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

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 1670 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 641 out of 1670
  2. Mixed: 175 out of 1670
  3. Negative: 854 out of 1670

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  1. JohnnyP
    Dec 2, 2012
    8
    The single-player has new and intuitive features, like the strike missions and different story paths. The plot however is not as good as the first Black Ops. The attempts at multiplayer balancing are a welcome change, but the multiplayer is still not as good as Modern Warfare 1, 2, or 3.
  2. TMan2796
    Dec 4, 2012
    8
    Well, Black Ops 2 is a good game besides the fact that it has terrible lag, I can never connect to anyone in game because of my NAT type. But I love zombies and I like multiplayer somewhat but its not all that goo,d assault rifles are the worst on Black Ops 2, but the Sub Machine guns like the Skorpion, the Vector, etc are all good. My best K/D ratio is from using SMG's. Add me if you want on my PS3 account, my psn is inf3cted-_-TMAN… Expand
  3. NoWareMan9
    Dec 5, 2012
    8
    What can I say that hasn't already been said... You either LOVE CoD, or you HATE it. (As of the time of this review 440 Positive reviews, 607 Negative, and only 80 Mixed... so yeah, love it, or hate it) Personally I have a lot of fun with it. I REALLY enjoy the new way of setting up classes... and I also like what they did with the "Ghost" perk (Making it so you are not ALWAYS hidden... but only when your moving. This helps reduce campers) There is still ways this game can get better... (I still occasionally run into a quick scope-er or a drop shot-er) but, to be honest, I have ran into very many... and that's been a nice surprise. But for the people on here to give this game a 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 score is just silly. Its a solid game and a fine addition to the CoD lineup. If your looking for REVOLUTIONARY game play... this isn't it. To me it speaks volumes though that a game like Halo 4 can be out (and in most peoples opinions it is a better game) but I keep getting pulled back into the multi player of CoD and ignoring Halo 4. So like I said, if your expecting something NEW or REVOLUTIONARY or DIFFERENT... this isn't gonna be for you. If you want a SOLID game that adds slight changes to a formula that works, then this is your game.… Expand
  4. Ladium
    Dec 9, 2012
    8
    Good, For once, there are new features, the campaign is interresting, but there is always no dedicated servers and textures are ugly... It's fun to play it withe friends...
  5. jtwodasea
    Dec 14, 2012
    8
    Black ops 2 is in my opinion the best and most well rounded installment of the COD series. The campaign is not just a glorified action story with stupid characters and explosions, (Dont be stupid there is still explosions) It has insanely good voice acting that is full of emotion and one of the best villains of any videogame (Besides Vaas from FC3) The multiplayer is as expected but still loads of fun and Treyarch's new take on zombies is refreshing and challenging. There are obviously still flaws like the horribly thought out probation system, and extremely bad knifing, but these are sure not to stop you from having a blast. In short, Black Ops 2 is fresh and new enough to garner your attention so go and get it.… Expand
  6. GoldenBoyReview
    Dec 18, 2012
    8
    Haters' gonna hate, but in the end there is a reason why COD tops the sale charts. This review is split into three sections, Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies. CAMPAIGN: 6/10 - Ordinary: Treyarch presents are far more involved and interesting story than we have become accustomed to from the bland mission briefings that Infinity Ward continues to dish up. Old man Frank Woods, is particularly entertaining as he unleashes a deluge of profanity every time he opens his mouth. The in-game battle sequences are often cinematic and explosive but the gameplay itself is woeful. It just isn't fun. One entire mission is a pathetic stealth action attempt, no you don't fire your gun, no you don't choose your route; just follow your the set path and stop to wait for the drones to pass. At times like these the game cuts pretty close to the definition of the word 'boring!' ZOMBIES 4/10 - Weak: one word - disappointing. Transit is mind numbingly awful, Grief mode offers a brief reprise. Easily the worst Zombie instalment to date. MULTIPLAYER: 9/10 - Outstanding: After six years of online multiplayer, the experience has worn thin. However while I retired from the game as soon as I reached level 55, I can still appreciate that this is the best online multiplayer since MW2, the customisation has been simplified and reinvigorated with the new pick 10 system, the maps and guns are far more balanced then MW3, and support a wide range of play styles. COD's crowing jewel has always been its sharp controls and 60fps and the game is as smooth and responsive as ever. CLOSING THOUGHTS: If you don't like or are sick of COD then this game won't change your mind. If you like online shooters then what are you waiting for? There is one element of this game that deserves your attention: the online multiplayer. The Campaign and Zombies are weak and awful, respectively.… Expand
  7. justachair
    Dec 28, 2012
    8
    It's normally easy to review a CoD game. Yes! Easy! The Campaign is regular as always, the Multiplayer is repetitive and the Zombies mode is as Multiplayer, the same thing. Black Ops II was that normal CoD when it came out. Oh, wait! It wasn't. Outstanding reviews were like "Oh my gosh! it's the best FPS ever! Play it!" Hummm. Should I? I mean, FarCry 3 and Borderlands 2 are in the market, is it really the best? NO! But it was great anyway. The Campaign was the best thing. The player's choice implementation (Maybe something that Infinity Ward should copy after the awful, AWFUL MW3) was a smart choice, and the 9 endings give enough reasons to play the campaign mode again, and we have lots of interesting characters although the story seems to vanish as soon we are given a gun and told to shoot. They COULD mix some story in the war scenes but, guess what? They didn't. Oh, CoD! Almost perfect! Naughty boy isn't getting nothing this christmas. Well, he is getting something, I mean, It's the most best-selling game in the world right now. So let's say they will just get MILLIONS of dollars this christmas. Multiplayer? Let's confirm that CoD wouldn't be CoD without the Multiplayer. Why? BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR!!!!!!!! Yes, new killstreaks have a role in the "new stuff" the game has, yay! But the multiplayer sistem is the one we all know since World at War. A repetitive though addictive online game mode. Come on! Admit it! You love the CoD multiplayer, but with Borderlands 2 for the same price, I would look for other options. And the Zombies, well, that's another good thing. We have options to play online of course, but with bigger maps, more helpful killstreaks and game modes, Zombies is the best in all the CoD attempts to make something fabulous. I dare to say it's much better executed that the campaign (And the campaign was really good). But let's get a little bit Hipster and state that CoD shouldn't be as mainstream as it is, and less advertised games are winning the race that CoD tries to win in terms of quality every year. Yes, in money they are bosses, but the other FPS have a wider and more original variety of game modes. I think that dividing the game in three sections (Campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies), I would rate it this way:
    Campaign: Great story, lots of endings and choices the player can make during the game. Charismatic Characters. Some minor mechainc flaws and no-story at all in the actual gameplay. 9
    Multiplayer: Same thing. New Killstreaks, nothing innovative though. 6
    Zombies: Great maps, game modes and gameplay. One of the best things the game has to offer, a 9.5
    As a result, Black Ops II gets a well and enough-deserved 8.    … Expand
  8. CRB2014
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    focusing mostly on the single-player: i love it. why? i think it is down to the alternative endings that are available, 3 infact and the decisions that are made throughout. but i do have to say that not much is added elsewhere. A solid purchase.
  9. Shadowraix
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    I'm surprised that by most reviews i'm seeing that people are just saying it's too "repetitive" or it adds absolutely nothing compared to the other Call of Duty games. It's a shooter, most shooters get repetitive since the point is to kill a long with specific objectives. First of all, I am no Call of Duty fanboy that protects every game in the franchise. I hate most of the games in the series, but I find that Treyarch is really listening to the community and made a good move with what they did in Black Ops 2. First of all, it's more futuristic rather than that old generic World War setting. I found the campaign's story-line to be quite nice, but I did wish the storyline was more in depth, instead it's mostly covered by being more action oriented. The strike-force missions were also fun since it adds more of a sandbox style which also changes the campaign depending if you win or loose the mission. You have different options to complete a task within the campaign which can also alter the ending of the whole story-line. I felt that Treyarch did well with the campaign and overall has quite a bit replayability. Now to Zombies. I was skeptical with zombies at first because it seemed quite annoying with the fire and such, but I found myself wasting hours of my time seeing how high of a round I can get to. The new gamemode that was introduced named Tranzit is an amazing gamemode that has a huge map and is loaded with easter eggs. The first DLC for Black Ops 2 named Revolution will add even more to zombies by adding the ability to play as a zombie a long with a new map named Die Rise. Overall i'm impressed with zombies and i'm the other 3 DLC packs will improve zombies even further. Now to the meat and bone of Black Ops 2, the multiplayer. Treyarch really did amp up the multiplayer and made it more interesting with their pick 10 class system which allows you to pick 10 items of your choosing ranging from weapons to just perks and a knife. It adds more diversity and allows the player to have more control over what they bring into the battlefield. There are a few things I dislike about the multiplayer. The guns I feel need more time to be balanced which i'm sure Treyarch will work on since they stated their going to be making more balancing attempts so over time it will be better. While yes the maps are small as usual, I don't find the need for bigger maps because there are times that I even have trouble finding people within the map. 8-16 players is fine for the current size of the maps, although within future Call of Duty games I hope for there to be more players and larger maps supported. Currently the main issue is the lag. Since Black Ops 2 uses Peer to Peer hosting, it isn't as well as I thought it would be, Now I usually don't have trouble with lag, but I hate when i'm doing well and I get disconnected. Other than that, it's not too bad. Also, as a bonus Call of Duty ELITE is free for Black Ops 2 which is even better .Overall I find Black Ops 2 a very good game and is one of the best Call of Duty games within the whole franchise. Treyarch is listening and is trying their best to make the game more interesting and fun. I definitely plan on getting all 4 DLC packs and I can't wait to see what Treyarch does next compared to how Infinity Ward failed at MW3 which is like MW2.5. Overall i give it a 8/10. Only thing holding it back is the lag issues.… Expand
  10. sergiomach5
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    An improvement over the recent Call of Duty games of late, though starting to lag behind the fresher competitors out there. The base mechanics are pretty much the same as the last few entries, but implemented for a better experience. The campaign is a step forward with added challenges, branching outcomes, and somewhat less cluttered than Black Ops, along with a more fleshed out villain in Menendes. If the previous games pissed you off at the single dimensional character traits of an evil villain, with the western powers as being overly heroic, then this will be a good enough story for the fans, with much more balanced perspectives. Still, not nearly as impressive as say Spec Ops:The line.

