Another year, one more Call of Duty. A new main series Call of Duty The game has been released every year since then Call of Duty 2 launched in 2005, and the franchise shows no signs of slowing down. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7developed as a collaboration between Raven Software, Treyarch and a host of other Activision studios, is the latest entry in the long-running series and serves as a direct sequel to the wildly popular Black Ops 2. IN Call of Duty: Black Ops 7the returning David Mason and his team work together to stop what appears to be the return of Black Ops 2 villain Raul Menendez.
Campaign
For the first time since 2015 Black Ops 3the Call of Duty the series has a full co-op campaign for 4 players to offer. The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 co-op campaign is a trippy adventure full of non-stop action, with players able to use unique special abilities to gain an edge over enemy onslaughts. There's a bubble shield that completely blocks incoming fire that's perfect for safely reviving downed teammates and a powerful hand cannon that can wipe out even the game's more powerful enemies. One of my favorite abilities makes players completely invisible, which is great for sneaky infiltrations. Bonus traversal tools give players the freedom to explore levels as they wish, with a super powerful jump and a grappling hook available.
These abilities pair well with the standard explosive Call of Duty shooting action, and I really appreciated how much freedom Black Ops 7 offers compared to others Cod campaigns. Gone are the days of following NPCs down corridors, with players almost always in full control of the events from start to finish. The problem is that Black Ops 7 The campaign has no compelling antagonist and its story falls flat. The characters are one-liners and nothing that happens registers in any meaningful way, even the weirdest things. There are some memorable boss fights and some levels that stand out thanks to their dreamlike design, but the campaign lacks the highs of previous games. There is no big shocking moment or twist that hits as hard as the ones in the previous one Black Ops titles.
It took me about 4.5 hours to beat the Black Ops 7 co-op campaign.
Still, Black Ops 7s co-op adds a lot to the experience, and it's a fun playthrough with friends. It may lack the peaks of previous games, but it also lacks the flames. You won't regret playing through it, but it's unlikely to stick around long after the credits roll.
We're in the playoffs now
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 The campaign ends with the Endgame experience. Endgame lets players loose on the massive Avalon map to explore, loot, complete activities, level up, extract, rinse and repeat. Dying in Endgame means starting over, so there's at least some of the patented extraction shooter thrill at play, but the mode is largely uninspired and boring. The lack of PvP really kills its potential for me and while players are free to team up with other teams to complete objectives, there isn't enough of a carrot on the stick for this to be a mode I personally care to return to, especially in the face of other recent releases that provide a more exciting extraction experience.
Avalon is divided between different zones with different degrees of difficulty. Endgame players are free to go wherever they want on the map regardless of their level, but venturing into higher level zones obviously carries higher risk. Exploring the map with friends can be fun, and Endgame will probably appeal to fans of the DMZ, but it's hard to see it becoming as popular as the game's other modes.
Multiplayer
Then Call of Duty 4 has exploded in popularity, multiplayer has been the main selling point for all games in the franchise. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 features the franchise's proven multiplayer experience with some added movement options like the ability to bounce against walls. If you have played any Call of Duty games for the past 15 years, you know what to expect Black Ops 7but when the formula is this entertaining, being formulaic isn't a bad thing.
Black Ops 7 has no surprises when it comes to multiplayer, but it does offer standard modes and a selection of great maps. Homestead is an absolutely wonderful, small arena where players battle by a snow-covered cabin illuminated by the green glow of the Northern Lights. Blackheart takes the fight to an offshore drilling rig with a wall positioned just right so players can use it to bounce through a window and blast unsuspecting enemies with a shotgun. Toshin is a neon-drenched Japanese town that caters to a variety of playstyles, while old-school Alaskan Scar is one of the more visually distinct maps of the bunch. Although my opinion may change the more time I spend with the maps, the only map that I directly dislike in Black Ops 7 is Exposure. Its design is boring and generic compared to the other maps, and I'll always vote for something else whenever possible.
Nuketown will be added Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on November 20.
