Long story short: ‘Black Ops’ is good

As soon as Black Ops loads up on your console, it’s easy to see that this is going to be something a little different. Even the menu screen is unusual, with the main character strapped to a torture chair and staring at a screen where you pick your options.

The campaign is a little short, but it is really epic. There is just no other way to describe it. It is full of action because of the way the game’s story is told. The game jumps through time following the life of a black ops agent, and the jumping means that the game has no downtime. It is firefight after firefight, so once you strap in, you really want to ride it all the way to the end.

The multiplayer is where the meat of the game is, and Treyarch has not disappointed in this area either. It is really a lot of the same with a few upgrades and different maps. The CoDPoints and wager matches are amazing, even though you may spend more on designing your own emblem than buying guns and perks.

The multiplayer maps are a little tight in some places, and some of the maps are tiny, so close-quarters combat is king. But there’s always a good sniping spot or a place to set up with an LMG, or light machine gun. The maps flow well. After you really get a feel for them, they become second nature and you’ll be sneaking around them in no time.

Zombies are also back, and a few new maps are included with the game. If you bought the more expensive editions you get to play the original four with a few graphic updates. There is also a hidden top-down shooter called Dead Ops Arcade, which is a lot of fun to play once you find it hidden in the game.

There’s not a lot new here – it’s just cut and dry Call of Duty, but with the additions and small tweaks that Treyarch made, it really stands out against the others. If you like first person shooters, this is a definite buy.

All in all, Black Ops is pretty amazing. Treyarch has really come into its own as a Call of Duty developer with this game, and I hope they manage to keep up with the continually patching multiplayer to make it better – and maybe a few map packs, if we’re lucky.