    Multiplayer is a bit different to the last few entries, with a pick 10 system put in instead of the create a class. Instead of selecting between preset tiers, you pick out whatever you fancy to fill in the 10 slots, be it weapon attachments, perks, or equipment. Its not as flawed as my first impressions went, and each slot is valuable to your class.
    Once you jump in, the game has issues. Maps are somewhat cluttered, and a downgrade from the likes of MW2, but a mile better than MW3. Killstreaks can be dominant, especially the higher ones, but they rarely make you rage quit, and are not dealbreaking. Spawns have the same CoD problems, and staying still even for a second can often get you killed.
    That all said though, its still a great experience, and there is that addictive quality of the games that keeps you back for more.

    An improvement in every way over MW3, and a few tads better than Black Ops. The engine may be old, but the game has the hallmarks of a dev team that wanted to try something different to a series stuck in old ways. Heres hoping they can get a next gen experience for their next title    … Expand
  11. tytoandnoob
    Jan 17, 2013
    8
    It's not a bad game. I've been playing it for quite a bit by now, and it's actually a breath of fresh air for the entire Call of Duty franchise. Mulitplayer still has some issues but Treyarch did a pretty good job of balancing it this time around. Zombies is fun as always, and for the first time ever, I actually enjoyed the RPG/Campaign. It could still use some work but I think it's a point in the right direction for this franchise. :D… Expand
  12. optimusprime69
    Feb 5, 2013
    8
    CALL OF DUTY SO HARD i actually like this game better then most call of duty but tranzit sucks which is why i bought the game the multiplayer is actually really good though and the story is way good the villain is also one of the best this year i actually really like this game but MW3 THAT GAME IS
  13. xiaoxiao282
    Feb 16, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After playing Modern Warfare 3, and hating it to the extent that I almost gave up on Call of Duty altogether,
    I was reluctant to play Black Ops II. I then waited until January to rent it.
    I started with the campaign, it features the protagonist of the first game, Alex Mason in a 1980's campaign, and his son, David, in a 2025 campaign.
    I didn't mind the story, its pretty much a world domination quest, to overthrow the government, but replacing the Russian antagonist with a Nicaraguan Raul Menendez. What I enjoyed most was the multiple endings, like you could chose whether or not to kill the main characters friend, (as an undercover agent) to not blow your cover, or try and kill Menendez, though if you try and kill Menendez, you get shot and die, and your friend survives, as does Menendez, though trying to save your friend would ruin your chances of getting a good ending. Which confused me.
    Then Zombies, it introduces a few new modes, such as Tranzit and Grief, Tranzit involves going around a huge city on a bus, and getting off at regular intervals. Grief is an 8 player mode, in which you are split into teams of 4 and try to be the last team standing. By either sabotaging the others or even help them.
    Then there's multiplayer, which is good enough I suppose. It introduces a new create a class thingy. Though the gameplay is of course, mostly the same.
    The graphics aren't great and they haven't changed since MW3, or MW1 actually! I recommend renting it like I did, then seeing if you should buy it.    … Expand
  14. samurai177
    Feb 19, 2013
    8
    After my extreme dissapointment of Black Ops 1, I was very skeptical about Black Ops 2, as it seemed to stray VERY far from the content of the origional. But I have to say it, Black Ops 2 isn't as bad as I thought. The story is nice, the multiplayer is solid, and the overall package is pretty impressive. While the campaign does seem very similar to other games in the past, don't tell me that Colosus doesn't remind you of The Ark from Brink, that Admiral Briggs is strangely similar to Admiral Anderson from the Mass Effect series, and that Club Solar doesn't remind you of Max Payne. Also DeFalco has a little bit of Kristoph Gavin from Apollo Justice Ace Attourney in his capacity to be an but that made ultimately ending his life that more sweet. The campaign's class creation function is an excellent addition to the series, as now we get to take the weapons WE want into the campaign. The unlocking system in this function is also very good. The rest of the campaign is very good. Raul Menendez is an excellent villian, one of the best that I have faced. The way that his back story is presented is excellent, and a plot twist that will have you saying, "What!? Really!?" every time. The character dialouge is nothing short of fantastic, and the mini challenges and campaign leaderboards where you compete with your friends makes this a great mode to play. And the dynamic choice system is a welcome addition too. Now to the multiplayer, which is what everyone cares about. It's still the same multiplayer we know and love, or love to hate, but with a couple twists. The new Pick 10 system is pretty daunting at first, and it can get a little confusing. And the weapon balancing is not all there. I found that the SMG's dominate the weapon section. The map selection is great, but a lot of them seem to be ripped from the Strike Force side missions in the campaign. But nonetheless, the multiplayer customization is INSANE with you being able to customize right down to the camo on your knife. COD points are gone, and they are being replaced by Unlock Tokens, which are gained through leveling up. While I think this is a better currency for the multiplayer, it makes some gametypes, like the well known Gun-Game, feel out of place. The gametypes are pretty much the same, just some are tweaked here and there. This is Call of Duty, I mean come on when have they made drastic changes to the multiplayer. But this is a pretty good game, just a couple things are holding it back from a 9 or 10 in my book. Fans of the series will enjoy this new entry and newcomers will find that this is the perfect spot to jump in on.… Expand
  15. SammyBoyEmo
    Mar 3, 2013
    8
    The CoD franchise has a huge fanbase, and a huge anti-fanbase full of people who somehow think they are more intellectual because they complain about this game, I am about to give a non-biased review that doesn't have anything to do with the haters or fanbase.

    Campaign- Confusing storyline, and dull strike-force missions, that is where I deduct most of the points for this game. I will g    ive Treyarch credit for trying the alternate endings in the campaign, this game just needs better writing and shorter cutscenes. The gameplay however, has improved tremedously and contains a lot more playabilitiy. With player options, I find myself playing over and over, a trait that previous installments have lacked in the campaign.

    Zombies- Four player co-op survival is back like we have seen in Black ops and World at War. But two game modes are added. The first one, TranZit mode, contains a bus that your player can board. The robot driver drives you to multiple locations, each with a different nessecity for survival. Many easter eggs are present and a hidden storyline. The second new game mode, Grief, gives you the option to fight WITH or AGAINST 7 other players in the fight for survival. Many customization options are added to zombies mode, such as your starting wave and option of hellhounds.

    Multiplayer- A once repetitive yearly update, has dramatically changed since mw3, a new pick ten system is added, which gives you only 10 items in each class. Well balanced guns and many new playlists will have you coming back for more. Though a few glitches are present, the gameplay is overall smooth and runs on high fps with ease. Bots are now capable to play a wider variety of gametypes, and a new competitive playlist is added, which ranks you based on skill.    … Expand
  16. singingpants
    Mar 3, 2013
    8
    While not so different than other Call of Duty games, I really like the way that Treyarch has attempted to add content and variety to all game modes, with multiplayer balances, scorestreaks, customizable campaign loadouts, and many other tiny changes that, overall, make this Call of Duty a lot less frustrating than others in the series. A very good addition to the franchise. If you like Call of Duty in general, you will not be disappointed.… Expand
  17. TheLastHuman
    Mar 30, 2013
    8
    I will say that I purchased this game on launch date, and as a long time COD advocate, this game does not disappoint. Don't even bother reading any of the negative user reviews at all, as the authors have likely joined the religion of Hating On All Things Call Of Duty Because It Sells More Than Their Favorite Game Series. Like it or not, almost every new game is being designed with Call of Duty gameplay in mind, and you're looking at its beautiful roots. To be fair, the campaign is forgettable, as are the characters, and the length of it always makes you want demand your money back. However, what makes CoD so popular is not the campaign, but its addicting and often health-damaging multiplayer. Every new feature in it is a welcome addition, and for the first time since Modern Warfare 2, it did NOT feel like a another re-skinned CoD game. Venturing outside of Multiplayer is the supposed last hope of CoD, zombies. Even most dedicated haters will have trouble scalding this game mode. It's back and better than ever, with only a few annoying changes like having to build the wonder-weapons, and zombies rarely come through windows anymore. You will either love this game because it is Call of Duty, or you will hate this game's guts because it is Call of Duty.… Expand
  18. OptimusFine
    Apr 11, 2013
    8
    Black Ops 2 was not a phenomenal game, but it did introduce fresh ideas, campaign choices which is new to the franchise. The Multiplayer was the same as any Call of Duty a team working towards a specific objective whether it getting the most kills of planting the most bombs, the multiplayer does add a new more progressive factor to the game, the create a class, in past Call of Duty's you were limited to 3 perks, 2 attachments, and 2 guns a primary and secondary. How ever in Black ops 2 they flipped it on its head, if you want to run around with just knife so be it, if you perhaps feel that a secondary is pointless and a waste of space swap it out for a grenade or maybe a new tact. grenade, or even another attachment. The multiplayer may not be the most refined but its still a great pass time to play with your friends. And Finally the zombies, the new zombies mode Tranzit is a great time with friends or with a random bunch you find online, but its sticks the same formula as Black ops, but it still feels a bit fresher with the new weapons, enemies, and modes, even though it has a lack luster crew consisting of a rag tag band of survivors. Call of Duty Black Ops 2 might not be as ground breaking as Modern Warfare (or 2) but its still a great time of fun and is owns up to its price tag. This has been a Fine Review… Expand
  19. FelixGuzman117
    Apr 25, 2013
    8
    This game is a great game some people have there thoughts about it because they have made the game that it takes more bullets to kill an enemy but that is not a negative aspect the reason why is because it opens the window to more completive gaming And I really like the fact that they have added zombie new zombie game modes Because that content is what everybody has been waiting for The graphics are a bit out dated if you compare them to halo 4 because blacktops 2 is using the same engine that blacktops 1 used But all and all it is a great game If you like previous games you well like this one… Expand
  20. Justinavery7074
    Dec 4, 2012
    7
    I like it more than the original one, I can tell you that. But most of the time, it's pretty much the same maybe with a few new guns and whatnot. It's almost solid for me but what can I saw? It makes millions. Thank god my brother bought it instead of me.
  21. Just1nsane
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    It seems like these people are just sick of call of duty. Go play other games then. Lol stop disliking it because your 13 and you can't play it. Grow Up I enjoyed the game
  22. Avery767
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    Okay, I finally played for a while and here's my verdict... (not that it matters), in terms of content the game is really good. A fully realised Campaign mode with pretty good innovation in comparison to the others and possibly the best Campaign mode so far. Then we have the Zombies mode. I personally don't find the Zombies mode to be too great compared to BO1 and WaW. BO1 was the best by far because in BO2 nothing really feels fresh anymore. It's hard to explain but I feel like the maps (I'm looking at you Tranzit) are way too big and that's why I found WaW's Nazi Zombie mode to be so attractive since it felt so much more personal and fun. Now the Multiplayer... probably the best and CoD4 comes close in most places. I'd say: the gun selection is worse than BO1, the maps are worse than B01, the gun play is much better than BO1, the Create-a-Class is much better than B01, the progression is much worse than BO1 and the game modes... I'm not too sure on yet. But first let's go into why the progression is way worse. I personally enjoyed the system in BO1 where it was completely open to trial and error and all that. In BO2 it uses the IW progression system with the "unlock the gun at level 41 and then use it to get more attachments!" crap! I loved the BO1 system where you could just get what you want, maybe experiment with it and then invest in attachments and what not! But I do like the "Pick 10" system. So my final verdict is an 7/10 and I would have given BO1 an 8/10. P.S. FIX THE DAMN SERVERS ALREADY!… Expand
  23. TheMaximalist
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    Black Ops 2 Review
    The Call of Duty series revolutionized the FPS genre in 2007 with COD 4 Modern Warfare but in the series recent years the games have been a simple re-skin each year since. Treyarch (the dev of World at War, 2 and Black Ops) tries some new things in this entry. As usual the story is standard, invaders invade and you have to stop them but a first in the series is the dyna    mic story that molds to your decisions (even though there are a small number of them compared to other games). Really what happens is that your main enemy Raul Menendez is trying to start a war between China and America and you David Mason (the original BLOPS protagonist) must stop him. The game is set in 2025 mostly but there are some flashback sections where you play as Alex Mason. These are told by Woods to let you know why Menendez wants this to happen. There are 2 sections where you play as Menendez though and these have some objectives that are a bit counter progressive to the good guys story and you are just adding work for yourself. Black Ops location were all very bland in the past games but now there are some very interesting locations. But what stood out to me was the inclusion of sandbox levels. It doesn… Expand
  24. Kermie
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    Bought it on the cheap to play through the campaign. I have to admit, after playing all recent CoD games since CoD 2, this is my favorite campaign. It features some really tough (albeit linear) choices, but they offer plenty of incentive to play the impressive and dramatic campaign. The villain is fleshed out really well this time around, and has plenty of personality as compared to past CoD villains. There are 3 or 4 really memorable missions, mainly accentuated by incredible set pieces or an incredible plot twist. Yes, the campaign is very good and requires a bit of brainpower to put together all of the relationships between characters and the multiple timelines. Strike Force missions, which break up the story mode, are both a success and major failure. The missions themselves are really interesting and it is incredible how they worked them into the overall story of the main game, yet playing them is a different story. AI in these missions is really touch and go, in which you either have to baby the squads through the map or just go completely Rambo and take down everything. The RTS element is really exciting, and I can see it working really well; but as it stands they are frustrating and unfun missions with incredibly spotty AI...all I really wanted to do is continue the stellar story. Multiplayer is still a love it or hate it affair. It does little to alter the formula, although the pick 10 system is quite ingenious and surprisingly well balanced. Never been a fan of Zombies, but Tranzit is fun, yet the zombie formula has been done before. I'm really hoping to see a huge leap in CoD because, deep down, I really do like the series. Blops 2 is less of a major step forward and more of a major refinement of the series, which is to be expected. Blops 2 is solid - excellent campaign, same old multiplayer, and stale Zombies - yet it doesn't wow or blow away expectations in all of its departments to truly create a stand out experience. 8… Expand
  25. Zilcell
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    This is exactly what I wanted from MW2 and MW3. If you were one of many who have been dissappointed by many recent CoD games, don't worry. BO2 makes a ton of changes and breathes new life into the dying series. And score streaks are way better than the kill streaks of previous games. The campaign is more refined than the crap known as MW2 and MW3. The online is better. This is the best in the series since Modern Warfare 1. Let's just hope that Activision can continue to take the franchise in to this direction, instead of the modern warfare direction.… Expand
  26. v0lten
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I give BO2 a solid 7. I love Treyarch as a company and believe they are a much better company than IW.