There are 16 standard multiplayer maps at launch, including Return Black Ops 2 fan favorites such as Hijacked, Raid and Express. With great old-school maps and great new offerings, Black Ops 7 has a robust selection of high-quality maps supported by all the expected game modes such as Team Deathmatch and Kill Confirmed, plus the new Overload mode. Overload, for the uninitiated, is a twist on Capture the Flag where players must deliver a unit to enemy zones. Whoever is in possession of the device becomes visible to everyone in the game, so teams must seriously work together if they want to be successful. With the right group of people, Overload can be a lot of fun, but I'd avoid it if you're not going to actively communicate with teammates. It requires a bit more than the mindless lone wolf style of play usually found online Cod matches.
Strategy is also important in the new 20v20 Skirmish mode, which features two large maps with different objectives that players battle for. Vehicles are in-game and after death players can jump anywhere on the map in their wingsuits. Again, with the right group of players Skirmish can shine, but playing with randoms is difficult. Regardless, Skirmish offers something a little different than the standard Cod the multiplayer formula and its inclusion is appreciated for the variety although standard 6v6 is still where Multiplayer hits hardest.
I appreciate that Skirmish is an option and even though I initially didn't care for Overload when I played the beta, it has won me over. Between all available maps and modes, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 multiplayer is packed with valuable content that will justify the price of admission for most fans. And that's not even considering things like the reduced influence of skill-based matchmaking, which wasn't possible to test before launch. It is disappointing Black Ops 7 is yet another Call of Duty launched without bet-matching variants like Gun Game and One in the Chamber, but they will likely come later. If it's anything like other recent games in the series, it Black Ops 7 post-launch support will be extensive and ensure the game has a serious lifespan.
Zombies
Zombies have been an integral part of Black Ops package since the original, so it's no surprise that it's back in Black Ops 7. This time around, Zombies takes place on a large map called Ashes of the Damned that has players traveling from one POI to another in an upgradeable truck called Tessie. The typical turn-based Zombies experience is fully intact in Ashes of the Damned, but the travel element ensures more environmental variety than you normally get from a Zombies map, and it's honestly a great gimmick that helps Black Ops 7 Zombies stand out from the jump.
Another co-op-centric mode, Zombies, has players band together to slay the undead, acquire powerful weapons from the Mystery Box that can be upgraded with the Pack-A-Punch machine, and collect useful perks that help them live longer as the zombie hordes grow larger and deadlier. Standard mode provides a guided experience where players have specific objectives to complete as they make their way across the map, but there is also Survival mode which allows players to have a pure classic Zombies experience in specific parts of Ashes of the Damned. The only survival map available at launch is a creepy farm, but more should be coming over time.
Black Ops 7 supports split screen for multiplayer and zombies, but not the campaign.
Zombies have been hit or miss for me over the years. There are times when I think Zombies is weak, and there are times when it becomes my most played mode. Black Ops 7 Zombies may well fall into the latter camp. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of it, but from what I've played so far, it satisfies the desire for classic Zombies while offering a fresh twist on the free-wheeling truck concept. Ashes of the Damned may be inspired by Black Ops 2s TranZit map, but it handles the concept of traveling between multiple POIs on a single map in a much more engaging way.
Dead Ops Arcade 4
Dead Ops Arcade makes its long-awaited comeback Black Ops 7. Traditionally a top-down arcade Zombies experience, Dead Ops Arcade 4 lets players choose between a top-down view or a first-person perspective. The mode isn't anything special and it's unlikely to be played that much, but it's good in short bursts. If you want instant, explosive Zombies action, Dead Ops Arcade 4 delivers.
The large amount of content Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 brings to the table is impressive, even if some of it does not live up to expectations. The co-op campaign is mixed, Endgame is a bust, and the gameplay is largely derivative of what came before, but it's a comprehensive, feature-rich package that will keep fans busy until 2026 Call of Duty game. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is a no-brainer for a long time Call of Duty fans, although it won't win over any haters.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with an Xbox Series X code for this review.
