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

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1663 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 638 out of 1663
  2. Mixed: 174 out of 1663
  3. Negative: 851 out of 1663

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  1. tenow
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    First good COD in years. Campaign had a great story and actually made me care. Great gameplay. All the good stuff. Only downside is strategy missions. I really didn't like controls and AI in them.
  2. McStorm
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Why the F***, people are giving this 0 beggars belief,i bet they will be online in the coming weeks. I aint a CoD fanboy (BF franchise), but i can see when improvements are made of the very lacklustre MW3, which imo, was the worst in the entire CoD Franchise, Graphics are not the best, but the gameplay shines in both Campaign and Multiplayer. GRATZ to TREYARCH on the best of CoD to date.
  3. Nunito
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is probably one of the best games i've played all year and by far the the best call of duty to date. I want to be clear about something. I play most games for the story/singleplayer campaign. It's the most appealing aspect of a game to me. On those merits alone, this game DESERVES a near perfect score. It's really sad to see people tanking the games score without even trying it out first. It accomplishes nothing. The game reviews well with actual professionals and makes hundreds of millions of dollars. Being on the complaining side of a game that is that popular just makes you look like you need your head checked out.… Expand
  4. BlackAryan
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    The only reason why this game is not getting a 10 is because of the aging multiplayer and engine. The multiplayer outdoes MW3's. If you liked the previous multiplayer of the other call of duty's then you'll like this one too. The single player is just as great as the previous call of duty's. It's really intense. The zombies is the best part of this game. The TranZit mode is perfect for those who are continuing the story from Black Ops 1 and W@W. It also includes smaller survival maps that are boring for old timers but are sure to bring new people into zombies. The new grief mode is fun and refreshing and really entertaining. Looking forward to more zombies, don't care for multiplayer in the end.… Expand
  5. Kratos502
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I am so sick of hearing people whine about COD games! Why do people say they waited in line and were so excited about the game, then say oh it's just the same old crap and its boring and the AI sucks and blah blah. It's COD people! you know what you're getting before you even buy the game, so dont **** about how you just wasted $60, trolls!!! It still remains one of the best FPS in history and a great online multiplayer experience. If you don't like what's popular simply because it's popular, then go listen to your underground techno music and leave us be.… Expand
  6. pourya-ahmadian
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    campaign is awesome and amazing,missions are same new and old,new guns are so handy and useful while the old ones are lovely still.new protagonists are believable and strong side with strong new enemies.story rounds you so many ways.sounds design is high and superb while graphic parts are a little better(we do not play COD for high-graphic,it is for smooth gameplay).
    multiplayer is so-so     to me,zombie mode is good to me still.
    new structures in MP-mode make the game better for players whom new on COD.
    one thing only bother me and that is the way you must replay the missions.i do not like new way,i prefere the old one.    … Expand
  7. Xmayne
    Dec 5, 2012
    9
    I just find it hilarious how many people say the obligatory: "same as last year, adds nothing new, blah blah blah." It's just SUCH an exaggeration and only tells me that you didn't really play the game. That's NOT an effective review. You CANNOT just say "it's the same as before" and be done, because that's not technically true. Black Ops 2 actually added and changed a lot more than MW3 did. The campaign was good fun and had interesting missions. I enjoyed it. The multiplayer is fun, tried something new with the pick 10 system, and the UI is a big improvement over the crappy one MW3 had. The game is overall fun and enjoyable. There are so many people who just dislike COD because it's a bandwagon mentality and therefore their judgement is severely clouded. That tends to happen with certain games and it's REALLY a shame.… Expand
  8. Riflenator1234
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    This game does not deserve the user rating it currently has. Don't listen to the user reviews. They are simply a bunch of angry nerds (I use the term nerd loosely.) that were going to rage no matter how good the game was and haven't actually played the game. This game is very enjoyable and is certainly an improvement upon last year's MW3.
  9. Windowwiper123
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    The bottom line to this game is that haters are gonna hate, that's all there is to it.

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

    Defiantly not a 10 but a lot of fun, and at least has a lot more creativity in it than MW3 multiplayer which I played for about 2 weeks. This game I will probably play for at least 3 months, maybe more depending on how into it I get.    … Expand
  10. TheLivingVirus
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    First thing: I bet 1000 bucks that not even the half of all the red reviewers have even played Black Ops 2 and still write that there is nothing new or changed compared to MW2. I played MW3 and Battlefield 3 last year and enjoyed both of them equally. I cant get all the hate on Black Ops 2.
    Everyone shouted out for innovations and new ideas and Treyarch delivered them. A non-linear storym    ode, all-new zombies, completely overhauled multiplayer with new perk- and prestige system and still everyone says that there is nothing new.
    The graphics are not really uptodate but they are far better than in every other CoD with new lightning effects. Why would you need a new engine anyway? Was there such a huge difference beetween the Frostbite 1 and Frostbite 2 engine except the advertisment for new bashing material on CoD? No! The graphics of Battlefield 3 on the consoles were horrible and even MW3 delivered a smoother (if it was better is a matter of opinion) experience with 60 FPS. But MW3 didnt made ANYTHING new. Nothing. It made it even worse with support killstreaks and stuff like this and got ratings way higher than Black Ops 2.

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

    All I can say is that most of the haters here are just BF fanboys. This ratings should all go to Modern Warfare 3 and even the press bashes on Black Ops 2 for not being original what I cant understand. Its doing the best job possible on making a shooter feel fresh and Treyarch gets spitted in the face like this? I can see Modern Warfare 4 in the future with the same sh**play like Modern Warfare 3 and it will get 90+ again from everyone because it makes everything better and has nice Coop. That's a joke such as all the 0.0 ratings. They don't make any sense at all. If you played (and I mean not only 2 matches online and the first three missions in the story) Black Ops 2 you know that it just can't get 0.0. In my eyes Treyarch did an amazing job on make Call of Duty feel fresh. After disappointments this year like Medal of Honor or some other mediocre games I can just say that Black Ops 2 is with Dishonored and XCOM one of my Game of the Year. Period.    … Expand
  11. Taka_Dreams
    Dec 12, 2012
    9
    First Black Ops II, this is not the best game in the series, but it stands out a few new compared to its predecessor, what Black Ops. I do not compare to Modern Warfare 3, because it is not the developer. The highlights are: the zombie mode, the system class creation and maps, each with its own identity. The negatives are: small hideouts, the campaign is too Hollywood and the community, but 3arch tried to change a minimum it with the strengths, scorestreaks, and the sniper?! It seems Mw2 ...… Expand
  12. Arc-of-War
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    i stopped liking CoD after the first modern warfare. black ops 2 changes enough to make me a fan of the series again. multilayer feels like cod and wont change peoples mind on the series but the campaign and ZOMBIES is refined to near perfection.
  13. adn12
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Whoa. Been waiting for this call of duty game for a while. Big improvement in the overall series. (No I'm not a fan boy; I play Halo all the time. I just love good shooters)
  14. crishrice
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    so far the game is great. zombies is loads of fun and it is awesome to see that call of duty is trying to come up with new ideas those being the future. zombies is of course epic. from the multiplayer that i have played the game seems much more objective and rush based. the game is similar to the others but it is a series. i also do not have a problem with them using the same engine since valve has been using source for like ever and nobody has a problem with that. the idea of the time period switch to the future is nice. although it does make the game feel more like crysis. it is still too early for me to properly judge the game but i will say that so far i am having a lot of fun with the game.… Expand
  15. Meruco
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    I can't understand negative critics because BLOPS 2 is just another COD. Of course it is. One of the better. Maybe the best just according to the different kind of games in one: not only zombies, the best zombies with its awsome new tranzit, multiplayer, of course, wich is better now because you can play in your league, boots, split screen, ..... BLOPS 1 was the best COD on 2010 and BLOPS 2 is the same staff, but improved. I found what I thought I'd find.… Expand
  16. LordManhammer
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    I'm not going to post a long review detailing specifics. I do enjoy all aspects of the game. It has high replay value too me. I can see myself playing this game for a couple of years. The campaign has been improved with the outcome of the game determined by the choices made during. Zombies, while not quite an entire game by itself, is the best yet. Multiplayer is polished nicely with a lot of changes and additions.

