awful like the graphics its just the same thing over and over again and the shooting it is just awful.
    Activision has to let call of duty rest for some time then the games could be more polished and also with a new graphics engine this is what i     want but no they wont because is such a big money maker and will never stop being a money maker I have basically lost hope on the call of duty series now its just gone… Expand
  27. Maxim1925
    May 18, 2013
    4
    This game is not an AAA fps-shooter its only an arcade Xbox shooter with an outdatded old crap engine And ugly graphics and a short,boring Classic story but the multiplayer content is even better.But a month later is became boring.Now I think its only 4 out of 10.
  28. mark1003
    May 16, 2013
    0
    This game is simply unplayable. The story is ridiculous, the gameplay is painful, and don't start about the multiplayer. If you really want to play this bad a game, then you should probably buy Jumper of something like that. Otherwise, steer clear.
  29. Cyroy
    May 13, 2013
    2
    Call of Duty 4 was great, Modern Warfare 2 was playable but everything after that went seriously downhill.

    Just as in MW3 there's a lack of inovation, Yes it might be a succes formula but there are people (most of them who do recognize a good game) who start seeing that nothing is improving. I had myself skip Blops and MW3, because of the lack in improvement that were already noticable     in the trailers, but thought by myself I'll give CoD one more chance. I've never seen 55$ wasted this bad.

    Singleplayer: Wasn't bad, maybe quite enjoyable but a multiplayer game shouldn't rest entirely on the campaign mode.

    MultiPlayer: If I have to sum COD's multiplayer up in a sentence it's free for all team deathmatch, You are in a team yet there's no need to help eachother, because having one good player in your team can win the game and this isn't a good thing, It's TEAM deathmatch, not working together should result in failing miserably.

    Hacking and lagg issues still haven't been solved, They had 3 games to fix this and they still didn't do it.
    And there's nothing new to make MP more enjoyable.

    BLOPS 2 brings nothing new on the table, Same different day. Although the Singleplayer is still enjoyable it doesn't really mean anything for it's unchanged multiplayer, sligthly tweaked engine and graphics and still awfull soundeffects    … Expand
  30. CheckGamesList
    May 13, 2013
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 was actually my first owned COD game, and my experience was very good.

    Let me state up front: Haters gonna hate. Opinions are opinions, but the fact that one out of virtually any five ratings are zeroes, which either means that they bought COD, played it for thirty seconds, and threw it out the window, or are other FPS shooter fans who haven't touched the game     and pretended to be an 'unbiased' reviewer.

    The game took tons of effort, and for some reason flash games are appreciated more than this. The reason this isn't a perfect ten is just because of the occasional glitch, the less-than-preferred but still adequate graphics, and of course, I'll understand the community isn't very polite either.

    Other than that, the game's truly great. It's not the same game, having still played other games in the series (not owning them though), and the improvements are obvious.    … Expand
  31. ILoveMyUnicorn
    May 13, 2013
    0
    No really, this game is like the same than 5 years old Call of duty, nothing new, still this casual gameplay and the community online is based on 8 years old people.
  32. mihajlogamer
    May 11, 2013
    10
    The call of duty is my favoruite FPS serial.And this game brings a possibility to choose a one of the 5 ends.This isn't a best Cod,but it's very good because it brings lot of new things in CoD series,like a optional Strike Force missions,5 ways to end a game,two stories and more.
  33. killerghs
    May 10, 2013
    7
    This game is is one of those games that you constantly hear is terrible then when you actually decide to play it your blown away this is one of the better online experiences and with everyone complaining about it being unbalanced yet these guys will go ahead and play mw2 don't miss this game if the price is right its fun with friends and good by your-self
  34. Hybridizm
    May 9, 2013
    6
    Basically once again, Recycled goods? First off I'll start by explaining that I do not hate the CoD franchise in anyway, in fact I was a severe lover of the original games and of course that one particular game that set the bar for all FPS games in the future Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare.

    CoD4 easily took at least 25 days of my life away from me, I couldn't put it down at all. The si    mple feeling of gaining two helicopters (7 Killstreak) in one TDM just made you feel like rambo. I remember actually being credited for my performances sometimes, back in the good old days when party chat didn't kill the social aspect of gaming. I enjoyed every mode on that game, for it's simple mechanics and challenging multiplayer.

    Now though? CoD has become nothing more that constant cycle of well yes Recycling. All the new games in the series really add is more killstreak variations, new guns (some old) and new maps. It's because of this, I couldn't find any enjoyment out of reaching max prestige and consistently playing even after that. I would state the single player isn't all that bad but who really buys CoD for the single player? The only reason I've ever bought the latest installments of the franchise is due to friends wanting me to get it, so I'll sit there at the midnight release each year with my pals hoping, just hoping that the next release will hit my gamer heart so hard that I will want to grind the hell out of hitting max prestige again. Sadly none have done this, and I think I will definitely be giving the next game a miss.

    I will however state that regardless of the creativity the game lacks, it's still a fun shooter. Of course it can be frustrating but what FPS isn't. It's worth getting just to shoot a few peeps, but don't expect anything special out of it. I think I will defo be sticking to Battlefield from now on.    … Expand
  35. HaloFreak78
    May 8, 2013
    6
    The only reason this score is so low is because of two words: Lag. Compensation. While you see something on your screen, the server has essentially decide your fate. The person you shot at is already two steps behind you and knifed your back. And don't even get me started on the knifing. Clunkiest melee combat system ever devised. The campaign was interesting, suspensful, and the best of the series. Zombies is back and better than ever. Zombies was the main reason I bought this game. But I digress. If you come for the multiplayer, you are going to throw your controller at your screen a couple of times...like always.… Expand
  36. AdpoGamer
    May 8, 2013
    2
    another game that's just the same as all other Call of Duty games.
    same multiplayer, same guns, same graphics.
    just new maps
    feels like an expansion for black ops.
  37. Iamthejuan
    May 6, 2013
    5
    MW3 and all BF games these BO games

    I am a shooter fan. I don't care about COD versus BF, I want both to be good. The people making these black ops games should go work for resident evil team (since they can't make a good zombie game), and stop trying to make PvP shooters. The only good part about this or BO 1 is the mini-game, and this is supposed to be a warfare simulator not freakin    g Resident Evil.

