Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Blackout is the best battle-royale experience available today, zombies offers crazy customizable co-op, and multiplayer keeps things grounded for those looking for the classic core.

If you're only here for the campaign, there's no reason for you to buy Black Ops 4. But if you're a multiplayer gamer and enjoy battle royale games, there's plenty of great, addictive content to keep you playing for months on end.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a bold step for the future of the franchise. Despite lacking a traditional story campaign, there’s no shortage of entertainment or value in this year’s installment of the popular first-person shooter franchise, which finally puts multiplayer front-and-center where it should be.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is innovative in many ways. The multiplayer mode is amazing. Blackout offers many, many hours of fun though it does struggle with some technical difficulties at times.

Treyarch's big gamble pays off with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Zombies may still do nothing for me, but the reworked gameplay, impressive suite of multiplayer modes -- especially Blackout -- make this the best entry in quite some time.

Black Ops 4 is an excellent entry into the series. Some may mourn the loss of the single player campaign, but this is the tightest most balanced multiplayer the franchise has seen in a long while.

Some fans of the Call of Duty franchise may have left, but Black Ops 4 is arguably the best time to come back. This may be the best instalment of the franchise yet.

If you’re a fan of Call of Duty multiplayer offerings - boy howdy do Treyarch have an instalment for you. But, if you’re in it for the single player, you’re going to be severely disappointed – though hopefully that’s not a surprise, considering we’ve known there would be no campaign for five months. The combination of Multiplayer, Zombies and the brilliant new Battle Royale mode Blackout, offer a multiplayer feast. A smorgasbord of experiences which makes it feel like a package which will remain interesting, fun and exciting far beyond the release of the next annual COD instalment.

Black Ops 4 is easily the best Call Of Duty has been in years. The game plays almost flawlessly, and despite it not having a single player campaign still offers lots of content including the new Battle Royale mode Blackout. The only thing keeping Black Ops 4 from a perfect score is that the multiplayer maps, while being well designed lack originality and rely too heavily on remaking the past. If you haven’t played Call Of Duty for a while, Black Ops 4 gives you plenty of reasons to return.

Blackout is so fun that it could be a game unto itself, complete with set pieces that the players themselves create, either through bloopers in my case or amazing expert gameplay by others. It might take you 30 matches to become proficient at it.

No, Black Ops 4 doesn’t have a proper campaign mode, but is so good on the online side: Great competitive multiplayer, three amazing zombie stories and the best battle royale mode you can find out there.

There will always be those that lament it for the lack of a single player campaign, but what Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 does for its multiplayer experience is nothing less than phenomenal. Traditional multiplayer has never been better thanks to a few tweaks and additions here and there that elevate the action to a whole new level, while the all new Blackout mode does Battle Royale better than anyone else. And on top of that, Zombies continues to impress us with a plethora of mechanics to engage with and scenarios to complete. As a package, you’re going to struggle to find much better than Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in the multiplayer market this year.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is fantastic, plain and simple. The concerns over the game not being worth it due to a lack of a single-player campaign seem overblown, when compared to how much effort was put into improving the online modes. This easily feels like one of the most content-filled Call of Duty entries and I can absolutely recommend picking this up, even if you’re a since-jaded fan of the first-person shooter series.

It’s probably one of the best multiplayer shooters released this year, and the AAA implementation of a battle royale is a fascinating thing to play, too.

It takes exactly what people love about the series and continues to fine tune the things it does best. This is the Call of Duty that Treyarch is known for. The story is still there, intertwined with lore about the multiplayer Specialists, but this drastic shift for the series has allowed Treyarch to pour far more resources into the parts of their game that keep fans coming back. Black Ops 4 might be missing a campaign, but it still feels like the most robust the series has ever been.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a pleasant surprise. While it’s lacking in any major offering for those wanting a campaign to play through, everything else is refined and iterated on in meaningful ways. Blackout is a blast, traditional multiplayer is as good as it’s been in years, and Zombies is insanity in all the right ways. Minor concerns aside, this is the best Call of Duty package I’ve played in a long, long time, and think the trade off of a campaign for Blackout — something I was more than surprised by — has been well worth it.

