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‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ review

'Black Ops 4' outshines the games it copies with that Call of Duty polish

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Review
Image used with permission by copyright holder
‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’
MSRP $60.00
Score Details
DT Recommended Product
“'Black Ops 4' delivers the best Call of Duty multiplayer battles in years.”
Pros
  • Engaging gunplay
  • Substantial unlocks
  • Blackout is incredibly fun
  • Great variety in Zombies
Cons
  • Included “story” is needless
  • Zombies bots are too strong and not that smart

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the most ambitious first-person shooter we’ve seen from Treyarch in years. This is because for the first time in a mainline Call of Duty game, Black Ops 4 abandons its campaign in favor of an all-new, massive mode.. Normally, this would be a deal breaker as the single-player stories are a large part of what makes Call of Duty so much fun. But with multiplayer, Zombies, and Blackout firing on all cylinders, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is worth the price of admission.

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A true return to form

In place of the mission-based story mode, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 attempts to tie the multiplayer lore together with a series of tutorial missions. These missions introduce us to the Specialists used in competitive mode and provide a little backstory on their activities.

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While the missions are terrible at providing context to the other modes, and Frank Woods’ dialogue is grating, they do a fine job of getting you accustomed to the specialized equipment and abilities at each soldier’s disposal. The simplicity of the tutorial missions did have us longing for a full-fledged campaign mode. Luckily, you can skip this part of the game as long as you’re willing to get shot up while learning Specialist abilities in multiplayer, but you’ll be starting off with one of the best parts of the game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s competitive multiplayer might be the best the series has seen since Advanced Warfare. It manages to include high-tech gadgets and special abilities without sacrificing the moment-to-moment gunplay that made the series so engaging in the first place.

From assault rifles to sniper rifles, the weapons you fire have a sense of weight and kick that we’ve only seen from a handful of other first-person shooters (Titanfall 2 and Destiny 2 immediately come to mind), and every kill in a match feels earned. Black Ops 4 takes a page out of the Overwatch playbook, counting assists as kills for your personal tally, and it makes you  feel like you’re contributing even if you don’t fire the final shot.

Progression never feels overwhelming in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

The biggest change to multiplayer is the healing system. You can’t heal from damage by taking cover for a few seconds. Instead, there’s a button devoted to healing yourself with an injection that recovers your health over time. It only takes a second to start the process and a few more to get back to full health.

Picking the right moment to stop aiming down your sights and heal is definitely its own skill and you’ll want to do it properly. Healing at the right moment can give you just enough of an edge to come out on top in a gunfight but waiting too long or doing it too early can lead to a quick death.

You’re never truly defenseless in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 since you can fire your weapon during nearly any action. Whether you’re climbing a small ledge or even swimming, you can still protect yourself and it makes most firefights feel fair. It also encourages continued movement and keeps camping in check which is a problem that’s been prevalent in the series.

Progression never feels overwhelming in Black Ops 4, even with the number of Specialists, perks and modifications available. Having all these options actually works to your benefit as the Pick 10 system lets you create your ideal class before pairing it with a Specialist in multiplayer.

The rate at which you unlock new weapons and attachments feels great and you hardly go more than a match or two without getting a new scope or grip for your rifle. Most weapons feel like a viable option so unlocks don’t lose their appeal. We did find that a few guns need some balancing, particularly  the pump-action shotgun. The rate at which it loads the next shell is agonizingly slow, making it nearly useless in close combat scenarios.

Unlike PUBG or Fortnite, in Black Ops 4’s Blackout mode, you’ll spend most of your time actually shooting other players.

However, your class is hardly ever to blame for poor performance. Whether you’re playing Team Deathmatch or more specialized modes like Hardpoint or Heist, the weapons and abilities you use have a place. Designated marksmen can take shots with tactical rifles from afar while sneakier players almost always have a way to get behind enemies with a submachine gun.

Blackout dims the lights on the competition

If you’re looking for something a bit bigger, then Blackout mode is for you. In the same vein as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – and with a remarkably similar aesthetic – Blackout’s simplicity doesn’t overshadow how much fun it is to play. After leaping out of a helicopter in a wingsuit, you’ll search buildings, build up your arsenal, and prepare for the forcefield slowly encroaching on your position.

If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Anyone with battle royale experience will immediately understand how to play. But that’s not to say that it doesn’t have anything new to bring to the table. Blackout’s excellent map design combined with Call of Duty’s superior controls easily blow the competition away.

Unlike PUBG or Fortnite, you’ll spend most of your time actually shooting other players and that’s a welcomed distinction. Buildings are designed with plenty of windows and doors, giving players an opportunity to take out defenders before being killed themselves, but you’ll have to be careful since even the slightest footstep can alert an enemy of your position.

Despite the enormous size and maze-like structure of some of the Zombies maps, they don’t feel cryptic.