    It is really bad for new players; the matchmaking does not separate the games by rank, only the teams. Which means if you are level 5 and you are in a game with 10 other max level players, you are going to be highly outgunned no matter what team you are on. The only people who ever use their mic's are 10 year old boys. All around poor playerbase, with very little focus on teamwork. The only way to get a good group with microphones is to be in a clan (or is it klan?), and they expect unrealistic level of dedication from people who play video games in their limited spare time between work and college courses.    … Expand
  38. mask48
    May 4, 2013
    3
    Well, where do I start. As a player of the first cod, i had loved the series and the improving gameplay. That is, till Cod MW 1. i mean, it is also great, but as the new cod games go on, the improvements had slowed down to a crawl. The new cod games keep the same gameplay, barely to nothing new, and very minor improvements. COD Black Ops has the same style of gameplay as COD MW 1, Black Ops 2 is same as MW 2. The games became so lazy with the improvement job, they just paint over the last game. But even with the same stuff over and over again, then why does people just keep buying these games? Out side repeat gameplay, the story is still a little lack luster, but i like the part when COD Black Ops 2 tried to be lest liner by giving more then 1 ending. But honesty, don't buy this game. Every one smart sticks with at least MW2, because they are not really missing out on much.… Expand
  39. Crawdad
    May 3, 2013
    9
    In my opinion black ops2 is the best call of duty yet. The reason I didn't give a perfect score is that the multiplayer, while good, has a lot of downsides such as lag and it feels imbalanced (if you want a good multiplayer, try battlefield). The Zombies mode is incredible. Building and putting things together to use is awesome and genius. After about ten rounds weapons become increasingly weak and ammo low, even LMGs, creating a more frenzied and intense when I play. The graphics (which look really good anyway but are still hated on) are an improvement, especially cutscenes. Many people still say it looks like 2007, but any person telling the truth of has EYES can see it is much better. The campaign is the best in the series by far. More intense, future warfare, and like battlefield the bullets don't always hit right on the reticule, or sight, but are usually close. But the best part is the story. Most choices will affect the ending, and the story is a lot more deep than the rest of the series, and for many military shooter of the simpler type. In the end, it is a well done game, and I don't think cod will drastically change for a long time, after all, they don't wont a reputation destroyer like RE6.… Expand
  40. WhovianFantatic
    May 3, 2013
    2
    In my opinion the only good cod game was WAW.. the first few were boring hard and uninspired up until WAW then modern Warfare 2 came along.. I thought it was nothing special or nothing spectacular.. but then cod BO 1 came out... its zombies was ok but the story itself was horrible and no tension was caused throughout the entire game.. Then MW3 came out.. and im my opinion that is one of the worst games I have ever played... The game was boring uninspired just like the first few.. cod gets a new game every year and it just goes to show no work is put into it.. This isn worse then MW3 mostly because of its zombie mode but if you think about it. this is the same load of garbage since MW2 the graphics look the exact same and nothing stands out beside 1 mode in zombies.. the rest is boring and stupid.. zombie mode lets us down here only with 1 good thing.. the story line is about 2-3 hours long and it had no tension in it just like the last because all you do is talk about the past... so you know you live until the end.... its worse because I never liked any of the characters and they all felt like this game is crap... and now i hear there are 2 cod games coming out in 2013... give me a break... cod is the same load of garbage every game...… Expand
  41. shakilndtht
    May 2, 2013
    10
    black ops is fit for buying purpose and deserves the rating it gets. the graphics are excellent and when you play it has a smooth game play. this game is very very popular and well known.
  42. aborle
    May 1, 2013
    5
    CoD, CoD never changes. Well that's not completely true. They do try to add new things to the each successive iteration. But the problem is that the changes done this time do nothing to make things better. Assuming that the rest of the game is the same old same old lets look at the changes shall we? (focussing on sp here) :
    -loadout screen in front of each mission ala ranbow six. While t    his might have been welcome addition, it really doesn't matter so much in the CoD universe. i mostly keep switch guns and the game also keeps many different types of guns for us to use during checkpoints anyways.
    -Semi optional tower defense/rts tactical game. Let me tell you, i am a rts enthusiast and even i was thinking "what is this doing inside CoD"? Besides, the units take too long to respond, new units spawn very slowly and the whole mission takes way too much time.
    -Choice system and multiple endings. While i have no proper with such a system,i wonder why was it suddenly given suddenly in blops2? and since the series is such a linear gameplay experience, i was kinda annoyed.
    A point comes in the game where u have to snipe a masked target. I tried to shoot at the guards holding the target and i got a game over screen. But its out you could've saved the guy by shooting his limbs off! Really? Why doesn't it give me a game over wen i do that
    -Story. Implausible on all levels. The bad guy gets caught and escapes so many times, its laughable.

    So there u go. 4 changes that could have improved the game but end up making it worse. Essentially because they are tacked on to the same old game    … Expand
  43. dynamite298
    May 1, 2013
    0
    I dislike all COD games, they are all basically the same but with just different items. I really hate COD games because of their laggyness, unfair battle processes, and everything else is basically unfair.
  44. SirMauz
    Apr 30, 2013
    6
    Remember BlOps 1? Well... this game has similar feelings attached. Sometimes, the levels are AMAZING, and sometimes, you just want to throw your controller through the screen. The Storymode is pretty ok. That's about it. The multiplayer is pretty whacky, because there are a LOT of camper spammers. Ugh. Zombies is a mixed bag; I really enjoy this mode the most, yet... I wish there was more. Plus it is MUCH harder than BlOps 1, due to finding the dang Box. Ha, that aside, I'd say a solid $20 dollar game. Too bad they want $50 for it.… Expand
  45. Virtro
    Apr 29, 2013
    4
    Black Ops 2 is just another copy/paste/edit game. You search for a terrorist, surprise? Not so much. The gunplay is once again the same as it always has been. Just point and shoot and nothing interesting to mix in between. The multiplayer is just as tedious considering its nothing but more hard work for no rewards besides guns and stuff.

