Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Reviews

Combined with the fact that the game is riddled with generative AI, plainly evident in its calling cards and quite possibly present elsewhere too, the result is an experience that doesn't seem like it's been put together with much care or consideration at all. Black Ops 7 is truly Call of Duty for the slop generation, a rushed, inconsistent and soulless experience.

Back to the future. And the past.

What I didn’t expect from the new Call of Duty was downtime, and the suggestion, at least in the first half, that guns, while great for going in blazing, can provide just as potent a thrill when holstered.

Overall, I love the old-school feels of Black Ops in Cold War and I love the storyline. All of the modes are fun to play and offer a lot for old players and new players alike. It is fun to get back into the action with players from all consoles and on PC to make the action that much better with cross-play. There are some issues with multiplayer that will seemingly never go away but such is life for an online multiplayer game. COD Black Ops: Cold War is $59.99 USD and has been out for a little...

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PS4 is an ever-so-slightly worse looking version of the PS5 release, but with disappointing performance. If you can ignore those shortcomings, the same game with its summer blockbuster-style campaign and classic CoD multiplayer is still here.

Another year, and another installment into the Call of Duty series. With Raven Studios and Treyarch Shanghai at the helm, we dive back into espionage and deceit for a new chapter in the Black Ops sub-series. The change with Black Ops Cold War though, is the fact that it has essentially rendered most of the Black Ops games non-canonical, being a direct follow up to the original Call of Duty: Black Ops.

We tell you, it’s a good game! It’s not average! It might have some problems here and there, but you have to admit it is a “Good” game.

The single-player and campaign modes are actually really great stuff. But like nearly all Call of Duty games, that is the content you'll breeze through within your first week playing if even for just a few hours a day. The bulk of the ride ends up being multiplayer and zombies and that is where the problems really lie. This is a game that I'm sure will eventually get the extra content, balancing, and bugs worked out along a series of patches and end up being much better than it is today. But unfortunately the buggy, laggy, unbalanced, and content-sparse game we get at launch is the only one I was given to review. And the balance of the excellent single-player with below average multiplayer ends up for an average overall experience.

The beating heart of the Call of Duty experience in terms of multiplayer feels like a solid return to the classic formula, but abundant technical issues make this a worrying stumble into a new generation

Dialogue options. Choice and consequence. Branching endings. These are features one associates with RPGs. Indeed, they are a staple hallmark of any role-playing affair. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that these mechanics are also in Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War. And not only are they included, they are featured prominently. Well well. We have a game on our hands.

It was always going to be tough for Treyarch to follow up on both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone. The twosome has created a powerhouse for the past 12 months, providing the franchise's devout fanbase with some of the best and most consistent content drops ever seen. But such is the Activision statement that another instalment must take its place. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War finds itself in that unfortunate position — an entry that despite being reasonably solid, feels like it has somewhat fluffed its lines. This is perhaps the very safest route the series could have taken upon the dawn of the PlayStation 5 generation.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a good game that should be easier to stomach for franchise veterans than Modern Warfare. The campaign is fulfilling, albeit short. The faster-paced multiplayer is also easy enough to jump into and have fun with. It's just a shame that I can't shake that feeling that Treyarch's true vision has been held back by Activision forcing its ideals onto them.

Cold War's dynamic campaign stands out against bland multiplayer, while Zombies is a good co-op time with a few outstanding issues.

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS COLD WAR REVIEW FOR PC, PS5, PS4, XBOX SERIES X|S, AND XBOX ONE. Not even a year like 2020 can stop Call of Duty‘s annual release. Developer Treyarch Studios has delivered Black Ops Cold War on time, despite the pandemic and the fact that it’s only been two years since Black Ops 4. Upon first boot, I was half-expecting evidence of rushing to the finish line, but the new Call of Duty for 2020 delivers three polished segments. Here’s the verdict on multiplayer after hitting Prestige, zombies after a dozen lengthy rounds, and also a run-through of the campaign.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a solid entry in the long-running franchise, and a return to form for one of the most iconic titles in first-person shooters. The campaign goes big on thrilling espionage and exciting set pieces, though it does feel quite tone-deaf at times. Multiplayer is more of the arcade-feel that became synonymous with games like Black Ops 2, and will likely only get better once Season 1 kicks off and adds Warzone integration in December. Zombies doesn’t disappoint, as it once again proves to be the best alternate mode in Call of Duty. Treyarch reminds CoD fans that they’ve still got it with Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

There’s nothing revolutionary in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Nothing that screams “this is a must-buy”. But once again it’s a solid all-round package that has a little something for everybody – providing they like shooting in first-person. Its campaign is a nice little diversion with some exciting set-pieces and moments of thrilling stealth, while Zombies provides some solid fun when getting together with friends. And then there’s Multiplayer, which some will prefer over Modern Warfare‘s offerings and others will be less impressed with. Each element is far from extraordinary, but when all put together, it’s not a bad deal at all.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is full of content that series fans will enjoy and offers a few unexpected surprises along the way.

Another year, another Call of Duty, but in 2020 it feels a little bit different. The reboot of Modern Warfare last year was a big success for the franchise, and the inclusion of the now-free Warzone battle royale mode has meant that Call of Duty as a whole has found a new rhythm over the past 12 months. Now, with a new console generation in our hands and taking up large spaces in our TV cabinets, Treyarch and Raven Software have combined forces to bring us back into the sometimes bizarre worl...

While the single player campaign has some interesting ideas, Black Ops Cold War is let down by anemic content offerings, a Zombies mode that is starting to show its age, inconsistent map design, and some odd regressions, all of which makes this an unfortunately easy recommendation to skip, at least at launch.

