Developed by Treyarch and published by Activision, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is officially out on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. This year’s Call of Duty title is not the norm that we get to experience every year… not only is it missing a single-player campaign, but it now replaces the former with a new Battle Royale mode.
First things first… Let’s focus on the elephant in the room. While Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 shifts the focus of the game into an online-only affair, I must admit that the lack of a single-player campaign makes the latest Call of Duty feel somewhat empty. Past titles in the series featured some riveting campaign moments with some truly inspirational characters and engaging storylines. With the lack of a campaign Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 4 quite honestly feels incomplete. I, personally, missed hearing cliche soldiers battling it out through insurmountable situations that were just over-the-top yet so satisfying to play through.
While the lack of a single-player campaign makes Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 feel empty, developer Treyarch has gone above and beyond when it comes to the three main modes featured in the game, namely: Blackout, Zombies and Multiplayer.
With the campaign missing, Blackout essentially takes the lead in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Blackout is brand new to the series and is Call of Duty’s version of a Battle Royale mode. The mode ultimately drops 100 players into one of Call of Duty’s largest maps and pits them against each other. If you are a team player you can join a team of 4 players; however, if you prefer going solo you can battle it out against a plethora of players on your own. Now, while I’m not the biggest fan of Battle Royale style titles, I quite honestly enjoyed my time playing Blackout. Searching for the best loot while avoiding heavy gunfire from all angles was a blast and so was teaming up with some of my online friends. Granted, I still miss the campaign but, for now, Blackout is a worthy addition.
When it comes to gameplay… Not only does Blackout play extremely well, but it also looks fantastic – which was a surprise, to say the least – as I personally expected it to look very similar to its rivals such as Fortnite and Player Unknown Battlegrounds. This was not the case as it has the same look and feel as the recent Call of Duty titles in the series.
Moving away from Blackout, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 features some phenomenal online action when it comes to the modes it features. When loading up the multiplayer you will find a ton of familiar modes, which include the likes of: Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, Domination, Free-For-All, Kill Confirmed, Hardpoint, Control, and Heist. While these can be played standard, players who want to test their skills can play various modes in their respective Hardcore offering.
If you do need a break from all the multiplayer action, Zombies makes a return in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in order to offer you an alternative experience. This time around you join Scarlett Rhodes who is out to solve her eccentric father’s mysterious disappearance. With the help of three loyal outcasts, you will fight waves of the undead and uncover a number of secrets as well as a prized relic that wields an extraordinary power threatening all of humanity. Overall, Zombie is pretty fun to play with friends and with a number of customsation options, this mode can be tailor-made into exactly what you want it to be. If you find things a little too difficult you can change the price of guns as well as decrease the number of rounds you play. For the hardcore players, you can up the prices and extend the number of rounds. It’s this kind of customisation that makes Zombies an absolute blast to play.
Conclusion:
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a great game overall; however, the lack of a single-player campaign truly makes the game feel like it is missing something. While the lack of campaign leaves a large void, the multiplayer modes do make up for it. Blackout is superb, the best Battle Royale mode on the market right now, and Zombies is just phenomenal. The various multiplayer modes are also fantastic and offer hours and hours of competitive fun. Overall, if you are looking at playing online only, then Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is for you; however, if you came here looking for a single-player experience then you may be better off skipping this year’s instalment.
By Darryl Linington
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