    What surprises me is the incredible amount of 0 negative reviews... People buy a game that has three parts to it, 1 Campaign 2 Zombies and 3 Multiplayer. They play the first mission on Campaign, skip zombies and go 3-15 on their first match of multiplayer while running around or camping on a map they don    … Collapse
  17. Denkov
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    The hate has already started flowing for the new CoD. After playing so many versions of basically the same game, black ops 2 does enough to separate itself from the repetitive modern warfare formula over the years. It has a new and improved multiplayer. The new load out system is awesome allowing for complete customization of your classes. The single players story is great and the transfer between cold war and 2025 is seamless. The characters, writing, voice acting, and action sequences are all awesome. Yes, the engine is a bit dated but CoD is the only game to achieve 60fps CONSTANTLY. No other game has been able to capture the crisp movements and gameplay CoD offers. Black Ops 2 adds a new facial software allowing for better character expressions. It also adds choices to the single player. Some are simple go here or go there choices but during the story, based on the decisions you make, you'll get a different ending than someone who may have not done the same objectives. The ability to setup a load out in single player before missions start is also awesome. Single player = F'ing sweet. Lastly, the zombie mode is like crack. The new mode is awesome, getting on a bus to go to another area. The updated weaponry is sweet. In all, this game rocks. People can hate all day about CoD but this version is one that people will want to come back for more and more. And then some more after that...… Expand
  18. Gilgamesh
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    MW3 is the easily one that should take the beating out of these two as it catered to the mindless auto aim twits. Black Ops 2 brings an actually interesting Campaign and much improved visuals. Granted some of the maps look similar to previous maps but it's a multiplayer game and why fix something that ain't broke. Sad that many people consider it a bad game instead of seeing it for what it is... an solid improvement over BO1. Simply put... anyone who gives this a 0 or 1 is not someone who's reviews are worth reading. You can't beat a game down simply because you expected something you didn't get instead of looking at the quality of what it is.… Expand
  19. Joeyi05
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Anyone who gave this game a zero is without a doubt just a Call of Duty hater or went online last night after they bought it and got destroyed in multiplayer. Take out your noob anger somewhere else because this game is tons of fun with extremely high replay value. Giving a zero for this game absolutely annihilates your repuation on this website and you essentially embarrassed yourself. See the rest of you guys online!… Expand
  20. otokosuki
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I don't understand why so many people rates this game with a 0. You don't like the game? OK, but please, be a little more serious. Not even Superman for N64 deserves a 0...
  21. swedishbaker
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I am surprised, after whatever the hell MW3 was, treyarch has delivered an excellent COD game. There is a great campaign in this and some nice multiplayer maps to boot. They may of gone a new path with the zombies maps, but that doesn't mean they are bad, classic zombies though, has lost its touch, but the new transzit map is very large and very fun with friends. Best Call of Duty I've seen in a while.… Expand
  22. xLostHunterx
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Campaign is the best in the series, and multiplayer havent been this good since cod4, and zombies is awesome as always. I really enjoyed Black ops 2 for the Xbox, and all of my friends are enjoying it as well.
  23. z114gate
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Similar in appearance to its predecessor it shows a marked improvement in both graphics and game mechanics. The story mode seems compelling as with all the Treyarch games which is one thing the Modern Warfare games seem to lack. Zombie mode sees an improvement with a new game mode and still more of the same fun from the previous game. As usual the multiplayer is where the game truly excels, new maps and slight variation to some of the familiar game modes, no doubt many hours can be lost in this especially when playing along side friends. There are a few negatives, the graphics are still not the best there is, although perhaps this is not what is important for a game like this, the spawn system on multiplayer is sometime frustrating and, perhaps to be expected, the servers have struggled with the amount of people online! All in all a marked improvement over Black Ops even if it is almost more of the same!… Expand
  24. erpecu
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I think it's ridiculous how clear it is that many people giving this game such low scores have never even played the game before. I've been playing it for a few hours now and have been having a great time. I really enjoy the changes to zombies, and I like the new custom class system. They did what they were supposed to do. They improved upon an already fun game. There are very few games that actually deserve a review score of 0/10, and this certainly isn't one of them. This game isn't broken, it isn't unplayable, it isn't even boring. People just like to ****… Expand
  25. Unozero
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    MP is very,nice choice of differnt weapons and score streaks,f the haters and the people that say its as bad as MOH:WF...because that game is the worst AAA title since Rage
  26. yazman
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I have been playing COD, games since Big Red one, this is a franchised that I hold in my heart, but when the time arrived I brought all the poor game design, gameplay issues that every entry have had. This time around I have to say that yes!! this in my modest opinion is probably the best COD game after the original MW, I found the campaign really entertaining and above anything a lot more solid than previous installments, I have to admit the AI really messed the experience (specially on the strike missions) but other that and minor hiccups when it comes to story placement (understandable given the amount of years the game skipped forward after its predecessor) and game play inconsistencies. I have played the campaign already and for the first time in a long time I feel like I want to re-play a COD campaign again. By the time of this mini-review I have not yet play zombies, therefore my review will not include this part of the game. At 7:26 am today and after I had went through the whole campaign I jumped into multiplayer with the intention of play couple of matches and get a hint of the mode, the result ?; five more hours of shooting frenzy and red bull **** I felt very satisfied with the multiplayer mode, actually it feels refreshed when at the same time does not depart far from what the franchise made its name. Weapon design is super awesome and I really think they found the balance between our current reality and the possible technology we will be having in 2025. Somehow I felt that the game engine and mechanics shows similarities to the MW entries but of course with the Treyarch particular touch, but definitely there was an attempt to use some of the MW titles looks… Expand
  27. HonestBob
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Alright, first of all there is no reason anyone would five this game less than a 7.0 unless they are trying to make a point about the degradation of game industry due to mega franchises like Call of Duty, Madden, or Assassins Creed putting out huge budget games every year. While I disagree that this holds back independent studios from making original titles, I can see how someone could believe this, and not all of the negative reviews are simply trolls, even though this will be prevalent for all Call of Duty games from now on, but this is just a fact of life and should not affect your view of the game. Now on to the game itself. Lets us start with the campaign. The length is comparable to that of the original Black Ops, expect to put between 7-10 hours into it, depending on the difficulty of which you play. Treyarch brought in the co-writer of the Dark Knight Rises to write the script, as many of you already know, and overall this is my favorite story in a Call of Duty game to date. While the story has the insane set pieces we all expect, I was surprised by the impact of the quieter moments, in particular Frank Woods helping us transition from the missions set in the 1980s to the futuristic warfare of 2025, all from his wheelchair in an old folks home. The villain is set up with a backstory that causes him to go all **** the world" crazy, and while this transition is little far fetched, ok maybe more than a little, it is nice to have a villain that we can sympathize with as a real human being, not just evil for the sake of evil *cough* Makorav *cough* One major hiccup is the strike force missions, which fell like a 99 cent RTS you would play on your iPhone. The squadrons you control clearly never saw Tropic Thunder, because they sure as hell go full retard in these tiresome missions. Choices that actually effect the way the story plays out add replay value, and a much needed kick to the on rails action of the previous titles.

    + Exhilarating set pieces complimented by smaller, more intimant moments.
    + Good villain.
    + Cool futuristic gadgets.
    + Best story to date for the franchise.
    + Multiple endings.
    - A little shorter than I was hoping.
    - Strike force missions
    - Some hard to believe jumps in the narrative.

    Campaign - 8.5 Multiplayer is pretty much what you would expect with some welcome additions, if you enjoyed previous games multiplayer offering, you will like Black Ops IIs even better. There seems to be great gun balancing gives players a balanced playing field from the get-go , and colorful maps that are a nice change from the dirty snow and brown of the original Black Ops. Customizability is the core of Black Ops II multiplayer, and it works fantastically. You now have 10 points to spend on pretty much anything. Want to forgo a secondary weapon for a fourth perk? Want three attachments on your weapon and skip over grenades? All this is possible and more in the most robust and customizable multiplayer offering to date, not just of Call of Duty games, but of any FPS released on console in the last few years.

    +Great gun and explosion sound effects.
    +Robust customizability. +Weapon balancing. + - High paced, twitch shooter mechanics.
    -If you don't like Call of Duty multiplayer, Black Ops II probably wont convert you.
    -Engine looks slightly outdated, but still runs silky smooth at 60 fps.

    Multiplayer - 9.0

    I know a lot of people are excited most for zombies. I have never really been a fan of it ever since the Nazis became undead in World at War, so I might not be the best to review this section of the game. One of my previous gripes was how long it took to get to rounds that were actually challenging and after playing a map 3 or 4 times I didn't want to grind through those early levels again. Black Ops II adds customization (I need a thesaurus, i know) to Zombies by allowing you to set options like headshots only, and what round you start on. This combined with Tranzit mode. It is not really a campaign as many expected, but it adds tons of vague hints of backstorys and hidden items to find that really propel this mode past the tiresome survival mode we are all used to, and many will still enjoy.

