Call of Duty: Black Ops - Playstation 3

I am writing this review after 5 hours of playing time. To that end, please realize that this should not be viewed as a comprehensive review. I will update as I become more familiar with the product, and if you do not find this review helpful, please let me know why in the comments section. I'll be happy to address the issue ASAP.Original Review begins here:COD: Black Ops is the third COD game I have played but the first I have owned. I opted for Battlefield Bad Company 2 over MW2 last time around, but I am neither a COD, BF, or MoH fanboy. I am also a professional software tester, and while that doesn't lend more inherent weight to my opinions, I hope it lets you know where I'm coming from in a review. For a game to be enjoyable to me, it has to be bug-free, smooth, and without major play imbalances. Each of these three types of issues have plagued FPS games, so I will begin with this point -- COD:BO does not suffer from any of those issues.It is the smoothest game, particularly multi-player, that I have ever played. I have read reviews on amazon from other customers who felt exactly the opposite, so I'm tempted to think that's an internet issue. I have the fastest connection possible, and I can tell you without doubt that it is much, much smoother than anything else I've played in the FPS realm for PS3 (or even PC, for that matter).Graphics: Really, really, really good -- but not perfect. This doesn't bother me, even a little.Multiplayer:Good gun balance but a bit of a learning curve. I'm an old-school PC FPS guy, so I still don't have my stick reflexes worked out. Melee attacks seem to have minimal "suck-in" effect (as opposed to, say, Gears of War) but I do wish the melee attack animations were a little more visually appealing. I haven't encountered any overpowered weapons yet, which is a huge plus. This game will *not*, however, work well for folks who like the objective-based squad play of BFBC2. If you want that out of this game, it isn't there -- at least not within five hours of gameplay. Maybe one of the unlocked modes will suffice -- I just simply can't say that yet.The unlockable system is great. It's vastly superior to anything else out there right now.Single Player: Beautiful and engaging from the first moments. I haven't played very far into it, so I'll leave it at that for now. Major gaming review sites seemed to think very highly of the story line, though, so I'd recommend checking around for some of those reviews.Training Mode: Honestly, this is a stroke of genius. Thank you, Treyarch. Thank you. You can actually learn the multiplayer maps before you play them now. This is the most useful tool I've seen included for a gamer because it lessens the learning curve.Critiques: Spawning in multiplayer can be bad. Sometimes you will spawn in as an enemy runs around the corner and pegs you while you try to figure out which way is up. The upside here is that camping choke-points off of spawn is virtually impossible (for the 'attacker') due to each map's design. The maps are smaller than I expected, but larger maps may have been too much to ask for.Overall: I highly recommend this game so far, and I also would submit that anyone experiencing "frame rate issues" in multi is instead suffering from a subpar internet connection. If you aren't a diehard of any previous shooter, this one will do very nicely for you. If you love BFBC2 and want something similar, hold off. If you love MW2, you may still prefer it. I'm not sure what to say for MoH because the critic reviews have been so negative about it that I didn't put any eggs in that basket at all.I'll be updating this review as we go. Good luck, and God bless!***First Edit*** This game is just crazy fun in multi. I haven't spent any time in single player due to how fun multi is. There are issues -- there's no real reason to play with anything other than an assault rifle (famas or galil, usually) except for novelty. Certain killstreaks are virtually useless against experienced players (planes should be shot down 5 seconds after they're up if you're playing someone who knows what they're doing). Spawns are as good as they can be due to map size and game style. You *will* be spawn killed once in a great while. That being said, it's like crack. You won't be able to stop playing.

normally don't take the time to review, but due to the large amount of undeserving low scores, I thought it would be worthwhile to chime in. I won't cover everything, but just a few important points that seems to be vastly undervalued by naysayers at this point. (I have not touched the campaign)Let's get the cons over with first:Graphics: People have explained the graphics fairly well. They don't push it to the limits like your MW2 or UC2 did, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The framerate is a bit choppy at times, but at the end of the day, my preference lies in gameplay variables rather than visual.Sound: Some of the sound is on the weaker side of good. Effects from guns and attachments like suppressors detract more from the realism than anything visual does. Note: the RC car kill streak reward is actually phenomenal in the sound department. Sounding like a toy obviously fits it very well - and then you have somewhat of the' Jaws' effect as it nears closer and closer and your team runs around like a bunch of little sissies trying to reach higher ground or just get the hell away.The good stuff:Multiplayer: All the familiar game types are there and they deliver fantastically. The maps are great and really offer a balanced experienced when you evaluate them through the use of difference classes. As people have said, you'd be hard-pressed to sit around and snipe the whole match, which is a good thing and has always been a pet peeve of mine in any FPS.Leveling is quick, but the customization of your character and skillset is endless and relies on the currency.Contracts are incredibly fun and really give you a sense of urgency in each and every match you play. For instance: I find myself both challenged and pissed when I have a team that is talented because that just means when we play Domination, I have that much less time to complete my goals. Adding purpose beyond winning a match is a big + to increasing repay value.Wager mode takes this a step further by providing games like one in the chamber and sticks and stones that are just plain fun.Zombies are obviously popular these days and black ops does not disappoint in this area. I find myself playing the traditional multiplayer for a few hours, then taking a break by blowing the heads off some zombies. The unlockable arcade game is also a hell of a lot of and can be fairly addicting as well.Conclusion: Ok, so what I have written is not nearly as in depth as lots of other insights we have seen on the game, and it certainly wasn't intended to be. My take-away is that everywhere you look, Treyarch has created additional value. At its core, we have a game that does have all the gameplay features that MW2 had. Sure, it comes up a bit short in the graphics and sound department, but graphics and sound don't keep you coming back for hours at a time. The innovation that goes into creating a zombie mode that is fun and frantic as you will find, adding an arcade game that would normally cost like $10 on the PSN or XBLA, creating additional 'mini game' type modes that have you wagering points, adding contracts which gives even more purpose to each match, it just goes on and on.... oh yea, and thanks for adding split screen!Treyarch has differentiated itself in all the ways that make sense when you look at the tried and true FPS model. The core game sticks to what people like most, and does it very well - so why would you want to touch that? Instead, they made tweaks here and there that don't always change, but they undoubtedly enhance your gaming experience. The additional of zombie mode, the doa ops arcade game, etc are all icing on the cake - again, they added in all the right places. Now when I take a break from CoD, I don't even turn the game off. I find myself playing a few rounds of DoA or Zombies for a different type of enjoyment.To think a company could take a franchise that has been around this long, and added ways to make it more addicting is mind boggling. They are providing the content and creativity that we can only hope we see more of in any genre.5/5 must buy on this title is the bottom line. Grab a friend or two and just try out every game mode... hell, you may find you dont even make it online with all of the content they have provided.