The ultimate Call of Duty multiplayer experience.

Black Ops 4 takes multiple ideas from other modern shooters today which breathes new life into the series making it an ideal multi-player First Person Shooter that presents something special to its fans despite their diverse preferences.

The traditional multiplayer offers the most classic and satisfying shooting experience. The maps of Zombies mode is greatly expanded. Black Out makes a great progress for battle-royale games in terms of battles. Though Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 doesn't make much difference compared with its prequel or other battle-royale games, it's still the best shooting game on earth.

Although I miss the single player campaign, Zombies provides story-based gameplay for those who prefer to have a reason to be doing so much killing. I would have liked to see more game modes in the multiplayer mode given the game's multiplayer focus, and the absence of any of the casual alternative modes like Gun Game is surprising. The game does provide some additional variety in terms of the number of maps available at launch, which is welcome. The Blackout mode is excellent, the synergy of Call of Duty gunplay and battle royale gameplay instantly make Black Ops 4 a standout in this gaming genre.

Blackout is a great addition to the formula, and the game has the best multiplayer in years, with some elements from "hero shooters", but the engine is getting old and we miss the solo campaign.

One thing is for certain, Black Ops 4 is easily the best multiplayer experience we have seen from the franchise to date. With a robust line-up of multiplayer maps, 3 graphically stunning zombie experiences and featuring the best battle royale shooter on the planet, Call of Duty fans should be thrilled with what Black Ops 4 is offering. Sure, the lack of a single player mode is a bit of downer and I do feel like Activision is positioning itself to monetize the crap out of Blackout. Yet at the end of the day, Black Ops 4 is the most definitive and complete Call of Duty multiplayer experience and is primed to take a big chunk out of PUBG and Fortnite’s market share.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 continues with the path that its two previous chapters began and has become the best chapter to date, as long as you prefer to play its online modes instead of a story. The bet made by Treyarch has paid off and with this title they manage to raise the Call of Duty saga to new heights.

If you manage to get beyond the absence of the single campaign, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a solid multiplayer shooter full of content.

Forget what's not there; deeper Zombies, focused multiplayer, and COD's great Blackout bet pays off. [Issue#336, p.72]

Call of Duty Black Ops IIII revitalizes the annual shooter by dropping the traditional campaign and focusing more on the cooperative multiplayer, from a trio of distinct Zombies experiences to one of the best takes on Battle Royale to date.

From your first moments with the game till the first win in blackout, COD: Black Ops 4 is one of the best ones in the series, even though the single-player campaign's absence is felt.

Although there is no story-based single player campaign as we know in the COD series, Black Ops 4 is still one of the best COD experiences ever. A full-featured multiplayer campaign, along with a solid Zombie mode, and of course the new Blackout mode that adds Battle Royal features to the series, make Black Ops 4 not only of the best entries in the series, but also one of the best games of 2018.

Black Ops 4 has a few rough edges, but any of its three modes make for an enjoyable shooter experience that feel distinct and personalized.

The absence of a single player mode is forgiven because there is plenty here to keep you occupied online. Treyarch nails it and delivers a fantastic package with great multiplayer modes including the Zombies and Blackout modes. It still feels as the Call of Duty you know and love but somehow it also manages to innovate here and there. The game plays like a dream too.

Treyarch and Activision have managed to achieve with Black Ops 4 exactly what fans were asking for. An addictive multiplayer mode, a bigger than ever zombie experience and a Blackout option that despite its being in the need of improvements, leaves a really good impression. The Call of Duty saga is back for good with a game that will certainly be worthy of your time.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has made some bold changes to the series, and ultimately, they’re for the better. The inclusion of a battle royale mode is a first, and even the more familiar multiplayer and Zombies survival mode are not what they once were. Changes are always risky, but in Black Ops 4’s case, it worked out for the better.

