Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Review

Just like annual sports titles, Call of Duty has been a yearly tradition for FPS enjoyers, but with the past few years seeing less than favorable reviews, it seemed time for a shake up. This time, Raven Software and Treyarch are at the helm, and with an extended development cycle, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is poised for a big splash.

Black Ops 6 bears a considerable burden, especially given the underwhelming performance of recent entries. Notably, it is also the first Call of Duty release under the Xbox umbrella following the Activision Blizzard acquisition, which is anticipated to attract a wave of new Game Pass subscribers.

We are pleased to report that this is one of the finest Call of Duty experience in recent years. The game features a compelling and explosive single-player campaign, an exceptional zombies mode, and a somewhat mixed multiplayer experience. The benefits of the four-year development cycle are evident, enabling the team to create an experience that resonates with both newcomers and long-time fans of the series.

Killer Campaign

First up, single-player campaign enjoyers, rise up! I know I’m part of a population of Call of Duty players who love the campaign more than the multiplayer, and thankfully, Black Ops 6 has brought the goods in stunning fashion. The campaign is outfitted with the same great trademark gunplay and crispy headshots that Call of Duty titles have, but all wrapped up in a spy-thriller plot that engages players from start to finish.

Set in 1991, players assume the role of William “Case” Calderon, an elite agent working alongside familiar characters such as Woods and Adler. Together, they aim to thwart the Pantheon, a rogue faction that has seemingly infiltrated the CIA to its highest positions.

The best compliment I can give the Black Ops 6 single-player campaign is that it makes players feel like James Bond/Ethan Hunt/Jason Bourne or whoever secret agent you can think of. While some of the missions are just unapologetic guns-blazing action sequences, there are a couple of standout missions that take the cake.

One mission has players infiltrating a gala party with Bill Clinton in attendance, and I had to secure a high resolution photo of a target to pass the retina scan needed to access a blacksite holding an important asset. Throughout this mission, I had to listen in on conversations, track targets with my camera, and try out 1 of 3 ways to secure the photo. Despite the linear level design, the variety of strategies available makes the mission feel dynamic and immersive. Additionally, players can utilize high-tech tools such as a remote-controlled recon device and a homing throwing knife, adding a modern twist to the 90s setting.

This freedom to approach missions in Black Ops 6 extends to other levels as well, with one mission in particular being an assassination mission that will test your stealth prowess. The mission starts of in a back alley, but you’ll quickly be presented with an option to take a quick swim around the perimeter to avoid patrols, take the beaten path and stealthily work your way to the sniping position, or break down the front door and alert everyone. As someone who enjoys stealth, this mix provided by the game was certainly welcome.

In between missions, Case and the crew will head on over to their safe house to discuss plans for the next mission. There, you can choose to puchase upgrade benches that you can spend cash found during missions on to purchase skills like increased reload speed, increased armor penetration, and more, giving players enhancements to their preferred playstyle. When choosing how to spend your downtime, the safehouse also has small and simple puzzles you could partake in and more information to uncover.

Players can interact with their crew to gather more details about the mission or proceed to the next objective via the evidence board. This thematic pacing keeps the campaign engaging, despite the dialog choices only serving to provide extra information and nothing else. The safe house sections, while not groundbreaking, add depth to the overall experience that many will appreciate. I do understand, though, that some players may feel that this keeps them from the non-stop action.

While most of the missions in the Black Ops 6 campaign strike a balance between realism and absurdity, one later mission takes things to an extreme that may surprise some players. Of course, no spoilers here, but you’ll definitely know it when you see it, and while I didn’t mind the direction the game took, others may find it totally immersion-breaking, especially given the more grounded tone of the earlier missions.

Regardless of your opinion on Call of Duty, Black Ops 6 is visually and audibly stunning. The developers have excelled in creating exhilarating gunfights and impressive set pieces that are spectacular, with convincing character performances from the cast. Headshots are precise and crisp, explosions are impactful, and the overall presentation of the campaign, its missions, and cutscenes is intense and captivating. Raven Software and Treyarch have clearly invested significant effort, and it shows.

One drawback of the single-player campaign is the requirement for a constant online connection. While this has been a feature in many other titles, I’m a believer that single-player campaigns should always be playable offline. During my 9-hour playthrough, which is an improvement over the 5-6 hours of Modern Warfare III, I experienced a handful of disconnections that forced me to reconnect before continuing.

Despite some small niggling issues, Black Ops 6 has delivered an extremely solid single-player campaign that restores faith in the ability of the series to bring in a great and engaging storyline despite its penchant for sprinkling in some absurdity here and there. This is required playing, no questions asked, and it would be a shame to skip what is the best campaign the series has had in many years.

Enthralling Zombies

Zombies has always been a staple in Black Ops, and Call of Duty in general, and it’s no different this year. Coming from the Zombies mode in Modern Warfare III, it was clear that while it was fun and entertaining, it lacked a certain x-factor that held it back. With Black Ops 6 bringing back round-based Zombies, things are looking up for the beloved mode.