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

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

    Well thats my review, Im still having a blast playing the game and Im confident Treyarch will fix a bunch of these issues once they start hearing from the community.    … Expand
  27. Breaker_Ki
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    First off, if you like the CoD series, then this one is the best so far and there is no doubt it will sell well keeping all lobbies full for the next year. That being said, it's just the annual refinement its predecessors, setting it the future doesn't change this fact. Even the new pick 10 system isn't interesting. Sure, you get full customization but when you do this, the same thing always happens, people gravitate to what the masses view as the optimal spec (same thing happens in MMO's with talent systems). Sure, there are counter perks, but the mind set of most players in this genre is self, not team.… Expand
  28. GamingSince87
    Dec 21, 2012
    7
    Didn't play the campaign. Tried the multiplayer online and after being used to the carnage of BF3, it just didn't do it for me. The ONLY saving grace for me on this one was the Zombies. The zombies transit level is fun to do even if it is pretty repetitive.
  29. MiniDanTheMan
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Giving any game a zero is ridiculous. I'd give a game a zero if it didn't work when I put in the disc. Treyarch went out of their way to improve on Black Ops and they have succeeded. the campaign is good, zombies is the best it's ever been and multiplayer is as fun as ever. The game is not a 10, but not worse than 5. People complaining about the lack of innovation in MP are validated, but I disagree. The gameplay is similar to the previous editions because it works. Treyarch stuck to the same basic formula that has given them so much success in the past and have made improvements in every aspect of the experience that fans of the series will enjoy. Casual players might regard the MP as similar to MW3 and BO, but veterans of the series will see the differences and enjoy them.

    I do wish that the engine had been upgraded, but the game still looks fantastic nonetheless.    … Expand
  30. mako_psy
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    Unfortunately, Call of Duty games tend to have two bandwagons; Bandwagon A consists of non-gamers buying into the marketing and hype, and will often rate Call of Duty games a 10 because they don't have much else to compare them to other than Fifa. Bandwagon B consists of snob-gamers, who make up their minds to give the games 0 before even playing them, simply because it's popular and almost "cool" to dislike them and say they're made for 12 year olds. I'm 25, and I don't care for bandwagon's and the like, so let me give you a much more honest review: Black Ops II isn't a bad game - certainly not worth the 10 so-called professional critics are giving it, but definitely not deserving of a 0, which equates it to some rushed 007 game. Despite what people have said, it's not a cut and paste of its predecessor, as it introduces a whole new futuristic setting, complete with a very different soundtrack, weapons and on-rails scenes. It also introduces the new strike force missions, which are essentially strategy-based missions and a world away from linear first person shooting. Black Ops II also switches between past and future missions, which allows for a fantastic way to learn the story, which is packed full of plot twists and an opportunity to play from unlikely perspectives. Of course, the game isn't without fault; it does suffer from being a little on the easy side. Without intentionally c0ck swinging, even on Veteran, the game feels like it has been made to predominantly cater to bandwagon A (as stated above). Some of the weapons are a little overpowered (a sniper rifles that can shoot through walls) and there are constant weapon cache's with the chance to refill ammo. Not once will you feel as under pressure as you did in World At War or even MW1. It's also a little on the short side, and I don't care much for the zombie mode. With so many pros and cons, I was close to giving the game an average 6, but to be honest I enjoyed it too much to give it anything less than a 7 - it's worth a rent, but not the retail price tag. Alternatively just wait until the price lowers.… Expand
  31. ps3sucks
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    i am a halo fan boy who hates cod but since everyone on my friends list has this, i bought it to amd heres an honest review.
    Multiplayer: 7/10 not that good its like all old cods but its improving and its fun
    Zombies: 10/10 Fun and amazing u will have a blast on tranzit
    Campaign: not played yet (will update when played)
    so you see you guys Bo2 isnt that bad.... zombies is amazing
  32. defanual
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    This review is coming from the perspective of a someone who has never played a COD game which is worth bearing in mind because that seems it will be a large denominator factor on reviews found here. The Good: • Gameplay is tight in a semi-realism arcade shooter kinda way • Campaign is a tour de force • You know when your doing good and you know when your doing really good (I had troad trouble gaging this in Halo)
    • Loads of maps out the box and DLC maps are usually always solid at best if you want to go there
    • Loads of weapons to master and the challenges and different feels disciples of the variety of weapons on offer give the multiplayer extended life
    • Connection time is quick in comparison to many others
    • One of the better map voting systems although not perfect
    • Some nice (fair) tactically gaming changing attachments, scorestreaks and equipment
    • Nice to solid visuals
    • Unmatched levels of polish in presentations and menus (matches it premium price reputation at least)
    • Some nice customisations features

