Call of Duty is one of the longest-running shooter franchises in video game history, spanning 24 games over its 21-year history. It has delivered remarkable and engaging gameplay, particularly in its golden era during the late 2000s and early 2010s. While the series barely falters in terms of sales and player base, gamers who predominantly love the Campaign mode (including myself) have felt neglected over the last few years. Long gone were the gripping campaigns that sparked adrenaline and genuine excitement from players. Thankfully, Raven Software has revitalised the story-focused mode, with Black Ops 6 pushing the boundaries of what one would expect from a Call of Duty campaign, delivering a versatile, immersive, and electrifying experience worthy of being called Call of Duty’s best.
The story follows on from previous titles in the Black Ops series and is set in 1991 during the Gulf War. Troy Marshall, William “Case” Calderon, and Frank Woods are all suspended by the director of CIA after being accused of traitorous activity. The team seeks to clear their name and expose the corruption within the CIA, which has been infiltrated by an organisation called The Pantheon. This narrative is extremely easy to navigate, even if you are unfamiliar with previous entries in the Black Ops series.
There are around 11 missions in the campaign, which take about ten hours to complete, and they range from your typical infiltration missions to missions with an open-world feel. There’s even a horror-focused mission, which was by far my favourite mission and one of the best missions of the franchise. There are many undercover missions with a linear approach, but for the most part, players can approach a mission the way they want to. You are rarely ever met with a fail screen for being spotted by an enemy. The game provides freedom within a framework to players so they can tailor the playstyle to what they’re most comfortable with.
The protagonists are primarily headquartered within a safehouse, codenamed “The Rook.” Here, you can upgrade your stats, weapons and purchase other buffs using cash you can find within each mission. There are also some great puzzles to solve within the hub and throughout the different missions as well. These additions may seem trivial in the scheme of things, but they really add another layer and more depth to what a Call of Duty campaign can be.
Movement is upgraded thanks to the new Omni movement, which grants players the ability to sprint and dive in every direction. While this may seem like a small addition to the gameplay, it elevates how seamless the movement feels. As an Apex Legends player, movement is something I need to be perfected in an FPS, something Respawn Entertainment excelled at showcasing in their Battle Royale game. The new Omni movement feels similar to this and controls just as tight, too.
These new movement capabilities are extremely prevalent in the Zombies and Multiplayer mode. In Zombies, omni movement lends a hand at escaping the neverending waves of zombies. In Multiplayer, you can expect to see enemies sliding around every corner, waiting to pull the trigger at you. It is brutal but the frustration was never there because I would retaliate in the same way. As someone who desires a story when gaming, I usually struggle to enjoy Zombies and Multiplayer, but Black Ops 6 has changed that. The Multiplayer is at its peak right now, and I find myself wanting to play and grind through the progression more than I ever have before with a Call of Duty game.
One of the greatest achievements of Treyarch and Raven Software is the sound and audio design, which deploys a tremendous degree of immersion within all modes. The Call of Duty experience has been enhanced by the focus on 3D soundscape and Live Mixing, which allows for more realism when hearing certain sounds. This attention to detail ripples onto the graphics of the game, which are stunning, to say the least. The cinematics look like they are ripped out of a high-budget Hollywood war film.
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 6 REVIEW
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 pushes the boundaries of what one would expect from a Call of Duty campaign – delivering a robust, versatile, and captivating experience from start to finish. What makes Black Ops 6 special is the fact that the Campaign, Zombies, and Multiplayer modes are all equally as polished as each other, enhanced even further by the new Omni movement.
PROS
Campaign is well-worth the playthrough with varied gameplay throughout
- One of the best Call of Duty games released in years
Audio enhancements are fantastic and pack a punch
- It feels like all 3 modes (Campaign, Zombies, Multiplayer) are as equally polished as each other
CONS
Multiplayer plagued by spawn issues
- Some minor pacing issues in the Campaign
Reviewed on PS5. A review code was supplied by the Publisher for purposes of this review.