    Lets face it, its a bandwagon that is milking the     gamers dry of good money they could be spending on a brighter game. Call of duty isn't worth it anymore people, so why not play something more fresh?… Expand
  46. danibuttpirate
    Apr 27, 2013
    5
    To be honest, I think CoD Black ops 2 was actually great. It wasn't perfect but it wasn't terrible either; it's average. The game is good and I really liked the story line. the zombie mode has become more fun but the multiplayer however has still not changed and fixed its flaws that people like us have been complaining about since Modern warfare came out. Other than that it is OK.
  47. Simon150999
    Apr 27, 2013
    9
    The multilayer was the same as other CoD games more or less, but the singleplayer is where this game truly shines, the first CoD game to ever have multiple endings.
    Go Treyarch!
  48. NeezyBoy
    Apr 27, 2013
    10
    Treyarch's Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is an excellent game. From its Past to Future storyline Campaign which has points in the story that let you pick what you will do and influence the story later in the game to the Multiplayer gameplay which now includes a mode for competitive gamers like myself. This is by far one of the better Call of Duty's I have played. Also the Zombies side of things returns and if you get tired of playing the campaign and multiplayer and you want to do something different you will enjoy killing herds of zombies while trying to find out what led to the outbreak in the first place.… Expand
  49. BeAwesomeOne
    Apr 26, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Gosh, I hate this game. Never mind the fact that this is same game as the other games and have same multiplayer like other games from this franchise (only with different HUD), my biggest problem is that this game shouldn't be a sequel! I mean sure, you play as Mason half of the game but the other half is a futuristic FPS. WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH FIRST BLACK OPS?! To be fair, future part of this game has some pretty good features such as camouflage, sticky gloves, that let you climb a rock mountain and sky diving section. Sadly this happen only one or two time in this game. Anyway I don't understand a point of playing both Mason's campaign and future campaign, if Black Ops 2 only contains a Mason's campaign then that's will be fine. Only resemblance in future in BO2 is Woods... that's it!

    In other words this game will be better if they focus mostly about Mason storyline rather than on future soldiers one. If Activision wants to make a futuristic FPS in Call Of Duty, that's fine. But please don't put Black Ops name on it. Called it, I don't know, Futuristic War or something.    … Expand
  50. Tomaskovic93
    Apr 25, 2013
    1
    The only thing this game is good for is being a time waster, a very expensive time waster. You pay 60 dollars for the same game you've been getting every year thinking "this one will actually be good!" but no, you get 5-7 hour single-player campaign that i'm guessing no one even plays. Call of duty is all about their multi-player which hasn't made any significant change since CoD 4. Different guns with the same stats as the previous games. Do not buy it. if you want to spend 60 dollars in order to screw yourself, buy a really nice instead.… Expand
  51. FelixGuzman117
    Apr 25, 2013
    8
    This game is a great game some people have there thoughts about it because they have made the game that it takes more bullets to kill an enemy but that is not a negative aspect the reason why is because it opens the window to more completive gaming And I really like the fact that they have added zombie new zombie game modes Because that content is what everybody has been waiting for The graphics are a bit out dated if you compare them to halo 4 because blacktops 2 is using the same engine that blacktops 1 used But all and all it is a great game If you like previous games you well like this one… Expand
  52. defanual
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    This review is coming from the perspective of a someone who has never played a COD game which is worth bearing in mind because that seems it will be a large denominator factor on reviews found here. The Good: • Gameplay is tight in a semi-realism arcade shooter kinda way • Campaign is a tour de force • You know when your doing good and you know when your doing really good (I had troad trouble gaging this in Halo)
    • Loads of maps out the box and DLC maps are usually always solid at best if you want to go there
    • Loads of weapons to master and the challenges and different feels disciples of the variety of weapons on offer give the multiplayer extended life
    • Connection time is quick in comparison to many others
    • One of the better map voting systems although not perfect
    • Some nice (fair) tactically gaming changing attachments, scorestreaks and equipment
    • Nice to solid visuals
    • Unmatched levels of polish in presentations and menus (matches it premium price reputation at least)
    • Some nice customisations features

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

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

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

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

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

    Could give it a 6 6.5 but the highs when things are working are better than that to be fair.    … Expand
  53. aus741aus
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    I came to the Call of Duty party fairly late, some time after Modern Warfare 2 and World at War, and I sincerely mean what I am about to say.

    The single player is the worst I've ever seen in a CoD game. Texture pop in, forgettable story and utterly annoying Strike Force missions. Still enjoyable for what it is but when compared to the previous campaigns it pales in compaison.

    Multipl    ayer is as good as ever. Nuff said

    Zombies is better than ever, easily the best part of the game. The same arcade action Treyarch improved with Black Ops with more features that just make it fun. Not to mention a return of the loveable over the top characters thatalso help characterise the mode, with voices new and old.

