Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Reviews
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War's multiplayer is terrible, its campaign is forgettable and its zombies are okay, which all makes for a game that feels like a much worse iteration of previous installments into the franchise.
Although the campaign is only a small slice of the larger package in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, it's great that it counters its 'blink and you'll miss it' length with a bit of replay value and some memorable missions you're bound to want to play again. Raven Software's more subtle approach to Cold War espionage feels like viewing Call of Duty through a new, exciting lens.
The PlayStation 5 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the best in the bunch. It tells a solid campaign with branching narrative choices, contains some of the best visuals that you’ve seen on a system not called ‘PC’, and it has some good, new faces on the multiplayer scene. Is it all perfect? Not at all, but it’s a good way for Call of Duty to start on the next generation of consoles.
If it didn’t carry the COD name, it could very well have been labeled as an entirely different game marketed as “from the creators of Black Ops”. Raven and Treyarch have tried something new here, and delivered a refreshing Call of Duty single-player experience — just be aware it’s a smaller scale spy thriller, not an epic open warfare game.
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 while now. If you haven't played it yet, well what are you waiting for it is so much fun!
Probably the safest entry in the series of late, it's fairly safe to say that if you like Call of Duty games then you'll most likely enjoy what Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has to offer.
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
Black Ops is back and darker than ever. With a rich story and plenty of super-spy moments, this game keeps you gripping down on your controller. Always going to be compared to past titles, this iteration stands up to the challenge and delivers a whole new experience on what a Call of Duty title should be.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War had a rough development. From switching developers to being made during a pandemic, it was bound to be flawed. Somehow, though, Treyarch and Raven Software have still pulled it together for the most part. With a series-defining campaign, a classical return to Zombies, and a flawed but still fun multiplayer, Black Ops Cold War is yet another worthwhile entry.
Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War brings Treyarch's winning formula back with a few stumbles in content, but manages to deliver on a bombastic story, refined multiplayer and vintage zombies with tons of neon glow.
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.
All in all, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War is a great entry into to Black Ops storyline. It gives an interesting view of the time, has a compelling storyline, and leaves you wanting more. That last comment, while it can be used negatively, is actually a positive here since it shows just how well things were thought out. Yes, there are flaws in the campaign, but if it factors into the plot twist, those flaws are not only forgivable, but genius. I can see areas where the game can grow through new mission DLC, but what we got at launch is a surprising gift that bridges the gaps between Black Ops and Black Ops 2. Even just the campaign makes this a buy. If you’re interested in hearing about multiplayer or Zombies, let us know and a follow up is sure to come. Just remember, if you’re a console gamer and want the next-gen upgrades, you’ll need to pay attention to which edition you’re getting. The current-gen version will only be the current-gen version.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is an interesting new beginning for the series: the campaign is balanced and compelling, and the multiplayer is rich and as captivating as ever.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Talk about ushering in a next-generation
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.
With the Black Ops Cold War Campaign having multiple endings and Zombies / Multiplayer requiring you to grind a lot, you will definitely get your money’s worth. We do recommend that you wait until the game is patched a bit more before you buy it. The game has the potential to be a top Treyarch title but it’s just not there yet. Maybe by the time the first DLC releases, the game will be worth its price.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is the video game equivalent to that one kid in class with a sugar rush and an addiction to pixie sticks. Sure, it might be entertaining for a little while, but the more time you spend with it, the more you realize it’s just rambling on aimlessly. Ultimately, with its lack of a clear vision and focus on what makes a game fun, Cold War isn’t going to entertain you for long.
We hope that in the upcoming Call of Duty games we can see story modes that are decent, neatly lengthd and innovative, adding color to the series.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Thankfully, a few of the early bugs were ironed out of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and subsequent season passes have patched up modes and maps that were lacking. The campaign is genuinely intriguing but may not appeal to those who just want to run and gun. Zombies and Multiplayer modes are plentiful and there should be something for everyone to thoroughly enjoy. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War should be used as the poster child for PlayStation 5's DualSense controller which has been put to full use for an immersive experience. Casual players will be somewhat put off by the sheer storage space required to fully experience everything that is on offer, especially given that SSD capacity is this generation's gold dust, but Call of Duty die-hards will most likely overlook this.
The question of whether to pick up Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War on the PC is situational, despite it being a solid title. If you're the type of player who likes the campaigns that each entry brings forth, then you'll be fine with Cold War. The branching paths of the short campaign give it some replayability beyond simply increasing the difficulty. Fans of Zombies mode will also be fine, even though it suffers from having only one map (for now) and a PlayStation-exclusive mode that'll be unavailable on the PC for a year. Multiplayer fans are in more of a pickle. If you're tired of the maps in the prominently featured Modern Warfare but want traditional modes, then this is perfect, especially since the cross-play feature is going strong and there are people on both the last- and next-generation platforms ensuring the game gets a healthy shelf life. If you're primarily a Warzone player, you aren't going to bother with this one, since that free-to-play game is getting Cold War elements soon to keep it fresh.