Every kill you get feels deserved, and in groups games in Blackout, this is even more true. Non-verbal communication tools allow you to work with your teammates before entering a new area. As in PUBG, you can each put a marker on the map to suggest the next destination, and the ability to call for your teammates to group up allows you to stay together without needing a headset.

It’s a B movie Zombies party

Zombies returns in Black Ops 4 but this time it brings some campy goofiness in place of the horror-focused mode in Call of Duty: WWII. With two separate storylines split across three missions and three maps that all feel drastically different from each other, there’s a lot for fans to enjoy.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Voyage of Despair” takes place on the doomed Titanic during a heist gone wrong. You and your teammates will have to go into the depths of the ship, swim through icy water, and fend off hordes of the undead.

The bizarre “IX” mixes zombies with Roman warriors wielding enormous axes. Set in a coliseum, it’s certainly more out there than other Zombies modes, but its multi-level structure and unique architecture make it a welcome addition.

You might want to knock the difficulty up a notch if you don’t have real friends to play Zombies with.

Our favorite of the missions is “Blood of the Dead,” which takes place in Alcatraz. It includes sprawling indoor and outdoor areas loaded with traditional zombies, larger monsters, and explosive dogs. Despite Alcatraz being a familiar setting in horror, the mix of cell blocks, larger areas, and an electric gondola give it a sense of scope we aren’t used to from Call of Duty.

Despite the enormous size and maze-like structure of some of the Zombies maps, they don’t feel cryptic. With enough exploration, you can find all the buttons and items you need to open them up to access better weapons and gear. The perks and special abilities give you just enough of an advantage to weasel your way out of most danger. Dealing with a massive horde of undead? Pull out your magical hammer and swing away. If that doesn’t work, use an elixir that transports you to a completely different area of the map.

You’re free to play Zombies with up to three other players, completely alone, or with computer-controlled bot teammates. We actually found the most success with the latter option. On the normal difficulty setting, your companions can survive for much longer than you can and it’s almost comedic. That said, you might want to knock the difficulty up a notch if you don’t have real friends to play with.

Otherwise, you’ll be watching most of the later rounds through the eyes of a companion or from the floor as you wait for someone to revive you. AI can still be a little dumb, too. We set up a trap to kill zombies with spinning blades only to watch our friends walk in and knock themselves out with it numerous times.

DT Gameplay

17 minutes of raw unfiltered Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 multiplayer gameplay.

Our Take

We wish Treyarch delivered a stellar campaign mode but it’s hard to deny that Black Ops 4 is still a success without it. The competitive multiplayer and Zombies modes are as engaging as they’ve ever been, and Blackout manages to deliver a battle royale experience we want to play way more than PUBG or Fortnite. The game certainly chased some trends this year, but its sheer polish is more than enough to make Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 the winner.

Is there a better alternative?

No. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 delivers fantastic online competitive and cooperative gameplay.

How long will it last?

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is sure to have an audience until the next annual release.

Should you buy it?

Yes, Blackout in combination with its multiplayer and Zombies mode make Black Ops 4 worth it. Even without the campaign.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
The best Wildcards in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Kill Order gameplay in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

The concept of a Wildcard might sound like a risky endeavor in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, but this part of your loadout isn't random at all. We haven't seen this system since Cold War, and even those who remember it from that game will need to learn all the new cards there are in Black Ops 6. You can only equip a single Wildcard on your loadout, but they are powerful enough to completely redefine your playstyle. So far, there are only six to unlock while grinding through the levels with your friends, but picking just one is still a tough choice, especially if you want to use a permanent unlock on one after hitting Prestige. We've ranked all the Wildcards in Black Ops 6 so you can always have the winning hand.
All Black Ops 6 Wildcards, ranked

There is a level of personal preference in which Wildcard you will find better than others, but in most cases, the ones we've ranked as the best will help every player gain an edge in online matches. Here's our ranking of each Wildcard from best to worst, along with what level you unlock them at.
Perk Greed - Level 54
The last Wildcard you unlock is easily the most powerful. Perk Greed lets you unlock a fourth Perk to your loadout instead of being limited to three, which can borderline break the game if you choose the right set of Perks. It is also the most versatile of the Wildcards since it gives you the most options to play with instead of a specific bonus you may not find useful. It can also more easily unlock the special bonus buff you get for equipping three Perks from the same category.
Gunfighter - Level 33
Right in the middle of the unlock list, Gunfighter is one Wildcard you could easily make a case for over Perk Greed in some situations. This one increases your attachment points for your primary weapon by three. If you're rocking a top-tier weapon already, this Wildcard can let you tweak its stats even higher. We rank it second because it only applies to one weapon and thus is a bit more limiting.
Overkill - Level 24
For such an early Wildcard, Overkill is quite a powerful choice. This card lets you equip any weapon (except melee weapons) in your Primary and Secondary slots instead of the ones typically reserved for each. That means you can build a loadout with two Primary weapons and be far more versatile on the battlefield. Instead of having to trade off range, damage, rate of fire, mobility, or any other aspect of your game, you can cover almost all your bases by picking two Primary weapons that cover each other's weaknesses.
Prepper - Level 45
Field upgrades are powerful, don't get us wrong, but having two instead of one isn't always that much of a game-changer. It's a bit less useful than Gunfighter only because field upgrades are more situational and require more attention to use to their full potential. If that's you, then this is a great choice.
Danger Close - Level 38
Who doesn't want another grenade, Molotov, or combat axe? Is getting a second Lethal worth the Wildcard slot, though? Not in our opinion. Most of the time, Lethals are used in desperation or as a way to deny enemy movement for a time, and even then, they are risky because of how vulnerable you are while using them.
Tactical Expert - Level 15
The first Wildcard you get is better than nothing, but only just. It's exactly like Danger Close, only you can hold two Tacticals instead of Lethals. This is, by nature, a little worse since Tacticals don't have the ability to kill an enemy (unless you get super lucky and you directly hit an enemy with one who is on low HP). You can get some use out of them, but you're better off upgrading as soon as you have another option.