Zombies in Black Ops 6 continues the story left from Black Ops Cold War, so just in case you did not play that installment, then some terms and events during dialog may zip past your head. Thankfully, this mode is mostly about frenetic and fun gameplay, and that’s head and shoulders above other aspects in this mode.

Black Ops 6 Zombies takes place on two maps: Liberty Falls and Terminus Island. Interestingly, Terminus Island is set on an island in the Philippine Sea (yay, Philippines mentioned), so it’s nice to see how Call of Duty continues to expand some narrative threads and actual maps to more obscure locations and lore aside from the usual.

Both maps are quite different from each other, and it all boils down to preference since both are equally good. Terminus is where the characters have been imprisoned since Black Ops Cold War, continuing the Dark Aether storyline and happening 5 years later. As expected from a prison, some sections are enclosed and dark, yet offer space to navigate across cells, guard stations, tunnels and caverns, and a bio lab. There’s a definite horror feel here.

On the other hand, Liberty Falls is almost the exact opposite, taking place in a small, run-down town that offers dilapidated structures like motels, comic book stores, and even a mysterious church. Terminus feels like the more difficult map due to its tricky objectives and many areas, while Liberty falls felt more suited for my style of relaxed play and a variety of vertical areas to perch on.

Round-based Zombies is back in Black Ops 6, and whether solo or with a group, the mode is fun and Call of Duty’s trademark gunplay is in full effect. Waves of zombies will make their way to you as you manage to complete the many objectives offered per map. There are two main currencies in Zombies, Essence and Salvage, and each will fulfill a different purpose (Essence to unlock doors and purchase upgrades, Salvage to build equipment).

While the earlier rounds offer a relaxed pace, the objectives and zombies will eventually pile up, and the tension steadily rises as you manage upgrades and resources, all while pushing forward. It’s crazy fun, especially with a full team, whether or not they know what they’re doing. I’ve had some of the most fun with randoms, so bringing your crew will result in a more organized run.

Surprisingly, an option to play Black Ops 6 Zombies in third person view is available. While I tried it for some time, the default first person view felt more natural, but the choice to switch is welcome. Also, easter eggs are back, and these are a blast to find and discover.

Multiplayer is a Mixed Bag

Call of Duty lives and dies by its multiplayer mode, and Black Ops 6 is no different. This year, a big new addition in Omnimovement is all the craze, and it certainly adds a whole new dimension to the game as a whole, adding to its already strong foundations in gunplay.

Omnimovement is basically a new movement system in Black Ops 6 that allows players to move in ways that weren’t possible before. This year, players can move, slide, sprint, and aim in literally all directions, posing big changes to movement and overall pace.

Sprinting used to imply forward movement, but you can now move faster even when moving sideways or running back. You can also do those movie-style action hero dives, so expect to see some absurd movement during matches. That said, movement is leagues better than in previous entries simply because of a faster yet more consistent pace that flows well from one move to the other.

Time to kill in Black Ops 6 felt good but a bit faster than Modern Warfare 3, which might somehow compliment omnimovement, resulting in a faster overall pace, especially in smaller maps that encourage chain frags and quicker encounters with hostiles.

As someone who casually dabbles in multiplayer, I’ve noticed that my playstyle doesn’t take advantage of the full omnimovement suite in Black Ops 6, so others will certainly have the acrobatic advantage. I’ve learned to stick to what I’m used to, and while I occasionally dive my way to a frag, it feels like omnimovement isn’t really required to succeed, but choosing to use it will certainly give you a boost.

Despite this huge win brought about by omnimovement, Black Ops 6 hits a wall with its middling selection of maps. They felt designed to give players more encounters, but with the faster pace of movement, spawn points have become a problem. I can’t remember how many times I’ve died literally seconds after respawning due to someone being right in my face. Everybody who’s played in Stakeout will know that infamous balcony, but it is a great map overall alongside Payback.

Classic prestige also makes a return in Black Ops 6, and players who reach level 55 can choose to prestige and run through the leveling gamut again for better rewards. It’s great to see this again, as it gives more meaning to making progress.

Verdict: Buy it!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a definite bullseye from Raven and Treyarch, as they deliver an overall package that is fun and engaging with tangible upgrades and meaningful additions. The single-player campaign is a blast, zombies is fun, and multiplayer, while a mixed bag for now, is something that will get better as more maps are added in.

Omnimovement is a standout feature, giving players more freedom to move across maps faster and smoother than before. The acrobatic dives aren’t something you’ll need to engage with, but choosing to learn the ins and outs of the system will bode well as you progress through the game.

It remains to be seen how the developers can sustain this forward momentum for Black Ops 6, and it’ll be nice to see longer development cycles this time around, as it has certainly paid off for this release.

*Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was reviewed on a PS5 and PC with a review code provided by the publisher.