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

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

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

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

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

    Could give it a 6 6.5 but the highs when things are working are better than that to be fair.    … Expand
  33. A_on_the_I
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Single player is a 10, multiplayer is a 0. Graphics and sounds is a 5. Clearly, all the money went into the story, which is the best COD story yet, but from the lousy multiplayer to the 3D ready graphics (which means most of us are delivered lacklustre poly detail and textures) to the weapon sounds where the reload "click" of the weapon is noticeably louder than the sound of the weapon being shot, the graphics, sound, and multiplayer game-play are a bust. Some areas of BO2 look amazing in SP, too bad they couldn't apply that effort to the MP maps, which all look blurry and simplistic. The multiplayer is the lame level climb against vastly superiorly armed players that BO was. It won't grab you and hold your attention; first of all, that formula has been done before, done better and done with more effort focused on the multiplayer maps. If you were looking for a worthy successor to MW3, this ain't it. If what you want is a more balanced level climber, try Halo 4. If you want a more simulation of military combat, try the updated version of MOH:Warfighter. Black ops 2 multiplayer is just plain boring; and while the SP is worth the cost of admission, it's not what the majority of it's casual audience (those who don't hide penis size insecurity behind which game they prefer) expected or deserved. Warfighter and Halo 4 are out. Have a fun BO2 SP ride and then go back to whatever game it was you were doing.… Expand
  34. sumguitardude
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    Love or hate it COD is here to stay, if you are looking for something new then yes they have med some. But most of the game is the same as the other in the series. i am however really impressed by the story as it has to be the best in the series yet. With multiple endings and choices you have that impacts the campaign i love the new direction the story took. By far the best in the series even though it`s the same ol formula… Expand
  35. Wilsonasaraus
    Dec 8, 2012
    7
    In all honesty, Black Ops 2 is not a bad game. The graphics aren't really all that they could be. But are you going to be running around seeing of you can see the details of a rock, or are you going to be shooting people? I am not defending the choice to keep using the same game engine with minor tweaks each year, but graphics are not what makes a game good or bad. The campaign is a decent length. They tried to make a story that is interesting and I believe they succeeded. With that being said, it is still similar to past Call of Duty's. Escort this guy, snipe this guy, get to the helicopter, all just to get the set piece that every mission has. Zombies is a bit of a hit and miss. I really like what they did with the new game mode Tranzit. What that is, is a very large map where you get from area to area via a bus. You can build these little machines and things out of parts that you find. And the neat part is that the areas you go to are the survival maps. But just playing the survival maps by themselves are not very good. No Pack-A-Punch, and very limited space. These maps are small. The majority bought this game for multiplayer. And, just like Zombies, is a hit and miss. The guns are decently varied, although they really seemed to guve everything a pretty high fire rate. The maps are small, which makes them ideal for submachine guns and shotguns. The new gamemode Hardpoint is basically a King of the Hill type mode. The Pick Ten system that replaces the old Create A Class is definately an improvement. Want two primaries? You can do that. Want to run with nothing but a combat knife and a lot of perks? You can do that.
    So there's quite a bit of good and quite a bit of bad. If you haven't played Call of Duty in a few years, you might want to pick this up. If you have played every Call of Duty before this, I would suggest waiting until you can get it for $30-$40.    … Expand
  36. disview912
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Yet another Call of Duty title has been released and it is at least solid. This is not a great game, or even a good game really, but it is fun and will provide several people with hours of entertainment. People can say what they will about the Call of Duty franchise, but it has done well for itself and keeps fans coming back. Of course the game is the same year after year, but that's because the developers don't really strive to be innovative, which is fine. It is the gaming equivalent of candy. By this I mean it is not satisfying and filling like a steak, but it still tastes good and I indulge myself every now and again. My main point is that even though Call of Duty has become like Madden it doesn't make it a bad game. Call of Duty has become stale, repetitive, and a little dull, but it has certainly not become boring. Black Ops 2 is probably best suited for die-hard Call of Duty fans, but others may get a couple of weeks worth of fun out of it. Just go into the game with the mentality that it is the same as it has always been and you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  37. GamerGuy96
    Jan 18, 2013
    7
    Treyarch has managed to come out of its shell from the release of CoD:Blops 2. now after looking through all the controversial bullish that is given stating that its like all the others there's nothing different. (keep in mind a developer can only go so far under the arms of a publisher [especially in a "triple A franchise"]). after peeling all that off you have a game that has a large amount of potential that strikes very hard key selling points. The stellar campaign given felt a lot (not completely though,) different. It gave players a little more freedom and choice throughout the game as well as a slight sense of emotional awareness within the choices they made as a character. From mission load screens to in-game non-avoidable choices. These things made me fall in love with the sometimes drooling campaign. Zombies of course makes its large return and greater than ever, with new maps and a long sought after theater mode. This combined with 4v4 chaos in grief mode ends up resulting in countless hours of play time (not including future DLC and modes). Of course as every CoD game has been in the past the multiplayer is EXTREMELY addictive, but repetitive in its level system. But to fix this Treyarch has added several things to keep the players busy and happy longer. With the inclusion of a "league mode" which allows for PvP action within certain skill levels makes any and every gamer feel like a professional in there own world while enjoying the game. Theater mode also returns as expected and feels a little easier to use and less task heavy. The greatest thing that makes the games multiplayer fall short is its poorly created and managed servers. this results in a lag compensation and the case where in the right game mode the winner (9 times out of ten) is the host. This makes the newest installment of CoD:Blops 2 a game that i would buy in a heart beat but with a lack of polish and finesse in certain cases… Expand
  38. ROMshinobi
    Nov 18, 2012
    7
    this is a review for the campaign only as I haven't had the chance yet to try out the multiplayer.

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

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

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

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

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

    this game did not have it at all. It's like it was missing its shooter mojo or something. Warfighter did a much better job with shooter mojo than this in the campaign, even though the campaign itself wasn't as good. So, in summary, the game had one brilliant moment with respect to the tactical view and control system. that was ingenious. Otherwise, the game was pretty average. I'm looking forward to the multiplayer to see how it compares with warfighter. to my mind warfighter, with the exception of BF3, has the best multiplayer going at the moment. Cheers,    … Expand
  39. LibertyLocked
    Mar 25, 2013
    7
    I was never a COD fan but I have to say that COD is never a bad game. People hate it just because Activision is abusing the same shooter stuff. To be honest, I don't really like this game and I only play zombies. Most people hate it because they spent (and they are going to spend) $60 on a shooter game that looks ALMOST the same as the game the bought last year. But hey, the problem is not about the game itself. Imagine if it's the first time you play this game. The graphics is awesome and the game runs at 60 FPS which is amazing. The multiplayer is intense and fun (in the beginning). The zombie mode is the best and very addictive. I wish Activision could release COD games every 2 or 3 years instead of 1, because people will get bored really fast.… Expand
  40. Garian
    Nov 26, 2012
    7
    The singleplayer portion of this game was absolutely amazing, the story moreso than the gameplay, while black ops 1 had an amazing singleplayer too, black ops 2's campaign was just mind blowing. The multiplayer however, was new and some what fun, and it has stayed fun to this day, but due to it being on the xbox, the connection wasn't too great, and I haven't had fun playing it all the time. The zombie mode was fun, but they didn't change it enough for me to consider it 'amazing'.… Expand
  41. Dyck_Marvelous
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    A zero? Really? It's so ridiculous that no one is going to take your comments seriously - the same can be said for all the 10's. Try to be objective people.
  42. Tate_Laycraft
    Feb 20, 2013
    7
    Well, I told myself I wasn't going to buy it and as always I ended up getting it. However, unlike most people I am actually somewhat impressed. Don't take that the wrong way though. Black ops 2 is definitely not the new innovational COD everyone was hoping for, but it isn't as bad as some people proclaim it to be. As usual, the campaign is short and predictable but you'll still be able to get at least some satisfaction out of it. The multiplayer is actually quite good. For the first time they actually got the gun power right. Not one gun is over powered and used by everyone in the game, but instead each gun seems to be ment for a certain playing style/map. Speaking of the maps, they are by far the least innovational part of the game. I often times find myself thinking of a map from a previous COD while playing the multiplayer. (I swear to god, Hijacked is just Nuketown on a boat.) Then we have zombies. Now, I absolutely loved the zombies in the original Black ops and I must say that I am kind of disappointed with transit. It just feels like a giant cluster to me. Too complicated I guess? Then when you play on one of the four locations by itself it just feels too small. On the other hand though, the DLC's zombie map is much more enjoyable and I hope to see much more like it in the future. In my opinion, the game is definitely worth owning. I give it a 7 out of 10… Expand
  43. Defectionate
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    Well-fleshed out campaign: granted it is completely unrealistic and off the wall. The graphics sincerely need an overhaul, its now lacking in that department critically. The guns feel nice when shot. The MP as of now, in my experiences, is just shy of a train wreck. The lag even on 360 is atrocious, the maps are decent enough...when the spawns actually flip and its not both teams on the same side. The worst part of the MP is the hit detection, it is awful, you feel you should have won a gun fight but some how become insta-dead. People were complaining about Warfighter, this is worse, and they out in the theater mode again so you can watch yourself have crosshairs right on a guy and not even get a marker. Its bad. I feel they spent too much time on Zombies, that part is great, its new and different but not completely away from what made it popular. Overall this game is good at best, maybe if they fix the online MP problems it will be decent.… Expand
  44. MurderTechnique
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    CALL OF DOODIE: CRAP OPS 2. People get suckered into spending $60 every November for the same game w/minor changes; it's too bad the COD franchise milks people for sales every year. Name a company that's gonna turn down the opportunity for multi million dollar sales every single year though. That said, it's understandable that another installment releases every single year. What I don't understand is why so many people feel compelled to spend $60 on it again and again and again. I shoud point out that I'm not one of the stupid, immature peope on here who submit reviews on games just to give them undeserving scores of "0" in order to pull their score down. The "reviewers" who are doing that should be banned from Metacritic because they're just ruining the site. If games like this deserve a "0" then what the does a truly bad game deserve to get? I think this game deserves a "7." The graphics are great. The campaign is epic and the game boasts lots of multiplayer modes. Zombies is still there too. The reason I only give it a 7 is because it doesn't do anything that previously released COD games haven't already done. It's simply another $60 rehash. My recommendation to fellow gamers is to STICK WITH INFINITY WARD. They're the true creators and developers of COD. Treyarch sucks in comparison because their games are plagued with glitches and they try too hard to make their games "over the top." Also, while on the subject of comparisons, Infinity Ward's "Special Ops" is way more impressive than Treyarch's "Zombies." Modern Warfare 4 will be out in November next year so there's no good reason to waste $60 on BO2. Get Halo 4 since it's a breath of fresher air, enjoy the DLC you likely already invested in for MW3, and look forward to MW4 kicking BO2's ass in a matter of months. :)… Expand
  45. DarrMunny
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    I think there are a few fan boys rearing their heads again, 0, really ? look we all know what we were going to get here, just like the poor cousin battlefield series and its 2 min single player campaign. Pretty much what I expected really, and now people are up in arms about it, seriously !! It's a fun free for all shooter and I love the zombies all ways have, me and a few mates get online and blast away at those zombies,we brought cod 2 just for that. Yeah more of the same....so what !! Get over yourselves and go play the Wii !!… Expand
  46. FlippyisFloppy
    Dec 9, 2012
    7
    A game that shouldn't be getting as many negative reviews as it has been getting from the users , Black Ops 2 delivers what I was expecting from the campaign with a few surprises. I really loved the fact for once in the CoD series you get to have choices that will alter the ending! You can also choose on what missions you get to do that will also change the story line. The story line itself is action-packed and great! The gameplay is generally the same, but that's expected for most FPS games (for me at least). Although the campaign was great, the multiplayer was still the same as the modern warfare and above. Although I like the fact that it has 'score-streaks' instead of kill-streaks ( I don't know that was in MW3 as well, didn't play the multiplayer since i was disappointing with it in general). But I still have fun with it nevertheless. The guns in multiplayer are somewhat off-balanced, being that the SMGs are the superior weapons in multiplayer (like it has been since mw2) but it is not too bad (although the mp7 is a bit too good). Plenty of gamemodes to choose from.