For some reason, I always have a preconceived notion that I won't enjoy this year's Call of Duty. How can a series that releases every single year without fail possibly maintain a consistent quality bar? There are detractors who'd say it doesn't, but let's be honest – it does. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is very good.

But it's hard to recommend as it doesn't do enough to change Call of Duty for the better. Last year's Modern Warfare was a glimpse into the future as a tonal reboot that built upon nearly 20 years of history. Black Ops Cold War simply doesn't. It introduces novel horror concepts and boasts a personalizing that doesn't go far enough. In the end, it's Call of Duty. No matter what time and place these games explore, the guns always fire the same way. 7/10

Call of Duty has spectacularly returned to its roots in recent years. A brilliant return to WWII in 2017 was followed by a reboot of Modern Warfare last year, which was not only my favourite Call of Duty, but my favourite multiplayer shooter overall, of the PS4/Xbox One generation. It recaptured everything responsible for my borderline COD addiction in the late-2000s, and seriously upped the ante, as Infinity Ward rediscovered the missing ingredient that had eluded it most of the generation.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War combines a bombastic campaign that desperately attempts to shoehorn as much classic CoD action as it can into its rather short running time, with a solid multiplayer suite that feels a little light on exciting new modes and content at launch. However, what's here is still undeniably fun, the campaign introduces a few neat ideas along the way and multiplayer has got its classic modes, the safety net of Warzone and returning Zombies chaos to fall back on, resulting in a Call of Duty offering that may not throw up any big surprises but manages to scrape a pass regardless.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a decent entry in the series, but it feels like it doesn't quite know what it wants to be. The campaign is full of underused ideas, while the multiplayer misses some of the magical charm of Modern Warfare, opting for faster paced aggressive battles which just don’t feel as satisfying. While still enjoyable, Black Ops Cold War fails to recapture the magic of Black Ops 1 and 2.

Not a standout year for Call Of Duty, as while the campaign offers some fun action and minor innovation Zombies and multiplayer are beginning to feel very tired.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the first next-gen installment in the shooter series. Does it deliver? Read our review.

With time, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's technical issues will be ironed out and the game will undoubtedly get a ton of new content. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Season 1 alone is promising new maps, modes, playable characters, and even some content for Warzone. But at launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is disappointing, and so fans may want to give the developers some time to smooth things over before picking it up.

An unnecessary sequel that can’t escape Warzone’s shadow.

When all is said and done Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War delivers an exciting, and intriguing spy story with its campaign. While it only clocks in at about six hours, those six hours rarely failed to entertain me. As a single piece of a bundle, it is top notch. However, if the rest of the game’s offerings hold no interest for you, I don’t know if it’ll be enough to justify the full purchase price.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War brings the Black Ops subseries back to its roots, delivering an explosive campaign, fast-paced multiplayer, and a compelling Zombies experience.

Treyarch's latest feels like it's only a few quality of life changes away from being the perfect revival of the Black Ops series. It delivers on all three fronts and manages to subtly freshen some of the series' most stale ingredients.

Call of Duty: Black Ops lost its way post-Black Ops III. While Black Ops III and 4 were fun in their own ways, they were also a massive departure from the core Black Ops experience. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War reins it all in, dumping the past two entries' gimmicks in favor of a more traditional experience. The campaign is short and relies too much on telling rather than showing, but it's bombastic, intriguing and filled with some of the most creative levels yet in a Call of Duty game. Multiplayer is fast and frantic, keeping players active with mostly well-designed maps and a stable of viable guns. The amount of multiplayer content is concerning, especially when it comes to maps, which there are really only 8 of, a significant downgrade from Black Ops 4. There may be only one Zombies map in the game, but it's well designed and an experience both hardcore and casual Zombies fans can enjoy. As a next-gen launch title, the presentation delivers excellent lighting and effects across its campaign, but multiplayer does get hit with a visual downgrade. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a reliable package that brings the Black Ops franchise back to its roots. This Call of Duty is safe to declassify.

After a great reboot of the Modern Warfare series, the Black Ops series has also been revived. The adventures of Mason, Woods and Hudson are back in style, as Cold War brings one of the best campaigns in the history of CoD!

After the great reboot of the Modern Warfare brand, the Black Ops series has also been refreshed. The adventures of Mason, Woods and Hudson return in great style, because Cold War is one of the best campaigns in CoD history!

When it’s a Treyarch game, you know it’s going to be packed to bursting with content, and in this respect, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War doesn’t disappoint. Even without factoring in the upcoming Warzone integration, ongoing free content releases throughout the year, and continued support, Black Ops Cold War is an enormous game loaded with things to play and do.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War isn’t defined by any one standout mode; like its predecessors, it launches a trifecta of exciting experiences. Head back to the era of Ronald Reagan and the Cold War in a spy-thriller campaign, take on traditional multiplayer with a focus on vehicles, and blast away against the undead in zombie modes. As always, each part of the whole stacks up differently, but the annual Call of Duty release is once again a polished pearl of first-person shooting, even if it doesn’t shake up established systems.

Several months ago, in the middle of the first wave of the global pandemic, I felt Activision should have just delayed Call of Duty this year. Modern Warfare was still going strong. Everyone was still playing it and the season pass model seemed to be working like a charm. Meanwhile, studios everywhere were sending their workers home to work. My feeling at the time, why rush another Call of Duty game out the door? If there was any time Activision had an excuse to delay a Call of Duty game without any blowback, it would be now.