    +Options to tailor the Zombie experience to your liking.
    +Tranzit mode adds depth we have not seen before.
    -Survival still gets boring after a few playthroughs, for me.
    -No true campaign or narrative.

    Zombies - 7.5 Overall an amazing experience for any video gamer who has ever enjoyed any of the previous Call of Dutys, and a great place to start if you are looking to jump into the franchise. More content than any game this side of Halo 4 with an exhilarating campaign and a customizable multiplayer and zombie experience. While this game is far from perfect, and will most likely not sway anyone that is not a fan of the series, Black Ops II offers enough great content to keep someone (me) playing for months on end.

    Overall - 8.75    … Expand
  28. ClarIn3t_G0d
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Taking what other people/critics have said before about the people giving "0" scores being trolls, there is no real reason to give it a flat-out zero. A zero to me would be if the game did not work period, or every single little itty-bitty thing in the game was flawed to the point of not working. Anyways, on to the review. So, my thoughts on the campaign is this. The story is possibly one of the best, if not the best story to date in Call Of Duty history, considering they did get David S. Goyer, the co-writer of The Batman trilogy by Christopher Nolan, to write the script. Sure it's got the same intense, "everything blows up" parts, but it's got a kind of quieter side to it, and that's the part that really just gets you. Also, the choices you are allowed to make throughout the campaign that can affect the story dramatically are a nice edition. Of course, one thing that does bother me is the Strike Force missions, when the bots basically go "full-retard" and not do much. In other words, they're just dummies there that you have to control for virtually the entirety of the missions. MY CAMPAIGN SCORE: 8.5 / 10. Now on to the multiplayer that most everyone normally seems to buy the game for. Sure, it's the same basic gameplay from just about every other Call of Duty game out there: shoot to kill or play the objective. However, the new futuristic set-up(weapons, score streaks, and other new "upgrades") along with new modes are fun to play with. Sure there are glitches here and there that can potentially eff up the game, but doesn't just about every game have that? Nothing is perfect, but the still intense, fast-paced gameplay is always something to look forward to in my opinion. MY MULTIPLAYER SCORE 8.5-9 / 10. Now for zombies, which seems or seemed like the most positive thing that the general public looked forward to. With a different set-up of the look and feel for the mode, the zombies mode has definitely been improved in some aspects. The new "Grief" mode in which two teams of 4 face off to see which team can survive longer is definitely something to look forward to if you enjoy playing zombies whilst "trolling" other people. However, nothing seems too different besides just a few added things and different weapons. However, it still is a fun aspect of the game and always fun to play(with friends especially). MY ZOMBIES SCORES: 7.5-8/10. Hope this review helps if you are even slightly interested in buying it. I would suggest it, definitely, since it is probably one of the better Call of Duty game in the series overall.… Expand
  29. 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
  30. 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.
  31. 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.
  32. 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.
  33. 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
  34. 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
  35. 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)
  36. 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
  37. ATOMB
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    What is wrong with you people? this game is Great! Sure its not perfect but it is FAR better then the last Black Ops and almost better then MW3.... The game looks great the sound and sound effects are awesome not to mention the control is flawless. No there is nothing ground breaking about this game but they did manage to get everything wright. There are not to many games that can claim that. I have been playing games since Pong, that's right 30+ years exp. I say this games a HIT and a must have for any COD fan!… Expand
  38. MonoMofeta
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game combines the best of black ops modern warfare 2 and 3 as well as a new look to the series, good class system so as to bet puntos.Treyacht streak for risking and renew the series and they went well, I give it a 10 if tubiera dedicated servers.… Expand
  39. fsuman
    Nov 25, 2012
    9
    black ops 2 is awesome just to let every konw treyrach had pacth update's for the mulitplayer a long list of thing's there fixing for xbox360 ps3 and the pc it well take time to fix all of this but in the mean time just hold on and wate till there down
  40. 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
  41. MarkMorway
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    Some people must be looking for a earth shattering new experience. We all know it's not going to be so stop getting your hopes up. Not ground breaking, but great none the less. I like the MW series much better, but definitely some great additions to the game all around. The new "pick 10 system" is awesome. I like the new attachments like the enemy finder and stuff. It's fun, and that's what I score on.… Expand
  42. EmericaCKY2k
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    The game is honestly a lot of fun. The graphics look a little outdated; but the engine runs smooth at 60 fps. As good as Medal of Honor and BF3 looks, it sometimes drops as low as 15 fps. In comparison, I'd prefer consistency over the "wow factor. "The gameplay is crisp and the new format for score-streaks and weapon load-outs provide a new value to the game.
  43. 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
  44. Djigabon
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    One of the best FPS ever. The history is very well told and has its epic moments. We have secondary missions and choices that affect the history. The characters have charisma. The graphics are very good, they are improved, but its the same engine. The multiplayer is the same too, maps and weapons new. The zombie mode is bigger and better, and its very, very fun. You can play it in 3D, you have just to put the glasses; no 3D TV necessary.… Expand
  45. Elgar_The_Fox
    Dec 10, 2012
    9
    What is the point of a Call of Duty game? To provide incredibly fast paced fun and excitement, of course. Flash back to the start of the series - beginning with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare; A gripping game that offered a look at current day wars rather than the typical World War II setting that was the trend for the gritty, realistic shooters of the time. Fast Forward back to present day - We have, since the time of CoD4, seen 4 other installments in the Call of Duty franchise. And we can see that, also since CoD4, the series has progressed very little, if at all. Modern Warfare 2 and 3 are the two storyline sequels to CoD4 and they decide, expending on the gritty realism and genre defining ingenuity of their predecessor, to chuck out any ounce of innovation CoD4 had. CoD4's two sequels were less sequels and more of the same game with a little cleaner plain job. Infinity Ward has time, and time again, let it's fans down by releasing the same game over and over again. Luckily, the CoD franchise has two developers to make games for it, one of course is the aforementioned Infinity Ward, the other is Treyarch. Treyarch came into the CoD franchise with Call of Duty 3, a game that desperately attempted to emulate the feel of the two previous installments, only to fail miserable and be a waste of everyone's money. Then, after CoD4, they got a second chance with their release of World at War. WaW kept to the same WWII story that previous shooters have maintained since the early 90's but unlike those shooters it brought CoD4's new and face paced multiplayer format to the table. While the execution was not as nice as CoD4's it was still enjoyable and the story was one of the best WWII stories to date. It also added the game mode that would come to define Treyarch - Zombies. Zombies was exciting, new, and, best of all, fun. It was a game mode the Call of Duty franchise needed to keep fresh. When Treyarch did their next game, Black Ops, they kept the zombies mode and fast paced multiplayer but added a number of new game modes, re-hauled the class creation, and added combat training which gave a new way to play with friends at a party. What I am trying to say is that Treyarch, unlike Infinity Ward, actually likes to come up with new and enjoyable additions to the Call of Duty series in order to make the games more exciting and rewarding for the long time players. In the brand new installment to the series Treyarch brings their innovations to a new level, adding a new look to the series as well as new Zombie modes and options, another re-haul to the class creation system, and even more fun game modes - this time mixing them into the campaign as well. Treyarch also seems to have a much better knack for storytelling than Infinity Ward because, after CoD4, Treyarch has done nothing but ruin every ounce of promise they built into the Modern Warfare story-line. Treyarch has shown that they can still come up with interesting ways of playing with the old dog that is Call of Duty. They have tightened everything from the controls to the graphics and it all just feels a lot cleaner and more thought out. If you are a fan of Call of Duty games' multiplayer format than there is plenty for you to love in Black Ops II and the game is sure to provide you with the most entertainment from a Call of Duty game since CoD4.… Expand
  46. PulseEnder