    Zombie Mode though is great! It is improved and a bit more polished from Black Ops 1. It has 1 additional perk called Tombstone (wanna learn about it? Google it.) And of there is a good amount of weapons to choose from with few being worthless. Although there is one thing that disappointed me a a bit. The lack of maps on there. There is technically 4 maps ( Tranzit, Farm, Town, and Nuketown) but it only feels like their is 2 maps. Farm and Town can be played on Tranzit ( which is just basically one huge map) and Nuketown is only obtainable at the moment for Hardened Edition, Deluxe Edition, and the Care Package (The Collectors Edition). I know I could of payed gotten them easily, but I'am not spending 20$ extra dollars on a game for just one map and a few crappy other additions. But overall I'am still pleased with Zombie mode.    … Expand
  47. Mystery19x
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I got this game early and after playing it for a few days and many many hours here is my honest review. The graphics aren't really high class compared to other game franchises like Halo, Gears of War, or Assassin's creed but the graphics aren't bad either, not even close. Graphics and audio are a major improvement however to past COD games. The campaign IMO is very good. Yes it feels like other COD campaigns with the explosions, movie like executions, etc but it feels much more personal, emotional and the campaign actually makes sense this time. The time-line from the cold war to 2025 fits in PERFECTLY in the story. The decision making process in the game also works very well and promotes replay-ability. The zombies in the game are improved and involve a more tactical style of game play instead of running around in circles. The zombies in this game have almost a Left 4 dead style and feel of game play The multiplayer overall has been improved. The maps are well done, the perks and weapons are balanced. The pick 10 system works well and gives unlimited customization options. Kill streaks or score streaks are much more difficult to earn in this game compared to past COD's IMO which is a good thing. The sniping has improved, the hit detection is very good. However, here are some things I did not like about this game. This game still feels TOO MUCH like past COD's unfortunately. It is VERY repetitive. The campaign could of been much longer. It is only 5 hours long on normal difficulty. I only played this game for a few days and have already come across annoying campers, quick scopers, etc. Panic knifing has returned. The re-spawns are improved but still are far from near perfect. Overall, a good Call of Duty game.… Expand
  48. driftlv1
    Nov 23, 2012
    7
    Finally. A major change in the series for the first time since Call of duty 4. That sentence alone restored hype to this game for me and many others.

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

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

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

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

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

    Zombies

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

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

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

    Multiplayer

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

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

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

    Overall Black ops 2 is a good game. It didn't meet my expectations, but it's a definite improvement over MW3, and it offers some change.    … Expand
  49. jeffo2448
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    Pros:
    Multiplayer is still fun, gameplay is addictive, there are tons of stats to view and improve upon, maps are decent, new kill streak point system is solid

    Cons:
    Still feels like an expansion pack rather than a whole new game
    Graphics aren't the greatest
  50. WimpySugar
    Nov 29, 2012
    7
    Update since I gave the game a 5 within the first few days. The campaign is great and with the ending changing depending on your choices, it actually adds replay value, unlike previous COD games. Zombies is fun for a while but the maps grow old after a while but it is still a very fun mode. Zombies will probably be better once they release more maps and perks. Multiplayer is a combination of MW3 and Black Ops. If you liked either multiplayer, BO2 multiplayer may grow on you. The pick 10 system is great since you won't see two people with identical classes. The system adds great variety and constantly makes you adapt your classes. This game does however have one major flaw: the players. In pretty much every game I go into, people camp on the second floor of a vertical building with either bouncing betties or shock charges (immobilizes you). The people who don't camp in buildings run around the map with all stealth perks or shotguns which both become extremely annoying until it becomes available to you. There are very few players who just play the game normally without using the most overpowered setups. This takes away all the fun for me in multiplayer. If anyone gives this game a ten they are lying because COD has a long way to go before it becomes perfect. While this game is fun for the first few hours, it just won't last. However, I still find it better than MW3.… Expand
  51. MikeHoncho
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    I don't normally do this kind of thing but I'm sick and tired of reading reviews that say "The graphics are outdated". Obviously from little children who pay $60 for a game that looks pretty, same kids who would say games from past generations of consoles (NES, SNES, PS2, N64, etc) are bad because of the graphics . I haven't played the Campaign or Zombies yet, but the Multiplayer is fun, just like it always is. Thats what a game should be rated on. Yes, there are campers, try-hards, and these elite super players that come on here and own every other game, but who cares, its just a game. I'm no expert MLG gamer, I didn't stand in line for hours in the rain like all of those other losers just to think I'm the first one who has the game, and I'm not a fan boy. I just like to play Call of Duty with my friends as a social thing and I think thats what separates the men from the boys. If you don't like it because its "the same old thing every year" then you're the idiot who paid the money for it. The people who generally gave the review a good score are the people who like the CoD games for what they always are, and what they probably always will be.… Expand
  52. LAB200
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    Since the first time I played MW3 I did not see anything amazing, but with BO2 it was very different.
    For me this game is awesome. The zombies are fun, multiplayer has a much better cheek, graphics really good, by far the best CoD ever made. Many people are complaining because they don't want play this franchise, they're annoyed with it. I recommend that these guys try another franchise,     play the same game a lot is boring.… Expand
  53. dwnwrob
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    To be quickly honest, I intended to purchase COD: Black Ops 2 mainly for the zombie gameplay. I loved the previous installments' zombie levels. The campaign continues on from the first COD, but it was difficult to understand the plot at first. It was only several missions in that I understood what was happening. The back and forth of the past and future felt off at times. The levels were diverse, but I had a huge issue with the strike force missions; forget commanding your teams from the bird's eye view. You literally have to win the battle yourself, the AI is so horrible.

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

    The multiplayer point system for your loadout is really awesome. It adds a large benefit for broader customization. Player card editing is back but doesn't seem to provide as much as the first COD installment. The list of weapons is also a good size, allowing you to choose from many types, but the perks are still all too similar and seem to be limited. It would be great to have a larger list for even more customization.    … Expand
  54. TheJeffness
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    I was excited to try this after a lot of publications said it was way different than the past COD games, which I got bored with after modern warfare 2. Sadly this is only partly true. The single player game has improve quite a lot, but the multiplayer/zombies stays essentially the same. First the story is a ton better....I was actually constantly looking forward to the next part of the story. There is a huge amount of suspense built throughout the game because you know that **** is about to hit the fan with a America's drone force attacking itself. I usually dont like stories that jump around, but this works very well. Each level is completely different, varied, and in a different location...and you dont get lost within the timeline. It is cool how it allows you to make "Choices", but this feels like it wasnt built from the ground up....rather it was thrown in afterword because the different way of doing things seems tacked on. Some have said there is an open world element to the game....THIS IS NOT TRUE AT ALL...by open world they must mean a field surrounded invisible walls and only 2 routes to take. This is not open world and actually makes the game worse. Scripted sequences have always made the COD games stand out for action movie-like breathtaking sequences....but I think its time to move on. Yes, some of the scripted sequences within gameplay make for great parts, but many times it feels like my skill/shooting/moving abilities dont even matter because things are just flying by so fast and it feels that I would have survived, lets say a chase scene where you are shooting from the back of a truck , without even firing a bullet. Also for a scripted game, I dont understand why there are sometimes unlimited respawning enemies....I will be at a part in the game where I am constantly killing bad dudes, and they just keep coming, because I am unaware that I am supposed to move forwards....This especially gets annoying when you spend time killing an unknown number of buddies, decide to move up, than a random grenade lands at your feet or your hit by a mortar. The random deaths in this game from random greades really pisses me off, The multplayer is disappointing. The pick 10 feature is the only good new feature. Everyone has heard the arguments about why COD multplayer sucks now, so I will just list a few brief complaints... 1. There is no concept of a "front line" in this game....you will be facing a direction or moving in a direction for 15 seconds, and then suddenly someone has spawned behind your team and kills you with you not even knowing they are there. I know this cuts down on camping, but there must be better ways...I shouldnt have to keep looking behind at an area I just cleared.. FLANKING SHOULD BE A TEAM STRATEGY, not a spawning coincidence 2. First to be seen dies....there is really no point in aiming at heads because all the guns fire 100 bullets a second, and have no recoil....many people dont know that in console games there is a slight auto-aim in shooter games when your cursor gets close to a target. This is fine in games like Halo where you have time to dodge or take cover, but a slight auto aim with 1000 shots per seconds, 2 hit deaths, and shots going thru all walls, makes this game just plain stupid. ALL YOU DO IS SEE SOMEONE, SHOOT, AND IF YOU HAVE A FASTER FIRING GUN...YOU WIN! I realize that this game takes fast reaction time and reflex time, but I dont have that accuracy with my thumb...with a mouse I do, so it makes it so little teens with no IQ who only play COD ever have a chance of winning. You cant outsmart them because there is no way or time to....they see you first, you die, and they are probably behind you spawning in an area you just were in. It would be nice if there was any difference in the guns like in counter-strike GO....I mean I suck at that game on consoles because I dont have an accurate thumb from only playing COD all day, but I am amazing on PC...but atleast in that game there is actual RECOIL with the guns, and certain ways to shoot them...In this game you just aim in general direction and hold down bullet. I will admit that the multiplayer is addicting and a bit fun, but no other game makes me so angry. Its fun for awhile, but if I play multiplayer for more than an hour I am depressed and angry as ****....Battlefield 3, halo, counter-strike I would be having fun after an hour.. Overall. If you like modern warfare and black ops story, you will like this games single player a lot. Best story/characters/suspense/variation yet. If you hated most the other games single player story.characters then there is actually a chance you will like this. I you dont like call of duty multiplayer. you wont like this. If you like COD multiplayer, you will like this. Story = 9.2 Graphics = 6.3 multiplayer = 6.5 Replay = 8 Sound = 7.5 Originality = 6… Expand
  55. thebarril
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    After MW3, I bought black ops 2 with the ideal that I might actually just end up playing the single player and selling it back after i'd been killed 100 times in one game in the online multiplayer. After sinking days and days of playtime online on COD4, and WaW. And having sunk about 2 days into MW2 and MW3 online player and frankly hated it, i had no idea what to expect for BLOPS 2 (I thought BLOPS 1 was a great game). However, the online multiplayer on BLOPS 2 in all honesty saves the game. But first the story mode: It would be too harsh to say the story mode was a complete disaster, but really, it comes nowhere close to any of the other call of duties. There are no 'stand out missions'. The strike force missions and clunky and hard to use, and it lacks real emotion and a good soundtrack which in my opinion has made some of the games like COD4 and Waw whose sountracks cement those good moments of gameplay into your mind forever. I'd give the single player 4/10, 2 of those points coming for the impressive cutscenes preceeding the missions, some of the cinematics really are good but dont let that shadow the missions which really lack any substance. As for zombies, im underwhelmed, the maps are bad, with fire all over the floor so you can be running away from zombies and suddenly find yourself downed because you stood over a crack with flames coming out, which span the entirity of the map. But i guess you should decide for yourself. The muliplayer? It was average for me until i found the FAL DSW, its a great gun, and has the old school, classic, 3-shot body kill that was in COD4 and hasnt reutrnined since, I think no cod games will be good again until default damage is 3 hit kill, all of the round ending kill cams are of a filthy, over used, SMG probably with a silencer spraying about 15 bullets around the general area of someone without any real precision. But for Me the multi player, if cod 4 was 9.9/10 ( my opinion) black ops to is around the 8/8.5 mark.… Expand
  56. Maaaaarr
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    If you have friends to pay with, you don't have to worry about whether this game is worth buying. Because of course it is. It adds enough to warrant as a new game, but BARELY enough. Regardless, it's still unabridged, pure stupid fun.
  57. wardevil28
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    The game is good in most of its parts, the multiplayer is solid if you don't mind the occasional loud mouth. not much has changed but the score streaks is interesting everything you do earns points and those point go to unlocking you reward to unleash, you don't lose all you progress when you die but if your half way to your second streak an die you lose it all. the single player tires to make your decisions seem like they matter, when they only sort of alter outcomes, I guess in a attempt to make you want to play through again. The villain is very bondish and tragic and there are some weak plot points that I just wont go into all in all the story was adequate but I expected a futurist endeavor but what you get is flash backs thrown in there for flash backs sake. Then the poorly done strike force missions that just arent as polished as everything else trying something new is good when it works and strike force barely works, when you team often stands there and gets shot, rarely takes cover or provides cover, you find yourself taking control just to get things done it seems that they tried for a rts feel only to get a poor mans version of ghost recon. this company needs to make sure they bring there A-game as they know people will be dropping money on this but because they failed to ensure the quality of this new addition, this is something that should have been in multiplayer were poorly done a.i. wouldn't have been an issue. maybe in the next tryarch COD they will fix this or completely omit it. chances are you gunning for a new mp to shoot your friend in and considering that you'll end up buying this or halo 4 but buying a game just for a mp that is almost exactly the same as its predecessors you might as well save your money and keep playing whatever version of cod you already have.… Expand
  58. AmazingBlueDart
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    The campaign is rubbish. There's really no other way to describe it. Each iteration of the series just gets more and more scripted until finally in BlackOps2 you are now just a bot with a controller. You are on rails, any deviation from the script equals death. Come on, I understand invisible walls and unaccessible areas but this game goes too far. Want to drag out a battle and find new ways to defeat the enemies? No, you will die inexplicably until you finish the scene. Cutscenes take longer than the gunfights. Story is incomprehensible. The focus of the battles are now simply to get you from cutscene to cutscene as quickly as possible.Typical CoD death and respawn into grenade or deadly fire so you can find yourself spawned into a rage inducing situation if you die at the wrong moment. Shameful. This is not a campaign it is a movie in which you play your part and hit your marks or die. No fun. All sizzle and no steak.

