Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Review: Light On Innovation but Full of Classic Black Ops Charm

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been hailed as a triumphant return for the franchise. Featuring a brand-new campaign, the revival of Zombies mode, and the iconic multiplayer experience, the expectations were high. While it may not be perfect, Treyarch, Raven Software, and Activision have certainly met the mark, delivering on the promises that Black Ops 6 set out to fulfill.

Black Ops 6 Campaign: A Story Filled With Atmosphere And Not Much Else

If you're familiar with the Black Ops franchise, you know that the Campaign is a major selling point, with previous entries being standout experiences for many players even today. In this respect, Black Ops 6 delivers a solid campaign, but it doesn’t quite steal the spotlight from its predecessors; it merely shares the stage.

To kick things off, the plot is classic: Evil organization plans to unleash a bio-weapon on the world because, well, evil. But there are plenty of twists to keep you engaged. The first chapter introduces our main character, William “Case” Calderon, along with new operatives Troy Marshall and Jane Harrow, who blast their way through Kuwait in search of a VIP. After the mission takes a detour due to the arrival of Black Ops Cold War's Russel Adler, 

Case and Marshall find themselves effectively suspended. Unfazed, they take matters into their own hands, teaming up with longtime Black Ops veteran Frank Woods and newcomers Sevati "Sev" Dumas and Felix Neumann to track down Pantheon, a shadowy organization they encountered earlier.

As the story unfolds, they discover Pantheon has a biological weapon that we later find out is tied to Case, who seems to have been a test subject. As we near the end, we find out that Harrow has been working for Pantheon all along, plotting to unleash the weapon in Washington, D.C. Naturally, the team intervenes, and the last we see of Case and Harrow, they’re locked in a fight to the death on a crashed helicopter.

In the final scene, the team appears to be alive and well (no sign of Case, though) as they chat with Livingstone, who asks them to stay together and continue operating from the shadows with government funding. Finally, we’re treated to a shot of a mysterious character hacking a computer. We don’t know if this is Case or someone else, but it’s clear the developers have more story to tell.

This is where Black Ops 6 falls short for me. There’s so much hype and excitement around the campaign; Pantheon and their goals, the backstories of our characters, and the unique flair of each mission but, unfortunately, none of it leads anywhere or connects to the game’s overall vision.

To give a few rapid-fire examples, Case’s connection to the Cradle (the bio-weapon) is introduced and built up but ultimately left hanging. The characters you interact with at the Rook (your base of operations) are limited to question-and-answer exchanges with no depth, leaving their stories feeling incomplete.

Each mission is well-crafted, showcasing the hard work Treyarch has put in over the past four years. However, the missions often feel isolated from the broader narrative they’re trying to convey, leaving many questions unanswered.

That said, I have to give credit where it’s due: the missions, particularly the trippy hallucination sequence (an obligatory element in every Black Ops game) in Immergence, and the open-world style mission Hunting Season, are fantastic. The F.E.A.R. vibes in Immergence and the sense of freedom and agency in Hunting Season make them stand out as missions that I'll remember.

Ultimately, though, it’s the missions I enjoyed, not the story or the characters behind them. I loved the action, and the horror elements, but I’d happily skip the story entirely. Ultimately, I find myself wanting to revisit those missions casually to soak in the Black Ops vibes, as there doesn’t seem to be much else worth going back for.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Zombies: A Masterful Return to Form

While the campaign in Black Ops 6 is a bit hit-and-miss for me, the Zombies mode is a triumphant return. In this wave-based shooter, players can team up or go solo to fend off relentless hordes of zombies using weapons and items discovered in the atmospheric maps of Terminus and Liberty Falls.

As you battle your way through the undead, you’ll level up your weapons at Pack-a-Punch machines, collect special weapons and Gobblegums, and tackle boss monsters. All this while keeping an eye out for fun Easter eggs scattered throughout the maps, like the Bowling Ball or Dancing Zombies.

Ultimately, there’s not much to dislike about the Zombies mode in Black Ops 6; it feels like a remaster of the classic Zombies experience from previous titles. With the addition of Omnimovement and the polish that Treyarch has put into the overall movement and combat, it offers a fantastic experience for both veterans and newcomers eager to try Zombies for the first time.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Multiplayer: Same Tank, Different Decals, More Sweat

Multiplayer is a slightly more mixed bag. First and foremost, the game mode is extremely polished. It's arguably just a remastered or overhauled version of multiplayer from previous Black Ops titles, now with the tech and performance seen in Warzone and MW. Fluid combat and Omnimovement provide plenty of options for close-quarters gunfights, and the weapons, gear, and scorestreaks are just as enjoyable as ever.

However, this focus on fast-paced, action-heavy gameplay means the multiplayer can become intense and sweaty very quickly. This is mainly due to the questionable skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) the game uses. If you pop off in one game and do well, the next round will likely have you tilting as you go up against players at ludicrously high levels compared to your own.

Thankfully, this issue has been brought up by plenty of players, and Treyarch is likely to address it in an upcoming update or patch. We’re quite positive about this given that Treyarch has already responded to feedback about the Recon perk, an overpowered boon on smaller maps like Nuketown. It’s likely we’ll be getting some matchmaking balance changes soon, too.

Fortunately, players won’t be stuck in sweaty deathmatches forever, as the game offers a variety of modes. You can jump into Team Deathmatch, Domination, Search and Destroy, Kill Confirmed, Free-for-All, Hardpoint, Gunfight, Headquarters, and the newer modes, Kill Order and Control all of which have various maps you can try out to shake things up.

With all these modes to explore and the revamped combat system, you can overlook the occasional sweaty lobby. If you decide to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed by the overall multiplayer experience that Black Ops 6 delivers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Is Worth Playing If You Manage Your Expectations

I was initially hesitant to get my hopes up for Black Ops 6, fearing my expectations would be dashed as they often are with hyped releases. However, I have to admit that it fits neatly within the realm of my expectations.

The campaign, while shallow, serves as a suitable vehicle for the bizarre, action-packed experiences each mission offers (better than my initial fear of a sub-par script). The Zombies and multiplayer modes make epic returns, surpassing our expectations by refining and mastering both for this new title.

So, for anyone considering picking up Black Ops 6, temper your expectations. You won’t be getting a world-class campaign, but you’ll enjoy some fantastic missions within it. If you can look past that, the game offers a stellar Zombies mode and multiplayer that will knock your socks off (and occasionally knock things off your desk as you rage at other players).

Ultimately, that’s part of the Black Ops formula: a gritty, imperfect experience that players can dive into and enjoy. So despite its flaws, I believe that Black Ops 6 is one of the best FPS releases of the year when looked at in totality, and is well worth the price of entry for anyone looking for a modernized version of the Black Ops experience.