If you’re the sort of gamer who usually looks down their nose at the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 4 might just be the game that changes your opinion ever so slightly. Old-school purists can find their competitive multiplayer fix, and with the revamped Zombies and new Blackout mode, there’s no denying that Treyarch’s latest stands well out from the pack.

Call of Duty games deliver exactly what is expected, but Treyarch did make some interesting changes in the multiplayer mode. The battle royale-mode is an awesome addition to this fresh Call of Duty.

My experience with Call of Duty Black Ops 4 has been extremely positive, and I’m having a blast with the game. Don’t let the fact that there’s no campaign fool you into thinking that this year’s offering is light, there is a ton of content that will take even harcore players time to tap into. While lacking some of the expected Call of Duty polish, Blackout is by far the centerpiece of the game, and will likely stand as an exemplar in the Battle Royale genre.

We are missing its campaign, but our tears will be wiped by the excellent Blackout mode or its expanded multiplayer or coop options. A great Call of Duty if you are one of those that weren't into its single player campaign.

It’s smaller, but it’s also undeniably bolder and more focused than any of its recent predecessors. And for a series known for its more is more philosophy, that’s no small feat.

Even without the campaign, Black Ops 4 is a solid FPS and one of the most fun and adrenaline-fueled competitive shooters out there. A lot of content, refined gunplay and a new battle royale mode fully justify its price.

Black Ops 4 brings the fun and dares to change. There might not be a campaign, but its replacement called Blackout is so much fun to play. Even if Battle Royale isn't your thing, you can still find enjoyment in the revamped Zombies and the multiplayer modes.

A great FPS that offers a lot of content for those who enjoy different kinds of online battles.

At launch, Black Ops 4 is a great package to go and have fun with, but it’s hard to say how it will play out in the long term. It might become a 7 or a 9, or maybe even something higher or lower than that.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a grand old time. Just don't expect anything too out of the ordinary.

Call of Duty Black Ops 4 is the new starting point for the series. Apart from some graphical glitches and other minor stuff, Treyarch has created a game listening the feedback of its own community with three words in mind: esport, cooperative and young.

The courage of Treyarch must always be rewarded, and that is why we feel confident in affirming that, for now, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 can really make a difference in its own genre, especially thanks to the new Blackout mode. Nice job.

Despite its generic title Black Ops IV feels like a fresh start for Call of Duty. The multiplayer and the zombie mode is very much the same as always, but with Blackout, Treyarch takes everything that is good with Player Unknown's Battleground and makes it better.

Sure, the lack of a campaign is a minor disappointment that will dissuade some from making that purchase but the addition of the addictive Blackout mode more than makes up for it in many ways and anybody with more than a passing interest in the Battle Royale genre would be foolish to pass up on the best 'last man standing' experience the current generation has to offer. Get to it, specialist!

Black Ops 4 flashes all the things this series is best known for - the new Call of Duty is a festival of joyous, dynamic and bombastic online fragging. The Zombie mode is especially good, but the infamous Blackout mode doesn't quite deliver. All in all, CoD holds up pretty well, but it's easy to find numerous pitfalls.

The absence of a single player campaign and the overuse of assets from past games are serious cons in Black Ops 4, but Treyrach manages not just to balance them out but to overcome them by delivering a superb Battle Royale map, great multiplayer modes and an icing on the cake with the richest Zombies mode to date.

The lack of campaign is sorely missed in this bold new direction for Call of Duty, but the multiplayer shines like never before.

The best Call Of Duty of the generation and while some will bemoan the lack of a story campaign, it’s hard to argue with the quality and quantity of content on offer.