    The guns feel good, though. No complaints there. Probably feel and act as good as any game since MW2. Gadgets are gimmicky but sorta cool. The battles are decent when you can finally fight if you aren't bludgeoned into following the script. Very short, though. Your soldier will still be stymied by the odd milk crate or clump of bushes and must be in horrible physical conditioning because he can't run more than fifty feet without grinding to a wheezing trot. Enemies still key on you even when there are ten allies around you. Friendly AI feels marginally better than past games but they're still absolutely useless. That's okay because we all know they are only there to provide new weapons and ammo as we play, no change from any CoD ever. You can still knock off a friendly to get his gun.

    The Command & Control portion left me perplexed so not going to say much one way or the other. If that's your thing then maybe you'll enjoy it. MP seems okay from my end. No big complaints. Seems you can be competitive right off the bat. The token system for perks/guns/attachments seems rather complicated. On the other hand the token system may do well in encouraging balance simply because there are so many choices it may take a bit to discover the "One True Loadout". Maps are okay. Need to play it more before I get a true feel but so far haven't been victimized by too many revenge spawns. That's an improvement over the last two CoD's I played.    … Expand
  59. Vandral007
    Nov 25, 2012
    7
    I can't help but laugh at half of these reviews for this game. They are either "Call of Duty Sucks Trolololol" or "Call of Duty is bestest game evah for 1337 haxorz like me!" Ignore both these schools of thought, and try to judge the game under your own merits. Black Ops 2 does what it does very well. All of the CoD's since Modern Warfare have. Is it the best game ever, or even in the franchise? No, it isn't, but that doesn't make it a terrible game. What the game actually is is slightly above average. Complaints from both lovers and haters are valid. The campaign is woefully short, but lets be honest, few people actually buy this game for the singleplayer campaign. I'll still mention it though, because with all of the talent behind it, it feels kind of like a let down. I was far more engrossed by Black Ops 1's story than I was with this poor man's Red Dawn. The jarring cuts from past/present/future really hurt the narrative flow, leaving the story feeling disjointed, and really doesn't allow you to actually care about any of the characters you're controlling. The zombie feature has been improved, but not to the point where I see myself playing it again in a week or so (I never really cared for the zombie features in any of the CoD's. They're not bad, just not my cup of tea.) So the real reason people buy CoD: Multiplayer. And it works. The formula still has the magic first inspired by the original Modern Warfare, albiet a formula thats beggining to grow a little tired. The maps are for the most part well designed, if a little small and stifiling to guy who's been playing a lot of BF3 and Halo 4 online. But these smaller maps are designed with close quarters combat in mind. If you think the maps are to small, simply adjust your loadout. Graphically (and here's where I sound like a hater) the game is an abysmal mess. Four years ago these graphics would have been jaw dropping, but minor enhancements to an aging game engine can only do so much. The complaints about the sound design seem to be legit for the most part, and I will say that I never experienced any performance issues online or off. The graphics are just... aged. Not what you'd expect for a game in a series that makes more money than God. Overall, Black Ops 2 is a good game, if tired and stilted. I think this is the last time Activision should be allowed to charge $60 for it until they do something groundbreaking and radical. Worth the money (moreso than MW3), but it's hard to say how long it will keep you.… Expand
  60. Wright98
    Dec 2, 2012
    7
    It is good to see that call of duty is finally different. The guns are amazing the audio is brilliant. I feel that zombies is good, however it needs to improve, which hopefully will come in future DLCs.
  61. airborne17th
    Dec 7, 2012
    7
    Ah, Black Ops II. For some one of the greatest Call of Duty ever and for others a pile of crap (a lot more).
    I played every Call of Duty since Finest Hour and played like maybe 80 hours of Black Ops 2 altogether. Does this make me qualified? idk, well anyways le'ts split the review up a bit, into three sections, singeplayer, multiplayer, and zombies. First, Singleplayer, I have never seen     such terrible railroading, disastrous plot holes, and sloppy writing on this scale for Call of Duty. Don… Expand
  62. Valiko
    Dec 9, 2012
    7
    Now, i only give this game this high a rating because of how much they improved it from what a mess Infinity Ward. The zombies is top notch and definitely the #1 reason to buy this game. The multiplayer is addicting, but not necessarily good. The top complaint is the campers and drop shooters that stop the fun of a joke-around multiplayer. The lag is signification improved and the sounds are amazing, but the accuracy of hip fire is ridiculous to the point of not funny to ruin just that much more. Don't even get me started on the spawns. The campaign is o.k. not quite as flawed as you'ed expect, but good have been so great, but just a strewn about story line a bit hastily put together. This is a addictive game though, and at least a bit enjoyable… Expand
  63. JOEBEE7447
    Dec 19, 2012
    7
    Black Ops 2 is in no way a perfect game. Better than MW2? Yes. Better than MW3? Of course. Does it get too much hate? Heck yes. This whole game was hated before it even existed. They have tried to make the campaign interesting this year, but it is still buggy and unappealing, at least until you get to the future sections, which aren't for a while. But you would be a fool to buy this game for that. The Multiplayer really stepped up this year, adding new scorestreaks and league play. The zombie mode has also been improved, allowing for you to travel to different locations around a huge map. Although, that's pretty much where the new stuff ends. It is a massive improvement over MW3 and is a great game to play with friends. I would recommend this to you, but chances are, you already bought it.… Expand
  64. Soulphayze
    Dec 24, 2012
    7
    This one is kinda a catch 22. On one side it is one of the better ones. The prestige mode is done better, zombies is WAY better imo(i actually enjoy it a lot this time around) and for the most part hit detection is great, probably one of the better ones. On the other side lag comp is horrid, bad idea. I noticed it takes a lot longer for migrating host and causes games to fail a decent amount. Of course spawning is done bad again. I mean I can't even guess how many times I spawned to die instantly or walk 1 ft and die. In Blops2 defense tho that is almost all cod games.
    All in all definitely a good buy.    … Expand
  65. Eggroll
    Jan 19, 2013
    7
    Another year, another COD release. This has been the tradition set by the franchise for many years now. I honestly thought BO2 was going to be another quick cash grab but in all reality, it really isn't. This game vastly improves on The previous releases MW3 and BO1. The Campaign is done well in BO2, the setting, game-play and choice system all work well together to create a familiar yet different feel to the game. Zombies is a good addition to the package but feels lacking in comparison to the previous zombie modes in BO1 ans WAW. Multiplayer has been improved in some areas and worsened in others. The class set up has been improved however the Spawning, Hit detection and gun balance need to be improved. Over all this game is good, it improves upon previous releases and provides a fun experience. Whether you love Call of Duty or just come here to give the game a "0" , you cant deny that this game is an improvement on the series.… Expand
  66. Ripred
    Jan 21, 2013
    7
    As a game by itself, Black Ops 2 is a pretty good game. However, with all the other repetitive shooters, this isn't anything new. The multiplayer is okay, but the only really redeeming feature is Zombie mode.
  67. elecare
    Jan 28, 2013
    7
    i must say this is nearly has good as MW2, the changes with the campaign are great how ever the new tactical mode need to be updated the CPU are so basic that they can not shoot through a fence or hole. the multi player is still the same with all the modes that we love from black ops. but the main reason i like this game is because of how much they have improve the campaign has some of you decisions change the story… Expand
  68. XxNightvHawkxX
    Mar 16, 2013
    7
    Its okay........ It isn't bad by any means. It is certainly better than the first Black Ops. Treyarch actually tried this time around. Treyarch actually could have made something great, but unfortunately, Activision demands that a CoD game must come out every year. Had this game been in development for 3 years, it would have been a really good game.

    But yes, I agree, it is the same as     the other CoDs.… Expand
  69. RedSoxGamer91
    Apr 12, 2013
    7
    After playing multiplayer for a few months, I can honestly say this game is broken. The spawning system is so F'd up it's not even funny, enemies will literally spawn behind you and kill you once re spawned. The only map with legit spawning is hydro(dlc) cause there's literally two spawn points. There are also so many times where I shoot someone first and get killed, and people will literally be aiming at my legs and when I shoot them; their flinch makes their gun jump up for a head shot. WTF cod!? This is a game where pistols are more reliable than AR's, people run around with snipers quickscoping. Man 80% of all my deaths are getting killed from behind, or people that I didn't see. The only good thing is the pick 10 system. It's playable, but definitely over-hyped for what it is.… Expand
  70. aus741aus
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    I came to the Call of Duty party fairly late, some time after Modern Warfare 2 and World at War, and I sincerely mean what I am about to say.