    All in all a good game, but at the same time the worst Call of Duty I've played thus far.    … Expand
  54. Auritone
    Apr 22, 2013
    4
    Ah, the Call of Duty franchise… What can be said about it which hasn’t been said so many times by so many people? It’s seems to be a franchise which continues to divide the waters of gamers: You either love it or hate it. There really doesn’t seem to be any middle ground on this one.
    So where do I personally stand?
    My problem with this particular FPS franchise lies very much with the dev     the developer, Treyarch, the overprotecting parents of game developers. Treyarch seems to live in constant fear of relinquishing some of their control of the game to the player, leading to one of the most scripted and linear shooter franchises on the market, at least up to this point. One notable thing about Black Ops 2 is that there are attempts from Treyarch to give more control to the player, but then it seems like they regretted their decision and pulls the players right back where they want them.
    One notable example of this is in Afghanistan where you have to stop a Russian assault with heavy armour, helicopters and infantry while on horseback. This initially seems like opening up for a bigger area with more freedom of movement and ways to take out the tanks and helicopters. However, this turns out just to be show, because in fact the whole stage isn’t as big as it would have you believe, there are really no options as to how to approach taking out the tanks and helicopters, and if you try to stray just a little bit, you are without warning killed off for going off the map.
    It seems like Treyarch tried a more open level design, but then thought better of it, making the player feel like a dog who just got a longer leash. Surprised by this it starts to run to stretch its legs only to get pulled back with a neck breaking jerk.
    Another attempt are a couple of tactical Strike Missions, which try to blend some real-time strategy into the franchise as well as giving the single player campaign a multiplayer “feel”. Now, this would have been a welcomed addition if it had been executed better than it actually is.
    The problem is twofold: First of all the strategy is extremely simplistic, leaving you with only four different squads at your command, and only being able to tell them where they to go using a quite useless overhead tactical map which I never used. You can then jump into any individual squad member and control it, whether a soldier, a gun turret, a rolling gun turret, or a small, slow walking tank. And this leads to the second problem: The AI. You get more out of just going commando on the enemy and try to do the tasks yourself, than rely on the orders given to your squads, as they will be killed off faster than a sloth on the MI5. On several occasions I have also seen squads taking the longest, and most enemy infested route possible to the destination I had set for them, resulting in them getting massacred in seconds.
    These strike missions are fortunately optional, but they are still frustrating to play.
    Other than that there really is nothing new in the single player campaign which, as usual for the franchise, is as short as ever and plays out more like a Michael Bay movie than anything else, though the cutscenes and set-pieces are as spectacular as ever.
    What really gets to me with this franchise is Treyarch’s reluctance to let go of the player’s hand. At one point you are on the side of a cliff, swinging on a line with you buddy using "high-tech gloves of the future" to stick to the side. Now, rather than actually letting the players do it on their own and actually climb around on a cliff surface, the whole thing is done with a tedious quick-time event.
    The following section which sees you gliding over mountains could have been a lot of fun, if it weren’t for the fact that it might as well have been set in a tunnel, as straying even a few meters too far from Treyarch’s very short leash will result in a restart.
    It's the same story with the "stealth". As usual you are left blindly playing "follow the leader", failure to do so results in you being discovered even if in cover.
    And that’s really my whole problem with the franchise and Black Ops 2. There are so many things which could have been so cool if you were just allowed to actually DO it.
    I like just a minimum of freedom and a minimum of control in my games and this franchise gives me neither.
    It treats the player like a little child learning how to cross a street, and never ever at any time does it let go of the player’s hand, squeezing it to a point of stopping blood circulation.
    That said, the multiplayer is still quite solid (if you liked it before) with a new league feature and other additions. The Zombies are back, but this time they are actually the most boring and quite ugly part of the game
    So other than the Strike Missions, Black Ops 2 is very much business as usual.
    If you like the franchise you won’t be disappointed, and if you like me don’t see what all the fuss is about… well, you still won’t.    … Expand
  55. OnAnarchy
    Apr 22, 2013
    3
    I play it frequently, because it's like cocaine in video game form. It numbs your mind, but doesn't do much else. I've come across far too many bad glitches and crashes that it renders the game almost unplayable. In hardcore, you get kicked (and placed on 'probation') if you kill your teammate too many times. Most often it's because they are stupid as hell or they die in unavoidable ways. I've seen weapons fail to spawn in classes (leaving you with no primary weapon), 7 (sometimes 8) players to a team in 6v6 matches, and spawns so bad you die instantaneously on maps way too large for that to happen. I feel like Activision has turned it's back on their fans; it's not about the quality, only the money. Save your time and play some indie games or stuff by less autocratic developers. Support the people who still make good games.… Expand
  56. L3onardoSantana
    Apr 21, 2013
    0
    By far the worst call of duty game I have ever played. MW2 was my first call of duty and that was by far the best one for sure. black ops was good too, i had no problem with that. MW3 was terrible and then Black ops 2. it just shows me this series is dying very quickly. only because call of duty is really siding torwards one side of the audience only. MLG's. which is cool and all but what about the other average audience that doesnt spend hours on call of duty practicing to be pro? whatever happened to just having fun?
    i was hoping quickscoping would disappear since it did in the first black ops which was great, unfortunately it came back and worse than ever before. you're shooting the hell out of a guy and in the meantime he pops off a shot and no scopes you, one shot kill. so stupid. in mw2 i first played very stealthy cuz thats my sort of gameplay style, silencer, cold blooded so no air support can see me, ninja, & claymores cuz i never have good game for grenades. but now as the games move on, they're forcing people to be more run and gun instead of campers. which is stupid because people are going to camp regardless. all the time, everytime. it's never going to end. so just stop and let them do what they want to do. the spawn points are so confusing and frustrating as well which forces the average player to run around like an idiot and spray their gun hoping their connection beats the other persons. that's another thing about this game too, i'd be shooting the hell out of a guy first but he would somehow kill me. this is by far the most frustrating game ever too.