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The best Perk-A-Colas in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
A screenshot from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6's zombies mode.

There's nothing more refreshing than taking a nice big swig of a Perk-A-Cola during an intense Zombies match with your pals in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Besides tasting great (we assume), these colas empower you with buffs that will keep you alive until the later rounds. These bonuses are just as important as the Pack-A-Punch, but come in a wider range of flavors. It is possible to stack them all, but that gets expensive very fast so you need to be thrifty about choosing which ones are most valuable early on. These colas come in eight different types that may or may not be worth your Essence to chug. If you want to know which ones are the best in Black Ops 6, check out our ranking.
Best Perk-A-Colas in Black Ops 6

We're ranking these Perk-A-Colas based on their base bonuses, not any additional effects you can get if you Augment them, from best to worst.
Jugger-Nog
You can never go wrong with the classic Jugger-Nog. Increasing your health by 100 is useful for the entire duration of a Zombies mode, but especially in the early rounds. Going down is at best a major setback and at worst a cascade into defeat. This extra health allows you to get out of a bad situation that would otherwise end your run.
Quick Revive
This Perk has two components, with the less useful one being the ability to revive teammates 50% faster. Ideally, that shouldn't be needed but is nice. However, what makes it rank so high is the 50% shorter delay on health regen. Your health will come back over time in Zombies but at a dreadful pace. Starting to heal faster means less time running and kiting zombies around and more time in the action helping the team.
Speed Cola
The best early guns for Zombies mode have a large magazine, fast reload, or both. Running out of ammo at the wrong time and not being able to get more rounds in the chamber fast enough has ended many a run, but Speed Cola is the solution. It will speed up your reloads and armor plating by 30%. That's not a massive number, but fast enough to make the difference.
Stamin-Up
These zombies aren't the shambling types. They will chase you down like sprinters, and some of the monstrous ones can outpace you even at full tilt. Stamin-Up sounds like it would let you run for longer, but actually just lets you run faster since you have no limit on sprint in Black Ops 6. Positioning is everything in Zombies so being able to get where you need to be faster is never a bad thing, especially if it's a downed teammate bleeding out.
Deadshot Daiquiri
Every zombie has a weak spot, which is most often the head. Deadshot Daiquiri makes a critical hit hurt even more than normal, plus increases your auto-aim on those weak points when you aim down sights (ADS). That second part shouldn't factor much if you've got good aim, which is why this is only a decent Perk-A-Cola.
PhD Flopper
Not being able to hurt yourself is situationally useful, and the ability to cause an explosion by diving is a risky move. Yes, it's cool, but you don't want to be lying prone surrounded by zombies. This is a cool gimmick, but save yourself the Essence and skip it.
Elemental Pop
When Elemental Pop works, it's great. The problem with it is that you can't rely on it. It gives a small chance on every shot you take to add a random ammo mod effect, which is cool but impractical. If you have spare Essence on you, sure, it won't hurt you to have, but it isn't something that will turn the tide for you or your team.
Melee Macchiato
Finally, Melee Macchiato bottoms out the list. It is fine in the early game when the hordes are small and you're better off meleeing enemies since it will smack enemies away with each hit, but quickly drops off in usefulness. When the zombies get too strong and too numerous, you will need a lot more than a strong punch to deal with them and end up forgetting you even have it.

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The best Call of Duty games, ranked
Soldier holding weapon in Modern Warfare II.

Few video game series are as influential and popular as Call of Duty. The annualized franchise throws players into fast-paced battles across various historical time periods -- along with fictional eras as well. Call of Duty has taken us to World War II, the Cold War, a modern setting, and even to the future.

Although it's one of the most successful video game franchises out there, Call of Duty's quality varies significantly from game to game, with some fantastic entries in the series, but many mediocre ones as well. But which Call of Duty games are worth your time and which ones should you skip? To answer that question, we've ranked all the mainline entries in the series, with details about why you should or shouldn't play a particular game.

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