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

    Multipl    ayer is as good as ever. Nuff said

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

    All in all a good game, but at the same time the worst Call of Duty I've played thus far.    … Expand
  71. killerghs
    May 10, 2013
    7
    This game is is one of those games that you constantly hear is terrible then when you actually decide to play it your blown away this is one of the better online experiences and with everyone complaining about it being unbalanced yet these guys will go ahead and play mw2 don't miss this game if the price is right its fun with friends and good by your-self
  72. Captain_Howdy
    May 22, 2013
    7
    I usually don't get many CoD games since, they have the tendency to lack in change, after playing WaW, BO and MW3 at a friends, i realized the game just lost its innovation, if you get this game every year, I'm not sure why you bother, but anyways, after playing this game, I feel like it was worth while. I mean the story mode was pretty alright, took me about 5 to 6 hours off an on, on Veteran. Multiplayer is still the same as ever, although repetitive from previous games, I do give Treyarch a thumbs up for the new pick 10 system, it adds new ways to set up your equipment. I say if you're iffy about the game and have the previous one, don't bother, stick with the one you have, if you're like that haven't bought a CoD game since MW2 give it a try but don't bother with the season pass or dlc, to my opinion it just isn't worth it. If you're a fan of the series, well there's nothing I can tell you to change your mind, you're probably playing it AND have the season pass.… Expand
  73. ApocalypseBrown
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    Dear Robert Florence, I do know you and you may be a good guy or a git. However I respect you for having the balls to tell the truth against the establishment of gaming even at the cost of your own job, I for one salute what you did and hope you get a better job soon! On the nasty tone of industry shenanigans COD BLOPS2 reeks of some profession reviewers being 'brought off', not that the game is terrible because it isn't, however year after year this franchise (evil empire to some) hasn't changed an awful lot yet STILL gains the plaudits of many reviewers. Personally BLOPS1 was the zenith of the series, and I have now sick to death of the stale yet over familiar imperial story-lines, it's under current racism and Treyarch/Activision refusal to moderate the thousands of racist bigots online as they are the company main fan-base and money talks of course. Yes this game actually is quite different in many ways, however fundamental change is needed otherwise the series can eat itself to death, it and the industry puppets it attracts so well.… Collapse
  74. 1234
    Dec 27, 2012
    6
    this isnt as bad as i thought it was going to be ! , however it could have been alot better feels that the makers got lazy in some areas. there are some terrible map creation , the graphics are nowhere near up to standard of most games, the spawn system is awful, and it still takes the piss sometimes to kill somebody but the gameplay is decent , the score streaks and 10 token system for weapon customisation is unique and makes it more interesting and more of a challenge. overall its not too bad all depends what your in to .… Expand
  75. illage2
    Jan 2, 2013
    6
    Another year, another Call of Duty game. The multiplayer is still the laggy mess it was last year, the SMG's and Shotguns are the overpowered guns this time, the graphics are still the same low res textures we saw last year.

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

    I will praise the strike force missions and Zombies mode. As they are the only thing keeping the game from getting a lower score.    … Expand
  76. rykeith
    Jan 26, 2013
    6
    The campaign story is one of the best COD has recently offered. The one glaring (and frankly, unforgivable) flaw is with the Strike Force missions. If you are not planning on playing on the harder difficulties, they really are not that big of an issue, albeit poorly executed with respect to controls and friendly AI. On the harder settings, these become a gigantic nuisance due to the terrible friendly AI. The multiplayer is also good, and I think I enjoy it more than the BO1. Overall, above average game that could have been great.… Expand
  77. Runfocovah
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    This is an honest review, Im not just bashing the game. First of all the campaign.. WTF!?!?!... graphic wise, some times I felt I was playing a wii game, they are terrible, a lot of missions are boring and got you doing stupid stuff like the one in the dessert riding a horse, honestly TERRIBLE STUFF. Zombies? well I dont know why this **** mode keeps getting so much praise when there is L4D 1 & 2 out there, movement is slow, zombies are overpowered, etc. Multiplayer.. well, its way more of the same every year. This constant wave of yearly COD keeps feeling more like a DLC. I yet have to see the day when a COD game beats what once was done by COD:MW1… Expand
  78. RexReqz
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    I love CoD I've been a fan for so long that was very eager to get a copy of Black Ops 2 and jump in to a great game yet I was wrong. Let's start off with the campaign. It now has a branching storyline unlike previous CoD games where it was very linear. This adds to some of the thrall to keep playing and see where the story can end up. It is a good story but some parts just don't add up or keep me involved to caring what happens to Mason or Woods. I think I've become jaded to the suspense and the massive amounts of f bombs thrown around. This story could've been better if you would have stopped making me jump around characters so damn much. The other addition to the campaign is strike force. Strike force is a bad rendition of an RTS game. Now I played the game on Veteran because I believe it adds to the depth of a game unfortunately Strike Force mainly the mission FOB Spectre is impossible to beat. The AI can not adequately seek cover and be as good as the player therefore they get eliminated fast. There were times when the group that I had picked would not follow my orders or the way points that I would set up. Strike Force can be a great add but I prefer as a separate part of the game much like Zombies. The campaign could've been great but too much stuff and not very well done. The Avenged Sevenfold crap was the worst part. Crappy music for a crappy ending. Now let's get to the multiplayer. Crap. Yup that sums it up. Crap. The weapons all sound the same. See for yourself same damn POP POP sound. The weapons lack power and seem to have the same damage regardless of stats. The shotgun and sniper rifle are still 1 hit or 2 hits. Point system isn't something I cared for. The perks are varied but in the end the gameplay makes it forgettable. The maps are poorly designed and are filled and I mean FILLED with pigeon coops. I just can't describe how everything does not work well. The frantic pace of previous CoD's where you were able to rush and do well because the game worked but this game works against you. The multiplayer was supposed to be rooting out camping but low and behold this game has more camping than I have ever seen. It could be maybe because of the scorestreaks? Nothing works. It isn't fun. It's more of a chore to play. I love a good multiplayer but this multiplayer just was unable to keep me playing. I have yet to play Zombie mode since it doesn't interest me. I'd give it an 5 mainly because the multiplayer is a big let down but I'm giving it a 6 because Zombies might just be good. Just a big let down. Remove the Black Ops title and add another one because this doesn't do justice an even better game.… Expand
  79. emartini
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    Campaign is ok. Multiplayer is a step up from MW3 and BO but no where as good as MW, MW2 or WAW. But its good to see its better then the last 2. Graphics are slightly better but its the same engine and the map design in this game and the last 2 have really taken a plunge. This game gets a 6
  80. dharma
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    Let's put it this way...Black Ops 2 is not a bad game, but it's not a great game either. Sure they keep on insisting that it's a different game but it's not. The campaign's storyline changes from previous installments, but it's just basically the same game over and over again. What's more mind boggling are the reviewers insistence to give this game a high score. Let's look at other AAA titles released this year: Halo 4, Assassin Creed 3, Dishonored and heck..even the 'reviled' RE6; all of them showed or at least attempted to innovate and give players something new, for better or worse. I am not sure what sort of things, perks or whatever that Activision is giving these reviewers, but they sure are working. Buy this if you really need to upgrade for this year's installment.… Expand
  81. JeffieD
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    Lot of Halo fans on this site, huh? Oh well, carrying on, the graphic quality of the campaign was quite brutal, but with how I imagine they tried to make you have feels, somewhere in the back of your mind..or probably the fact that the empty case was still in front of you as you were playing it, its a Call of Duty video game. They're going to try and make it over-the-top as possible. No matter how much they want to pull their **** together and make a comprehendable story, (which btw, I believe they did a better job on the first Black Ops with), it most likely won't happen. Now I didn't pre-order this game, I walked into wal-mart around 2 in the morning with a 45 dollar gift certificate and 20 dollars. That was probably worth it...except now I'll have to wait til next paycheck to know how many corn dogs I can buy with 60 bucks...can you imagine the possibilities my bruthas?! Anyway..all in all...6 out of 10, wouldn't bang.… Expand
  82. Mattyice
    Nov 24, 2012
    6
    Okay. That's all that needs to be said about this game. This game was a big improvement from Black Ops 1, but still lacks the needs of a great shooter. The graphics are okay, gameplay is solid, same game modes, mediocre campaign, and a worse zombies mode. Mediocre underperforming game again by Treyarch, but not bad at all.
  83. CyberEagle_1x
    Nov 16, 2012
    6
    I have seen the haters say it
  84. EpicMexicanTaco
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    A huge improvement on the disaster that was MW3 but it still doesnt convince me and many other people. This game is mediocre at best.

    -Single Player: 7/10
    -Multiplayer-5/10
    -Zombies 7/10
  85. TheBartlez
    Jan 11, 2013
    6
    To begin, I have played all the COD games since COD4. I have broken down my review into PROS and CONS to show what works and what doesn't. PROS: 1) Campaign is pretty good and has a cool mix of missions from the 1980's and the near future. 2) Graphics improved over BLOPS 1. 3) Great sound - guns sound louder and more powerful. 4) Redone Nuketown for multiplayer and zombies! 5) Create-a-class system lets you really customize your class to your liking.

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

    As much as I loved BLOPS 1, and how excited I was for this game, I found myself pretty disappointing with how BLOPS 2 turned out. Zombies was a big selling point to me, but it just feels lackluster. MP is the same as ever, but there is no excitement to it like in BLOPS 1. I find myself being more frustrated with this game and even though it works well, I would trade it in if I hadn't bought the season pass.    … Expand
  86. Big-Sweed
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    Please just hear me out on this, first of, people are overreacting, it's not a terrible game.

    The campaign claims to be different, but really these strike force missions that would change the course of your campaign don't, cool idea but poorly executed. The campaign is still a on rails roller-coaster which I'd only recommend dor tasteless "gamers". The story is filled with plot-holes, b    rain-dead people won't have a problem with this, but I did.

    Multi-player can be addictive, and although Treyarch actually tried to make it feel a bit fresh, it falls somewhat short. It's no doubt an improvement over previous call of duty games, perhaps the best since WaW, or Cod4, but that doesn't mean much anymore. It basically feels like cod with a new hud, slightly improved graphics, and although there's more game-modes it's not enough to make this worth $60. Zombies have so much potential, but lazy map design, and a refusal to improve, makes the zombie mode (although fun) a half assed experience. Too bad because it really has a potential to be one of the best zombie games with all the revenue and funding over the years.

