Call of Duty: Black Ops III Reviews

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
100 / 100
Nov 5, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops III deserves your time – take a day off work to play. With two campaigns, world-class online combat and a deep and passionate step forward with Zombies (not to mention the fantastic Dead Ops Arcade 2), there is something here for everyone.

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Ray Carsillo
Top Critic
9.5 / 10.0
Nov 5, 2015

Black Ops III is the deepest Call of Duty experience to date. With not one, but two campaigns, new multiplayer modes and more robust customization, and a Zombies mode that will suck in even the most casual of players, Treyarch has once again found a way to raise the bar.

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9.5 / 10.0
Dec 2, 2015

Treyarch Knocks another one out of the park. The fast faced gameplay brings a fresh new element to this annual title. The zombie mode is bigger than ever. Plus, the new direction they have taken with the campaign mode is a warm welcome.

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4.7 / 5.0
Nov 6, 2015

All in all, for as much flack as the Call of Duty series has rightfully received over the recent years, Black Ops 3 completely destroys every preconceived notion - it's far from a recycled version of the previous installments. From top to bottom the game is excellently crafted with a series of new features to complement a robust campaign plot with all types of crazy twists and turns.

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IGN
Top Critic
9.2 / 10.0
Nov 7, 2015

From its four-player co-op campaign to the brand-new powers and a fleshed-out Zombies mode, Black Ops 3 meaningfully pushes the Call of Duty series forward on several fronts. Even where it doesn't innovate, it still meets the high bar Call of Duty fans should expect. Black Ops 3 isn't the best Call of Duty game ever, but it's the biggest and most feature-packed game we've seen out of the series yet.

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9.2 / 10.0
Nov 5, 2015

There's a lot going on in Black Ops 3, and all of it is a blast to play.

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92 / 100
Nov 7, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is a big step forward on multiplayer play, the quality of the single-player story, the imaginative story paths, and the outstanding quality of the wide-open landscapes, and the wide variety of enemies. I suspect that Activision has a very good chance of restoring the series to record levels in comparison to the last couple of years.

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9.2 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2015

This game could retail for $80, and I would still be inclined to tell CoD, FPS, and action game fans alike to get it day one. At $60, it's almost too good to be true. Black Ops III is the deepest Call of Duty ever. That I do know.

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9.2 / 10.0
Dec 16, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is here with its latest year instalment, but what promises to be the most action packed game yet; does this series have enough ammunition to remain on top of the FPS mountain?

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9 / 10.0
Nov 5, 2015

What begins as a mundane campaign pleasantly diverts into wild territory. While the campaign elements are the weakest of what Black Ops III offers, the amount and quality of non-campaign offerings carry the title beyond the finish line

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Erik Kain
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jan 1, 2014

While both the story and the multiplayer will likely be divisive—we're a long, long ways from Modern Warfare or the original Black Ops here—I'm glad to see Treyarch taking risks, trying something different, and impressed that even with all the changes, the core game still feels very much like Call of Duty.

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VG247
Top Critic
Nov 10, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops III offers few surprises, but even so, it's a great package. The campaign sometimes feels like it's trying too hard, but is ultimately solid and enjoyable. Zombies mode is a nice bonus. But really, it's the multiplayer that steals the show. It doesn't stray far from the usual formula, but it's been honed and polished to perfection to deliver seriously brilliant multiplayer competition.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2015

A phenomenal multiplayer along with a larger, improved zombies mode mean that, although the solo campaign is a slight misstep, Black Ops is the best call of Duty on the current gen consoles.

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Nov 5, 2015

While three years has given us some time to possibly forget how masterfully crafted Black Ops 2 was, Black Ops 3 is both the biggest and best Call of Duty game we've seen since then.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 6, 2015

In the end it is still Call of Duty and if you aren't a fan of the run and gun mechanic then you are probably not going to be a big fan. However if you've ever enjoyed any Call of Duty game since World at War you are going to love this. Easily the best multiplayer I've experienced in years along with a strikingly unique single player campaign plus a bucket load of extras and a massive community to enjoy it with. You can't go wrong picking it up this year.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 5, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 is an insanely full featured game. If code was a physical thing, this game disc would be bursting at the seams with how much Treyarch has packed onto one Blu-ray. There's a little something for everyone here. Players looking for a dark, rich narrative have the campaign. Competitive players have a whole new way to play in multiplayer. Fans of roguelikes and horde modes have Shadows of Evil. Switching between all of these modes is extremely easy too, and it never felt like I was stuck playing one thing or another. Player freedom, customization, and choice are central to every element. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 isn't just a great Black Ops game. It isn't just a great Call of Duty game. It's a damn good game overall. 

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Nov 6, 2015

With Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Treyarch has delivered a massive and feature rich shooter that offers nearly unparalleled value and replayability. It also happens to be the best Call of Duty game of this generation, and one of the best in general.

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4.5 / 5.0
Nov 5, 2015

Call of Duty: Black Ops III was created in a three-year development cycle and it shows. This is basically five standalone games wrapped into one deep package. While it will have DLC released for it, there's enough content out of the box to keep players busy until the next Call of Duty and probably some time after that. The campaign is perfectly paced and entertaining throughout, the multiplayer is rich with customization and Zombies is refreshingly challenging. The only real black mark is a story teetering on the on the brink of pretension, but the existentialism of it is undeniably fascinating. Jam-packed with meaningful content, Black Ops III is the Call of Duty you've been waiting for.

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CGMagazine
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Nov 10, 2015

It reminded me why Call of Duty is one of the most influential series' on the planet, even if it didn't reflect that for a while.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 24, 2015

This may be one of the most fulfilling Call of Duty games I've played yet, and as manic as it may be, it certainly backs up everything it promises. Kudos to Treyarch for going the extra mile, and proving that, yes, it's still one of the best developers for this job.

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