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is the direct sequel to Call of Duty: Black ops. The game takes place in 2025 as warfare has only become more complicated yet so sophisticated. Campaign plot: David Mason/Section along with Harper attempt to uncover and prevent the plot Menendez has to attack America. To do this they also look into the past by questioning Frank Woods' involvement within the life of Menendez. The plot can also be changed by certain actions the player makes, and the success of Strike Force missions throughout the campaign that give the player the oppurtunity to pick and choose their soldier/machine they want to control in order to complete the objective. Zombies plot: After Rictofen blew up the Earth, it is in an apocalyptic state where 4 survivors travel by bus or foot to different locations in order to survive. Players can also create weapons by improvising random objects into a contraption. Multiplayer: The pick 10 system allows players to choose any 10 loadout items including wildcards in order to create their class to their own custom standards. Also League play allows all items to be unlocked as players compete towards the top of their skill tree as determined by their wins and lossess. Combat training allows players from levels 1-10 to include bots as opponents and thereafter to earn half of the xp a player would originally achieve. Party Games are free for all game modes based off of wager matches from Call of Duty: Black Ops, whereas players get only 1/10 XP they would normally accquire. If you own an early copy you will have access to the Nuketown 2025 map and the Double XP Launch Weekend. In my opinion: Every Call of Duty gamer should give this game a chance to its foresight of the future of warfare, its addictive multiplayer, and the wave surviving zombie mode. Those new to Call of Duty should experience Call Of Duty: World at War, and then Call of Duty: Black Ops before experiencing this game.… Expand
  47. gingerclown
    Nov 24, 2012
    9
    Black Ops 2 is a very enjoyable game that is fun with friends and on your own. The single player is better than ever and offers more reason's to replay than previous titles through leader boards and challenges. It also allows for more player choice with custom loadouts as well as presenting the player with choices which can change aspects of the games story. However, some of the strike force missions included in the single player, though completely optional, are one of the games weak points. Multiplayer is better than ever with well designed maps, new game modes and the pick ten system which makes it easier for players to create loadouts that fit their play style. Zombies is still a solid game mode. The addition of custom games, Tranzit and grief mode give the player more to do in zombies than ever. So it's a shame people who haven't even played the game or have only played multiplayer rate the game a zero, putting people off in my opinion one of the best call of duty game's ever released. Whats more annoying about those rating it a zero is that they usually mention something they like about the game, so it's even more stupid when they rate it a zero.… Expand
  48. Brosephyoung
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    I am shocked so many people have left negative reviews for this awesome game. I have been playing the COD series since the second one and have watched the series turn into what it is today. The one thing i have always liked about COD is the style of online play and how they have not changed the feel of multiplayer. I like that i can expect the sequels to be the same, its what i look forward to because it is so great and they have no need to change that. I played Battlefield 3 online, that game was fun and good, but after about 30min of online play i found myself craving for MW3 because multiplayer feels better and cant compare to COD series. I feel this game deserves allot more credit and less criticism. If they stopped making the COD series people would freak out, thats how good it is and BO2 is no different.… Expand
  49. felipeblackdog
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    Call of Duty: Black Ops II is an awesome shooter,with good graphics,great story and an awsome and fun gameplay in its campaign,same with the online mode and zombie mode,which received a great improvement.But not everything is perfect in this game,you may find some lag on multiplayer and some bugs in the campaign,but nothing that will make your game experience bad.
    If you're looking for a     fun shooter,this will be your best choice,specially if you're already a fan of the Call Of Duty series.… Expand
  50. JamminJ
    Dec 15, 2012
    9
    (This review is purely about multi-player)+ {I had to add this note: While reading through other user reviews I noticed that many of them were written almost immediately after the game's release and are extremely subjective scores. Anyone who gives BO2 a red rating is obviously biased or trying to aim so low as to balance the overall ratings in their warped opinion. Compare the critic/user ratings}. If you are expecting a totally different game than the previous titles, find a new series. Having said that, it is as different as can be while still maintaining the addictive fps gameplay that it is known for. The futuristic setting helped the developers out with more unique and original content. The maps are different enough to keep you from being bored. The guns have very unique styles compared to the previous releases and many of them are completely new. What is most surprising about BO2 is how balanced the weapons and equipment are. Considering that you choose your loadout from a point based system, the variations seem infinite. I have been logging in 10+ days on each COD since MW4 and can honestly say that this is the most balanced, tight, expansive one yet.… Expand
  51. 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
  52. nightsharks23
    Jan 29, 2013
    9
    Like any big Call of Duty fan, I was excited when Black Ops 2 was announced. When November 13, 2012 came and I put the disc into my Xbox tray, I was ecstatic! After a few months of playing Black Ops 2 the game is slightly above average for a Call of Duty game. The Campaign is probably the best since Modern Warfare 2 and the choices you make during the campaign do affect the ending which I find awesome. Zombies has also improved like the new perk Tombstone which saves your money and your weapons you achieved when a Zombie kills you. Also Zombies keeps most of the old perks and weapons like Juggernog, self-revive, Ray gun, etc. Last what most people care most about Call of Duty the Multiplayer. Multiplayer improved in the guns, graphics, and the new pick 10 system. Now the bad things about Black Ops 2. Lets start with the Lag. The Lag in Black Ops 2 is nothing more than horrendous! I usually find myself lagging out almost every game and I have very good connection. Another problem is the maps. You thought Modern Warfare 3 and the infamous Downturn was bad, Downturn is better than MOST of the maps in Black Ops 2! How do you make a map worse than DOWNTURN! Last the game at certain points feel very repetitive like the campaign and the multiplayer. It's pretty much the same Call of duty game we the fans expect. Looking at the user reviews for Black Ops 2, the game might have its issues that we all hate so much, but Black Ops 2 remains one of the better than most of the FPS out there. Black ops 2 is sometimes flaud but not enough to bring the rating to a 5 or 6. It's 7 or 8 at best.… Expand
  53. 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.
  54. 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!
  55. 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
  56. 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
  57. TomComics
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    Treyarch returns to the Call of Duty franchise with the sequel to Black Ops. Black Ops II offers a brand new challenging campaign Treyarch tried to make different than others by including "Strike Force Missions", which means that whatever your actions occur, such as if you die in the game, will effect how the game will end. While Strike Force missions may sound promising, they do not always make the game as fun and can be annoying, and the campaign is overall solid. Multiplayer as always returns and feels the same as always only with futuristic weapons, but at least Treyarch is doing a better job and listening to the community for ways to better the game. Zombies is back and better than ever. TranZit was well done and everytime I play I learn something new and fun. Treyarch really put effort into hearing the fans calls out from the community for the best Zombies gameplay. The Nuketown Zombies map is decent, but nothing to get really hyped for. Overall, Black Ops II is a better game than the original, (but the graphics should have improved so much more!) offering a solid campaign with its weak moments, a same feeling multiplayer only with new maps and a more futuristic setting, and a much better and extremely fun Zombies mode,… Expand
  58. Veritas
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Let me preface this review by saying I hate what COD stands for. I have played every COD, and played competitively during MW2. I hate the fact that the engine is re-used. I hate it even more because it's the same problem we see with movies nowadays, it's laziness, but it's laziness that sells. I hated it so much that, even though everyone on my FL was playing it, I did not buy MW3. Based on what people have told me, it's a good thing I did not try that trainwreck. Oddly, a few weeks back, I made a decision to come back to COD. Blackops 2 is exactly what I thought it was. The one thing I don't understand is all the hate coming from the same direction. If you bought this game and were not expecting a COD game, I have nothing to say to you other than "what did you think it would be?" Anyway, the engine is old, but the MP shines. It and BF3 both do the multiplayer thing about as good as you'll find on a console, and we'll have to wait for the next gen of consoles for some true innovation, but this is exactly what you thought it would be.… Expand
  59. Gerblanski
    Jan 31, 2013
    8
    This game is Call of Duty Black Ops II. This is the 7th Call of Duty game released since 2006, when Call of Duty 2 was released.
    Since Modern Warfare 2 was released, the franchise has appeared rather stale in terms of its core gameplay.
    There are reasons for this.
    1. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 was the first Call of Duty game to sell millions, i mean the big millions.
    2. Since millio    ns still purchase the iterations every year, they have not seen the need to change drastically.
    3. This falls on the obvious concept of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". They just broke the multiplayer a few times.
    4. If you hit the jackpot that early on, isn't it a good thing?
    5. You wan't to play a BAD military FPS, go play the re-booted Medal of Honor titles. They are abysmal.
    6. Wouldn't you want the guns to feel the same? If an AK-47 feels different in one game than another, wouldn't that be a reason to complain?
    7. The console generation has existed far longer than it should have, which is why we have these yearly iterations with barely any graphical improvements.
    8. Games aren't all about graphics, jeez, MW2 still looks good.

