With the less than average reception given to “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III,” the Call of Duty franchise needed a hail mary to get fans, both new and old, back in its good graces. With a four year development cycle, the “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” development team was working arduously trying to correct the criticisms brought on by the previous installment while offering variety to keep the audience invested. With the release of “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” on Oct. 25, 2024, fans of the series are left wondering if the game is worth playing.
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” is set during the early 90’s, particularly in the onset of the Gulf War. Throughout the game, the player will be fighting alongside rogue Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives — comprised of both original characters as well as fan favorites from the previous installments such as Frank Woods and Russell Adler — as they attempt to clear their names while facing off against a new clandestine organization only known by the name Pantheon whose influence extend beyond the United States government.
The game takes place across various locations ranging from war torn deserts to decadent palaces and casinos. Given the circumstances as a rogue agent, players need to employ other tactics rather than the traditional run-and-gun gameplay that the Call of Duty games are known for. Many of the missions within the game require a level of stealth and coercion that a secret agent would have.
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” would arguably be the most diverse of the franchise when it comes to gameplay. Other than spending the entire game shooting bad guys, players will need to rely on adeptness and ability to think on their feet.
In one mission set within a gala showcasing a presidential campaign, players are stripped of their usual weapons and are given methods (i.e. dirty tactics such as blackmail and extortion) on how to progress to the next stage. All of these methods require a measure of subtlety, given the high density of bystanders in the area and other agents trying to track players down.
Another level takes place in an open world desert in which players are given the freedom to complete any objective the way they want as it eventually culminates into a larger mission in which they raid an opulent palace. The mission is heavily reminiscent of “Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” in which players are dropped into an open area in which any side missions they complete within the level can have a bigger effect within the next stage of a wider operation.
One thing that “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” has, which could be said for many of the games in the franchise, is its sense of atmosphere. Many of the levels have a different theme and element to them, from shooting galleries reminiscent of the previous games to more Hitman-based stealth missions. One of the most innovative levels of the series involve mind bending visuals evocative of games such as “Bioshock” and “Control.”
The game’s soundtrack contains odes to 90’s bands such as Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails especially with its pulsating bass and electronica alongside the typical string and brass spy symphonies. “Omnimovement,” one of the game’s main selling points in which players have the ability to sprint, slide or dive in any direction they want, is a welcome addition to the series as it makes for stylish actions straight out of 90’s action films such as “The Matrix” and “Point Break.”
Alongside these milestones in gameplay and atmosphere comes a few criticisms. The game fails to take full advantage of its 90’s setting, most importantly in when it comes to addressing the Gulf War. The Gulf War notably had one of the highest coalition buildups since World War II and was a precursor to a decades-long deterioration in relationships between the United States and the Middle East. With only a few missions that somewhat touch upon the conflict itself, exploring these themes would’ve been a lot more interesting than fighting an imaginary shadow cabal.
Additionally, the game suffers from its own ambiguity as it brings up a lot of possible plot points only to never be referenced again, leaving it up to the players to try and piece them together. Some of the visuals in the missions are bright to the point where it could almost be mistaken for a level in “Battlefield 4,” a game that came out eleven years ago. There’s also a lot of information that could’ve been filled between “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” and the previous installments
Multiplayer and zombies are also featured as part of the main game. Unlike the multiplayer and zombies in “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III” in which many of the maps were copy and pasted from “Warzone” or the previous game, many of the maps in “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” are original in both layout and style. “Omnimovement” is also included in both multiplayer and zombies making for interesting gunfights and trickshots to be had.
Verdict: “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” offers a fresh and innovative take on the series that will leave players, both old and new, coming back for more. Although it doesn’t offer anything compelling, it’s still an adequate game to turn players’ minds off with.