    i literally have lost interest in this game too maybe a month in.
    i definitely dont recommend buying it. i might just have to find a new series thats actually worth playing than pissing me off all the time becuase of its bullcrap in it. i can guarantee you that if infinity ward employees hadnt gotten fired, they fixed one man army/noob toob, took out the ridiculous commando lunge, and still put out new maps.....people would still be playing MW2 to this day    … Expand
  57. vintagegamer16
    Apr 19, 2013
    4
    is this a call of duty game? yes. does it play like call of duty yes! is that a bad thing? well.....in my and many others opinion...YES!! they have been using the same formula since modern warfare 1! now yes of course they have added extremly minor new features, yes i get that. the only thing this game is truly good for honestly is its zombies mode.
  58. CrazyCumcumber
    Apr 18, 2013
    6
    I have been playing call of duty for a while and I will have to say, Black ops II is a mixed bag. The campaign is player driven and gives you choices throughout the single player experience that will eventually make a big outcome in the end. I feel that the single player campaign was the best thing about this game.
    As for multiplayer, it is basically a copy-paste of former games, having l    ittle innovation and broken spawn points. I feel that the multiplayer was a big dissapointment, but if you liked previous COD multiplayers before, you will probably like this one too.
    Zombies now and I thought that the zombies mode was similar to mulitplayer, as in little to innovate and having copy-paste mechanics to the gameplay. On grief, I thought of more ways to troll my fellow teamates than just butterflies, but as i said again, if you like previous COD Zombies, then you will probably like this one.
    Overall, Black Ops II is a good addition to the Call of Duty series, with a great, player driven campaign and a hit-and-miss Multiplayer and Zombies. The visuals are great and the gameplay is satisfying. I would suggest getting it if you are going to focus on the campaign more and less on the other game modes.    … Expand
  59. Enforcer122
    Apr 16, 2013
    4
    Man, this was really disappointing. I can see what they were trying to do, and I respect that and understand it. But I just couldn't get in to this game. The campaign was very poor, zombies was an improvement but still not great and the multi player was more of the same. The campaign like I said, was the poorest I've played in COD history. I was just utterly confused throughout and it was a pain to play at times.… Expand
  60. Ordish
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    After being very disappointed with MW3, I was hesitant to put my money back in the COD franchise. I am glad that I did. Black Ops 2 has been a very solid and enjoyable experience. I love the level of customization for load outs and that above all else, sets this game apart from the rest of the COD titles.
  61. EV3RLiGHT
    Apr 16, 2013
    1
    To summarise the whole game: it is weakest, most repetitive shooter to date. I don't even know why people invest to this franchise, but it is certainly not improving anything. The game contains an awful network of under-aged players, it is lacking visual aesthetics, it's poor story makes me want to puke, there is no destructible environment, too much DLC and the list goes on and on. It is sad when such franchise gets compared to Arma or Battlefield franchises, since it's the most pathetic copy paste game the developers made money on. So stop bloody buying it!… Expand
  62. alex82101
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    This game is getting bad reviews because of tryhard nerds that don't get their swarm killstreak every game. Or people that get owned and simply can't acknowledge the fact that someone else is better than them. Let me tell you one thing. This game is fun and good time. The campaign was very good too but the multiplayer is what really shines. Its a lot of fun and the graphics are very polished. Don't forget that this game has zombies too! There is a lot of stuff you can do in this game and its just an amazing product! People say this game is repetitive but thats totally ok with this game! Its a classical shooter franchise! What were you people expecting? This game is going to be the same if you like it or not.… Expand
  63. sumguitardude
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    Love or hate it COD is here to stay, if you are looking for something new then yes they have med some. But most of the game is the same as the other in the series. i am however really impressed by the story as it has to be the best in the series yet. With multiple endings and choices you have that impacts the campaign i love the new direction the story took. By far the best in the series even though it`s the same ol formula… Expand
  64. RedJ
    Apr 12, 2013
    1
    The single player is easy on the highest difficulty but that isn't the reason you buy this game.
    The other mode zombies feels wrong where black ops 1 zombies was entertaining for an hour or two this zombies held my attention for all of 5 minutes.
    Multiplayer is riddled with annoying players, absolute noobs and MLG wannabes.
    Overall a terrible game.
  65. RedSoxGamer91
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    After playing multiplayer for a few months, I can honestly say this game is broken. The spawning system is so F'd up it's not even funny, enemies will literally spawn behind you and kill you once re spawned. The only map with legit spawning is hydro(dlc) cause there's literally two spawn points. There are also so many times where I shoot someone first and get killed, and people will literally be aiming at my legs and when I shoot them; their flinch makes their gun jump up for a head shot. WTF cod!? This is a game where pistols are more reliable than AR's, people run around with snipers quickscoping. Man 80% of all my deaths are getting killed from behind, or people that I didn't see. The only good thing is the pick 10 system. It's playable, but definitely over-hyped for what it is.… Expand
  66. AaronOlstead
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Although similar to previous CoD games, Black Ops 2 had new and exciting missions and a cliff-hanging campaign, taking the action to the next level. With new weapons, locations, and tactical exploits, I recommend this game to any gamer of the FPS genre. Not only are the graphics ideal, but they are suited for directx11 and all future OS installments. For a great time and addicting multiplayer, pick Black Ops 2!… Expand
  67. NewVegasGod
    Apr 11, 2013
    4
    They need to learn that they can only re-release the same game so many times before people start to take notice.