    You're idiots for expecting such drastic changes for a series that has been doing what it has for so long.
    Call of Duty 2 to 3 had a step up. Then there was a massive step up to Call of Duty 4. This started the ball rolling on the iterations as the key improvements had been made to keep the series on a respectable level.
    Modern Warfare 2 was the clincher, and that was only 3 years ago.

    In summary, Black Ops II is still the solid FPS we've come to expect over the last 3/4 years, but with this console generation coming to an end, and hopefully Treyarch, working on the iteration for 2014, that'll be enough time to benefit from the new system.

    If to be expected, Faux Infinity Ward will be working on CoD for 2013, it may be a poor system starter, but, we'll never know.

    Except trolls. They can see into the future. Ahh, trolls.

    Also, if your'e so pissed by Activision and the Call of Duty Series, VOTE WITH YOU'RE WALLETS. Activision doesn't read     … Expand
  60. JookyDFW
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Don't believe the haters that post 0 ratings. Based on their comments it's obvious they don't even own the game and just hate the franchise. Continue to read and you will understand why this is true. Do Metacritic a favor and vote those reviews down.

    I spent about three hours on multiplayer team deathmatch last night and the game felt much different. The sound (through turtle beach head    phones) is much improved and the video seems more detailed. It is hard to hear footsteps but they are there. One new thing I noticed is that if you bump into things you make noise. The maps seem small but they are intricate, multi-leveled, and provide many paths to move through the map. In contrast MW3 that had basically three paths on most maps.

    The new "pick 10" system allows you to customize your loadout the way you want and, with the new wildcards, you can even choose the slots available to customize. I didn't spend much time playing with this feature but it's definitely different (and better) than previous versions.

    During gameplay I noticed a couple other things that changed (for the better). Gun accuracy is much worse the faster you move. If you run up on someone moving slow and looking down their sights you will most likely get killed. Also, cover makes a big difference. If your having a shootout with someone and you're behind a box or something you're more likely to kill them. Short range weapons are a lot less accurate at range. No more one-shot kills with and SMG from across the map. Vehicles blow up a lot faster. Particularly if you drop a grenade on them.

    In summary from what I have seen I think this game is different enough from the original Black Ops and a huge improvement over MW3 which was basically a remake of MW2 with new maps and challenges. One suggestion I have is to create more vertical maps with four or more tiers.No COD has had so maybe the game engine can't handle it.    … Expand
  61. Jools86
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    I have got to say, what with this and Halo 4, FPS'ers are spoilt. The multiplayer maps are so much better than MW3, which was the 1st CoD game I stopped playing due to boredom. Always preferred Treyarch's maps to IW for some reason. Hope their next game is World at War 2!

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

    I haven    t played Single Player - due to the fact the last one I enjoyed was WaW.… Expand
  62. minharo200
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    BLOPS 2 is a really good game, but never hits a great status. The campaign is really good and honestly, its actually a bit of fun on how you can actually change the outcome of the ending depending if you failed certain objectives or whatnot. The characters are classic COD but they arent annoying and while the plot is semi predictable, its still quite a bit of fun to play [especially the Afgan mission]. However, the top-down special forces missions are really not memorable and they are kinda difficult to use. Its also a little frusterating making those mission what determines if you get a good or bad ending. but whatever, its peanuts.

    Mutliplayer is just the same stuff you are used to. Still tons of fun and addicting [everything feels more balanced] and kill streaks seem more reasonable. Maps arent all that great however. And the pistol as a secondary is ACTUALLY USEFUL for once. What I mean by that is just that pistols previously were decent in the campaign but always useless against players online. You always seemed really impervious to pistols and its nice to have a backup weapon that actually does damage that isnt a machine pistol.
    ZOMBIES: fun, addicting, and has a ton of eastereggs or little secrets you can unlock. The Bad? some annoying bugs, really difficult if you dont know what you are doing or what to do in Tranzit [not self explanatory]. The characters you are playing are also not memorable and have [from what it seems] less quips and lines than the previous games. They repeat the same thing over and over again to the point its noticable the first time you play it. Also, the bus idea is really cool and fun, BUT its there you can fall out of the map and die inexplicably, also, they shouldve turned collision off in the bus. Super and I mean SUPER FRIGGIN ANNOYING to have 4 people on a bus that is the size of a tin can. is it defensible? kinda yeah, but almost impossible later one due to the fact that eveyrone is getting stuck on everyone and cant shoot straight. However, long story short, its still a really fun game mode to play [PLEASE FIX THIS BY PATCHING THIS TREYARCH! :)]

    Overall, its more of the same, and thats not really a bad thing. Graphics are outdated though but thats really just a minor annoyance]    … Expand
  63. MrArmageddon17
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    It's a solid 8. Campaign is ok for what I have played. I really like the music. The multiplayer is good. Controls well and most of the issues will be ironed out in the next few weeks. I like the new create a class system and the new perks. People complain that they are to weak but I think its a good balance. It is funny that the internet seems to think CoD is going to fail yet each year is sells more copies. I think some innovation would be good but if they change something people will complain that it was better before. That is the sad truth.… Expand
  64. ronswanson
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I am scoring this game an 8, on paper its the best COD game yet but my comments are comparing this game to MW2 and Black Ops. The key adjustments to note are that this is the most balanced COD game yet, with the least overpowered weapons / tech which many people considered game breaking. However, this also makes it underwhelming for those who were used to the overpowered features of MW2 and Blops (im looking at you TAR and dual shotguns). The weapons especially feel very similar to each other with very little individuality, you will feel comfortable with every weapon you use, this sadly takes out the desire to make a specific gun your own. In terms of Maps, they are fantastic. Many of them are very symmetrical and easy to navigate similar to MW2, however, they lack to control points and sightlines of MW2. This means that you will not rake up easy kill streaks by controlling certain high activity zones like you could with MW2. Again, this makes it very balanced for all players, with very few main focal points to go to, the 1v1 confrontations are not as predictable as MW2 and you will be kept on your toes. In terms of things that BLOPS 2 undeniably does better, its the graphics and gameplay scenarios in single player and sci-fi tech in general. While the campaign is still riddled with hand holding events and setpieces, they are done very well and are the most engaging since COD4. Overall this is a great game if you want your MP experience balanced and fair. But as someone who took the liberty of those overpowered elements in MW2 and Black Ops, the level playing field of Black Ops 2 comes across as a little underwhelming.… Expand
  65. IHateFanboys
    Feb 6, 2013
    8
    This game is fairly standard in the CoD franchise, not my favorite one either. But the things that made the franchise popular with the general public are still here: smooth graphics, fast gun play and lots of kill-streaks (score-streaks). If you didn't like the series before, you probably still won't, and if you loved the series, this game won't let you down. Side-note: Still unsure how I feel about the new layout for zombies, it is an interesting step, but it would be better with some solid instructions.… Expand
  66. isturbo1984
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    Let's be honest. Most people giving this game a bad score haven't even played the game. It's the popular thing to do these days. Any gamer worth his or her salt isn't going to judge a game like that without playing it. That said, who the heck is going to buy the new Call of Duty expecting anything other than what it is? The developer, Trearch, deserves more respect and recognition that this. They busted their hump after the MW3 fiasco last year (a separate developer btw) to bring innovation to the CoD franchises while not changing too much so that it wouldn't be recognizable. They brought major changes too the campaign, multiplayer and their signature Zombies mode. This internet cred/score/thing is getting ridiculous.… Expand
  67. Allthegoodones
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Preamble be damned, here are the facts as i see them for BO2: Single Player
    Gameplay = 8/10.
    As solid as any COD game before but nothing revolutionary. Thats not necessarily a bad thing but its not a great thing either. Pacing = 8/10. As good, if not better than MW1 which remains the benchmark for all COD games    . Would have easily been better if not for the RTS tinged strike force missions that feels too tacked on and are more a chore than a joy to play. Story = 9/10.
    By Story i mean every storytelling aspect of the campaign, such as character development, plot, twists and turns etc, and this is primarily where BO2 surpasses every other iteration of COD so far. This game possess a good story that has been told really well and anyone missing a good SP experience is sure to enjoy it. Graphics: 9/10. Simply spectacular on my 360 on a 42" Panasonic LCD. Looks better and runs smoother than almost every other shooter i've played on the 360. Sound Design: 7/10. Some guns sound fantastic, other not so much. Black, from the original xbox remains the benchmark of what guns in a game ought to sound like and COD doesn't quite hit that high note but its still just as serviceable as any other COD game. The music is actually not up to par with other COD games but since most of the time its drowned out by gunfire anyway, doesn't really make much of a difference. Dialogues are a mixed bag of sorts but mostly decent. So over all, its far superior to MW3 and as far as the SP part goes, better than every other COD game ever. Haven't played MP yet so i will refrain from making any assumptions about it but judging from how much better Treayarch's last attempt was than IW's latest, I'm willing to bet BO2 will blow MW3 out of the water. Bottom line is that whether you love it or hate it, if you like shooters you are going to buy it. And no matter how much you hate Activision you will still enjoy this COD game from time to time. Fortunately, the enjoying bit is far more frequent than it has been for a while and the disappointment bit is not even in the same continent as it was with MW3. So yeah all in all, it may not be a revolution as most critics are hyping it up to be but its better than MW3 and perhaps even as much fun as MW1, and to be honest, that's more than i expected. It's worth the price tag and the time you will spend playing it so stop acting like this video game was somehow supposed to make your life worth living and posting needlessly negative scores for it, just treat the damn game like a game and go play it.    … Expand
  68. EchoLimaKilo
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    Gotta admit, this game took me by surprise. I had previously written off the CoD franchise in favor of Battlefield for it's vehicles & many different & new modes of game play & variety. Black Ops II is so different from the other CoD's that its gotten me hooked again. The campaign is no better or worse than Warfighter's & as a matter of fact, I think I enjoyed Warfighter more. But the Multiplayer in Black Ops II has so much more to offer its worth every penny you'll pay. My only gripes are the limited selection of weapons & for Chrissakes, beefup the gunfire sound effects. I shouldn't be able to hear someone in the game trying to explain something to me when I'm discharging my weapon. Battlefield's sound is far superior. The revamped score streak as opposed to kill streak makes the game a bit more fun for those of us that aren't dead-eye sights & aimers....