It may not tear anyone completely away from Overwatch or Fortnite, but it offers a tactically rich alternative for players who want something with more grit, naturalism and sweaty peril. It is perhaps strange, perhaps even guilt-inducing, to take such pleasure from a game that wears its gung-ho military fetishism as a badge of honour, but as it stands this is the most enjoyable Call of Duty game for several years.

Choosing which mode to play first every time I launch the game is a struggle, with each being unique and impressive in their own way. Black Ops 4’s individual components may not be groundbreaking, but as a package, it’s one of the most refined Call Of Duty games.

Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial. Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own.

Black Ops 4 is one of the best Call of Duty games to date. The multiplayer and the Zombies experiences are excellent, but Blackout needs more personality and a different economic model to try to steal Fortnite and PUBG players.

Quotation forthcoming.

We wish Treyarch delivered a stellar campaign mode but it’s hard to deny that Black Ops 4 is still a success without it. The competitive multiplayer and Zombies modes are as engaging as they’ve ever been, and Blackout manages to deliver a battle royale experience we want to play way more than PUBG or Fortnite. The game certainly chased some trends this year, but its sheer polish is more than enough to make Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 the winner.

Call of Duty Black Ops 4 isn’t the best in the series, but it’s solid enough to justify it’s sequel monicker. Blackout is such an exhilarating take on the Battle Royale genre that it’s hard to not recommend it to even casual fans. Zombies is engaging and fun, especially with its story, but I wish it took more liberties with its maps. Multiplayer is great for veteran Call of Duty players, but offers little to no innovation over previous entries in the series.

A top-class Call of Duty experience that boasts three well-executed segments, with some minor hiccups in the bugs and glitches department.

Blackout is easily the biggest highlight here, and if Treyarch had to cut the single-player story in order to make this happen, I’d say it was a worthy trade.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has ushered in a new era of AAA: one where every studio and their grandmother tries to pack a battle royale gametype into their project. The thing is Activision actually did it right, while also providing a strong zombies outing alongside of its token traditional multiplayer element.

While it lacks the reinvention of some of its predecessors, Call of Duty: Black Ops IV is dutifully crafted, meticulously polished, and the best Call of Duty multiplayer outing in years.

The battle royale mode is slick, tense and the most exciting addition to Call of Duty in years. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a solid entry in the franchise thanks to Blackout and Zombies, and though multiplayer may not having any exciting new features, there’s still plenty of fun on offer. This Call of Duty can safely be declassified.

Despite the lack of a campaign and any tonal consistency, Black Ops 4 boasts a thrilling entry into the battle royale space.

Treyarch package is not without defects - even substantial ones - but overall the proposal of this chapter is perfectly able to satisfy the appetites of war enthusiasts, and provides them with plenty of hours of fun.

Black Ops 4 is the best Call of Duty game so far... multiplayer-wise. It has plenty of options and game modes, and its own Battle Royale mode —Blackout— can hold its own against the behemoths of Fortnite and PUBG, but it does really need a graphical overhaul.

Deprived of its usual solo campaign, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 looks more like a patchwork than a whole, tight experience. Nonetheless, its multiple game modes, among which the first AAA Battle Royale, have enough to offer.

With Black Ops 4, Treyarch has clearly made the biggest community-oriented game of the series, but it still feels like an opus that lacks ambition, relying instead on proven mechanics.

Who knows how we got here, but Zombies is the most compelling reason to buy a COD game in 2018. [Christmas 2018, p.114]

A lack of cohesion hurts Black Ops 4. Playing through every mode is rewarding in its own right, but it doesn’t feel like you’re working toward anything in the long run. Unlocking skins and parts in multiplayer has no effect on the other modes. Blackout only dishes out rewards to the most skilled players who can pull off a victory. And Zombies is full of so many extraneous options that only hardcore fans will get invested in.

With no campaign to test your trigger finger, the trio of a safe (albeit polished) battle royale, waning multiplayer, and rotting Zombies make BLOPS4 feel like a relic next to a post-Forsaken Destiny 2. [Issue#156, p.94]