    There's nothing wrong with the CoD formula (except a rather short and mediocre campaign, but Black Ops 2 did a little better at that aspect) it's just that they keep release game after game, year after year, barely changing anything. And they're releasing another this year. I    t needs to stop. Now.… Expand
  68. OptimusFine
    Apr 11, 2013
    8
    Black Ops 2 was not a phenomenal game, but it did introduce fresh ideas, campaign choices which is new to the franchise. The Multiplayer was the same as any Call of Duty a team working towards a specific objective whether it getting the most kills of planting the most bombs, the multiplayer does add a new more progressive factor to the game, the create a class, in past Call of Duty's you were limited to 3 perks, 2 attachments, and 2 guns a primary and secondary. How ever in Black ops 2 they flipped it on its head, if you want to run around with just knife so be it, if you perhaps feel that a secondary is pointless and a waste of space swap it out for a grenade or maybe a new tact. grenade, or even another attachment. The multiplayer may not be the most refined but its still a great pass time to play with your friends. And Finally the zombies, the new zombies mode Tranzit is a great time with friends or with a random bunch you find online, but its sticks the same formula as Black ops, but it still feels a bit fresher with the new weapons, enemies, and modes, even though it has a lack luster crew consisting of a rag tag band of survivors. Call of Duty Black Ops 2 might not be as ground breaking as Modern Warfare (or 2) but its still a great time of fun and is owns up to its price tag. This has been a Fine Review… Expand
  69. TheKemosabi
    Apr 10, 2013
    0
    If you played a Call of Duty game before, then you've played this game aleady. The creaters seem to have no intrest in taking a few years to invest time and money in order to innovate something that feels fresh. But then again why would they? lol If I knew all I had to do was slap a new skin on an old game in order to make billions upon billions of dollars, I would do the same.
  70. Shadownerd45
    Apr 5, 2013
    0
    I played this game at a friends house. The lag was unbearable, The guns were extremely unbalanced. You feel like you are shooting a water pistol against the BFG 9000 from Doom. The maps are all the same and offer almost no places to use a sniper rifle other than quick-scoping. The killstreaks are bland and seem to be the same, The UAV needs more kills to support your team than a remote control car with C4 on it. The final straw was that Treyarch LIED to you. They offered a pre-order bonus of Nuketown 2025 with it's own exclusive playlist, Then they took it down. If i EVER drop money for a game before it is released then i want to enjoy the bonus i got. My final verdict is that this game is a money grab. BACON camo? REALLY? They charge overpriced DLC for maps that look the same and useless micro-transactions. My ranking is DO NOT EVER BUY THIS GAME. COD HAS FALLEN AND THIS IS WHY.… Expand
  71. captainkane
    Apr 2, 2013
    6
    I’ve played a lot of shooters, but not a COD game until now. I haven’t missed much. The game offers a forgettable campaign that is more interactive movie than shooter. The story is convoluted and sloppy. It's essentially an on rails shooter with equal parts gameplay and cinematics. For us older gamers who appreciated the heydays of ID and Valve, this is a dreadful combination. Is the expeexpeexpectation that shooters involve tons of shooting asking too much? Treyarch added RTS elements called Strikeforce missions to the series. Unfortunately, they’re half-baked additions that detract from the experience. Completing the missions affects the ending, but the ending is chaotic either way. If you want an engaging campaign, look elsewhere. Who am I kidding? COD games are known for their multiplayer experiences. The zombie mode is disappointing. The maps are cramped and dull. The zombies are dull. The gameplay is dull. It’s just plain dull. If you want zombies, pick up Left for Dead 2. The Left for Dead series sets the gold standard for zombie games and has an active online community. After all the hype surrounding the zombie mode, I’m left scratching my head asking myself: Why is this so popular? Perhaps I’m missing something. BO 2’s zombie mode demonstrates why Valve games have such long self-lives.The regular multiplayer is appreciably better. The game performs admirably on Xbox with smooth and swift action. That is the hallmark of COD games: performance. That being said, there is little innovation. The graphics are noticeably dated and almost cartoonish. The “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality of Activision is hard to justify after playing this game. It’s just another twitch finger multiplayer. The customization system is OK, but most upgrades feel useless. Also, footsteps are inaudible. Being stabbed in the back feels cheap because you literally never hear it coming. The multiplayer maps are tiny which negatively impacts gameplay. The result is an overabundance of SMG users. These guns possess absurd short to mid-range stopping power. Hip firing SMG's easily clears out rooms full of baddies. There is also an overabundance of quick scoping. Players running around with sniper rifles getting quick, close-range kills is just ridiculous. The scorestreak system is flawed as it only rewards the top 10-20% of players with the best bonuses. Since scorestreaks can be carried thru multiple rounds they are spammed during tiebreakers. The argument that the COD multiplayer is an unrealistic arcade shooter certainly applies here. You can snipe with SMG’s and get kills on the run with sniper rifles. All that said, once you master the game, it can be fun. Thankfully, combat training allows players to hone their skills without affecting their much revered stats. You can still rank up and unlock attachments for your weapons, but the round bonuses are reduced by half. The online community for COD is massive. Lobbies are always full for all game modes. If you have a fast internet connection, change your settings to only connect with players with an equally fast or faster connection. This can significantly reduce lag and bullet warping. However, the COD community is a bittersweet asset. It’s brimming with sore losers who love nothing more than to pester players for violating the “rules”. Camping and “noob toobing” are apparently grave offenses and merit harassment and name calling against those engaging in such reprehensible behaviors. Using an LMG with a target finder is also deplorable and deserves racist and homophobic taunts. The amount of harassment and name calling I’ve experienced in Black Ops 2 is unrivalled on any Xbox game I’ve play. It's nasty at times. What’s saddening is that children are just as nasty as adults. I blame parents for this. Still, Xbox and Activision do poor jobs enforcing the Code of Conduct that everyone agrees to. The general consensus in a BO 2 lobby: Reporting someone brings zero results. The notion that Xbox’s reporting system is broken fosters this behavior. Considering Xbox Live Gold is a paid service, they should do a better job censuring players. Black Ops 2 does a lot of things, but it doesn’t do anything well. The campaign is awful. The multiplayer unbalanced. And the zombie mode is just plain overhyped. Ghost Recon Future Soldier didn't receive the hype and is a excels as shooter. But Future Soldier is tough because it involves heavy tactics and teamwork which turns most players off. COD games are popular because the games are technically easy to play. This is unfortunate because there are much better games out there which are left cowering in the shadow of a subpar, overhyped behemoth.… Expand
  72. BidoofdaBeavur
    Apr 1, 2013
    6
    The game may seem okay,not everything seemed as it needed to.I felt like if i was playing Black Ops 1 again.Only 3 missions in the campaign were good while the rest were just terrible just like doing the same thhing again and again,The Multiplayer was exactly the same.
    I loved Zombies,though
  73. TheLastHuman
    Mar 30, 2013
    8
    I will say that I purchased this game on launch date, and as a long time COD advocate, this game does not disappoint. Don't even bother reading any of the negative user reviews at all, as the authors have likely joined the religion of Hating On All Things Call Of Duty Because It Sells More Than Their Favorite Game Series. Like it or not, almost every new game is being designed with Call of Duty gameplay in mind, and you're looking at its beautiful roots. To be fair, the campaign is forgettable, as are the characters, and the length of it always makes you want demand your money back. However, what makes CoD so popular is not the campaign, but its addicting and often health-damaging multiplayer. Every new feature in it is a welcome addition, and for the first time since Modern Warfare 2, it did NOT feel like a another re-skinned CoD game. Venturing outside of Multiplayer is the supposed last hope of CoD, zombies. Even most dedicated haters will have trouble scalding this game mode. It's back and better than ever, with only a few annoying changes like having to build the wonder-weapons, and zombies rarely come through windows anymore. You will either love this game because it is Call of Duty, or you will hate this game's guts because it is Call of Duty.… Expand
  74. geekofband007
    Mar 29, 2013
    5
    If this was a new IP, this would be a fine game. probably a 7.5/10 or an 8/10. Instead it is plagued by many of the problems of it's predecessors. This is the biggest problem that i find with the CoD series of games. They are broken and then the next one is not fixed. Lets get on to BO2 though. 1st, presentation, the look of the game is fairly fluid. It runs at a smooth 60fps but that still isn't enough to ignore the graphics that look like they are about 3 years behind. It's had to play a game like this after playing something like BF3 or Halo 4. When you actually stop and look at something you can tell the textures are very sub par. This wouldn't be a huge deal if that was the standard, but I know that there can be so much better. Best that I can tell, the developers are hoping you would be moving to quickly to notice such poor graphics. This is true for the most part. Most of the game play moves along very quickly which does help the graphics problem. Story, It's Call of Duty. It's a massive scale war that has Michael Bay as the Commander in Chief. It looks cool, it is adrenaline pumping, but after 6 games of the basically same massive scale war, different day. It gets old. The jumps in time are cool and an interesting way to break up the game. The game also tried to introduce something new called Strike Force mode. It is terrible, you are suppose to be able to control different units from above and jump between them and it just doesn't work. They are not smart enough and it ends up just being annoying. I found myself doing the one required strike force mission then skipping the rest. Gameplay: It's a CoD game, it plays very much like every other CoD game. Multiplayer: I've played a lot of multiplayer and it is fun. It can also be very frustrating. It, like many other CoD games is very unbalanced. The other problem is that they don't fix it. When the lifetime of your game is only 1 year, there isn't much of a motivation to actually release patches to fix issues with the game. So there are many things that ended up being heavily unbalanced and have been left totally unfixed. Also, the map design is the standard 3 lane maps. Zombies: I have not played much of zombies, from what I have played, it does not feel nearly as solid of flushed out as it was in BO or WaW. I feel like they tried to do to much and forgot what zombies was all about.