    You should buy this game. Nice job Treyarch!    … Expand
  69. Yummyzombie
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    I need to adjust my previous review where I was way to hyped about the game. The campaign is one of the best in the series, although it is still sort of weird as I got used to with Treyarch CoDs. It has 5+ endings, which is definitely awesome and utterly unexpected from a CoD. As for the multiplayer, this is a bit of a letdown. Sure, the new Create a Class system is well done and there has been some balancing, but the problem comes with a bit too unimaginative maps and absolutely WORST spawn system to be seen in CoD. Lets take the Aftermath map for example. It has only two fixed spawn points, each on one side of the map. WTF? You often wont be able to even run to safety before some guy shows up and shoots your head off. Zombies are great. The TranZit mode still has stuff to explore and I cant wait for the day I get my 4 team premade and do the "Tower of Babble" achievment. Grief mode is a bit less fascinating, but it can sure be a lot of fun, although prepare for LOOONG matches if the players are good. The old engine, no matter how well it is running, is aging. Graphics from up close look bad. There has been some improved lighting and facial animations, but generally it is the same as previous installment. Sound was never Treyarchs strength, but I can happily say, that the weapons are no longer some chinese fireworks. The multiplayer voiceover feels a bit weird, the same way I felt at Black Ops. If I should have my opinion on Treyarch, they should do their own franchise and leave Call of Duty to Infinity Ward. After all, they differ in many things (not gameplay-vise). I still have mixed feelings about this game and sometimes I just feel like this game is a 9/10 and sometimes it is a disappointing 7.5/10. If you are a fan of CoD and there sure are many (and many haters too, haha) you probably wont be disappointed.… Expand
  70. 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
  71. senogad
    Nov 22, 2012
    8
    ...I really wanted this to be good, I was hoping more black ops was my favorite COD and I wanted to get the same experience I did from black ops with black ops 2 but no, the maps are terrible, hundreds of glitches, bad sound and it takes the game forever to start without freezing. Also, many fans such as myself pre-ordered the game to obtain what they called "nuke town 2025 24/7" but no they cant even get that right, they lied and only put it on for 2 days but don't worry, to make it up to us they made a gamemode calles "chaos mosh pit" so we can play nuketown but in order to play it we have to play through all the other terrible maps so thanks for deceiving all your fans. treyarch get your game fixed!… Expand
  72. chujfugh
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    It's made some vast improvements since Black Ops, with non-linear level design, choices that effect the future of your game, and some RTS missions to do once you get bored. I found the story quite engaging. If you haven't played the first one to the end, you'll be lost, no doubt, but I still cared about the characters and the writing is largely believable and actually quite funny at times too. Yes, the general gameplay is quite dated, it doesn't feel as organic and as free-flowing as some other shooters do, but it still runs at a consistent 60 FPS. The aesthetic is also consistent, and it's quite effective too. You really feel like you're in the future, and you get immersed in the world you're in. To those who think this is just the same thing over and over again, you're largely wrong. It has the same shooting gameplay, but that doesn't mean it's the same as previous ones. You can't say Black Ops 2 is the same as Black Ops 1 because you're shooting people with a gun in first-person. If you were to come up to me and say that Half-Life 2 is exactly the same as Duke Nukem Forever because in both games there's first-person shooting, I would be forced to kick you in the balls. I would say it's audacious for Treyarch to do this, but they knew that COD was going to sell regardless, so they mixed up the formula and the end result is actually quite surprising and really good. The level design means everything to me; I love different branching paths in which you can clear out enemies, and I like having one set area in which I can run and gun and have a **** great time. People are just giving this game a low score because of prejudice, I'm sure many of the people that rated this haven't even played it yet. Their theory is: Call of Duty is popular, therefore it is **** I had this prejudice too, I was expecting an aggressively linear, nonsensical, poorly paced, piece-of-**** retread of the previous COD games, because what else would you expect? You weren't expecting a masterpiece, nor did we get a masterpiece, but we did get something that is entirely different from its predecessor and also something I would recommend. Up to this point, I've hated the Call of Duty series, with MW1 being the only good one (it was actually quite fantastic) and all the others being rather **** and boring. Black Ops 2 is a huge turn around for the series, and to those people who say it's exactly the same, you obviously haven't played it.… Expand
  73. bigbaldwolf
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    I haven't played the single payer campaign yet (and most people aren't buying it for single player) so I can't comment on that but my score is from what I have experienced on multiplayer and zombies. The changes to the class creation system are fantastic. The pick 10 system is genius and really lets you play how you want to. It was a bit confusing at first but I soon got to grips with it. The maps have been great to play on and the whole presentation has been given a facelift. For zombies, the maps are brilliant and tranzit is amazing. If you loved the zombies on the first game then you will like this one. Overall I am very happy with the game so far and intend to put a lot of hours into both of these modes.… Expand
  74. tropicAces
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    I'm not a Call of Duty fanboy, but I have not given up on it like some other people. Looking at Black Ops 2 I had no intentions of getting it because BO1 was average. But my brother got it so I played the campaign. Wow. Treyarch really took some leaps of faith and some great improvements. The online is much improved over BO1 and overall this saves a franchise that was (pardon the cliche) bleeding out.… Expand
  75. ICERadioUSA
    Dec 2, 2012
    8
    I must say. I do like the Game. I Think Over All - It is one of the Best COD's. Graphics, Thumbs Up Sound: Thumbs Up Game Play: Thumbs Up Story / Campaign - Thumbs Up New Features - Thumbs Up (The 10 Point System for MP and the RTS Element (StrikeForce) Theatre Features and Integrating YouTube But I must Ask - How can people that gave MOH Warfighter A Low Score Give Black Ops A High Score

    MP Spawning is The Same as Always - I love when 1 sec after I spawn in I get killed by A Killer Drown or an explosive that obviously was in motion before I was spawned in there.

    The Graphics is the Same Engine but looks just as good! (Still only one disc, no hi res pack!)

    No dedicated servers, I never get the Migrating Host message in MOH.

    Yet, I can be fair and give Black Ops 2 an 8 - for it is a good game! So is MOH Warfighter, just a different type of FPS!