    The game isn't **** like the nay-sayers call it, but it's not worth it compared to all other great games, and the fact that BO2 will be a forgotten entry full with hackers next year.    … Expand
  87. ikenyon1
    Mar 4, 2013
    6
    There is nothing too wrong with this game, but that is also the problem. Treyarch did little to innovate outside the pick 10 system and released a buggy and lag-comp heavy mulitplayer. While the campaign is fine as always, I feel as if they ruined zombies too. They tried to hard to innovate while not preserving very much. I really had high hopes for this game after the travesty that was Modern Warfare 3 but I haven't touched this game in 2 months and it does not look like I will be returning anytime soon.… Expand
  88. xNullxF
    Nov 27, 2012
    6
  89. plotlesviolence
    Mar 15, 2013
    6
    This game is fun. Basically every criticism I've heard about it is true (i.e., doesn't innovate, is the same game as CoD4, etc., 100% linear). But it's fun. The linear CoD design has solved my biggest pet peeve from pre-1990s games: not knowing where to go next and feeling like I'm wasting my time. Before, I would just look up a walkthrough, but the objective marker just keeps me immersed in the game. Aside from the sandbox shooters, all the competitors copy CoD because it works. Also, it's a pretty, polished game with lots of spectacle.
    So why not a higher score? Because it doesn't innovate and it is more like an expansion pack to CoD4 than the 5th sequel. The new stuff (a pseudo-rts mode and a cool see-through-walls scope) is pretty minor, and I probably won't be replaying the single-player mode ever again. Also, while I really liked the revenge-driven plot of Modern Warfare 3, the plot of BlOps 2 doesn't really do anything for me. So I'd say slightly above average. Worth playing once if you like the linear FPS genre, but not something I'd stake my reputation recommending to my friends.    … Expand
  90. ageofwinter
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    Not as bad as some people make it seem, but not as good as the reviewers say. Multiplayer has great depth, in terms of customising loadouts, but the gameplay is lacking. Campaign is yet again, another action filled adventure, with some story in it that really didn't get me emotionally attached to it, like some reviewers said it would. If it wasn't for Zombies, I wouldn't give this a 6. Zombies mode has always been a favourite of mine, and this time it's no different, I lose hours upon hours of my life, just playing Zombies. All in all, if you enjoy Zombies more than any other mode, this is a game worth getting. If not, I wouldn't recommend it.… Expand
  91. insanityplee666
    Dec 26, 2012
    6
    I wanna start off honestly. COD Blacops 2 is a DECENT game. It is in the top percentile of games to come out this year. That being said, it would have made a fantastic 10/10 dlc for black ops 1. I honestly cannot tell how the graphics havent changed in years. Shouldn't a graphic update not be too much to ask for? Love the new hunter killer in multiplayer, but camping and constant rocket launchers stuffed down your throat has ruined decent multiplayer yet again. This is not the fault of the company that created the game, but rather apparently the type of player this game draws in. *spolier alert* Finally in campaign is (once again) a scene where you kill someone with a knife and pistol. It is sad, because other wise this campaign was actually (at least in my mind) slightly better than mw3. The music, as always in cod, sucked. With all of this being said, if cod releases another game with such a lack of creativity or at least a HUGE graphics update, I will not buy another cod game. This was their last freebee.… Expand
  92. Truthtealler
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    I gave this game a 6 because it's just not worth the 60 bucks, the campaign is moderate the multiplayer really hasn't changed. The one thing I'll give this game is zombies is fun. But frankly, the multiplayers really no different from MW3 and the campaign is decent but very short and brief. The whole RPG aspect is cool with the choosing of who lives who dies. But it still feels too scripted and way to short for me to really care who I let die. Zombies is fun but, just not worth 60 bucks for a good zombie experience and a short and moderate campaign. This game's better then MW3 so at least cod's heading in the right direction.… Expand
  93. ThatDENCHreview
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    The game is not horrible however it is disgustingly overrated and it really annoys me that all the kids scream and shout about it every year i mean go to a lobby there is a bunch of 11 yr olds going on about how cool they are for playing a "big boy game" and then ign bum-lick it each year there are tons of talented studios out there the creators of darksiders and light box our undesevedly losing money

    DENCH OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  94. HunterGalactic
    Nov 16, 2012
    6
    Black Ops 2. 1) The campaign is pointlessly gory. Why do we need to watch people's heads getting cut off and listening to women getting raped? Who with a right mind takes pleasure in that?
    2) Multiplayer is boring. Some new killstreaks, guns maps but in the end its CoD MW3 and Black Ops in one.
    3) Cod is lost. The game designers are stupid. They are trying to do their best to make this g    ame good, but in the end its even worse.
    The only thing that stops me from hating this game is zombies. I love zombies and always will, If I will ever buy another Call Of Duty game it will be a zombies only game.
    Oh by the way the ending is even worse than Prometheus.    … Expand
  95. Gimlskars
    Nov 17, 2012
    6
    Graphics and audio are fine. Until the next gen consoles come out they have more or less peaked. The campaign is lackluster. Its hard to feel a connect to any of the characters as it jumps back and forth between past and future. 3d models of the voice actors are nice as you can see the person that is performing the voice fairly clearly. The new strike force missions are a cool twist but the AI of your team is dumb making it more of a babysitting task.. Zombies is fun, for those that like it. Easy mode is nice for beginners and split screeners. So far the main gripe I have is with Multiplayer. Aiming and recoil seem to be major problems. Hit markers fly when shooting but notification on you are slow, seeming as if you die with one shot. And with the addition of the laser sight, hip firing has gotten a huge boost almost to the point that unless its a cross map shot its not worth it to use the mechanics of aiming down the sight, which is disappointing. Assault rifles feel underpowered and SMGs and shotguns slightly overpowered, mainly in effective range. As far as the maps, they are a nice nice change from the close quarter combat of MW3 and overall are pretty balanced.… Expand
  96. KorpusDraige
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 does everything that the earlier installments did, sure, but it does it better. The pick ten system works and gives you tough choices. Score streaks feels good and probably implemented for the more casual player that couldn't rack up enough kills to earn them in previous titles. Certain guns can feel overpowered, but will probably be balanced over time. Graphics are good enough, but could be better. Zombies is a bit confusing, me and my friend fired it up and were confused of what was what. Transit is a nice little side campaign, but confusing as well. You're suppose to grab these parts to build things, but the game doesn't do a good enough job telling you what to do. I believe if the characters you play as, talked about what to do (much like Left 4 Dead), it would clear a lot up. The main issue here, is the multiplayer. Lag Compensation is back and harder than ever, it seems. In this day and age, there should be dedicated servers. As much money as Activision makes on this franchise, there could very well be dedicated servers. I have pretty good internet, but have to suffer because of it. Again, probably for the casual player who refuses to upgrade their internet, because they don't game too much (have a friend like that). If lag compensation was not apparent in this, it would make a better online experience and it would have gotten a bit higher of a score. But as it stands, it makes online a very frustrating part of the important part of the package. You want to give the gamer a 60 frame per second experience, but when lag hinders your precious 60 fps, what's the point? Next Call of Duty? get rid of lag compensation, change up the formula a bit more, as it does get a bit stale, different engine, dedicated servers.… Expand
  97. Awesome2daMax
    Nov 20, 2012
    6
    In my opinion, CoD in general is a fun shooter that gets boring after a while. The graphics haven't changed all that much, the guns are pretty much the same and the new loadout system is different in a bad way. The loadouts limit you to ten points, and the annoying gun progression system is still there. CoD is a fun aimless shooter that is fun in quick doses. Once again, the campaign is horrible, but that is because I like a good story, not just a campaign which is you shooting dudes like BLOPS 2. The reason I don't like CoD in general is because of the lack of teamwork and skill. I find that luck is a bigger factor than skill and teamwork. There is no aim involved, just spray bullets at an enemy and hope they die. CoD is only fun if you don't really want to think and just want to shoot something. Zombies is the only fun mode and the only reason why I gave this a 6. My opinion is wait until this goes on sale hopefully, not worth 60$, and buy something like Dishonored, AC3, Borderlands 2 or Halo 4.… Expand
  98. bananaman_dan
    Nov 21, 2012
    6
    The campaign seemed to need more, and quite more. Multiplayer felt a lot better than bo1 but it still had this sort of not fair type of game play at parts. Just one day try the riot shield and find out how dumb the riot shield mechanics are. Meanwhile zombies mode has improved ten fold with tanzit being ridiculously fun and challenging, the guns were a treat to use especially the lmgs and the new way to open doors and turn on the power by collecting parts is great. grief mode(8 player 4v4 mode) coulda used some more work its not that it wasnt fun its thatit was eerily quiet during the match and there were hardly any zombies so it seemed boring and, when my team won...nothing felt accomplished it was dull and disapointing that i didn't get this "WOOO YEAH WE DID!!!" feeling when we won. in summary multiplayer get a " i kinda like this" from me, campaign get a "needs work", and zombies gets an "awesome" but it genuinely was not worth $60 maybe if it was $40 but no $60. either way its up to u now whether to buy it or not… Expand
  99. RobertoAlbatraz
    Nov 22, 2012
    6
    Singleplayer - Cant brush the arcade shooter feel (Feels like time crisis). I kill 100 people per level. Awesome. Do rate the create a class at the start of each level, and why does my offsider look like a soldier who should be marching in Mardi Gras.

    Multiplayer - Too complicated, UAV overkill, over powered scorestreaks (Lightning Strike, Hellstorm), Boring guns and maps.

    I remember     playing mw and mw2 and loving how each gun was different but fun to use, dont enjoy any of these weapons. the maps a forgettable im still to find a crash, makin, favela quality of map. Also, why are is all the cool stuff unlocked at the high levels (scar, m8, ghost.) Lag compensation is homo also. All these games were built off modern warfare's success. But none of them have ever got to that level again. Black Ops 2 is an alright game has a cool story that doesnt have the means to be given justice. I kind of want to play this story with battlefield mechanics and less mass slaughtering of the enemy.… Expand
  100. pingu69
    Dec 4, 2012
    6
    COD 4 was one of the best xbox 360 multiplayer game made. ever since then runoffs of the same style have been made such as MW2, MW3, BO1, BO2. after one month of playing either of these games mentioned, the guns become weaker based on helping out the noob campers, killstreaks are overkill once again encourages camping and the maps are poorly made. People need to realize that just because the game has COD in the title doesnt automatically make it a 9 or a 10. If you are a true COD player from the start then dont buy this game because u will only get frustrated and angry… 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.
    Read full review
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