    This once a year release gets lots of money for activision but it doesn't help make good games. I could probably right the same review for the past 4 CoD's. They all share the same issues and these issues are never fixed. The graphics also need to catch up. They are way behind. Like I said before if this was a new IP, I would give it a 7.5/10 with hopes that where they go from here will improve the problems. But, seeing as how this is the 6th game in the modern CoD series, there are really no excuses at this point. I give it a 5/10    … Expand
  75. scbane
    Mar 28, 2013
    3
    How I felt playing the game? after the excitement of the new car smell of new maps wore off, and after yet anothe blockbuster game releasing dlc that should have come with the game like a week after launch, i found myself looking at the screen wondering which cod I was playing. Cod MW was my favorite game of all time. still prefer it and mw2 over blops and mw3. Waw was my favorite treyarch game ever...ZOMBIES! then blops zombies, which were ok but overdone and too frantic. My complaints? Same game as blops and mw3 with a little polish tossed in. persistent server problems, aged graphics, still fast scoping auto aim, ridiculously accurate weapons, lack of ANY FEEL OF INVENTIVENESS. How many people want to watch the same tv show, just with different characters, every time they watch tv? Same plot, same clothes,etc. I read reviews by others rating 9 or 10. Have to be fanboys defending a dying franchise or paid reviewers. If it werent for the ok zombie play, I already would have taken my copy of Blops II back to gamestop to trade in.… Expand
  76. UndiyingPickle
    Mar 27, 2013
    2
    Generic and repetitive gameplay, awful campaign mode and nonsensical zombie mode make black ops 2 a game that didn't need to be release.
    So let's start by the campaign the whole six hour campaign is playing through different sections of just shooting dumb and suicidal AI that not do anything more than just be annoying then watch a non interesting not necessary cutscene and that pretty muc    h is all that there is.
    For multiplayer you have your basic game modes (tdm, dm, dom etc...) the new game modes are not innovative at all and are just game modes from different games plastered into this game every weapon feels exactly the same aside from the way they fire, (full auto or bust fire or semi automatic) i find myself sleeping after playing for a while.
    At last zombies is just... awful... the new so called zombie campaign is just the same survival mode but with a different name the stages feel exactly the same and is just not fun.
    the only reason why this game is getting a two and not a one or even a 0 is just because the graphics are decent and the campaign even if they are terrible have different endings and choices.
    In conclusion i wouldn't buy this game at all is completely skippable it doesn't innovate in absolutely anything and most of the copy paste ideas are just badly performed, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.    … Expand
  77. MrAwkward
    Mar 26, 2013
    9
    A revolutionary cod game that is overlooked by flaming fan boys of other fps games. Something you need to buy for the great campaign, and addicting multiplayer. Good job treyarch!
  78. Coletrain128
    Mar 26, 2013
    2
    At one point, I did enjoy the Call of Duty franchise for what it was. It had an exciting campaign, an addictive multiplayer (until little children, hackers, and people who treated the game as if its a goddamn national sport ruined it all), and was an overall great package. But most of the hate has gone beyond this franchise itself and straight to the reputation of its developers as they will constantly force the same product every year in order to produce the same sales results as say MW2. This practice doesn't help evolve the industry, it destroys it. The more you release the same product every year, the more likely it will fade away. Look at Guitar Hero, a game that was published by Activison but failed because of over flooding the market with the same game every year. Because of this, Guitar Hero is not only dead, but so is the music game genre. Now, Call of Duty has not only attracted some of the more dedicated consumers, but the casual market as well. This game is the reason to why the game market is flooded with Shooters every year and there is hardly any diversity in the game market. The fact that these games are pumped out ever year with little to no creative is the reason why the material is dry, monotonous, and unappealing to many. The only positive is that the game isn't broken. This franchise not only reached its peak back way back in 2007, but it has also brought a downfall to games in general.… Expand
  79. LibertyLocked
    Mar 25, 2013
    7
    I was never a COD fan but I have to say that COD is never a bad game. People hate it just because Activision is abusing the same shooter stuff. To be honest, I don't really like this game and I only play zombies. Most people hate it because they spent (and they are going to spend) $60 on a shooter game that looks ALMOST the same as the game the bought last year. But hey, the problem is not about the game itself. Imagine if it's the first time you play this game. The graphics is awesome and the game runs at 60 FPS which is amazing. The multiplayer is intense and fun (in the beginning). The zombie mode is the best and very addictive. I wish Activision could release COD games every 2 or 3 years instead of 1, because people will get bored really fast.… Expand
  80. TheWalrus2000
    Mar 25, 2013
    5
    It's not bad but the Over-popular and overrated Black oops 2 doesn't give the entertainment awesome video games need. Fans(or should I say lunatics) will not be pleased.
  81. LiamBenDavid
    Mar 23, 2013
    9
    A big step up to the Call of Duty Franchise, the setting of the game do not change, but the big change is on the amazing campaign who makes Black Ops 2 the greatest Call of Duty game in the franchise history.
  82. Harryhausen
    Mar 22, 2013
    1
    This game is, by far, the worst call of duty EVER (and i've been playing this franchise since call of duty 2). the graphics are outdated, the story sucks (as always), the graphics are outdated and the story sucks.

