1. Graphics
Black Ops was developed by Treyarch, makers of COD:World At War (another dissapointment by many accounts) while Modern Warfare and MW2 were developed by Infinity Ward. MW and MW2 will always stick out to me because of the realism and the graphics. Sure the stories were lack luster but, for lack of better words, the games LOOKED great. Now the story mode graphics in Black Ops aren't bad but the multiplayer graphics? Buttcheeks...not up to par at all. Other players look grainy and the maps look a little dull. And then there's Nuketown, a multiplayer map that looks like it's straight from a Looney Tunes cartoon: the colors are almost too much for me. They could have done a lot better with the visuals.
2. New Leveling System
Black Ops is introducing a leveling/gun acqusition system that calls for guns, perks, and pretty much anything else to be purchased. Sounds good on paper, but doesn't really do it for me. For starters, the first batch of weapons SUCK. Some are pretty accurate, but they're lacking power...I thought I was shooting a BB gun half the time. Be prepared to go knocked when you're first playing online. You still gain XP (experience points) for getting kills, completeing challenges, and taking objectives but this is layered on top of the new purchasing system. For example, you unlock the ABILITY to purchase a Famas at level 14, but not the actual weapon as you could before. My biggest question is: why have both systems? If I have to buy the gun when I get there anyway, why not allow for the guns to be purchased regardless of level? You better be sure you want the item you're puchasing as well, because there aren't any refunds or exchanges. Doesn't work too well when you buy two attachments for the MP5K and are COD broke...don't ask me how I know. One plus to the new system are the contracts, which are timed challenges you have to wager points for. Don't succeed and you lose the points you wagered...I like this because it forces you to put your money where your mouth is.
3. Online Multiplayer
2 and 3 are very closely related but I had to seperate them so I can properly go in. I am not a fan of the Black Ops online system thus far. For one, the vast majority of the games I've played in have been laggy...VERY laggy. My internet connection has been fine but the lag has been very annoying to say the least. There have been many times when I've been shot as soon as I turn the corner, only to watch the kill cam and see that, apparently, I was around the corner for a least a second...no dice. Secondly, there's a new map voting system that allows for players to select the same map (i.e. running it back). I actually liked that option...until I playerd Nuketown (the new fan favorite, apparently) 5 times in a row. Lastly, the kill streaks seem to be a little unbalanced. A goal of Treyarch was to make it so the new kill streaks were as over powered as they were in MW2...but they didnt do much better this time around. Yeah, the nuke's gone, but it only takes 3 kills for the remote controlled car with explosives? That's less than a predator missle. The attack dogs wrecked shop one game I was in (thankfully, I was on that guy's team) which would make them the best one IMO. The other ones just seemed lazy..what's the difference between a chopper gunner and a gunship anyway? Just seems like they could have done a little better.
Everything's not bad about Black Ops: the campaign mode is definitely superior to MW/MW2. Top shelf voice acting (including Ice Cube...YAY-YAY!!!) and a story with multiple plot twists kept me hooked. Overall, I would have to say its not a bad game...I just have a lot of beefs with it. Black Ops rode the coatails of MW2 but failed to deliver in many aspects. But, of course, Activision doesn't care since they saw the first day sales figures. They're plan is to release a new game every year (around November) and that's too sad: they're going to canibalize their franchise and people are going to get tired of the same game (essentially) just repackaged with a different name (and before you say anything...this is NOT what Madden does. Ok maybe they do...but SO??). MW2 had another good year of multiplayer easy...glad I kept my copy for 360.
-Dub
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