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. N1kke
    Nov 13, 2012
    0
    i see all kids crying and grip about why this game is so low rate.. its simple this game sucks balls, play halo 4 if you want futuristic game this is another AD/HD shooter like every year.... sry my bad english..
  2. truthaboutgames
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    One of the best Call of Duties the franchise has ever seen!.

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

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

    For anyone jaded by the franchise after the disappointing MW3, give this game a go its definitely a vast improvement and will get you hooked again.    … Expand
  3. 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.
  4. steakosaurrus
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    So i am not some kind of COD fan boy or anything but i do believe games should be reviewed based on what they are. I cant take any of these people giving this game a 0 seriously because no game unless completely unplayable deserves a 0 regardless of how much you don't like like the franchise as a whole. I was not the biggest MW3 fan but when it comes to modern military shooters BO2 offers the best story by far and yes i understand the engine and graphics are a bit outdated but the game is still a solid offering with a zombie/ multiplayer experience that rivals any other console shooters at the present. But for all the people blatantly just throwing a 0 at this game because it's COD is a bit sad, grow up and review a game on its pros and cons and not on the title of the franchise.… Expand
  5. L4DMalus
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Every user on here is absolutely ridiculous. The game is amazing and you are all just a bunch of pissed off Halo fanboys who are upset because your community got executed with the release of this game. While the graphics haven't changed from the previous Black Ops (which is the only reason this game doesn't get a 10/10) the Multiplayer experience is by far the best I have seen since CoD4 or Modern Warfare 2. The Pick 10 System works perfectly to make sure every class you pick isn't atrociously overpowered unless you give up equipment/weapon slots for Wildcards. The maps are small, but not as small as Shipment or Rust from Cod4 and Modern Warfare 2 respectively, the maps make for great, fast paced gameplay across the entire game and it's not a 10 minute camp-out. Halo fanboys need to stop hating because they don't know what it's like to have to shoot less that a full clip into someone to kill them.… Expand
  6. jeffo2448
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Pros:
    Multiplayer is still fun, gameplay is addictive, there are tons of stats to view and improve upon, maps are decent, new kill streak point system is solid

    Cons:
    Still feels like an expansion pack rather than a whole new game
    Graphics aren't the greatest
  7. Jonex
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Some seriously delusional people giving user reviews here. I personally really enjoy Black Ops 2. The campaign isn't the strongest, but it's far from the weakest in the COD series. The Zombies and multiplayer more than justify the retail price. You'll be playing this for months, I know I will.
  8. 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
  9. quasar44
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    If there were no other Call of Duty games, gamers would be raving about Black Ops II. DONT LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO GIVES THIS GAME A score of 0. They either wanted BOII to be completely different than all previous Call of Duty games or they're just people who complain about everything in life.
  10. jusperino
    Nov 14, 2012
    5
    The graphics are ATROCIOUS, even on maximum settings on PC. Gun sounds are mediocre at best.
    singleplayer campaign is uninspired. Zombie mode seems a little more enjoyable. Can't comment on multiplayer, although the map aesthetics seem improved compared to previous call of duty titles.
    Overall nothing to write home about. A new engine is desperately needed for the series to continue, to     enable both better graphics and new gameplay depths.… Expand
  11. 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.
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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)
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. Atomic91
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    As far as the campaign is concerned, the game fared better than I thought it would. There were some nuances, and although the story line was linear and predictable, the game play was decent. I give the campaign an 8. My problem is with the multiplier game play. The controls are clunky, the guns are generic and the registry is terrible. Don't even bother using a suppressor, you won't get a kill. The spawn system is an absolute abortion. I die and spawn right in front of an enemy player. This happened twice in a row several times. Guns sights (including the ACOG) are an embarrassment. The multiplier just seems unfinished. There are too many kill streaks. The maps are boring and allow for too much camping. Knife kills register from 5 feet away. I give the multiplier a 2/10. The zombie aspect of the game may very well be the only saving grace. Its innovative and pretty darn fun. If not for the zombies this game would get a 2 or a 3. Zombies gets an 8/10. Save your money and don't buy this game. Might as well stick with the other CoD games. They're all the same anyways.… Expand
  27. GrazerMagic
    Nov 17, 2012
    2
    The campaign was terrible, which was what I expected. The multiplayer was terrible, which was what I expected.

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall, Treyarch took some interesting design choices that makes Black Ops 2 feel both familiar, and different. If you liked Black Ops and weren't particularly a major fan of MW3, you're more than likely to enjoy this game quite thoroughly, at least for a little while anyways.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critics

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