Table of Contents Show
Building upon the runaway success of the first game in the series, Treyarch set out to improve upon their winning formula in their second Black Ops outing. Â Needless to say, they’ve produced an absolutely sensational title this time around as well. Â In fact, as many in the gaming community have already stated before, it seems that they may have actually surpassed the original in every way.
Arguably, what made the original Black Ops a success was the wealth of options the game offered to players. Â Well, the same 3 categories are returning in BO2 (Campaign, Multiplayer combat, and Zombies) only each section is filled to the brim with new features this time. Â The campaign offers gamers a series of choices this time around; not only are these choices quite difficult to make, but they also influence the progression of the story in various ways as well. Â This relatively simple mechanic adds quite a bit of replay value to the title and helps to pull it out of âcompletely scripted’ territory.
The conventional multiplayer has also changed slightly; for example, the old leveling system has been replaced and players are divided into leagues based on their skill level. Â Now, Black Ops 2 gamers can access all the content that was locked in the last game, from the start of their very first match. Â The goal is no longer to gain rewards or XP, but to survive and ascend the ranks in the league. Â Some players are going to love this, some, understandably, will find it less than favorable. Â Additionally, the fabled ‘Zombies’mode is also back and boasts new features as well.
Visuals
If you’ve played Black Ops or any of the games in the Call of Duty series before, you already know what to expect in terms of graphics. Â The CoD series has always been known for sharp visuals and smooth framerates and Black Ops 2 is no exception.
Gameplay
Once again, no revolutionary changes have been implemented in terms of comparing the gameplay of the first game and this one. Â Players are still treated to the same great action-packed experiences they are no doubt used to (and somewhat expected) at this point. Â In other words, no revolutionary advancements, but the gameplay is still extremely solid and incredibly fun (if a bit too familiar at times).
Verdict
Series Black Ops devotees will likely have no choice in the matter when it comes to deciding whether or not to buy this game.  Naturally, there’s absolutely nothing ‘wrong’with this title in terms of features or its technical capabilities, yet a number of gamers may feel as though they are experiencing a bout of Déjà vu, perhaps.  To put it another way, expect to play a truly great game; just don’t expect it to be all that revolutionary or refreshing.  On the other hand, for those who are just discovering the Black Ops franchise, this is an excellent place to start.  Regardless, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is worth buying, especially for those who might not possess a more recent FPS title (with multiplayer features).