    Metacritic is Loosing (actually all the Reviewing Sites are starting to loose) their ability to offer a good way to check if buying a game would be a good choice. I have found going to YouTube and searching for a GamePlay video helps me a whole lot more than any none Video Supported Reviews I get.    … Expand
  76. Tiger2182
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    From what I've seen the game should be competitive online. But for the bashed reviews, what did you expect? The game is pretty polished and not broken. What makes call of duty and other fps games not fun is the crowd. Not everyone though. If your competitive and play by the rules, its fun. If you camp, glitch, hack and boost. That's the crowd that make games frustrating. Remember the old days of MW2, it got me out of call of duty. Is the game worth $60 dollars? No. Is it worth $40? Maybe. Call of Duty will never change core mechanic of the gamepad but will change map design and size. But when the price drops for pc or I can get it on sale, I may buy it. I've never had a problem with the call of duty design but the ones who don't play by the rules make it pretty dang frustrating but its not Treyarch's fault. Battlefield 3 is the same its not broken and is fun but the people who don't play by the rules make a match terrible. So don't bash a game based on same old same old. Should of rented it before you bought it.… Expand
  77. Sinan454
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    :D Best Call of Duty game is Modern Warfare 1... forget everything else. They have to make their old World War games and a new Modern Warfare 1. Those games were normal Call of Duty games. You have to be superfast in their new series, kill superfast, move superfast and play in close corners. The first Call of Duty games and the first Modern Warfare were special.
  78. Turrikan
    Nov 25, 2012
    8
    The multiplayer is addictive yet annoying. Same old issues with connection, why cod still arent on dedicated servers is beyond me. Single player is awesome, best campaign to date. But where the game truly shines is in it's Zombie mode. So much content! So much content available, you really do get your money's worth.
  79. cwhite
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Call of Duty black ops 2 has some fresh ideas added to the familiar game play. Like all the other call of duty games there is going to be a lot of haters giving it bad reviews just because the game is hugely successful. The one thing about some of the haters is that probably most of them never played black ops 2 and just want to complain and whine about how this game sells more than whatever game they like. Back to the game. The campaign is still as epic as ever and the choices you can make is a nice addition. The multiplayer is as addictive as ever and the pick 10 class is very flexible and a blast to mess with. The graphics are not bad but the engine is in need of an upgrade. I have always enjoyed the call of duty games and have bought most of them. Black ops 2 is a good game it is not halo 4 but it is still a blast to play and I recommend the game to people who play games for fun and I do not recommend the game to all the haters that want to complain about successful games.… Expand
  80. picks
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    The value for money in this game is truly incredible. You essentially get three games in one i.e. the single player campaign, the multiplayer and zombies. The developers knew reusing an old formula again and again will get tiresome (this is the 9th in the series after all) so they've essentially redesigned the wheel and revamped the core game mechanics (that other devs take shamelessly). The 'pick 10 system' no longer forces you to have certain things you don't necessarily need so lets you customise fully. This will alter the way you play and increase replay value. I have yet to finish the story mode. The 'non linear' aspect does change the way the gameplay pans out but the actual play is similar to previous titles. The zombies again is above solid and is agreed to be a separate game in its own right. You wont see a huge improvement in graphics or the sound department but is still one of the most polished games out there in terms of textures and audio ques. It is not a perfect game but is definitely worth considering. A solid and the best in the franchise.

    P.S Don't be disheartened to see all the negative reviews. Despite the fact some people really do have gripes with the game, the majority are if you will 'fan-boys' who have clearly not even purchased the game, making a review on a whim. If in doubt ask a friend to reassure you. This game is not for everyone but has the largest appeal in the genre.    … Expand
  81. mikeachu7
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Please don't listen to the trolling reviews that are at 0. I got up early to play this game on steam unlock. Let me tell you the best part yes, of course, it's the new zombies. That is the main reason I bought the game and honestly, it makes it worth it. I won't lie the multiplayer seems a bit bland and times, not sure if that is due to gameplay enviorments or both. Not saying multiplayer is bad, I just don't think any new Call Of Duty can live up to hype on this generation console. Maybe the next gen if the systems are real game changers. I mean think about it how much can you change games that play on a standard controller or keyboard and mouse.… Expand
  82. Fabtech23
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    The majority of these reviews are right. Nothing really "new" here. Its the same campaign, albeit a little less linear. Its the same multi-player, albeit tweaked a little. But there was never anything wrong with the campaign or MP to warrant much of a change anyway. If it aint broke, dont fix it. Call of Duty has been, and always will be, that 94 Honda Civic you're still driving around. Its dated, it might smell a little, and its losing its polish. But its reliable, and you can count on it to get you from point A to B. Call of Duty may not offer anything drastically different from previous releases, but at this point, it is still keeping me and my friends camped out on a couch all night playing. Giving this game a 0 because it hasnt "changed" completely misses the point of giving a review. Graphics are fine - 60 FPS with no drops at all. Audio is amazing (flat screen speakers aren't good for sound, upgrade your system, its not the game, its your equipment) Game-play is tried and true. Multiplayer is where this game shines, and is this series main focal point. Call of Duty is a Juggernaut of a franchise and has yet to show any signs of slowing down. If you need something to occupy your winter hibernation, this one is a no brainer. My point it, what COD does, it does well. You are all more than welcome to voice your opinions, and my opinion is that your opinions are wrong.… Expand
  83. MrMojoFallin
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Love it or hate it, you have to respect Treyarch for finally changing the same tired formula. The people that rated it low probably haven't even played the game. Treyarch finally stepped out of the boring, shallow previous CoD formula. Black Ops 2 is a breath of fresh air for CoD, it is by far the most engaging CoD or even military shooter out there. The campaign certainly isn't as linear as the previous games, you even have to make decisions that can have an effect on the story. It can be linear at times.

    Zombies is back, as you can expect. Treyarch even added new modes for it, such as TranZit which plays as a zombie story mode. TranZit is good but it isn't as fun as just playing survival. Grief Mode is also a fun new addition to Treyarch's zombie mode, two teams compete to see who can be the last man standing, it's just as fun as survival and another brilliant new addition.

    Multiplayer is just as you'd expect, it's not quite a big change as the campaign is. You get access to the new futuristic equipment as you do in the campaign. You get all the expected game modes and more. The class customization is better than ever, with a wider range of choices. However, in the end it's all the same.    … Expand
  84. timbers_WSU
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    I am not the world's biggest COD fan but you people are ridiculous. The games are generally good and this one is the best one since the first Modern Warfare.
    Metacritic brings out the stupidity in people when it comes to reviews. Always has.
    Anyway the campaign is more of the same, big set pieces, corridors that give way to larger outside battles, a few new gimmicks like horseback riding     taking place of snowmobiles. I am 4 hours into the single player and it is what I expected. It is polished to a T and decent fun. Multiple endings will have me playing again sooner rather than later. Plus it helps the characters are interesting enough to care what happens to them.
    Multiplayer is more of the same with fast paced action and nice levels. Not any new game modes that I can tell but I am glad the K/D is less important now and you are rewarded for team play. I like that you can pick load outs before the match and the levels are less camper friendly. I am not a fan of the new strikeforce levels but zombies is much improved and there are now more game types.
    I have never been a big COD multiplayer fan but I came into this expecting another good COD single player and more zombies and it is exactly what I got. Actually with multiple endings, a better story, and new game types for zombies I was given more than I paid for.
    You all really need to get over this BS trashing of a game just because you suck at it or whatever your pathetic excuse is. Your immaturity is beyond pathetic at this point.
    It is no Halo 4 but for COD fans......it is a must buy. Give Treyarch credit. They packed this disc with content. The game itself deserves a 7 because they can make this game in their sleep at this point and did not build an entirely new experience. But they did not slack either and at least attempted to make worthy changes and gave gamers lots of game for your buck. I will give them an extra point for value.    … Expand
  85. Bsmith1884
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    This is getting ridiculous, kids. I wonder how many of the 0 and 1 ratings seen on this page were given by well-informed, educated people who've actually played the game. It may surprise the people who come here to blindly hate on games they don't understand/haven't played/have no interest in, but there exists a set of numbers between 0 and 10, where more sensible and reasonable rating numbers exist. Unfortunately, they go to die in places like the Metacritic user score section. There is no middle ground for the average fanboy or hater, so 10's and 0's run rampant for franchises as big as Call of Duty. If you don't like the game, don't play it. But don't come here and click on the "0" just to drag down the average rating. It makes the rest of us gamers look like stupid, boneheaded idiots incapable of basic critical techniques.

    That said, Black Ops 2 is a step up in just about every way possible from the first Black Ops, and a refreshing change of pace from MW3, which felt too similar to MW2 in too many ways. The campaign is as bombastic as ever (with branching paths and unique endings), the multiplayer has been tweaked just enough to keep things interesting, and the zombies are back as Treyarch's well-known signature on the franchise. There are a few things that don't work quite as well as they could have (the Strike Force missions are wonky in the A.I. department), and the execution of some of the plot elements are ham-fisted at times, as with just about any other CoD title. If you liked Black Ops or you're into fast-paced shooters, Blops 2 is a no-brainer.

