Developer – Treyarch, Raven Software

Publisher – Activision 

Platforms – PC & Xbox (Reviewed), PlayStation

Review copy given by publisher

Co-Review by Tyler Nienburg & Mehtro

The saying goes, another year means another Call of Duty game. Activision and Treyarch have released Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, featuring new gameplay mechanics for its multiplayer, classic zombies, and an intriguing story.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is set during the Gulf War, specifically at the beginning of Operation Desert Storm, following the events of the Cold War. Unlike previous titles in the series, Black Ops 6 features a variety of missions, including Open World levels that allow players to engage in puzzles and side missions if they choose to explore that route. There are also challenges to complete along the story that are completely optional and will earn you multiplayer rewards.

Adler, a spy from the Cold War, returns alongside Frank Woods, one of the original characters introduced in the first Black Ops title. Players will take control of Case, a silent character who remains unseen throughout the campaign. As the team investigates Pantheon, players will gradually learn about Case’s mysterious past.

There isn’t just one required way to complete a mission as there used to be. There will be multiple paths for you to take to complete missions. If you prefer a stealthy approach, there are missions available for that. However, if you want to engage in combat as usual, you can do that too.

After finishing each mission, you will return to the Safehouse, which makes a comeback as a small hub world for the campaign. This is where you can interact with your crew, solve various puzzles, and select missions using the evidence board.

The Campaign features a total of 11 missions with the finale putting pressure on which Call of Duty comes next. Although it is a short campaign, it’s hard to complain because each mission provides a high-quality experience. This year’s story mode will keep you engaged and curious about what’s next, impressing you with nearly every mission along the way.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 easily offers the best Campaign since Modern Warfare (2019).

Multiplayer Is Better Than Ever

Immediately, one of the things Treyarch worked on with Black Ops 6 was the movement and introduced the brand-new Omnimovement. This has completely revolutionized Call of Duty for the better by introducing creative ways for players to move. Now, players can run side to side and backwards, as well as dive sideways or backwards, compared to only being able to move and dive forward in the past.

In today’s gaming landscape, it’s become common to expect that not all game modes will be available at launch, and this trend holds true for Black Ops 6. At its launch, before the arrival of Season 1, the game offered 9 modes, including classic options like Team Deathmatch, Domination, Search and Destroy, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint, among others. While these modes provide enjoyable gameplay, there is a need for more variety, particularly in the form of new and innovative modes that we haven’t seen before.

Skill-based matchmaking can ruin the casual fun you have with the game if you want to get on and just want to enjoy the game in a normal environment. The scorestreaks in this game feel underwhelming and seem to be recycled from previous titles. There isn’t anything particularly impressive or groundbreaking, which can be seen as a positive since there are no overpowered streaks that can completely dominate a match.

One of the features we’d love to see again is the ability to play in the same online lobby over and over again.

Call of Duty never fails to offer plenty of customization options with its Gunsmith and Perk Settings. For less experienced players the different options for guns can be overwhelming. Luckily, there are pre-set loadout’s for those who just want to be more of an Assault player or a Sniper, this takes the pressure of deciding to create your weapon settings, perks, equipment, scorestreaks, and more.

Overall, Omnimovement enhances the multiplayer experience, making it more enjoyable, while the gameplay remains smooth. It caters well to both casual players and those seeking a competitive challenge. On PC and Xbox Series X|S, I haven’t experienced any performance issues. The gunplay exceeds expectations, contributing to a fun and fast-paced environment.

How Good Is The Map Design?

The map design in Black Ops 6 I would say is definitely good, but it’s not great. There are some very fun maps to play on such as Derelict, Payback, Vorkuta, Skyline, and Rewind. Personally, some of my favorite maps include Payback and Rewind which provide fun experiences and work for multiple game modes.

The downside to the map design in this game so far is that they are on the smaller side of course to support the 6v6 modes. There are a couple of questionable maps such as Subsonic and Babylon which are made for respawn killing and can become frustrating.

While playing multiplayer in Black Ops 6 for many hours, I’ve noticed that some game modes should not be available on certain maps.

Zombies Makes Its Classic Return

Call of Duty zombies, more specifically treyarch-zombies have always had a large cult following through their expansive universe(s), and with Black Ops 6 they’re once again back behind the wheel bringing you another new Zombies experience that will leave you on the edge of your seat preparing for that next round to begin.

Black Ops 6 Launched with two maps (pre-season 1) One being Terminus, which is located on an island in the Philippine Sea during a “jailbreak” heist to release the Requiem crew in pursuit to solve the mischief of the roaming undead. The second map released alongside is “Liberty Falls” which is a small town in West Virginia, being taken over by the undead in a mass outbreak, where you and your crew are in search of “The Scientist” who may hold the key to saving civilization as we know it.

Terminus Island is a more traditional Treyarch-style zombie map, with tons of areas to explore, weapons to pack a punch, and a plethora of Easter Eggs to discover. The main line Easter egg ties into the whole storyline of the whole Treyarch universe, which if you’re new to the zombie side of Call of Duty I highly suggest you do a little research before completing the main Easter Egg to make more sense of it all.

Liberty Falls serves as a user-friendly introductory map, characterized by its more open and intuitive layout. Access to various areas is significantly easier and more linear. However, don’t dismiss Liberty Falls as simply a basic map; it’s fantastic and a joy to play. It features a unique Easter egg that ties into the main story, along with several other enjoyable and helpful Easter eggs that can enhance your gameplay and help you achieve higher rounds.

The Zombies experience in every Treyarch game is always packed with content, especially with the DLC maps included in the Season Updates (starting with Season 1). We can look forward to a completely new map and exciting easter eggs to discover.

Overall, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is a tremendous game and was a much-needed title for the franchise after the controversial Modern Warfare III. It features an impressive campaign, reviving what we love about Zombies, making it hard to put the controller down when playing its multiplayer.