CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS COLD WAR

Shoot, Reload, Repeat?- By Jack Cheney

Call of Duty is an old franchise. Starting on November 13, Black Ops Cold War will be the seventeenth installment in the COD franchise, and by now, is it safe to say that things might be too repetitive? Well, it certainly looks interesting, but just how will Call of Duty make or break 2020? 

Premise

Taking place in the Cold War, a setting which has rarely been explored for military shooters, you play as a secret operative code named “Bell.” Bell joins other returning characters, like the titular Frank Woods, played not by James C. Burns, but a new voice actor. Also taking place in a very dark period, the Vietnam War segments will be more serious and darker than the standard campaign in earlier installments, while containing scenes taking place in the 80’s that floor woods and Bell as they seek to uncover the truth and purpose behind the real life Operation Perseus, a Soviet project that American spies fought desperately to uncover. Cold War also takes place in between Black ops 1 and Black ops 2, two games critically acclaimed in their own rights, and by the same developer. We’ll have to see how well this game stacks up to its own series’ legacy.

Console Statement 

Cold War will release for both PS5, PS4, XBox One, XBox series X and PC on November 13, 2020.  If you buy Cold War on the older consoles, expect anywhere from 30- 50 frames per second, with a decent amount of ray tracing and particle effects. On the newer generation of consoles, expect the required 60-80 frames per second, with superb ray tracing and particle effects. PC owners will be able to customize their games, allowing for frames up to 120 frames per second, with even more customizable settings in the in-game menu.

Gameplay Through the Beta and Small Story Pieces

The gameplay shown throughout previews and beta matches, in my opinion, is looking really fun. In story mode, there is a neat new body shield mechanic, where you can take an unsuspecting soldier by surprise and use him as a shield to take out other enemies as they riddle your meta shield with bullets, followed by a brutal finishing move. Gunplay looks snappy and responsive, which developers Treyarch and Raven Studios are no slouches at doing. Multiplayer Maps are still a little too much like Black Ops 4 for my taste, but the new class-based system and customizable loadouts with weapons of the time period have my vote. There are multiple vehicles for players to use, and they all feel like you actually are driving the respective kind. Some weapons are a little overpowered, but they all have a fitting kick and feel to what kind they are, although the killstreaks used still feel like too much of a crutch for those who really can’t “git gud.” Balancing with cheaters and hackers feels amazing. I encountered a few bugs from my viewing and gameplay, but other than that, it was smooth sailing. The whole experience for me was pulse pounding and fun.

Verdict

In summation, Black Ops Cold War looks like a fun and fast paced game with an interesting story, fun gameplay, and good balancing to the multiplayer from the beta, which is no easy feat. Treyarch and Rave Studios, according to this reviewer, might have another masterpiece on their hands.