    by the way, the graphics are outdated and the story sucks.
  83. azgoodaz
    Mar 18, 2013
    0
    This is a horrible game. This is the same as Black Ops 1, same engine, same guns. Lame DLC, Lame Servers. This was just a money maker for them, a rushed game in which should have been a 3 or 4 year project. Every COD, should take at least 4 years to make NOT 1 every year. COD mainly is for Little Kids ask there Mom's to buy it and in so they can play with their friends and spend money on DLC. Big Companys that host Competitive games with not good MLG players and spend Millions but cant fixed the servers? Smh… Expand
  84. sharksfan98
    Mar 17, 2013
    5
    The game was decent. I was disappointing by the plot with it's obliviously short and easy ending, plus the weapons being way too powerful. Multiplayer has a poor selection of maps and no new, appealing game modes. Zombies, was decent on the other hand. I preferred the original BO in a long shot, but it's the same dog on a hot sidewalk.
  85. XxNightvHawkxX
    Mar 16, 2013
    7
    Its okay........ It isn't bad by any means. It is certainly better than the first Black Ops. Treyarch actually tried this time around. Treyarch actually could have made something great, but unfortunately, Activision demands that a CoD game must come out every year. Had this game been in development for 3 years, it would have been a really good game.

    But yes, I agree, it is the same as     the other CoDs.… Expand
  86. PersonFace
    Mar 16, 2013
    2
    First I'll start off with the campaign, it's alright. Not bad, but not very good either. Mainly boring. Second is the zombies. The maps are very small, the fog is horrendous, and tranzit just has a bunch of small maps together. Multiplayer.... it's very controversial. The guns sound horrible for one. The damage that each gun does is unbalanced. The maps are ok. THE COLORS ARE GREAT THOUGH! The downfall of the call of duty series to me is the quake 3 engine. It's not a good system and they won't get over that. I'd say that this game needs a lot of balancing, and engine improvements.… Expand
  87. TerribleEmu2759
    Mar 15, 2013
    3
    Don't believe what ign and gamespot are saying about these games, they are getting paid by these gaming companies to get good reviews. The game is the same thing as the Black Ops with different guns and different maps. It has a short weak campaign and has the same old maps that are made for camping. Plus the DLC season pass is the same price as the damn game! If you want a good game, go play Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare… Expand
  88. plotlesviolence
    Mar 15, 2013
    6
    This game is fun. Basically every criticism I've heard about it is true (i.e., doesn't innovate, is the same game as CoD4, etc., 100% linear). But it's fun. The linear CoD design has solved my biggest pet peeve from pre-1990s games: not knowing where to go next and feeling like I'm wasting my time. Before, I would just look up a walkthrough, but the objective marker just keeps me immersed in the game. Aside from the sandbox shooters, all the competitors copy CoD because it works. Also, it's a pretty, polished game with lots of spectacle.
    So why not a higher score? Because it doesn't innovate and it is more like an expansion pack to CoD4 than the 5th sequel. The new stuff (a pseudo-rts mode and a cool see-through-walls scope) is pretty minor, and I probably won't be replaying the single-player mode ever again. Also, while I really liked the revenge-driven plot of Modern Warfare 3, the plot of BlOps 2 doesn't really do anything for me. So I'd say slightly above average. Worth playing once if you like the linear FPS genre, but not something I'd stake my reputation recommending to my friends.    … Expand
  89. Natedrake1994
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    I can see where fans are coming from in that Black Ops 2 is a rehash of other COD games, and I have to agree that the franchise needs some work and improvisation done to it. Nonetheless Black Ops 2 continues to surprise with its action-packed levels and great variety of weapons. The voice-acting is also still great and it's nice to see the continued character story-arc from BO with Woods, Mason, Hudson etc. and now continuing with Mason's son and co. However the story isn't quite up to scratch with the few other COD's I've played and it can be a little confusing when it switches from one level in the past to another in the future and so on, yet it can be forgiven because it ties in with the main villain's life who is definitely one of the best COD has ever seen since he seeks vengeance and you really get understand his motives. Also an addition to the campaign and a change to the series is player-choices in some of the levels which affect the outcome of the game, as well as Strike Force missions which can be slightly annoying and tricky to pull off. The choices however increase the replay value and its nice to see what your actions caused at the end of the campaign. Graphics wise, it's much the same as its always been yet still attractive and gameplay is still simple. For the multiplayer, I have to say I really got stuck into this (although I have hardly played any of the other CODs) and it has great customization for weapons etc, and while I can see zombies is improved I never play it. Overall, a great COD yet with a slightly weaker story, but which it makes up for in its pulse-pounding action and addictive multiplayer.… Expand
  90. ncstatemike
    Mar 12, 2013
    0
    What the actual Am I supposed to take this game seriously? I have to say, it was incredibly entertaining laughing at the ridiculous campaign for six hours. Go play Far Cry.
  91. RageReviews
    Mar 11, 2013
    2
    Total halo rip off multiplayer is boring campaign sucks and the zombies is the biggest dissapointment ever the first one had a good story that kept me hooked on zombies but in this game its just like look thers theres zombies lets kill them. theres no story its just a bunch of hillbillies killing zombies
  92. Shadow123
    Mar 10, 2013
    5
    The game overall is okay, but the campaign really really sucks. The only part which improved was the zombie mode. The zombie mode is probably the best part of the game because it provides a lot of epicness in the game and the levels in the zombie mode are newer and better than the old ones, that game mode is the only mode thats good in this game
  93. coolinb123
    Mar 10, 2013
    5
    finally some improvement to the game. But just not enough all the same with new modes, and the story has been improved a little. They added AI to play against finally so i can just chill out and play the game now and a point to it for almost every area except creativity +3, game-play +2
  94. BoredEasily
    Mar 10, 2013
    4
    By far the worst of the Call of Duty games, Graphics are actually worse than the previous 2. My favourite is Black Ops, so i was hoping this would be great but unfortunately it went on eBay within a week of buying.
    Only thing that was a slight improvement was the Zombies Tranzit mode. But £40 just for a new zombies mode is a bit ridiculous
  95. richmorehave
    Mar 9, 2013
    10
    Don't believe the lame low scores.
    This is the first shooter that REWARDS the guys that play the objectives!
    Now in score it shows the guys that NEVER go for a base or defend it.
    And everybody can see the selfish guys on the team, the guy with 40 kills and who do nothing to help the TEAM win the GAME'S Objective. So that is why the little kids don't like the game.
    It REWARDS the guys     that are contributing to the TEAM
    And in OBJECTIVE multiplayer game, more games should REWARD the TEAM PLAYER who dies helping the team and not the Rambo who could care less whether the TEAM wins or loses.
    Now if you just want to run around and just get kills, play MW3. I wish Battlefield 3 would have done this, REWARD the TEAM PLAYER and not the RAMBO.    … Expand
  96. RagingCanadian
    Mar 8, 2013
    3
    Okay when Modern Warfare 3 came out it ruined the franchise. I mean I'm not a huge fan of Call of Duty I prefer Halo and Gears of War. When I got Black Ops 1 I thought it was pretty good they did a good job, the multiplayer was balanced which is what I look for in multiplayer games. So when Black Ops 2 came out I gave it the benefit of the doubt but when I played it I was more than disappointed. For multiplayer they took Black Ops 1 and combined it with Modern Warfare 3, that combination just doesn't work. Its like putting Fruit Loops on crap. Zombies was good but if you want a good zombie apocalypse game get ArmA II: Combined Operations for PC and download DayZ. I will make a promise to the people that watch this if they make a Black Ops 3 i will dedicate my life to destroying every copy.… Expand
  97. Aeon
    Mar 7, 2013
    3
    Call of Duty is one of the best marketing games. Bringing out the same game every year with barely no changes at all and an awful singeplayer mode. A hype that I can't understand. The only bonus this game has is the multiplayer-mode, which you can play with alot of friends, because most of them don't have any other games than CoD or FIFA. And it's sometimes pretty fun. But all in all the game is a mess.… Expand
  98. MrPotato123
    Mar 7, 2013
    0
    the review of the people are so subjective .we can put whatever you want. I say the worst game of the century. What a huge disappointment and a waste of money.
  99. ikenyon1
    Mar 4, 2013
    6
    There is nothing too wrong with this game, but that is also the problem. Treyarch did little to innovate outside the pick 10 system and released a buggy and lag-comp heavy mulitplayer. While the campaign is fine as always, I feel as if they ruined zombies too. They tried to hard to innovate while not preserving very much. I really had high hopes for this game after the travesty that was Modern Warfare 3 but I haven't touched this game in 2 months and it does not look like I will be returning anytime soon.… Expand
  100. blackdeath186
    Mar 3, 2013
    0
    I have a great idea for a video game. You control a character that just runs around and gets killed from other characters behind him. Then you respawn and do it all over again. You just die and die and die some more. Doesn't this sound like fun? Well to the people at Activision this sounds like a great idea. The multiplayer maps are way too small. Because these maps are so small it becomes a game of being in the right place at the right time. Which unfortunately takes the emphasis away from skill. This is a total exercise in frustration. This has to be the worst multiplayer of any video game ever. It's certainly the most frustrating ever. How can anyone think this was a good idea? I am all done with the Call of Getting Killed From Behind series.… 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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