    As for the keyboard warriors out there frothing at the mouth over "another year, another Call of Duty game," hate all you want. You may not like it, but you can't stop the Call of Duty juggernaut.    … Expand
  86. Homie786
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    This call of duty has a way better multiplayer than i was expecting. The only thing that did disappoint me was zombies on nuketown. I reckon it was a good deal for $80
  87. AmongThieves26
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Haven't even tried the game yet, but I agree just like Halo 4 this trolling has to stop. It's ok for you not to like a game, but to give it a 0 is pathetic. Try writing a subjective review and actually give real legitimate scores based off real reasons you aren't fond of a title. Giving a game a 0 is calling it an Atari ET cartridge and thats just not fair to say to about any game. :) So in the spirit of fairness and righting this injustice, (and even though at my core I'm more of a Halo fan) I'm gonna give this game an eight which is about where I think I would feel about it based off my experience with the entire COD series which I have actually played in the past.… Expand
  88. 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
  89. 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
  90. JJkedinca
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Ok Ok, this game has its downsides, I won't deny that. The campaign wasn't as "personal" as many thought it would be. The graphics/ game engine is a bit old and outdated. There still were tons of set pieces during the campaign and the "expanded choose your path" campaign that was so heavily advertised didn't branch out into any extra levels. But you got to look at the big picture here. The multiplayer element is back in full bloom and thats what most people play. I can't say exactly why, but the feel of the multiplayer reminds me of mw2's, and it got me hooked unlike the first blops and modern warfare 3. Almost every single map is fun to play, and the guns are varied enough for most of them to be able to stand out on their own. Zombies continue to expand with the new tranzit mode, and also a grief mode, to add onto the original survival game mode that has still not gone stale. The campaign itself showed signs of improvement, with the both non linear and strike force missions(which were quite fun tbh). Both are rather weak, but still shows signs that the franchise is headed into the right direction. So overall, though it's not the perfect game and it didn't really deliver on all of its expectations(which is why i think everybody is giving it a bad rep), it still is a good overall game with lots of replay value (awesome multiplayer and zombie modes).… Expand
  91. 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
  92. 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
  93. 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
  94. 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
  95. TDW333
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    I really thought this game was a good change from the last. The branches story line and decisions that affect the game is a cool touch. The new Zombie modes are killer!
  96. Agus1097
    Nov 18, 2012
    8
    Like COD 4 Modern Warfare. It's still a COD game in many ways, but some very welcome changes in the Multiplayer, Zombies and even the Campaign (a rare pleasure) make this a more enjoyable experience than past games
  97. 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
  98. gedden7
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    I have played ALL the COD as I rank them. COD 4 MW GREAT, WaW ok, MW2 WHACK, BO GREAT, MW3 I am going to stop playing COD games, BO2 AWESOME! People will would hate ALL the COD because of MW2 or 3, say that ALL the COD games are the same or say the phrase MAKE A NEW ENGINE. Well let me "objectively" give my opinion. Let talk lag. Lag and camping is here to stay. Can't do much and about the lag (its in every game) but you can be smart about the camping. Lag is in every game but its very weird when it comes to any COD series. Why? My guess is because of the frame rate. Pushing out 60 frames is no easy task for sure, but even more so when running games online. The current gen systems don't have the bandwidth to push such visuals and mask them appropriately so thats why COD game lag is way more annoying than other game, it would leave you to believe their is none (super smooth 60 frames while you shoot but die by one bullet. It's just WAY harder to mask the lag in COD than Halo 4 because of the 60 frames. When games like BF3, Halo 4, Gears all run at a smooth 29-34 frames of animation its easier for current gen consoles to run them. But with all that said I to say this despite all of the felt complaint in the community BO2 lag is by far the best in all CODs after COD 4. For me, for me. I can still pop in Halo 4 and the game plays seeming plays flawless compared to any COD game but its the gameplay in BO2 that keeps me coming back. Believe it or not BUT now there is a "grind" learning curve w/ BO2. Yes a COD game has a grind and learning curve. SMGs are killer at close (which they should) as are Shotguns (balanced and very hard to use, they could a slight buff). You will rarely lose a "CLOSE RANGED" SMG battle against a "naked" Assault Riffle (wrong or no attachments). In other COD games this was a coin flip depending on who is host. Now the LMGs are FUN and very USEFUL. In what COD game this is true other than BO2? Assault Riffles kinda suck, UNTIL YOU GRIND THEM OUT. Example, the M8A1 sucked, Its a 4 round burst Assault that was ONLY good at mid range. But as I was on my grind learning the maps and using this gun, I unlocked the suppressor, fore grip, and fire select attachments. Now this gun is SO BEAST. Who knows what other gems are out there in this game. First COD with a TON of depth... Can't say the same for snipers. The only weapon class that is OP because of QSing and Toe killing. (Quick Scoping and I can shoot you in the toe and kill you). Now onto camping. COD games before BO2 Ghost was super OP NOW WAY TO COUNTER IT. But now Ghost is sooo underwhelming that most people just dont use it or know how to. (It only works WHILE MOVING) Great design choice IMO. But to balance this the map (although some are VERY annoying) have a ton of COVER spots. Not so much head glitching but more cover like. Most Def head glitching it still in the game unfortunately... But the maps have a even HIGHER learning curve than the weapons do. Its soooo much to talk about in the MP of this game, and I didnt even mention the Campaign which has Multiple endings and Zombies mode. The people who are saying this is the same game is either still BUTT hurt or just haven't played this game yet... Great game not perfect but a Great one!… Expand
  99. MattoJacko
    Nov 22, 2012
    8
    In comparison with previous Call of Duty's, this latest edition stands out in some good and some bad ways. Let's start with the eagerly anticipated Multiplayer.

    The new 'Pick 10' system for Create-A-Class gives the player the opportunity to completely customise their load-out. Basically, you get 10 points of which can be spent on anything in the class, whether this be a primary weapon,     secondary weapon, perks, attachments or Wildcards. Now, Wildcards are a fantastic addition to the Pick 10 system to make it even more customisable. There are 10 (I believe) unique Wildcards all of which add something more to the class, and costs 2 points. These are extra perks in either tier 1, 2 or 3, an extra primary weapon among many more which allow further customisation.

    In terms of gameplay, Black Ops 2 seems incredibly smooth and fluid; different to how any previous Call of Duty games have felt. I also like every aspect of the guns: the design, the sounds, the attachments and the surprising lack-of-recoil.

    Despite the good aspects of the game, there are certain parts of it which makes me want to turn my Xbox off and never play it again. A good place to start would be the maps; they're small and extremely fast-paced. I can't pinpoint specifically what's bad about them but I (and many others I know) seem to die at spawn far more frequently than in any previous Call of Duty games. There are also far too many spots where death is almost guaranteed, because there are so many lines-of-sights that campers take advantage of.

    Anyhow, I'd rate the Multiplayer 7/10 because despite the parts that have been strengthened, I find it far too easy to die because of the poorly designed maps, and the over-powered scorestreak rewards. Next, I'll review the Campaign. This is... fantastic; different to anything I've seen before on a Call of Duty. The story is engaging and best of all, it's easy to follow. That's a problem I've found with all of the previous games after the fantastic Call of Duty 4 - the storyline is confusing. Thankfully however, you'll instantly be absorbed into the thrilling story of Black Ops 2.

    The graphics have been greatly improved, well up to Infinity Ward standard. This has allowed Treyarch to add cut-scenes which get you involved in the lives of the many characters in the game, and thus get more absorbed into the overall story.

    The whole futuristic aspect of the game is not as emphasised as I initially expected; the new 'gadgets' aren't completely cliché and unrealistic. Black Ops 2 is not another futuristic gimmick that you'll find elsewhere on the market, which I was pleasantly surprised to discover.

    Finally, I'll now review Zombies. This is yet another eagerly anticipated feature of Black Ops 2, and expectations were certainly high. Treyarch certainly did deliver the incredibly innovated Zombies that everyone was expecting.

    They have added a brand new feature called TranZit mode which adds a story to the Call of Duty Zombies phenomenon. You are not trapped in a room, with Zombies breaking in through the conveniently boarded-up windows, you're in a whole open world with several locations which you can travel between using the bus. You can also craft items in different locations to further improve and enhance your game. Considering I didn't originally enjoy Zombies, Black Ops 2 has made it a lot more enjoyable for me.

    To conclude, I'd rate Black Ops 2 8/10, with the Multiplayer surprisingly letting it down. This isn't the best yet, but it's the best in a while.    … Expand
  100. ShadowWarfare
    Nov 22, 2012
    8
    I like the multiplayer, there you go I said it. Being a long time FPS player (I started with Doom 2 on the PC). I enjoy this game. It's an arcade filled shooter of pure madness, which for me is fine. The weapon unlock system... It's addictive. I'm not going to lie. I do get a kick out of unlocking loads of items.

    Depth wise? The game has depth and plenty of content. Loads of different m    ultiplayer modes. And very many different types of weapons with different play-styles. There's really nothing not to like except maybe the reason that the game is easy to play. Automatic weapons are overpowered and dominate. But I have seen skilled players dominate with other weapons such as snipers rifles also. The only downside to this product is the fact that Activision won't stop recycling the COD4 engine. I'm running this game maxed out at 180 FPS. The second issue I believe are the maps, some of them are random and make no sense. Too many buildings and corners which clutter and are confusing for the player memorize. They just don't seem that well made.

    All in all good game. Worth the money? For content yes, for the fact that the game runs on the same engine as the last four or whatever installments, then no.    … 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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